Fallon grabs me to stop me from bouncing. “Elizabeth, you need to tell them.”
I reply honestly, “I am, Fallon. I need to handle Jayson with kid gloves, however.”
“Secret for a secret, kitten,” he says, taking my hand and bringing it up to his lips to kiss my ringed finger. “I’m so damn happy for you and Ry. There isn’t a better man than him, and there isn’t a more deserving woman than you. It’s about time that you have your happy-ever-after. Take it, kitten, and never look back. Don’t be afraid.”
I cup the side of his face and his icy gaze softens. “I wouldn’t have any of this without you, Fallon. Thank you for saving me. Thank you for giving my life a second chance. I always said that Ryder, Jayson, and Julien were my princes. You, Fallon, are my knight in shining armor.”
Sadness creeps into his pale blue eyes. He very nearly manages to conceal it with a cocky curve of his lips. He looks over my shoulder as Ryder comes out of the bathroom.
Fallon and Ryder do that one-armed guy hug thing in greeting and pat each other on the back. “Have you set a date yet?”
Ryder and I look at each other.
Elope he silently mouths.
Maybe I mouth back at him.
“We haven’t had a chance to talk about much of anything yet.”
Fallon touches my arm. “How was Seattle?”
His concern moves me and reminds me yet again how glad I am that he’s in my life now. When I’m old and sitting on my porch swing rocker on the patio of the house Ryder and I build together, I will look back on this past year and shake my head at the foolishness of my younger self. I wasted so many years in high school being afraid of this misunderstood man, being afraid of my immense love for Ryder, being afraid to disappoint those I loved. So many wasted years. So much pain and trauma. So many mistakes. But life is not a linear path. It’s filled with trips, turns, falls and bumps, heartache, grief, joy, and love. And then there are our choices. Our choices have meaning. They make an impact. They hold repercussions. Choices alter reality and decide the future. I spent most of my life avoiding making a choice. Afraid to stake my own path. Letting others take the lead as I weakly followed. Whatever destiny the Fates have planned for me, I’m ready. I want it. I want this life that I’ve fought so hard for. Sacrificed so much for. I want it all.
“It was what I needed. It was healing.” I don’t say anything more to Fallon. I know he gets me; gets the importance of seeing my daughter’s gravesite and the closure I needed.
He smooths a hand down my messy bed hair and barrels for the door. “I’m fucking starving and Faith made sausage with biscuits and gravy.”
Ryder pulls me onto his back and wraps my legs around his middle so he can carry me piggyback downstairs. “You know how much that woman loves feeding you.”
“Your family has always been good to me,” Fallon replies, lost in a past that I’ve been learning more and more about recently. How many times did Ryder sneak Fallon into this house to sleep overnight away from his abusive father? How many times did Faith cook breakfast for Fallon and never ask questions as to why he was there—just automatically accepted him as part of the family like she did me?
“What car did you drive here?” Ryder asks Fallon.
“Elizabeth’s.”
“What! It’s here?” I squeal with excitement and try to punch Fallon in the arm for not telling me the moment he came in. The last time I saw my Hellcat was when the police towed it away to dust for prints. Randy was going to send someone out to tow it back to his garage once it was released.
Ryder veers left when we get to the bottom of the stairs. I duck my head to his shoulder when we walk out the front door, heading outside to the front driveway.
“Holy shit!” I exclaim and wiggle myself off his back and run over to my car. It’s absolutely gorgeous. New paint job, red hubcaps to match, and a racing stripe down the middle just like Ryder’s. My name has been scripted on the side under the driver’s side window. I pop the hood and find what looks like a completely new engine.
Turning to Ryder and Fallon, I narrow my eyes at them. “Was that all a set-up upstairs?”
“Yep.”
“I bumped you up to 880. Kept the interior the same,” Randy says as he joins me under the hood.
“Mr. Cutton, it’s wonderful. I’m speechless. I can never thank you enough.” I wrap my arms around him from the side and give him the biggest bear hug I can.
“Sweetheart, it was my pleasure. Merry Christmas.” He leans in close to my ear. “You and my boy are good for each other. He has loved you for a very long time, and I know you have loved him for just as long. The journey the two of you have taken to get to this point was worth it. Never doubt that. You have always been part of our family, Lizzie. I’m so proud of the woman you have grown up to be and even prouder that you will be my daughter-in-law.”
I hug him tighter as my heart thuds against my ribcage. “You are such a good man, Mr. Cutton. You raised a one-in-a-billion son. I love him with my whole being and promise he will know nothing but happiness for the rest of his life.”
Randy coughs a few times, clearing his throat from the heavy emotion our conversation has stirred. Ryder comes over to embrace his dad before wrapping his arms around my shoulders.
“Want to take her out later?” Ryder suggests.
“Yes! I’ve missed her. Can we go now?”
“I drove that thing here. The least you can do is let them feed me, woman,” Fallon complains.
“Alright. Food first, trip to the Fields later?”
“Pop up, sexy.” Ryder motions for me to jump back on for a piggyback so he can carry me inside. As soon as Ryder secures my legs around him, I give him a dozen kisses on the neck and cheek because I’m so happy. My phone dings and I grab it one-handed out of my back pocket while keeping the other hand wrapped around Ryder’s neck.
ScaryGuy: Fam wanted to wait for us to get back before decorating the tree. They’d like for you to be here.
I really need to change his screen name. I quickly go into my contacts and edit his information.
Me: Tell Freda I’d love to. Fallon just got here.
Jayson: Fuck it. It’s Xmas. He can come too. I promise to be on my best behavior.
Me: I just got my car back! Ahhhhh! So freaking happy!
Jayson: U r such a diva daredevil.
Me: Let me check with the guys about later and I’ll text u back after breakfast.
Jayson:
Me: Merry Xmas Eve to you too.
Oh boy. I guess my time is up. Today will be the day I tell Jayson I’m engaged to Ryder.
Chapter 31
“Hurry up, slowpokes! I told Jayson we would be there at four.” I’m trying my best to get Ryder and Fallon out the door but apparently the football game on television is more enticing. Grabbing the remote, I shut the TV off.
“Hey!” the guys whine at me, even Randy who is sitting back in his big old rocker recliner. I hand him the remote and kiss the top of his head. “All yours, Pops.” I wink at him.
“Dinner will be ready at eight.” Faith pokes her head out of the kitchen where she, Jamie, and Brea have been baking all afternoon. I helped clean and prepare the turkey for tomorrow’s Christmas supper and shredded the collard greens which are now slowly cooking in a large pot filled with chicken broth and six long bacon strips. I also snapped green beans for the green bean casserole and diced Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples to soak in bourbon overnight for the apple crumble pie Faith and I will be making in the morning. There is nothing better than a good old home-cooked Southern meal, and my taste buds are already watering over the feast we will eat tomorrow for Christmas with the Jamesons.
“Think Jay and Jules will have the game on?” Fallon asks as Ryder helps me slip my coat on.
“I think you can count on it. Now, git.” I shoo the two men out the front door and we’re on our way.
“Did you just Southern sass me?”
“You bet your sweet dandy I did,” I say with my best Southern drawl. That has Ryder kissing me while laughing at the same time.
“I love your sassy mouth.”
I peer up at Ryder with heated eyes. “Then you’re in for a treat later tonight,” I tell him, which causes him to suck in a sharp breath and kiss me longer this time.
Fallen Brook Drive has transformed into a Christmas fairytale. Homes are decorated with lights, yards are full of holiday décor, Christmas-themed inflatables, and kids full of excitement that Santa will be visiting tonight. I loved growing up here. I loved having my three best friends—Ryder, Jayson, and Julien—living on the same street as I did. This street holds a lot of great memories of our youth, like us playing freeze-tag while riding our bikes, even if I would fall off my bike and skin my knees every time; my dad and Ryder teaching me how to drive; and long twilight walks with Hailey or Jayson. Nostalgia greets me with a warm embrace as we walk. I keep expecting to feel anxiety or apprehension as we near my childhood home, but I don’t. Not today. Today, when I walk up to Jayson and Julien’s, my old house standing empty beside theirs, I’m going to focus on the good things, the good memories.
One hundred feet from our destination, the old oak tree catches my attention. Instead of the white fairy lights adorning its branches, flashing multi-colored lights have taken their place, creating a kaleidoscopic effect against the sides of the two homes that bracket it. Jayson must have done that. I look to the left of the oak at my house. My house. But it looks different. Newer. A fresh coat of paint in a pale yellow adorns the outside and is accented by deep, navy blue shutters at every window. The front door is painted the same shade of blue as the shutters. The roof is new as well, the shingles a dark blue to match the shutters and door.
“Merry Christmas, kitten.” Fallon takes out a thick envelope from the inside pocket of his long wool coat and places it in my hand.
“Fallon, what did you do?” My question isn’t accusatory; it’s filled with wonder.
“I fulfilled your wish.”
I open the envelope and quickly peruse the stapled pieces of paper. Just like I feared, Fallon bought my house. Wait, it’s not just Fallon’s name on the documents, Ryder’s name is listed as well.
Because I’m slightly speechless, it takes me a second to force out, “You both bought my house?”
Shoving his hands into his coat pockets, Fallon kicks at an errant dry leaf. “You talked about fixing your house up, making it a good place for a family again. How could I not help make that a reality for you?”
Seeing I’m about to lose it in the middle of the street, Ryder takes gentle hold of my face, his thumbs tipping it up so our gazes lock. “We wanted to give that to you. Please let us give this to you.”
“The house will be transferred to your name as soon as you sign those papers. You can do with the house as you please, but I have a suggestion,” Fallon continues. I take a steadying breath and turn in Ryder’s arms to face Fallon. “I was thinking about New York. About the boys. I plan to offer their mothers jobs at Montgomery Pharmaceutical and help move them down here if they accept my offer.”
“You can do that?”
“Because of my grandfather, I own majority stock. That’s why Patricia and Phillip never hassle me about corporate matters. Say, for example, I suddenly leave the country with a beautiful blond in one of the private jets. As long as the money keeps flowing in and the board is happy, I can do whatever the fuck I want. That’s beside the point. What I want to suggest is that you lease your house. I would cover all of the monthly expenses like rent, utilities, and maintenance.”
I finally catch on. “Fallon, that’s a fantastic idea! Yes! Devon would love it here.”
Devon and his mom could have a good life here. A fresh start. A safe haven. Mrs. Riley, Devon’s mom, is one of the women I spoke with while visiting the women’s shelter in New York. She was abused just like Hailey. She’s a survivor just like me. Fallon’s idea is exactly what I want. It’s exactly how it should be. My heart couldn’t feel fuller at this moment.
I jump on Fallon, giving him a great, big hug, then kiss the shit out of Ryder. “I love you both. Thank you for giving me this.”
“Merry Christmas, sweetheart,” Ryder says.
“Thank you, Fallon,” I tell him with feeling.
“You don’t need to—” is all he gets out before I break loose from Ryder and grab him, smacking a chaste, yet hard kiss to his lips.
“Shut up, Fallon and accept my thank you.”
“Um… okay. Please don’t kick my ass,” he says to Ryder who bursts out laughing.
“I think it’s safe to say I can let that one kiss slide—just this once. Don’t make it a habit.”
I’m bouncing on the balls of my feet. “Can we go inside?”
Fallon hands me a set of keys.
I text Jayson and Julien to let them know we’ll be late. Ryder, Fallon, and I spend the next hour in my old home going from room to room. The inside has been completely re-done and staged like a show house. New interior paint, completely re-done kitchen and bathrooms, dark wood floors throughout. When my eyes scan my old living room and kitchen, I no longer see Him or the horror of that night. I see spaces filled with family, love, and happy memories to come.
After exploring every inch of my refurbished home, we cross the yard to the Jameson’s. I run my hand over the swing as we pass by the tree.
Before I get a chance to knock, the front door flies open and Julien excitedly exclaims, “I’m getting married!”
Holy crap! How did they find out, is my first reaction until Julien shoves his ringed hand in my face. “Holy crap!” I say.
I’m about to reach up and grab Julien’s hand to get a closer look when the engagement ring on my own finger starts to figuratively burn a hole through my skin. I deftly push my hand into my coat pocket and slide the ring off with my thumb, feeling guilty as hell with Ryder standing right behind me. How can I tell Jayson about my engagement to Ryder tonight when everyone is celebrating Julien and Elijah’s?
“Liz, get your ass in here!” Jayson bellows from inside the house.
Julien lifts me up and carries me inside while talking a mile a minute as if Meredith has suddenly possessed him. Elijah and Jayson are sitting on the living room couch tipping back beers and have dropped back into an animated discussion. Freda barrels past her husband to kiss my cheek with a “Merry Christmas Eve,” and rushes straight into the kitchen when a buzzer goes off. Ryder hangs back with Fallon, both of them handing their coats to Mitch who hangs them in the closet off the foyer.
“Liz!” two male voices shout out from the couch.
My mind is whirling as the noise of overlapping voices intensifies in the room. Today has been a day of surprises. First getting my car back, then my house, and now this.
“So, will you?” asks Elijah.
I look over at him. “What?”
Julien passes me like a football to Jayson, and memories of them doing this exact same thing in high school spring to mind, notching up my flustered confusion.
“Will you be my best man… best woman… person. Whatever. So, will you?” Elijah asks me, his big puppy dog eyes blinking at me.
Ryder comes to my rescue and extricates me from Jayson’s hold and sits down with me in his lap next to the two of them.
“Mr. Montgomery, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you in person,” Freda welcomes Fallon, as she sets a platter on the coffee table. The smell of baked cheese and spicy sausage has my stomach growling. Freda always makes sausage and cheese balls for Christmas. “Did Lizzie see her surprise?” she asks him.
“Yes ma’am. We were just over there. And please, just call me Fallon.”
“Wait, you knew?” I ask Freda incredulously.
“Knew what?” Jayson asks.
“Yes, sweetheart. Fallon called us to let us know beforehand since there would be crews working over there day and ni
ght to get everything ready.”
Jayson narrows his eyes at Fallon. “What did he do?”
“Fallon and Ryder bought my house. Complete rehab. It’s gorgeous. I’m surprised you didn’t see the new paint and shutters when you decorated the oak tree.”
“Dad decorated the tree,” Julien says.
“Thank you, Mitch!” I smile at him.
He shrugs it off. “It’s a bit of a tradition now,” he replies.
“I honestly didn’t notice the house when we arrived. Neither did Jules or Elijah. Huh. I’m surprised I didn’t spot the change,” Jayson mutters, scratching the scruff of his chin.
“Hey, back to me,” Elijah exclaims. “Liz, will you be my best person?”
“I think we need to start over from the beginning. There have been four different conversations going on and my brain is having trouble keeping up.” I’m sitting sideways on Ryder’s lap on the sofa, and I feel Ryder’s body tense when his eyes light on my naked ring finger. I bend low to whisper in his ear, “I promise to explain later.”
“My boy is getting married!” Freda gushes, holding on to Mitch’s side.
“Mom, you’re kinda stealing my thunder here,” Julien pouts, then he grins ear to ear and kisses Elijah.
“Congrats, guys,” Fallon offers as he pops a sausage ball in his mouth. That man is always hungry.
Ryder reaches around me and fist bumps Julien and Elijah. “All the happiness in the world. I mean it.”
“Okay, now I’m stealing Liz,” Elijah declares and pops up off the couch pulling me with him as he heads into the kitchen.
When I know no one else can hear us, I ask, “Oh my gosh! I’m so happy for you and Julien! What changed your mind?”
I’m thinking about how Elijah was going to propose last month but then he and Julien got into a fight over me disappearing with Fallon, which led to them taking a break like Ross and Rachel did on Friends. I knew they were working on patching things back up, but I didn’t realize that it had progressed back to a marriage proposal.
Broken Butterfly: Fallen Brook Series: Book 3 Page 30