Chapter Eleven
Forever Means Forever
Adam
I’ve been called a lot of things in this town. Reckless. Wild. Dangerous. The kind of man a mother warns her daughter about. But for the first time in my life, I don’t give a damn what anyone calls me. Because from today moving forward, they can call me hers.
****
The morning after Lenor told me she loved me, I wake up with her warm and secure in my arms. Her hair is a tangled mess across my chest, her lips parted in soft sleep, and her hand curled over my heart like it belongs there. And it does.
For years, I’ve been restless. Running wild.
Trying to prove something to myself, to my family, to the world.
That I wasn’t just Wesley and Shane’s screw-up little brother.
That I could make my own name, even if it was the wrong kind of famous.
But looking at her now, I don’t need any of that. I just need her.
She wakes slowly, stretching out and pressing her body against mine. I can’t imagine not waking up next to her for the rest of my life. She leans in and places a kiss against my jaw.
“Good morning.” Her voice is soft and sleep-laced.
“The best morning,” I say, kissing her forehead. “Do you want some coffee?”
“Hmmm, that would be great.”
I slip out of bed and head to the kitchen. I start the pot and brew some fresh coffee before pouring us each a cup. She walks in wearing nothing but one of my shirts and takes the offered cup. She sips and smiles.
“Delicious.”
“Should be, it’s your favorite brand.”
“It’s perfect.”
“I have to head over to Blake’s in an hour,” I say. “Wesley wants me to help with inventory.”
“I need to go over to the inn,” she adds.
“Let’s grab a shower and then we will handle everything else.”
She grins, putting her cup down on the counter. “You only want to see me naked.”
“Damn right I do.”
****
By noon, word’s already spread. But of course it has. Severn thrives on gossip, and me showing up at Blake’s with Lenor still wearing my sweatshirt is the kind of thing that lights this town on fire.
I hear it whispered as we walk down Main Street.
“Is she with Adam now?” someone says lowly.
“I didn’t think she’d go for a Blake after Jacob,” another voice mutters.
“She looks happy, though...” a third cuts in.
That last one makes me grin. Lenor squeezes my hand tighter, her chin high even though I can feel the tension humming through her. She hates being watched, judged. She hates feeling like she’s the town’s favorite soap opera.
So I stop in the middle of the street, ignoring the gawkers, and turn to her.
“Adam,” she hisses, eyes wide. “What are you...”
I kiss her. Right there on Main Street, in front of Mrs. Carter, in front of Mason Holt, and in front of anyone who’s ever doubted us. It’s slow, deep, and deliberate. And it’s not just a simple kiss—it’s a claim. A declaration.
When I pull back, her cheeks are flushed, her lips swollen, her eyes shining with shock and something softer.
“Let them talk,” I murmur against her mouth. “Because they’ll be saying the truth this time.”
Her smile is shaky but real. And in that moment, I know we’ve already won.
****
Later, Wesley corners me in the back office at Blake’s, arms folded and his expression sharp.
“Are you sure about this, little brother?” he asks.
I meet his eyes, steady. “I have never been surer about a damn thing in my entire life, Wes. This is it for me, she is it for me, just like Karmen is for you. I love Lenor and nothing will change that.”
He studies me for a long beat before nodding once. “Then don’t screw it up.”
“I won’t.” I say with a nod. “I know what this means, not just for me but for her as well.”
I can’t mess this up. Because Lenor isn’t just another notch or a fling or a mistake. She’s my forever. And I’ll burn this whole damn town down before I let anyone take her from me.
****
When we leave Blake’s and go home, we do it together. The two of us curl up on her couch and she looks at me with those big, brave eyes and whispers, “What if it doesn’t last? What if we fall apart?”
I brush a strand of hair from her face, my hand cupping her jaw. “Then I’ll spend every day fighting for us until it does. Forever means forever, Lennie. You’re stuck with me.”
Her breath catches. Her eyes glisten. And then she smiles, soft, certain, and unshakable.
“I guess I can live with that,” she snarks.
I kiss her again, slow and sure, sealing the promise I’ll never break. Because Adam Blake might’ve been reckless once. But with Lenor Daniels in my arms, I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life. This isn’t just love. This is forever.