Chapter 43 Evie
Evie
“I’m fucking scared,” Nick groaned.
“Oh my god,” I sighed. “It’s going to be fine.”
“They’ve already met me,” Austin said. “But I’m still scared.”
“I’m literally your father’s doctor, and I’m also scared.”
I shook my head at them as we got out of the car. Nick picked up the pecan pie like it was a shield, but soon he’d realize he wouldn’t need it at all.
The thing was, my parents had been bugging me to bring home someone I was dating. They’d been wanting a son-in-law or daughter-in-law for years.
Well, now they were going to have three of them.
“They’ll love this,” I said.
Austin narrowed his eyes on me. “You did . . . you did tell them you have three boyfriends. Right?”
“Here’s the thing about my parents,” I said lightly. “I love them so much. I see them pretty often. But I’ve been busy the last three months, and they go on cruises a lot, so . . . surprise.”
All three of them paled.
“It’ll be great,” I said. “Come on. Be brave.”
“I’m going to throw up,” Nick croaked.
I snorted as I led them up the path to my parents’ front door, and of course, it swung open the second my boot hit the step. My dad was already there, grinning from ear to ear.
“Hi, honey,” he said, pulling me into a giant bear hug. “It’s been too long. Have you been avoiding us?”
“Never, Dad,” I laughed.
My mom’s face appeared right behind him, her eyes darting from me to the three anxious bodies behind me. Her brows lifted.
I cleared my throat. “These are my boyfriends,” I announced. “Nick, Matthew, and Austin.”
My mom’s mouth fell open, and my dad’s eyes went wide.
“Boyfriends?” she asked.
“Yep,” I said, cracking a broad grin. “All three of them. And they’re boyfriends too.”
My dad couldn’t even muster up a pretend stern face. Instead, he just grinned, then turned to my mom. “I told you. Some rumors aren’t just rumors.”
“Brett,” she hissed, then waved all of us inside. “Come in, come in. I’m so happy you’re here.”
And of course, they gave Austin, Matthew, and Nick hugs as they walked inside.
I smiled to myself as I kept a watchful eye on my pie in Nick’s hands.
My dad slung his arm around him and led him off to the kitchen, already asking about his tattoos.
My dad had been talking about getting a tattoo for at least twenty years.
Once Nick saw they owned three cats, he’d be totally fine.
Warmth spread through me as my mom chatted with Matthew and Austin for a few moments. Matthew’s gaze lifted to mine, and he winked, already relaxing.
This was going to be perfect.
“Alright, you two. How about you go help Nick and Brett?”
“Will do,” Austin said. I fought a giggle when I spotted the beads of sweat on his forehead. He wrinkled his nose at me as he headed towards the kitchen, Matthew trailing after him.
“Well, well,” Mom teased, fanning her face as she looked at me. “You always did like to surprise us.”
I laughed and shrugged my shoulders. “Gotta keep you on your toes somehow.”
“I always thought you and Austin would end up together,” she sighed happily. “But the sexy doctor? And that gorgeous man? He has piercings!”
“He sure does.” I smirked to myself.
Laughter floated in from the kitchen, and I knew they’d passed the Dad Test.
Nick’s face poked around the corner. “You didn’t tell me they have cats.”
“Three of them,” Mom said. “Evie’s old bedroom is now just the cat tree room, if you want to see.”
His eyes lit up. “Uh, yes. Absolutely. A whole room?”
“A whole room,” she chuckled.
“Nick,” Austin called. “I’ve been chosen by one.”
Nick’s brows raised. “Sorry, I have to win all the cats over from him.”
“Obviously,” I teased.
Nick immediately disappeared and more laughter followed.
It was as perfect as I’d hoped it would be.
I grinned from ear to ear as Nick cut the ribbon in front of the doors to Whynot Relax. Matthew and Austin stood next to me, and we were so proud of him.
It was gorgeous. A massive resort with the Davis Mountains in the distance, promising a place for folks to relax.
Nick had been smart about partnering with other local businesses too, so everyone turned out for the ribbon cutting.
I was pretty sure Whynot Relax was going to be the talk of the town for a long time.
Two years.
It had been two years since our paths had crossed, two years since our lives intertwined, and two years of falling in love over and over again.
Matthew slid his arm around me, kissing the top of my head as Nick chatted with people. He and Austin were doing the whole circuit while the two of us hung back and watched.
Whynot Relax was open just in time for the tourist season too, and starting on Monday, our entire family was going to be busy. I was already prepping extra baked goods for the influx we were expecting.
Matthew pressed his lips against my ear. “Are you wearing the lingerie I picked out for you?”
My cheeks turned bright red. “Yes,” I said under my breath.
“Good girl.” He cleared his throat as someone passed us, letting out a devious chuckle.
I’d been eagerly awaiting the ribbon cutting ceremony. Because this ribbon was not the only one Nick had to cut.
There was also the lingerie Matthew had left on my bed this morning that had two ribbons.
At first, I was so certain there was no way it was going to work on me.
After about twenty minutes of trial and error and texting June so she could instruct me how to get it on, I’d discovered not only did it fit perfectly—I looked hot as fuck in it.
“Can’t wait,” I said. “Do Nick and Austin know?”
“Austin does,” Matthew said. “Wanted it to be a surprise for Nick.”
I grinned.
“Can’t think of a better gift, really,” I chuckled.
“That’s exactly what Austin and I thought too.”
Austin stretched out on the beach towel under the umbrella and let out a happy sigh. I uncapped a bottle of sunscreen as waves rolled up the beach, squinting at him.
“You’re going to turn into a lobster,” I said.
“I’m fine,” he chuckled. “I’m out in the sun all the time.”
“Matthew will give you hell if you don’t let me put this on,” I teased. “He told me explicitly before he and Nick went on their little hike to make sure you wore it, or else.”
Austin groaned but didn’t protest when I knelt down next to him . . . then straddled his hips. His eyes widened behind his sunglasses.
“Never mind,” he said. “I like having sunscreen put on me.”
“I bet you do,” I laughed.
“Especially when you’re wearing that.”
I smirked as I poured sunscreen into my hands and started spreading it over his hard chest. I was wearing a bikini with little hearts all over it, and I felt sexy. I knew my tits looked hot as fuck in this skimpy thing, and I was not above using that to keep my partner from burning.
I felt something hardening between my thighs and arched a brow. “Really?”
“I am but a man, my love,” he chuckled.
“Yeah, mm-hmm. Turn over, husband.”
His cock was now fully hard. He groaned, but complied with my request, turning over onto his stomach beneath me. I ran my hands along his back, using this as a chance to apply sunscreen and massage him.
“Remember when you couldn’t even fathom taking time off?” I asked.
“Yeah,” he chuckled. “Now look at me. Always running off with the three of you. Hired a fucking manager for the hotel. Let Nick take over my finances and help me invest. Using his goddamn credit card points to fly for free.”
I laughed. “He does like to spoil us, and I’m here for it.”
“Me too.” He sighed happily. “Every day I feel grateful the three of you gave me a chance.”
I leaned down, kissing the side of his cheek. “Of course we did. You’re worth it.”
He made a soft noise in his throat, letting that linger for a moment. “Do you think we can have sex on this beach and not get arrested?”
My head tipped back and I started laughing again. “No, but I think we could run to our little cabin and have sex then come back out . . . Or we can wait and time it so Nick and Matthew walk in on us.”
Austin smirked. “About an hour, right? They’ve been gone since the sun came up.”
“Yep.” I grinned. “Are you sure you can wait an hour, Mr. Whynot?”
“No. But I can wait about half an hour. Then I can spend that time getting you off until you’re begging me to fuck you. How ‘bout that? Deal?”
My cheeks grew hot. “Deal.”
My niece, nephew, and daughter ran through the yard and I giggled as I watched them.
Charlotte was only four years old, but she could hold her own with the big kids.
I rubbed my stomach, trying not to think about how we were going to juggle having a second.
But between the four of us, we’d find a way.
Besides, Austin, Matthew, and Nick were ecstatic about growing our family.
Avery and June sat next to me, basking in the sun. It was spring and we were savoring being outside before it got too hot.
“Remember when I dyed my face blue,” Avery suddenly said, grinning as she watched Bandit run after Anna and Sebastian. “And I thought I was completely cursed and would never find love?”
I grinned. How could I ever forget that? I’d never forget bringing Avery some rescue pie on that fated day where not only had she dyed her face blue, Levi had caught her hair on fire too.
“Oh god. Remember when I thought I was completely unlovable?” June laughed.
I started giggling. “You were never unlovable.” It just took Dallas and Madi showing her just how much she deserved love for her to finally believe it.
“I know that now,” she snorted. “Just needed two amazing people to show me.”
“Remember when Evie went on like five thousand first dates and they were all absolutely awful?” Avery asked, bumping me with her shoulder. “What was that one guy's name? Tree-beard?”
“Oakley,” I sputtered.
The three of us started laughing again. It felt like just a blink ago, and yet years had passed.
Time always had a way of doing that. One moment, you wondered if your life was ever going to change—the next, you were standing on the other side of that change, looking back and smiling at what you now knew.
“I think you started something, Avery,” June sighed happily. “The universe started conspiring at that exact moment.”
“I’m glad,” I said. My eyes started to water. I watched as Charlotte tripped over a rock and started to get up, but Anna and Sebastian were right there, helping her stand.
“They’ve got her, mama,” June said. “Ugh, look at them. You guys did good.”
I sniffled. “We did.”
“I’m so happy they’re not mine, though,” June said, earning a snort from Avery and I. “What? I relish the cool, tattooed aunt role. Nothing else compares.”
“They think the world of you,” I said.
“They do,” Avery agreed. “And of course they do. You’re our best friend.”
June grinned, and the three of us kept watching. I couldn’t stop smiling, thinking about how far we’d come. How much we’d all gone through together. Our lives were more intertwined now than they’d ever been, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
And while there were so many things that were new in our lives, some things were the same.
The sun was bright over our little town, we were older, and they were still my best friends.
The Breakdown Couch had finally given out, so we’d had to replace that, of course.
We’d expanded our house—the same one that Nick bought almost the day after we ran into each other at that little food truck, at the end of the worst date of my life.
And I’d finally hired two employees at my bakery.
It’d grown so much, it’d been impossible not to.
Whynot had grown a lot. It had continued expanding, and there were parts of it that were nearly unrecognizable. But if I walked down Main Street, a few things remained untouched.
The bakery, the art gallery, the flower shop, the hotel.
All our love for each other.
And if I drove a little bit north, past the new houses that were being built and the school and the community center—there was a little sign that would forever be there in the dirt.
Cacti bloomed around it, the Davis Mountains stretching in the distance, a bright blue Texas sky that went as far as the eye could see—a cute little sign, hand-painted by our favorite local artist, boasting a loud and unforgettable—
Welcome to Whynot.