It Was Always You

by Johnston, Andrea

  When Granny text me that she was entering the pie baking contest and needed my help transporting her five entries, I couldn’t say no. Of course, she also offered me my own pie as compensation. A man’s gotta eat.

  After a quick shower I pull on a pair of cargo shorts and a T-shirt before grabbing my keys and sunglasses. Walking to the kitchen, Dad and Jackie are sitting at the counter, facing one another, their knees touching. He leans forward and says something that sets her into a fit of giggles. I pause in the doorway, not wanting to interrupt them as he leans in and kisses her gently. Just when I felt like I was ready to start moving forward without Ally, seeing them together like this trips my jealousy and reminds me I may be ready to accept her decision to never speak to me again but I’m not ready to move forward yet.

  Clearing my throat to announce my presence, I walk into the room straight for the refrigerator. Taking a bottle of water from the door, I turn to face them with a smile on my face.

  “Hey kid, you still helping Betty today?”

  “Yep. Heading over there now. How about you guys?”

  Turning to face Jackie, he takes her hand and before turning his attention back to me. “Yeah we’ll be there. First, there’s something I—”

  Jackie clears her throat, cutting him off and he smiles at her sheepishly before continuing, “We wanted to talk to you about something before you go.”

  “What’s up?”

  “Well, Jackie and I have been talking and well, we’re going to move in together.”

  “That’s great you guys.”

  I’m sincere in my statement even if the news sends a slight panic through my veins. I doubt they want his adult stepson living here with them. I guess this is his way of telling me I need to find my own place.

  “I’ll start looking for an apartment next week.” The upside to not being a contributing member of society for three years is the lack of debt and financial obligation other than my restitution. Since I’ve been driving Martha there’s no car payment. My savings is looking pretty good and, although I don’t want to tap into it too much, it doesn’t look like I’ll have a choice if I need to find a place to live.

  “Oh, no. You don’t have to do that, Drew. Your dad is moving into my house. We thought . . . well, we assumed you’d stay here.”

  Confused I stammer, “Uh . . . what?”

  “This is your home too, son. The mortgage is just about what you’d pay in rent, and if you need to hold off paying it, we’ll work it out. I just thought this would be the next logical step toward your future.”

  Surprised, I stand there with my water bottle in my hand, the condensation dripping on my foot. When they both start laughing at my reaction it breaks my minor lapse in functionality.

  “Are you sure? I mean, you could rent this place to a family and make a profit.”

  Standing, Dad walks around the island to stand before me. Placing his hand on my shoulder he says, “You’re my family, and this is your home. But, I’m taking the grill. You’ll have to get your own.”

  We all break into laughter, and I wrap my dad in a hug. Knowing he trusts me with helping with his business but also with his home overwhelms me. He’s been nothing but supportive the last few months as I started implementing new procedures at the garage, but there’s something about this gesture that hits me in the gut.

  Letting him go, I cover the emotions in my throat with a fake cough and smile at Jackie, who is sitting with tears in her eyes. I’m grateful for her and the way she cares for my dad. The way she’s embraced having her boyfriend’s ex-con stepson tells me what a great lady she is.

  “Okay guys, I’ve gotta go grab some blue ribbon worthy pies and their baker before my phone starts—” The shrill of my phone ringing stops me mid-sentence and I roll my eyes before rushing out the door and answering Granny’s call.

  The day has been a whirlwind of small talk and re-meeting a lot of people I’ve managed to avoid all summer. As the hours tick by I wonder why I spent so much time keeping everyone at an arm’s distance. Not one person has treated me any differently for my “transgressions” as Miss Beverly called them. In fact, a few of the guys I played Little League with wanted to know if I had any prison tats, and if there’s access to porn behind bars. It was sad to see their faces fall when I replied in the negative to both questions.

  Of course, there were a few folks who wanted to know what happened to Ally and when she’d be back. I started to explain that she was no longer speaking to me when I realized that would just fuel the rumors so I simply said I wasn’t sure. That seemed to pacify them. For now anyway.

  By the time the sun begins to set, my ability to people any longer lessens, and I excuse myself from where I’m sitting with Dad and Jackie listening to the band and set out for a little peace and quiet. I walk to the far end of the park in the middle of town and find myself headed in the direction of the field Ally and I went lightning bug hunting.

  With the music and laughter a dull hum in the distance, I make my way to the middle of the field close to where Ally and I shared our first kiss. Lying back, I look toward the sky. Not quite dark yet, the stars are just making their presence visible. The buzz of nature relaxes me as I think of today’s events. The assumptions I had that the town was judging me were unfounded. Sure, there were a few stares and whispers, but that is part of life. For the most part, everyone was kind and welcoming if not a little too interested in why Ally left town.

  Lost in my thoughts, I almost don’t hear the footsteps until they stop next to my head. Glancing over, I spy two feet with bright pink toes and no shoes. Sitting up quickly, I can’t believe my eyes until she speaks.

  “I thought you might be down here.”

  I open my mouth to speak but close it just as quickly. She’s here. Relief washes over me as I move to rise but stop as she sits next to me. It’s then that I notice she’s wearing a light yellow dress, the straps tied in two neat bows. Her long chestnut hair is flowing down her back in long waves. She’s perfect.

  “When . . . umm . . . wow. Uh, when did you get in town?” Way to sound like a fucking teenager talking to his crush for the first time.

  “A little bit ago. The drive took a little longer than expected. I saw your dad, and he told me you took a walk.”

  “The day has been a little crazy. I needed a breather.”

  Bringing her legs up, knees bent, she begins messing with her dress. Seeming to give up straightening the skirt of her dress, she wraps her arms around her legs and rests her cheek on her knees facing my way. We look at one another, neither speaking. I’m too afraid to say anything for fear it’ll send her running again.

  “You look tired.”

  Laughing I reply, “Well, I haven’t slept well in the months since you’ve been gone.”

  “I’ve been thinking a lot about what happened. How I reacted.”

  “So have I. I’ll say it again. I’m so sorry for everything. Not telling you with that first contact and all the other times after. You have every reason to be angry and hate me. The last thing I would ever want to do is hurt you.”

  Turning her gaze, she looks into the distance and says, “I know. At the time I couldn’t see past my own pain. I was embarrassed and wanted to hate you. In my mind, we had started something special, and in a blink of an eye it all fell apart. When I saw your tattoo it was like my entire world stopped.”

  She pauses, her words lingering between us. My eyes drift to her mouth where she’s tugging her top lip between her teeth. It’s the same thing she used to do when we were kids and she had something serious to say. Her tell.

  “Over the last few months I’ve done a lot of soul searching. Trying to figure out who I am and where I’m going in life. I made a few pros and cons lists. You had your own, by the way. It was quite extensive.”

  Her tone is serious but the small smile on her face gives me hope.

  “I bet. Was it the pros and cons of killing your childhood best friend?”

  Chuckl
ing she shakes her head. “No, it was the pros and cons of forgiving the guy I fell in love with over the summer.”

  Her response shocks me silent but I recover quickly. “I’m sure he doesn’t deserve your forgiveness.”

  Facing me again she says, “That’s just it. I do forgive you. I forgive you because I love you. Life isn’t about perfection, it’s about imperfections and how we move forward. Love is a messy and beautiful thing. It guarantees the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. But, it’s the greatest loves that push through the lows and soar the highest. I want that. I want to soar.”

  Scooting closer to her, I slowly lift my thumb to her cheek and swipe the tears that are falling from her face. My palm cups her cheek, and she leans in slightly to my hold and I exhale the last breath I was holding. Going for broke, I lean forward and gently place my lips to hers. She responds slowly at first, her hand gripping my wrist, before I lick the seam of her lips needing to deepen the kiss.

  Ending the kiss too soon, she pulls back, her forehead resting on mine, our breaths mingling together. With a quick peck to her lips I pull back, never releasing my hold on her.

  “I will spend my entire life making this up to you. I promise.”

  “I’m going to hold you to that.”

  “I love you, Ally Cat.”

  “I know. I love you too.”

  Epilogue

  Ally

  Opening the freezer, I confirm my stash of ice cream is fully stocked just like the wine supply is at capacity in the refrigerator. With the two main food components for my birthday plans accounted for, I pad my way down the hall to our bedroom.

  Our bedroom.

  I still cannot believe Drew and I are living together in the house he grew up in. Of course, we’ve managed to put our own stamp on things since Gary moved out, so it feels more like our home than the one he lived in as a child. Nevertheless, it still amazes me how far we’ve come and how much my life has changed in the last year.

  Flipping off the hall light, I step into the bedroom and my heart skips a beat like it always does when I see the man I love more than life itself. Standing in only a pair of boxer briefs with the remote in his hand, he’s a sight to behold. The tattoo that sent me running from town last summer has changed a little. Drew added splashes of color to it shortly after I returned to town. He wanted to add new memories to the piece that was so pivotal to our story.

  Hearing me enter, he turns his eyes to me and I see every ounce of his love in one look. Our road hasn’t been easy, but I’ll never regret leaving my old life and moving back to Pickerton Grove and Drew. I look at the screen and roll my eyes at the show he’s turned on. The damn reality show that brought us together. I regret telling him about it in the first place but concede anytime he puts it on because he loves that it’s what set our story in motion.

  “Hey, birthday girl.”

  “Ugh, it’s not my birthday yet. I still have three minutes left in this day.”

  “Fine, I’ll wait three minutes and one second to wish you a happy birthday.”

  Groaning, I pull the covers back and settle into my side of the bed. He’s been trying to convince me to celebrate my birthday but like I’ve told Didi all these years, it’s not happening. I have a sinking feeling Drew and my mom are in cahoots to do something regardless of my wishes.

  Climbing into the bed and sliding next to me, he wraps his arm around my waist and tugs me down so I’m facing him. My hands nestle between us, resting on his chest. The beat of his heart is racing, and I look up at him questioningly. Leaning down, he kisses me and shifts a hand under my pillow.

  “How does it feel to be a business owner?” I ask with a huge smile on my face. Tonight, we went to dinner with his dad and Jackie, and Gary surprised us both with offering Drew a partnership in the garage. Gobsmacked, Drew sat quiet, eyes blinking as he took in everything his dad said. A partnership and a new name for the garage—Nelson & Son.

  “Surreal. I still can’t believe my dad did that.”

  Leaning forward, I curl my hand around his neck and lay my lips on him.

  “Is it after midnight?” he asks.

  “Probably. Go ahead. Say it and let’s move on.”

  “I thought you’d never ask.”

  Shifting he pulls something out from under my pillow and rises to his knees, grabbing my hand to follow him. I do and then look down at what’s in his hand. Holy. Crap. My eyes shoot up to his, and I melt into a pile of mush at the look on his face. Adoration and love are written all over his expression.

  “Allyson Honeycutt, I know you hate celebrating your birthday because you think nothing good happens on this day. I think you’d be surprised how many people disagree with you. I’d like us to make new memories on this day and I can’t think of a better way to start than this.”

  Looking down at the small velvet box he’s opened, I gasp at the beautiful ring with a yellow stone in the middle. My eyes jump from the ring to Drew and back before he pulls the ring from where it sits and holds it, poised at the third finger of my left hand.

  “Ally, I love you more than I ever thought was possible. Every happy moment of my life has had you in it. I want to spend the next fifty years making new memories with you. Will you marry me?”

  I throw my arms around his neck, knocking us both over. Placing kisses over every surface of his face, he starts laughing.

  “Babe, I’m going to assume this is a yes.”

  Lifting my face up to look at him, eyes dancing with happiness I answer him the best way I know how. “Yes, I’ll marry you. I love you so much.”

  He slips the ring on my finger and lowers his mouth to mine. I’m kissing my fiancé. Holy cow! Just as his hand slips under my tank, Myson hops on the bed between us. Pulling back from each other, we turn our heads to look at the four-legged creature responsible for the life we have.

  “Have I ever told you how grateful I am that Myson sat on your computer? If it wasn’t for him, we may never have made our way back to each other.”

  “I think we would have.”

  “You do?”

  “Yep. It was always you, Drew.”

  His lips find mine again and as he deepens the kiss, I realize it doesn’t matter how we got here or how many hurdles we had to face, love can conquer all.

  Acknowledgments

  This part of the writing process remains the most difficult for me. I never seem to find the words to fully convey my gratitude. A simple “thank you” never seems to be enough.

  Ally, thank you for laughing with me and for being my reality TV watching buddy. I can’t believe we have a show like Life After Lockup to thank for our friendship but I’m forever grateful. Thank you for inspiring me to write such fun characters and supporting me through this crazy year. I adore you!

  Megan, knowing I surprised you with this story was the best message ever! You, my friend, are a blessing and I would be lost without you. Thank you for always keeping me on track, showering me with your kindness, and having the patience of a saint.

  Karen, thank you for allowing me to push dates and take the time with Ally and Drew.

  Alyssa, I say it with each book but THIS COVER! Gah!! It is everything I wanted it to be and more.

  Kayla, thank you for reading and helping me polish the final version of this story.

  Chelle, thank you for telling me to write this story and for always believing in me and pushing me to be better. The universe knew what it was doing when it put you in my life.

  Lynsey and Suzie, thank you for the daily reminders to be me. I adore you both and you are true blessings. I value your friendships and love more than you’ll ever know.

  Sassy Romantics and Nerdy Little Book Herd, thank you for supporting me and all Indie authors on this crazy rollercoaster. You inspire me each day.

  My husband and children, thank you for allowing me to shut myself off from the world to create the stories in my head. Most of all, thank you for reminding me to stop and enjoy life because we only
have one.

  To the crazy people on Love After Lockup, thank you for putting your lives on blast. I wish you all the best and hope you each find the light on the darkest days and the reason to push through the struggles to find happiness.

  About the Author

  Andrea Johnston spent her childhood with her nose in a book and a pen to paper. An avid people watcher, her mind is full of stories that yearn to be told. A fan of angsty romance with a happy ending, super sexy erotica and a good mystery, Andrea can always be found with her Kindle nearby fully charged.

  Andrea lives in Idaho with her family and two dogs. When she isn’t spending time with her partner in crime aka her husband, she can be found binge watching all things Bravo and enjoying a cocktail. Nothing makes her happier than the laughter of her children, a good book, her feet in the water, and cocktail in hand all at the same time.

  Connect with Andrea:

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  Or e-mail her at andreajohnstonauthor@gmail.com

  Join Andrea’s reader group – Andrea Johnston’s Sassy Romantics

  Books by Andrea Johnston

  Country Road Series

  Whiskey & Honey

  Tequila & Tailgates

  Martinis & Moonlight

  Champagne & Forever

  Bourbon & Bonfires

  Military Men of Lexington

  Promise Her

  Standalones

  Life Rewritten

  The Break Series

  I Don’t: A Romantic Comedy

  Small Town Heart

  Charitable Endeavors Series

  (Collaboration with M.E. Carter)

  Switch Stance

  Ear Candy