26. Weston
Weston
The Bible Pastor Reeves gave me has been sitting in the same place on the table since I got back to the farmhouse with Reese. We spent the afternoon tending to the animals, checking the pastures, and even brought the cattle in closer to the house so we can keep a better eye on them.
But my mind wasn’t at all on the work. Instead, I’ve been replaying every single word Pastor Reeves said to me in that church.
I hadn’t gone there to tell him everything. To lay it all out like that. I’d gone to fulfill my promise to God. Once I opened my mouth, though, it poured out. Everything. Right there in front of Reese.
She’s barely made eye contact with me since, and the darkness in me is telling me that it’s because she sees me as less of a man now. That I unloaded things I shouldn’t have, and now I’m weak.
But for the first time ever, I don’t sink into those lies. I refuse to let them fester because one truth drowns out all the noise: God saved me. I may not know why, but He did.
Reaching forward, I lay my hand on the worn leather cover, then pull it back toward me. There’s a ribbon bookmark already inside, so I start there. After laying the Bible open, I take note of the book title listed at the top of the page. Romans.
Verses thirty-five through thirty-seven have been highlighted, so I start there.
Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love?
Does it mean He no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?
(As the scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
I sit back in my seat and simply stare at the words.
For a man who had both of his parents turn their backs on him, who has lost all those around him, to be told that he is loved unconditionally seems such an impossible thing to comprehend.
“Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to this world and lived a perfect life. He died a sinner’s death so that we would all be saved. So that we could have a chance to spend eternity with God and not one separate from Him.”
Pastor Reeves’ words come rushing back. Growing up, I learned about stories from the Bible. I was taught about Jesus, who He was, and what His sacrifice meant. But I don’t think it ever fully registered.
Until now.
“Coffee?”
I glance up as Reese walks into the kitchen, freshly showered and wearing a pair of sweats and a t-shirt. My mouth dries, attraction burning a hole straight through me. Man, she’s beautiful.
How could I have ever let her leave? Why didn’t I go after her the moment I got her note? I could have been in a car, racing toward her. Could have begged and pleaded for her to come home. Or, to let me come with her to Charleston. I would have left everything behind for her.
So why didn’t I?
Except the truth is easy to find. I didn’t think I was good enough. I never did.
“Sure, thanks. Zane called. They’ll be here in about ten minutes with pizza.”
“Guess I need to make a full pot then,” she replies with a smile in my direction. Her gaze lands on the open Bible, and her smile fades. She turns toward me. “I’m sorry I told Pastor Reeves about the baby.”
“I’m not.” I push back from the table and head into the kitchen, though instead of going to her, I lean back against the sink, opposite where she is. “I’m glad you had him to talk to.”
“I didn’t know what else to do. After I told you, I just started driving, and I ended up outside the church. I was a mess.”
All I can see is Reese on her knees in that church, terrified and grieving, while I was off drinking until I couldn’t see straight.
“Full disclosure, Tessa knows, too. But I didn’t tell her until a few days ago.”
“So do the guys. Brenda told Zane, and—well—he called me out on a few things the other day. We had an audience.”
“How did Brenda find out?”
“It was years ago. He said she did background checks on all of us, which also means digging up any skeletons she could find. You were one of those. Which is why she came after you.”
Reese clenches her jaw and shakes her head. “So, she’s been planning this for a while.”
“She wanted leverage, and she found it. It’s also how she found Tessa.” I clear my throat. “I know that I’ve said it before, but I should have been there, Reese. I should have done something.”
“I should have stayed,” she replies softly.
“I didn’t even give us a chance before I ran.
We hadn’t been married twenty-four hours, and you were having to plan a funeral for your sister.
I should have stayed by your side, but I was so occupied with my own guilt, my own pain, that I let myself be consumed by it instead of being the partner I should have been. ”
She pushes from the countertop and crosses over to me. I reach back and grip it, unsure whether I can trust myself if I get my arms around her. There’s too much there. Too much attraction, too much…love.
“It’s on both of us, Weston, and I know neither one of us is the same person we were back then.”
It may have been brief, but I still see Reese as my wife. As the woman I planned to spend the rest of my life with. That ship sailed, though, when our marriage ended.
I won’t ignore what’s between us now, but I also won’t jump right back into where we left off. Because she’s right—we’re not the same people. We have to learn who we are today if we stand a chance at making it in the future.
“We’re not,” I agree.
“Did you know that you likely wouldn’t survive that jump?” she questions, stopping just a few inches away from me.
“I knew it was a risk. Even for an uninjured man, that jump was dangerous. Without knowing the extent of my injuries, I wasn’t sure I would make it.”
“Then why did you risk it?”
“I told you. My only priority was getting you out. I didn’t care what happened to me.”
“Well, I do. So don’t lie to me about the risks again.”
I smirk. “Yes, ma’am.”
She moves in closer, and my need to have her in my arms is so strong that I release the countertop and reach out, gripping the front of her t-shirt and pulling her in closer. Her pupils dilate, and those lips I’ve dreamt of, since I was old enough to dream about such things, part slightly.
“I’m not sure where this is going, Reese, but you’re the only bright spot in my life.”
“I don’t know either,” she admits. “But I really want to find out.”
Releasing the front of her shirt, I reach up and cup her cheek. Then, I lean in and press my lips to hers. She groans softly, and I pull her closer, fire spreading through my veins, consuming every single rational thought.
All that matters is her.
In my life.
My arms.
I draw her even closer, then spin us around and press her back against the countertop. She wraps her arms around my shoulders and buries her hands in my hair. I kiss her like my life depends on it. Like, if I let go, then I’ll stumble into darkness and never surface again.
Losing her once nearly killed me.
I won’t make the same mistake again.
Whether I live or die, Reese Faye is mine. And I will spend the rest of my life loving her the way I should have done from the first moment we said, “I do.”
The doorbell rings, and I release her, stepping back to give us both space. Her hair is wild, eyes glassy, lips red and swollen. “Wow.” She smiles up at me. “Weston, I’m not sure we should be alone together.”
I laugh. “I’ve already considered that, and you can rest assured, we’ll have four chaperones.”
She scrunches her nose. “I am both happy and disappointed by that fact.”
“Trust me, it’s necessary.” Turning away from her, I head toward the door and pull it open. Sawyer is on the other side, three pizza boxes in his hands. He looks around me at Reese, then shifts his attention to me and grins.
“My, my, how the tables have turned, Cowboy.”
I roll my eyes and step aside so the rest of the team can come in. Ryker follows Sawyer in, two more pizza boxes in his hands. Garrison is next, carrying a takeout bag, which likely has ranch dressing and parmesan cheese.
Next is Zane, who is carting two large rifle bags and three smaller duffels.
“More in the car?” I ask.
He nods, so I head out toward his truck to grab the rest of the gear we’ll be prepping tonight as we make our plan to handle Brenda. Since, clearly, her handler has no intention of doing anything but waiting for her to surface.
I know all too well, though, that the waiting only helps her become more prepared.
She’ll strike, and if it’s on her terms, there’s no telling the damage she’ll do. Then there’s the fact that she has three targets in mind. Without me in the mix, she will absolutely be relying on someone else. Someone who likely won’t care who the three lives are, just the bounties on their heads.
Once I’ve carried the last of the bags inside, I scan the room for Reese. She’s in the kitchen, talking to Ryker, while he kneels down and loves on Aragorn. Something Tank says makes her laugh, and my heart leaps at the sound.
What would it feel like to hear that every day for the rest of my life?
“I take it things with Reese have smoothed out?” Zane asks as he comes to stand beside me.
I clear my throat. “Yeah. You could say that. Facing down death puts things into perspective.”
“Like what you can live with and what you can’t live without?”
I nod. “Pretty much.”
Zane gently clasps a hand on my shoulder. “Brother, it’s good to have you back.”
Before I can ask him what he means, he moves past me and into the kitchen. Reese starts handing out plates; then everyone begins piling pizza on and carrying them into the dining room.
My appetite has been practically nonexistent today, but I grab a slice of pepperoni and head in, too, taking a seat right next to her while the others file in around us.
Zane bows his head and closes his eyes, and the rest of the table follows. Beneath the table, Reese reaches over and takes my hand. I lower my head and close my eyes, listening as Zane prays.
“Lord, we thank You for this food You have blessed us with. Please let it nourish our bodies. Thank You for being with our families as they travel; God, please wrap Your protection around them and keep them safe. Please guide us as we move into these next days, and let all that happens be aligned to Your will. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.”
“Amen,” everyone murmurs.
“Amen,” I add.
All eyes turn to me. The corners of Zane’s lips lift in a relieved smile, while Sawyer arches a brow. “We have planning to get to, right?” I ask, hoping to shift the attention. It’s been years since I prayed with a meal. Nearly twenty, to be exact.
And even though I was always respectful of my team, I never took part when they did.
Until tonight. But that doesn’t mean I want attention on me.