Chapter 20
Callum
“What do you mean, Fiona married a millionaire and moved out of town?” Rune practically screamed from the kitchen.
“Just what I was saying. Apparently, one of the regular tourists who comes in twice a month took a liking to her, and he didn’t only like her pies,” Mrs. Carter said as she finished plating yet another plate of vegetables, cheese, and other snacks for Felicity and me.
I lay on the Carter family couch, sore but not as bad off as everybody thought I would be and healing.
A few stitches and a minor bleed-out, but I was fine.
The knife hadn’t even nicked an artery or an organ.
Felicity’s gash on her neck hadn’t required stitches, and the one on her head had sealed up quite quickly.
We both were a little tender and a little sore and weren’t allowed to do anything other than sit on this couch for the next week.
That meant one day soon, I would be bending her over one of our couches and sliding deep into her because it had been too long.
All I wanted to do was hold her close, have her ride my cock, and both of us remember exactly why we were here.
Felicity, leaning against my chest while avoiding the stitches at my side, turned over her shoulder to glare at me. “Excuse me. I can feel exactly what you’re thinking about.”
I shifted slightly, my now rock-hard dick pressing into her lower back.
“I’m sorry. I can’t help it. Your pussy is so close, and yet I’m not allowed to touch it.”
“Freak,” she whispered as she sighed, leaning against me. “Let me know if I hurt you.”
“You could never hurt me, Felicity.” I kissed her shoulder and held her close. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
“Mom, they’re doing it again,” Atlas whined.
Atlas had taken off two games, and the backup goalie, the hotshot kid who continued to threaten to take Atlas’s place, was doing a damn good job.
I had a feeling that if Atlas wasn’t careful, it wasn’t going to be the hotshot rookie breaking his heart, but Felicity breaking something on her brother’s body if he didn’t go back to Portland soon.
The hovering was getting a little ridiculous.
“So what’s going to happen to the bakery?” Sterling asked.
The entire Ashford clan, including Briar and her husband and child, who’d flown in the day before, were inside the Carters’ house.
My house was bigger, but the Carters wanted their baby and their practically adopted baby underneath their roof, and I wasn’t going to complain.
Much.
For long.
I would be sleeping in my own bed tonight. Despite what they thought. And Felicity would be next to me. Even if I couldn’t touch her. Dammit.
“Bronwyn bought it.”
I blinked up at Teagan, confused. “What? How do you know that?”
“Because Bronwyn’s a friend. She bought the whole building. I don’t know how, but she did. And she’s going to change the name and everything.”
“Oh thank God, because telling people that Ashy Buns is a good bakery breaks my heart every time,” Mrs. Carter said with a laugh.
“Well, I’m just glad that it seems like Fiona will no longer be bothering us.
” Finnian looked down at his phone and cursed.
“Hey, big bro. I love you. I’m glad you’re doing okay.
You, too Felicity, but I need to go pick up the girls.
Promise and Keely have a big event at the bed and breakfast today, and their grandparents can’t watch them for long. I have to go do the whole dad thing.”
“Go. Stop hovering. I’m fine,” I said for probably the hundredth time.
“I’m fine too. Give those babies my love,” Felicity said. Finnian leaned down, kissed Felicity on the cheek, and gave me a wink.
I held back a growl, only because I knew Finnian was fucking with me. But seriously, how annoying.
“I should head out too. I’m opening tonight.” Sterling slid his phone into his back pocket, kissed Felicity on her other cheek, and flipped me off.
“Stop getting hurt. Both of you. My nerves can’t handle it.”
I shook my head and leaned back as Sterling and Finnian headed out.
Teagan and Briar left as well, with Briar’s husband and baby in tow, after ensuring that we were all taken care of, and finally the noise started to die down. Yes, the Carters were loud as hell, but the Ashfords were a little louder.
Of course, there was one Ashford that wasn’t here. But I didn’t know how I was going to get him to come back unless I found a way to get off this couch and help my brother.
I needed to get healthy so I could do so, because it was killing me.
Because of all people in our family to have been part of that? Bodhi was the worst.
Because our father had fallen on his own knife. He had tripped and fallen while trying to kill us all and ended up burying the knife in his own chest.
Bodhi hadn’t done it.
But that didn’t stop the townsfolk from whispering. The same townsfolk who had whispered the same words about Bodhi’s family.
As soon as I was able to, I was going to walk down the town street and glare at anybody who dared talk about my brother.
I already knew the rest of the Ashfords and the Carters were doing the same.
Because fuck anyone who blamed Bodhi for what happened.
No, all of this was on Matthew Ashford’s shoulders.
May he never rest in peace.
The man was dead. We weren’t mourning him. No, we were mourning what could have been.
Because now we all knew the truth. About both women who had tried their best to protect their children.
Both women who were no longer here.
And thankfully Matthew Ashford was now burning in hell.
“Okay, now, I want to make sure you all get enough fiber and protein. You’re going to need it to heal.”
“I’m fine Mom. I’m not even bruised,” Felicity said.
“Make sure she eats enough protein,” I warned Mrs. Carter and winked. “Because she never eats enough.”
“I eat just fine, thank you.” Felicity gave me a look that I had a feeling had nothing to do with food, and I was grateful that we had shifted so that way nobody could see my lap.
The woman that I loved was a menace, and I loved every moment with her.
“Don’t worry, I’ll have you both in tip-top shape soon. And then we can start planning the wedding.”
I choked on a carrot and glared at the woman who thought I was just like a son to her. “Really? Really.”
“What? I’m just putting it out there. I mean, it would be nice if I could at least get grandbabies at some point.”
“Mom. Seriously?”
“I’m just kidding. I’m really just kidding.”
Mr. Carter sighed and picked his wife up, carrying her like a newlywed.
“I’m kidnapping my wife. Rune, you go drive these two back over to his place. It’s time they have space for themselves without us hovering.”
“Have I ever told you how much I love you?” I said with a laugh.
“Oh, I’m sure you do. However, we all know that you’re just going to go rest, because nothing is going to be happening underneath that roof. Do you hear me?” he snarled.
“I am loving this,” Rune said with a grin. “Because the more they hover over you, the less they hover over me.”
“We have enough hovering for the both of you.” Mrs. Carter waved. “Actually, all of you get out. It’s time for mommy and daddy time.”
“And on that note, let’s head out,” Rune said quickly as I threw my head back and laughed, ignoring the twinge at my side.
By the time we got to my place, Rune left us with a two-finger salute, and I found myself standing in the entryway, albeit a little sore, with Felicity in my arms.
“Hi there.”
“I can’t believe they left us alone.”
“Why are you whispering?” I asked, holding back a laugh.
“Because I feel like if I say that out loud, they’re just going to show up at any moment. And then I’ll never get rid of them.”
“Your family is pretty amazing,” I said after a moment.
“Your family is too.”
I froze before pushing her hair back from her face. “My family tried to kill you.”
“Your dad isn’t family. Not to speak ill of the dead, but I hate that man.
He was never your father. Not in the truest sense of the word.
Your family is who you’ve created, and that includes the Carters, the siblings you’ve practically raised, and people like Gray and Kellan and Thatcher.
Our friends. We’re creating our own family in this small town of ours, and that’s all that matters.
Well, that and the fact that I love you. ”
“I love you so fucking much. I never expected you. I was afraid to even want you.”
“I never thought you’d see me. Not that way. I’m so glad that you did.”
“I blame the tiny shorts.”
“Well if it helps, I’m wearing a long dress right now, but I forgot the tiny shorts underneath.”
I froze before slowly running my hands up and down her ass.
“Are you not wearing panties right now?” I growled. “The doctor said I’m not allowed to touch you like that.”
“No the doctor said you’re not allowed to thrust or move or hurt yourself at all. So don’t worry, I’ll take care of myself, and then I’ll be very gentle with you. I asked the doctor. I’m allowed to do that.”
I closed my eyes and counted to ten. “Are you serious right now?”
“I’ll be gentle. I promise. This is what happens when you’re with a younger woman. I have tons of energy.”
“Okay little brat. I’m not that old. I just have a slight knife wound.”
That sobered her up and I wanted to kick myself.
“You saved me. Twice. I never want to be a damsel again.”
“Baby, you saved yourself. More than once. All I did was come and clean up the pieces. You’re so damn strong and I love you. But I never want you to be in a position where I have to do that again.”
“Deal. I promise, I’ll be safe and I’ll be good and we’re going to take this town by storm. And fuck what anyone else thinks.”
“Exactly. My dad’s gone.” I ran my hand over my chest, confused. “He’s gone forever. It’s just us left. Finnian’s girls and Briar’s daughter are going to grow up in a world where they don’t have to deal with the poison that is my dad.”
“So if anything good could come out of the horrendousness of that memory, it’s that. You can make your own legacy now. You don’t need to worry about whatever that man would do or think.”
“Brewing beer, taking care of this family, and loving you? It’s a pretty damn good legacy. Nothing like I thought it would be.”
“Life throws curveballs that change it all. But I’m so proud of you, Callum Ashford. And I cannot wait to see what happens next.”
I leaned down and took her lips.
“As long as I allow myself to be with you? That’s all that matters.”
And I held her close, damning what the doctor said, and finally just let myself be.
I was never supposed to love Felicity Carter. Never supposed to crave her.
But she was mine and I was never letting her go. And I knew the town would just have to get over whatever they felt about it. And I had a feeling this was only the beginning.