29. EVERLEE – JUST SAY YES
EVERLEE – JUST SAY YES
It’s only been just over twenty-four hours since I’ve seen them. Last night, I was at work late and didn’t feel like going to Vixen. My body needed to recover, and I just needed a me night, even though when bedtime rolled around, I was really missing them and very much wanted an us night.
Waking up tangled in their arms is one of my favorite things.
I spent most of last night talking to Lizzy, and she kept me entertained, as usual, with all of her craziness.
She told me she has a meeting with Emmett on Tuesday to talk about plans for renting out Bo’s for her reception.
She doesn’t have a date yet, and it’s just a preliminary meeting to discuss potential costs and requirements, but I could tell by her voice it doesn’t matter.
It’s just items on a checklist for her. She’s going to have her beautiful wedding that will be way over the top, and I will be there supporting her every single step of the way.
Enjoying and living vicariously through her.
Knox formed a group chat with all of us this morning, so I’ve spent most of my morning staring at my phone. These men are horrible for my work ethic.
I force myself to put my phone back in my purse and ignore it while I hustle through several reports and wrap up three presentations for next week. My stomach grumbles and knows it’s almost time for lunch, so I grab my phone to call Lizzy, but before I can, I find five texts and two missed calls.
The guys.
I called the last number that called me. Emmett.
“There she is,” he says jovially.
“Hey there.”
“Come downstairs.”
“Why?”
“Just come down now!” he says, super excited.
I can’t help the smile spreading across my face as I walk through the cubes and to the elevator.
When I get downstairs, I see the sleek black Audi parked out front with Jax’s head and arms on the passenger side door, Knox driving and Emmett standing by the back door.
Callum is sitting in the seat behind the driver, looking at me.
“What’s going on?” I ask, drawing nearer.
“Don’t freak out,” Emmett says, leaning in to give me a hug and pressing a quick kiss to my cheek.
“Okay,” I say cautiously.
“We have a surprise for you and hope you’ll say yes.”
He ushers me into the middle of the back seat, and I look at all of my guys, cheeks hurting from smiling. “What is it?”
“It wouldn’t be a surprise if we told you,” Jax says dryly from the front without turning around.
“Glad to see you’re in a good mood,” I say, squeezing his shoulder.
He grabs my hand and presses his lips to it. “I’m in a great mood.”
Sitting back, I rub a hand on Emmett’s and Callum’s thighs and look out of the window. “I missed you all last night.”
“We missed you too,” Callum says as Knox pulls onto the road.
A nervous silence fills the car as buildings turn into trees. It takes me a moment before I notice we’re getting closer and closer to their house. “Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.”
My heart is hammering in my chest with excitement.
We’re on their road and I’m completely confused. “We’re going to your house? If you guys wanted a midafternoon bang, you could have just asked me.”
“We would, but this is not that.”
We drive past their house to the next unit and pull into the driveway. My stomach gets tight. “Where are we?”
No one speaks as they climb out of the car.
“Hello?” I ask cautiously, excited.
Callum pulls a set of keys from his pocket and walks up the back steps to open the door.
Inside is an open floor plan, with bits of furniture placed around the space. Decorated, but not furnished. It’s a similar design to their house, but not nearly as big.
“Whose house is this?”
Knox is beaming like a light-bright, bouncing up and down, so Callum nods to him and he nearly explodes. “Yours!”
“I’m sorry. What?” Shock takes me back.
Jax steps forward in his typical calm and collected self.
“What he meant to say is yours if you want it. We’ve had it for a while and we aren’t doing anything with it.
We’d ask you to move in, but know you still like your space.
So we thought you’d like this instead. You can get out of your apartment, be closer to us so we can see you and you can see us whenever you want, and you can be closer to Lizzy. ”
“I can’t afford this.”
“You don’t have to. It’s already paid for.”
“I can’t take this. It’s too much.”
Knox frowns. “Do you not like it?”
“I love it,” I say, walking around. It’s exactly what I pictured for myself after I got married. Lots of natural light, a small garden in the back, and an open floor plan.
“You can walk to Lizzy’s,” Knox chimes.
“That’s a long walk,” Jax says.
“Not super long.”
I laugh. It would be nice to get out of the apartment and be closer to them, but still have my space. I can’t believe I’m even thinking about this.
“I will have to buy a car to take to work.”
“We can—” Knox starts, but I hold my hand up.
“You aren’t buying me a car.”
“I was going to say we can help you pick one out.” His eyes give away his lie.
I smile, cupping his cheeks, pressing my lips to his.
“So, is that a yes?” he asks tentatively.
“We will have to work out some sort of arrangement. I can’t in good conscience just live here for free.”
“I can think of ways you can pay us back,” Emmett says, stepping forward.
“Like dinner? Lots and lots of dinner?”
“Yes dinner. I do love to eat.” He winks.
A flush ignites my skin.
“Is that a yes?” Knox chirps, stepping closer.
I slowly nod.
“I need to hear your words,” Callum commands, tilting my chin up with his fingers.
“Yes.”
Emmett picks me up and spins me around, and I squeal out in glee.
Lizzy is going to shit a complete brick when I tell her.
Emmett puts me down. “But I’m serious. We need to find some sort of payment.”
Jax swoops in. “We will.”
I press on his hard chest. “I’m not talking about sex.”
“Me either.” His eyes twinkle, and he picks me up into a kiss, then puts me down.
“Now let’s introduce you to your new house.” Callum grabs my hand and leads me around.
I’m so happy I’m scared I’m going to burst. My heart feels so full. Like impossibly full.
I call out the rest of the afternoon because I’d be completely useless. Emmett orders some takeout, and we get some blankets and lay them on the floor for a picnic in what will be my dining room.
When we finish, we all lie on our backs staring at the ceiling, making a human star on the floor, completely content and happy. My pulse races. Races with the possibility of what our future looks like. Together.
“Hey guys…” I breathe. The words that I want to say get stuck in my throat and the only thing I can think to say are the words from Teddy Swims, whom I listened to all last night. “So if you’re going to leave me… leave me in the middle of the night and set the bed on fire.”
I love them with every fiber of my being, even if I’m still too chicken shit to say the three words out loud.
They roll over onto their stomachs and look at me, so I reluctantly roll over, scared of what I’ll find. But in my defense, they have all but just bought me a house, so that seems like a pretty big fucking deal.
“Everlee,” Callum says quietly.
“We won’t leave you. You are ours. And we can’t wait to see what our future holds with you.”
“Samesies,” Jax coos.
I scoot forward and wrap my arms around their necks as we all press our foreheads together, letting the emotions pass.
“So, when can I move in?”
“Any time you want, love,” Callum says.
I sit up and place my hands on my knees. “Maybe I’ll bring some things over this weekend, then see if my brother can come help in a couple of weeks. I have to give the apartment some notice.”
“You have us four,” Jax retorts. “You don’t need your brother’s help.”
“I know. But he’s been talking about coming up, anyway.” I hesitate to ask the next question because I feel like I’ve already pressed my luck with these guys.
“Yes,” Callum answers.
“Yes?”
“He likely already knows about us. We kind of did a piss-poor job of hiding it.”
My lips twist into a smile. “I’ll tell him in person, not over the phone.”
“Whatever you decide. Let’s just not get too crazy.” He chuckles.
I notice Emmett and Jax checking their watches.
“I need to head to Bo’s,” Emmett says, sticking out his bottom lip.
“And we need to head to Vixen,” Jax echoes.
I frown.
“But you can stay here or at our place.” He rolls his eyes. “Or we can have Brady drive you home.”
I smile. So many options. “I’ll call Lizzy and tell her the good news and will probably wait for you in your living room when you get home.”
“We love the sound of that,” Emmett says.
The guys stand up and try to help clean up, but I scoot them out the door. Callum runs back up, handing me the keys, and gives me a quick kiss. “See you later, love.”
As I watch my guys walk to Jax’s car, my stomach feels like it’s literally bubbling with happiness.
After I watch them drive away, I close the door, pressing my back against it.
I don’t know how long I will stay here before I end up at their house. Maybe we could add a bridge connecting the two houses with secret entryways. I laugh at myself, but still think through ways I can convince them.
After I clean up the containers and plates and fold up the blanket, I video chat Lizzy.
She picks up on the second ring and immediately is swiveling her head around. “Where are you?”
“I did a thing.”
“You did a thing? If you’ve added another dick to your bouquet of man dicks, I’m going to lose my mind.”
I laugh, “No.”
“So, what is it? Which sexual origami did you achieve this time? I swear my body hurts for you.”
“Nothing.”
“Tell me.”
“Well, I’m trying to find the words, but you keep talking.”
“That’s not like me.”
“I’m moving… closer to you.”
“YOU MOVED IN WITH THEM?” Her tone is somewhere between excited and shocked.
“Not exactly. They have a house beside theirs, and they are giving it to me.”
“THEY GAVE YOU A HOUSE! Fuck, I need to climb on that donkey dick. Shit. Do you have a rainbow twat? That shit is magical.”
“Lizzy,” I repeat, trying to stop her from talking. “Do you want to come over?”
“Duh.”
“Street number is 15069.”
“No, the fuck it isn’t.”
“Would I kid you?”
“I’d hope you’d never kid about something as sacred as the sixty-nine.”
“Never,” I say, putting my hand over my heart.
“Be there in a few.”
She hangs up, and I set the phone down and just explore again.
This time at my pace. This is my new place, right beside my guys.
I love how they know me so well. Giving me the space if I need it, with all of us knowing I’ll be at their house most every night.
I love them so much and can’t wait to see what our future holds.
I let out a scream of happiness, then call my brother.