Chapter 35
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
OLIVIA
“ I t was the biggest sandcastle I’ve ever seen, Grammy. A real princess one!” I smile at Bee’s excited voice as she FaceTimes my parents. She’s on the stool in the kitchen, her dark curls pulled back in a ponytail.
We just got back from the beach, and Bee couldn’t wait to tell my parents about the castle she and Miles built together. They spent the whole morning on it, and he definitely surprised me with his skills. I shouldn’t be surprised. He’s good at everything he does with his hands.
“That sounds amazing,” my mom laughs over the phone. “You will have to teach me when I come back to visit.”
“When are you coming? It’s been forevvvver since I’ve seen you and Gramps.”
“We just saw you two weeks ago, little bee,” she chuckles. “But, I pinky promise we will be coming again soon.”
Miles walks in and comes up behind me, kissing my neck as his arms wrap around me.
I smile as I cut up the last of the strawberries to go with our lunch I’m making.
I tune out Bee’s conversation with my mom as he immediately dominates my attention.
It’s hard to focus on anything else when his body is pressed up against me like this.
“God, you smell amazing. It’s like sunshine and summer.” He breathes deeply into my neck, and I giggle.
“It’s probably the sunscreen I’m wearing. I still have the beach on me.”
“I love the beach on you.” He fingers the straps of my black bikini that I’m still wearing under my t-shirt and cut-off shorts. “But I love you on the beach more. Especially when you are wearing this sexy thing.” He kisses my neck where my suit is tied.
“Mmmm,” I sigh, leaning back into him as his lips do their magic. “Maybe after lunch, we can see if Bee wants to help Miss Beth in her garden for a bit, and you can show me just how much you love taking the suit off of me, too?”
I grin when I feel his lips stretch against my skin into a smile.
“Hurry up with those strawberries,” he whispers. “I’m suddenly in a rush to get lunch done as quickly as possible.”
His hand skims the bottom of my cut-off shorts, and I suddenly gasp when I feel his finger slip into my bikini bottoms and run along my center.
“Just a little something to tide me over until I get to eat the rest of my treat.” He releases me, and with a grin, I watch his finger disappear in his mouth before slowly sliding back out.
“Sweet like honey,” he winks, walking over to where Bee is sitting and leaving me in a state that has me gripping the countertop for support.
Behind me, I hear him easily join the conversation as if he didn’t just have his finger touching me and my taste still on his tongue. I glance over my shoulder, and he looks up, giving me a devilish grin before looking back down at the phone again and focusing on what my mom is saying.
Turning back to the strawberries, I finish them up with a little more speed to my movements because of the man behind me, emanating an energy that makes me want to skip lunch and go straight to being the dessert.
Doing my best, I focus on the task at hand and prepare our sandwiches before taking them to the island. My mom's giggle floats through the air, and I hold back a grin at how even my mom can be reduced to a giggling schoolgirl in the presence of Miles.
Join the club.
He smiles when I set the plate in front of him.
“Thanks, honey. Since you made lunch, I’ll take care of dessert.”
I choke on the water that I just took a sip of and try to contain my laughter. He just grins wider at our little secret that he’s having fun with.
“Can we have chocolate chip cookies?” Bee asks, looking hopeful at Miles.
“Of course, little bee. I saved the biggest for you in the cookie jar.” He smiles at her before taking a bite of his sandwich.
I hear my mom sigh on the phone that’s propped up next to Bee. I can only imagine her big, heart eyes right now.
I told her about Miles as soon as I knew it was serious, and she insisted that she and Dad make a trip to see us. I think part of her worried I was making a mistake again and wanted to see with her own eyes how happy I was.
Based on first glance, I was nervous that she would see the tattoos and piercings and automatically assume he’s like Mark and has the bad boy attitude. I did the same thing, so I couldn’t really blame her if she did.
Once they started talking, though, and she saw how he was with me and Bee, she immediately fell for him.
By the end of their weekend-long visit, he had both my parents in the palm of his hand.
My dad is even coming back for some hockey games later this year.
He was like an excited kid at Christmas when Miles told him Knox could get him tickets.
“I’m going to let you guys enjoy your lunch,” I hear my mom say.
Reaching over, I take the phone and smile into eyes the same color as mine.
Her short blonde hair is layered, and it’s like looking at an older version of my twin.
My sister takes after my dad with her brunette hair and warm brown eyes, but since birth, I’ve always favored my mom.
“Tell Dad we said hi.”
“I will. He’s off golfing with some friends right now. He’s going to be mad that he missed talking to Bee,” she laughs.
“I’ll have her call him this week. Love you, Mom.
” It was hard moving away from the only home I’ve ever known.
My parents were there for me when I found out I was pregnant, and for that, I owe them everything.
I knew, though, I needed to do this for myself.
I wanted a change and a different life for Bee than I had growing up in the city.
Looking across the counter at Miles, I watch him laugh at Bee’s face covered in strawberry juice as he wipes it away with a napkin.
He senses me watching him, and our eyes meet. Everything I see in them tells me I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.
“Hello?” I put the phone to my ear and slide my key in the front door to lock it.
“Hey girl! What are you up to?” Lyla’s voice filters through the speaker, and I smile when I hear her voice.
“I’m leaving the house now. I have a shift with Miles tonight.”
“That’s right. I had forgotten you do that on Thursdays. So, you are leaving right now?” Her voice has a different edge to it as I try to figure out why.
“Yes,” I laugh. “I’m getting in my jeep as we speak,” I say, opening the door and buckling in. “Why do you sound so strange? I can feel your excitement over the phone.” I start the engine and back out of the driveway.
“You know me. I’m always happy and excited,” she says, brushing it off. “I’ve got to go! A…a customer just walked in.” She hangs up, and I stare at the phone.
Well, that was weird .
Chuckling, I throw my phone on the passenger seat and head into town. I’m sure she’ll tell me what’s going on later. Now that I’m in their group chats, nothing goes undiscussed.
Poor Savi.
She gets to hear from all of us girls about her brothers pretty much nonstop. When she finds her person, it’s going to be fun hearing about her love life for a change. I have a feeling it’s going to be one hell of a ride for the guy who catches her eye, and I’m here for it. Popcorn in hand.
I slow down and turn onto the road that takes me to Montgomery’s.
The ocean to my right is a span of blue, and I can’t help but roll down my windows a bit to breathe in the salty air.
Now that I’ve been here for a few months, I can’t imagine my life anywhere else.
Blue Haven is my home and always will be.
My engine slowly starts to die, and I frown at the dashboard. Stepping on the gas, nothing happens as it starts to completely shut off. I coast to the side of the road and park. Turning the engine, I hear nothing.
What the hell?
Stepping out of the vehicle, I pop the hood. Not sure what the hell I’m looking at, but it seems like the next step before I call for help. Leaning over the engine, I look for anything that looks broken or out of place. I try to mimic what I saw Miles doing when he checked the battery connection.
The sound of a motorcycle has me looking down the road. It doesn’t take long before Miles pulls up and parks behind me. He removes his helmet and runs his hand through his hair. A sly smile appears on his face as he walks up to me.
“Need any help?” His eyes twinkle with excitement, and I peer up at him, trying to figure out what is going on.
“How did you know I needed help. I was on my way to you,” I asked, confused.
“I was just passing by and saw you. The most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on was standing on the side of the road. Part of me knew right then and there that I was going to do everything in my power to make her mine.”
He’s talking about the first time we met.
I suddenly look around and notice exactly where we are as I slowly put the pieces together in my head.
It’s the exact same spot he pulled up and asked to help with my flat tire.
It’s the exact same scenario…me, broken down on the side of the road, and him coming to my rescue.
“How?” I ask, baffled, looking at my jeep on the side of the road again.
“Ryder knows cars,” he shrugs with an easy grin.
“Are you telling me you sabotaged my jeep and timed it to where it would break down at the same spot where we met?” Even saying it out loud sounds crazy.
“Yep,” he grins. “Although I wouldn’t call it sabotaged. It’s an easy fix, and Lyla made sure you left when you told me you were, so I knew when to come. I didn’t want you stranded for too long.”
“I knew she was hiding something!” I shake my head, bewildered. “Why do all of this? ”
Reaching out his hand, he brushes back my blonde locks and runs his thumb over my bottom lip. My heart starts to beat faster as his eyes lock with mine.