31. Hardy
Chapter Thirty-One
Hardy
As dark begins to fall, we lock up Thayer’s truck. We ran the gas out of it. After spending the entire afternoon out at Still Creek, we start back into the city. She sits beside me on the seat, my arm wrapped around her.
Driving over to Chord’s to collect our dogs, we’re a little surprised to see Lea and One are there along with Thayer’s parents. Okay, I’m a little nervous, to be honest. I did cause this entire fiasco by keeping things from Thayer. And running away didn’t help.
Parking on the side street, we walk toward the door. Thayer takes my hand and squeezes it tightly. “No worries. I love you.”
Her words make me crack a nervous, offbeat grin. “No, none at all.” She giggles.
“It’s not like they’re here to hang you.” She laughs a little louder.
“I’ve had you out by a pond all day, defiling your body with mine. Your truck needs a tow because it ran outta gas. And, my gorgeous lady, you’re walking bow-legged.” She full-on laughs, grabbing me by my jacket as she leans in for a kiss.
“How does my makeup look? Smudged?” she asks as she stares me in the eyes.
“It’s all gone. Like you didn’t even have any on. Fuck.” She elbows me in the side.
“I didn’t. Good thing I love you.” Pulling her into me, I kiss her hard. Only stopping for the round of applause that erupts from behind us.
Our family stands at the door, whooping and woo-hooing as we approach. Taking their turns to hug and kiss us, we’re passed around. One slaps me on the back as Lea takes my face in her hands and quietly dispenses her sound advice.
“If I belong here, so do you. But you have to believe in yourself first. Thayer knows your love is genuine, now show her how right she is.” She kisses me on the cheek before taking Thayer in her arms.
Once everyone is settled in, we fill Chord’s living room. With One and Lea’s brood, we’re as big as a football team. Thayer smiles sweetly, nodding at me to take the floor. She has no idea what I’m about to do.
“So to the big questions. Yes, we’re back together.
” A thunderous sound of happiness and good wishes fills the room.
“I need to find a home because Thayer has agreed to marry me.” Gasps sound as a collective sigh is released.
But when I turn and drop to my knee, Thayer just about falls from her seat.
“What. Are. You. Doing?” Her breath catches as she lays her hand on her chest.
“Umm, I need your hand,” I smirk at her as she begins to cry, wiping away her tears. I tell her, “No, baby. That time is over.”
“Okay,” she whispers.
“I bought this before Lea and One’s wedding.
I’d planned to whisk you away down to the beach for this.
But as we sit here in this room with our family, I couldn’t think of a better time.
You owned me from the minute you walked into the room in Clemson.
I was no longer living for just me. You’re my home.
My forever. Please, I know you answered this earlier, but I didn’t have your ring.
Please, be my wife?” I’ve never seen Thayer cry as much as she has today.
“Of course, you adorable, perfect man.” She throws her arms around me, and I pick her up, kissing her breathless.
“So why couldn’t you get to it earlier? You’ve been together all day.” Chord has a stupid-ass grin on his face until One punches him. “Hey, you better stop. Mom.” Chord turns to Elise for help.
“Too late, Chord. One and Lea gave me grandchildren; you’re no longer the baby.” Laughter echoes through the house.
“About that, Mom. Lea and I are happy to say….” Everyone’s eyes bug from their sockets. “I’m kidding, people.” Laughter carries through the house.
“I do have one thing,” Lea speaks up.
“You have the floor.” Cal motions to her. She winks at him; he loves that girl.
“I have a confession. Yes, One wants me barefoot and pregnant until I’m fifty.
It’s a thought. No really. Hardy, when you put your house up for sale, I couldn’t let it leave the family.
Thayer had said more than once she wanted to raise your family there.
So in this envelope, you’ll find three sets of keys.
Two for your house. She’s packed already; no sense in unpacking until you’re moved.
The other is from your best friend. Who you know doesn’t need another reason to call you brother and mean it. ” She tosses the envelope over to me.
Opening it, I do find two sets of house keys. Two actual tiny houses with mister and missus wrote on them. Thayer sniffles as she lays her head on my shoulder. As the third set slides from the package, my eyes go blurry with unshed tears.
A set of Ford Mustang keys hit my palm, taking me by surprise. When my chest begins to heave, Thayer reaches over, wrapping her hand around mine, squeezing it shut.
“You, uh, you bought my house and car? For me, us?” Looking up at them, there’s not a dry eye in the house.
“Of course, we did,” One answers calmly.
“But how did you know I’d be back?” His eyes shift to his sister and back to mine.
“I’ve got a woman just like her; no one leaves that for long.” Lea kisses his cheek as the arm he has around her grips her shoulder.
“I couldn’t agree more.” Cal kisses Elise on the hand.
“I’ll repay you. Every penny.”
“When you can, it’s all good, brother.” Leaning forward, he fist bumps me.
My gaze returns to Thayer. The look of adoration on her face is nothing new when she looks at her brothers and father, but she’s looking at me. This amazing woman, strong and stubborn in every way, is full of adoration for me. Looking in her eyes, all I see is love.
We eat. We visit. We enjoy each other as only family can because that’s what we are—family.
A little later, One, Lea, and their children all leave.
Cal and Elise follow behind them shortly after.
Chord is on the phone with a detective, his high school sweetheart, Sutton, disappeared years ago, but he still keeps looking for her.
We plan to stay here at Thayer’s place tonight, seeing as mine has nothing in it. Thayer has everything we need already, so we won’t need much to fill my old home. Definitely a new bed, more giant. Smiling at the thought, I chuckle, which gets her attention.
“What?” She glances over at me.
“Just thinking of everything we need.” I narrow my eyes at her.
“Like what? I have everything; I mean, we could get a few things, I guess.” She looks at me full on.
“A new king-size bed. I want to fuck you in every position possible.” I watch her out of the corner of my eye and see her smile.
“Well, me too.” Sliding closer to me, she lays her hand on my thigh.
“And I think we may need some other bedroom furniture.” Her brow furrows in thought.
“I have some. Anything in particular?” Her eyes narrow as she looks at me. “Oh, no, buddy. Wedding first. Then a hundred babies. But I want my wedding. And you better not even think about messing this one up.” She jabs me in the side when I start to laugh.
“We shall see. How about a wedding and baby all on the same day?” I want to marry her now.
“We shall see.” She lifts me from the seat to kiss me on the cheek.
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving; I have so much to be thankful for this year.
After making love to Thayer once more, she falls asleep in my arms. When this day started, I never thought I’d be here with her.
And as I fight sleep, it’s only because I’m afraid this will be a dream. And I don’t want to wake up.
I hear a noise. Then again. It’s enough to rouse me from the deep sleep I fought so hard against. The dogs begin to stir as my feet hit the floor. My truck is in Thayer’s garage because we need to have hers towed, so no one knows I’m here with her.
Stepping into the hall, I hear the noise again, and this time so does Thayer. She’s by my side in no time. I motion for her to gather the dogs in the bathroom, hoping they’ll stay quiet so I can see what’s happening here.
The sound is coming from her dining room. She has French double doors there, something I’ve always hated. They’re not safe, so easy to break into. As Thayer stands at my back, the glass in the door is shattered. An arm comes through the door. This fucker is about to die.
Thayer steps back into the hallway as I get against the wall. The minute the guy steps through the door, I punch him in the back of the head. He falls to the ground, and I jump on him. As I wrestle him on the floor, I feel the cold metal before realizing what’s happened.
I’ve been stabbed. Sitting up on my knees, I grab my side as the blood begins to pour from the wound. Eric jumps to his feet, kicking me over and continuing his assault. The cold metal hits me time and time again. Knocking the breath out of me.
I try to fight him off, finally getting a solid punch in, and he falls back.
I kick at him, struggling to my feet. Once standing, Eric rights himself.
I kick him as hard as I can in his face.
Blood flies as he hits the floor again, me falling with him.
The last thing I see is Thayer coming up behind Eric. I hear the buzz as my sight grows dim.
The lights go out.