“It wouldn’t have mattered. I still would have let you stay.”
“Thank you, I really appreciate it,” I say, just before I hear the front door open.
“I guess I better get out of your bed before Jaxon comes in here,” he says, climbing off of the bed. “How about we go have some fun?”
Chapter Ten
I have officially been here one month. In that month, I have still not met Molly. Tonight that is going to change. We are supposed to have a cookout at Bo and Cindy’s. This is the first time I have been there since the first night I arrived. I am still staying with Ash and Brody and Ash and I are still sneaking around behind Brody’s back. Bo and Cindy try to come over at least three to four nights a week to have supper with us. Of course, Jaxon and Collin are over all the time. We never talk about Molly unless I bring her up and ask a question. They never freely volunteer any information. It’s actually been an amazing month and I’m not sure I want to go back to Florida when this summer is over.
Tonight is also the one night of the year I hate the most. It’s the night my life changed forever. The night I lost my family, it’s the Fourth of July. I really don’t want to celebrate tonight, but Brody and Ash talked me into it. Of course they have no idea why I hate this day so much.
“You look beautiful, are you ready to go?” Ash asks, coming into the bedroom.
“I am ready, but I think I want to drive tonight. I don’t know how this is going to go with Molly and I may need to make a quick getaway.”
“If you need to get away at any time tonight, just let me know and I will bring you home immediately. I promise.” I nod my head at him and hope he will bring me home with no questions asked I if I lose it tonight.
I really hate this day.
We pull up to a driveway full of cars. “Who all is here?” I ask.
“It’s just aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, and pretty much everyone who wants to meet you.” He lifts my hand up and brings it to his lips. “Let me know and I will get you out of here anytime. I really wish you and Molly could have met before tonight. I don’t understand why she wanted it to be with all of these people around.” I didn’t understand that either, but that is what she had asked for so that is what she got.
We go inside and I am very thankful Brody is already standing there waiting on me. He grabs me and gives me a big hug. “Thank you for doing this, I know it’s not easy.” I just smile and nod at him.
“Where’s Molly?” I ask. I really want to get this introduction over with.
“I think she’s in the back yard. Come on out with me. I’ll try to clear it out before you see her.” We walk outside where Molly is sitting with Cindy. This couldn’t be anymore awkward, your fake daughter meeting your real daughter. Cindy stands up and comes over to give me a hug, “Thanks for coming tonight,” she says. I walk over to Molly. One of us is going to have to go first.
“I’m Callie, it’s nice to meet you,” I say, sitting down beside her. She just smiles at me with a big fake smile. She is actually a very pretty girl with way too much makeup on. I have never liked wearing much makeup but some girls do. I look up to see everybody has left the backyard and gone back inside, so much for the support.
“I know who you are, I can tell just by looking at you. You look just like one of them,” she says, looking back at the house. “You should know I am only doing this for my mom,” she says, stressing the word my. “I have never wanted a sister and I am definitely not interested in finding one in you.” Wow, this girl is unbelievable. I can’t believe she just said that to me.
“Okay, good to know,” I say, standing up to go back inside. I can’t find anybody I know. Who are all of these people? I turn the corner and run smack into Grams.
“Callie, I’m so glad you got to come. I have been meaning to come by and see you. Maybe we can have a girls day one day. Would that be okay with you?” she asks, after giving me a hug.
“That sounds perfect,” I say to her. I really just want to get out of here, but in order to do that, I am going to have to find Ash. Where did he go? I feel my phone vibrating in my pocket. I pull it out and see it’s Clay. I see a bathroom down the hall so I sneak in there and answer the phone.
“Hey Clay.”
“Hey sweetheart, how are you doing today? I know it’s not your favorite day.”
“I’m not doing good at all. The Taylors had a big cookout and thought it would be a great time for me to meet Molly. That girl is awful. I thought she would have to be a little nice since she did have my parents in her, but I was wrong. There is no way this is going to work. I have to get out of here.” I can feel a panic attack coming on. I don’t know what I am going to do. I am locked in a bathroom in my parents house that I just met and now I am freaking out.
“Callie, calm down. How did you get there? Did you drive?”
“No, Ash brought me. I can’t find him now. I don’t where anybody is. I’m sure Molly is out there telling them how awful I am. I never should have come here.”
“Callie, go find Brody or Ash and tell them you need to leave. If you can’t find them, call me back and I will tell you how to wire his truck to start it. Call me when you get home so I will know you are okay,” he says, before hanging up. I’m so glad I have him in my life.
I know I look awful because I have tears streaming down my face. I try to wipe them off and make myself stop crying, but they won’t stop. I think I miss my parents today more than any day I ever have. I would do anything to have them with me right now. I slowly open the door to find Ash standing across from the door. I have never been so happy to see him.
“Hey, are you okay?” he asks. All I can do is shake my head before a new set of tears start streaming down my face. He opens the door wider and pushes me in closing the door behind him. He just stands there hugging me letting me cry. “Do you want me to take you home?” he asks. I don’t even know if he realizes he is calling his house my home. I just know there is no other place I would rather go right now.
“Yes please,” I say. He grabs my face in his hands and tilts my head to where I am looking at him. He kisses my forehead before letting go. “Take my keys and get in the truck. I’ll take care of telling Bo and Cindy and I will meet you at my truck,” he says, slipping the keys in my hand. Once again all I can do is nod. I stand on my tip toes and give him a quick kiss.
“Thank you,” I whisper, before opening the bathroom door to find Molly standing in front of me. That fake smile is back until she looks behind me and sees Ash standing in there. After seeing him she turns around and walks back outside. I make my way out the front door and to Ash’s truck. A few minutes later he comes outside carrying two plates and climbs into the driver seat.
He hands the plates to me before starting the truck. “Cindy didn’t want us to starve,” he says, backing out of the driveway. It smells really good, but I don’t think I will ever have an appetite again.
“Was she mad?”
“Of course not, she is just worried about you. I promised to take care of you for the night. I’m sure when Brody figures it out, he will come straight home. What did Molly say to you?” he asks, turning down his road.
“Not a lot, just that she didn’t want a sister. I don’t want one either, but I didn’t tell her that. It’s not just Molly. I just really hate this holiday. I have for a really long time now.”
“I know you won’t believe this, but I hate this holiday too. Bo and Cindy go all out for all holidays around here and I always spend them with them. Not the Fourth of July though. I usually just sit at home by myself,” he says, reaching over to grab my hand. “I’m glad we can hate it together this year,” he says, making me smile for the first time tonight.
We get back to the house and he eats while I play with my food. My phone starts ringing and I look down to see Clay’s name on the screen.
“I need to get this, I’ll be right back,” I say to Ash before going outside to answer the call. “Hello,” I answer.
&
nbsp; “Hey, I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“I’m good, just got home a few minutes ago. I think I’m going to call it a night. Thanks for always checking on me,” I say.
“It’s no problem. Call if you need me. I’ll talk to you later. Bye Callie,” he says, before hanging up. I open the door and go back inside to find Ash cleaning the kitchen.
“I know I am no fun tonight. I think I’m just going to go to bed,” I say, grabbing my purse so I will have my sleeping pills. So far I haven’t had any nightmares, but I’m pretty sure tonight that will change.
“Can I show you something first?” he asks, grabbing my hand and taking me back outside to the front porch. We walk over to the swing hanging on the porch and sit down.
“You wanted to show me your porch,” I say, snuggling into him.
“It’s a nice porch,” he says, pointing to the sky. “Watch that direction.”
“Okay, it really is beautiful out here. I am going to miss it when I go back to Florida,” I say, feeling the tears start again. I am a big mess tonight.
“You don’t have to go back, you can stay here,” he says, holding me tighter.
“My job is there, I need to pay my bills,” I say, knowing that’s a lie. I do have a job and I need to pay my bills, I just don’t need the job to pay the bills. Thanks to my grandparents, I have a nice trust fund and would probably never have to work another day again. Of course I’m sure if Molly knew about that, she would claim that too.
“You can find a job here. I really don’t want you to leave,” he says as the sky begins to light up.
“I don’t think I have watched fireworks since I was a little girl. I was so scared of them then.”
“I always come out here to watch them on this day. My family always went crazy when it came to fireworks. My mom loved them. I guess this just makes me feel closer to them on this day.”
The fireworks last about ten minutes and they are beautiful. I am so comfortable that I don’t even try to move off of Ash when I see a truck pulling in the driveway a few minutes later. I guess Brody finally decided to come home.
“Is it going to look really bad if I don’t move off of you right now? I am really comfortable. If you think he will shoot you, I’ll move. I would protect you, but my gun is in my purse.”
“I’m good with you not moving. I like having you close to me. I’m pretty sure he already knows there is something going on. I don’t care if you don’t.”
“I don’t care. I don’t think we should make out or anything, but I’m kind of tired of making sure I am nowhere around you when he’s in the room,” I say. He just laughs at me when Brody walks up the steps.
“Hey. We missed y’all tonight,” he says, coming over to sit in the chair next to the swing.
“I’m sorry. It was a little bit more than I was ready for.”
“I understand. I hope Molly wasn’t too mean. She has been a little difficult lately,” he says, looking at us. “Y’all could at least try to hide it from me.” Shaking his head he stands up to go inside. “I have a surprise for you tomorrow Callie. I hope Ash can make it one day without you,” he says, disappearing inside.
“What is he talking about,” I ask Ash.
“I have no idea what he is talking about,” he says, absentmindedly playing with a piece of my hair.
“Do you know how long he has known about us?” I ask, sitting up to look at his face. He looks at me with his smile and shrugs.
“He’s my best friend. There was no way I was going to ruin my friendship with him by sneaking around with you. I told him the night we went to check the barn after the storm.”
“That was over a month ago,” I say, shocked. “I can’t believe he has known all of this time. Does anybody else know?”
“I don’t think so. He thought it would be better to keep it a secret for now.” I can’t believe Brody has known all of this time and not said anything to me.
“I’m pretty sure he has a trap set up at night to make sure we stay in the right bed though,” he adds, with a laugh. I wonder how many other people we haven’t been fooling.
I am sound asleep when I feel somebody slide into the bed beside me. “Ash, Brody will seriously shoot you if he finds you in bed with me.”
“I have been missing out on a lot of things if you are letting boys sleep in the bed with you,” Leighton says from beside me. I jump up faster than I have moved in a long time. “Surprise,” she says, grabbing me and hugging me.
“You’re my surprise. I have missed you so much,” I scream, not wanting to let her go. “I can’t believe you are here. When did you decide to come?”
“I have wanted to come all summer, but wanted to give you some time with your new family. Brody called last night and said you could probably use a friend around here, so I got on the next flight and here I am.”
“Thank you so much. I was thinking of jumping on a plane and coming home today. Maybe you can change my mind,” I say, falling back down in the bed.
“That bad huh,” she says, smiling. “That hottie in the kitchen should be enough to keep you here in my opinion. Especially if you thought he was getting in your bed.”
“You met Ash?” I ask her.
“I did meet Ash and I don’t think he was too happy to see me especially when he found out I was stealing you and taking you to the hotel with me to stay. I hope that’s okay with you.”
“I guess it will be okay as long as it’s the haunted one. That should be fun. I’m really glad to see you. Thank you so much for coming.”
“You are so welcome. I needed another vacation. So, tell me about Molly,” she says, lying down on the bed beside me.
We spent the next couple of hours catching up before I finally got out of the bed to get dressed for the day.
Chapter Eleven
I can’t believe summer is already almost over. This has definitely been one to remember. The past month has flown by with Leighton being here. We have had so much fun staying in the haunted hotel. She has been trying to talk me into staying here promising to come visit me every chance she gets. I’m still not sure that’s such a great idea, but I also know I’m not ready to leave Ash yet either.
I haven’t seen Molly since the night of the Fourth. Bo and Cindy still come over to Ash’s at least four nights a week to get to know me and that has been great. They still don’t know anything is going on between me and Ash. I didn’t want them to think he would be a reason for me to stay or go, so I thought it would be best not to tell them. I’m beginning to think that was a bad idea.
Brody has finally bought his own place and moved out of Ash’s. He told me I was welcome to stay with him if I decide to stay here longer. I still have no idea what to do. We are supposed to go over to Bo and Cindy’s tomorrow night for another cookout. I still don’t think it’s a good idea, but it seems to be important to them. Leighton and Ash will be there, but that is all other than immediate family. I don’t think I would be able to make it without the two of them.
Tonight is just me, Ash, Leighton, and Brody hanging out. The boys grilled out and we have all been talking and laughing nonstop. I’m really going to miss this place if I decide not to stay. I have done so many new things over the past couple of months. I finally got to ride a horse which has always been a lifelong dream of mine. Ash took me fishing for the first time and even put the bait on my hook when I didn’t want to touch it. I really don’t know how I am going to make it without him. We have spent so much time together this summer.
“I can’t believe it’s already midnight,” I say, looking at the clock. “We should probably head out.”
“Why don’t we all spend one last night here? We can watch one of your girl movies you brought over. You two can sleep in my bed and I’ll take the couch,” Brody says, looking at us.
“A slumber party,” Leighton screams. “That would be so much fun. I’ll go pick the movie.” She heads into the living room with Brody to pick a movie leaving me wi
th Ash.
“I really wish you would tell me what you are thinking. I need to prepare myself if you are going to leave,” Ash says, pulling me to him. I grab his hand and drag him into the living room with me. I sit down on the couch and pull him down beside me. I’m pretty sure I am not going anywhere. I don’t think I am ready to leave him or my new family yet. I still need to get through tomorrow night with Molly first. Tonight, I am going to enjoy being with three of my favorite people. I guess I can worry about tomorrow night tomorrow.
Leighton and I pull up into the driveway I haven’t been to in a month. My plan is to just go in and try my best to ignore Molly. I know she doesn’t want me here, but I’m not doing this for her. I’m doing this for Bo and Cindy. If she wants to ruin their night, it is going to be completely on her. I’m very glad to see Ash’s truck already here. That means he and Brody are already inside. Maybe this night won’t end as bad as the last time I was here.
Before we even make it to the front door, Cindy already has it open and is hugging me. “I’m so glad you both came,” she says, moving so we can come inside.
“Thank you for inviting me,” Leighton says.
“You are welcome anytime. Any friend of Callie’s is a member of our family,” she says, closing the door behind me. I walk into the kitchen to find everybody standing around talking. I don’t see Molly anywhere. I’m hoping she decided to stay away tonight after all. After I say hi to everybody, I walk into the living room to look at all of the family pictures I noticed the first night I was here.
I turn around to find Molly standing in the room watching me. “I guess you missed out on a lot not having a family,” she says, looking at the pictures.
“I had a family,” I say to her, “they just didn’t get to stay around long enough.” Why is she in here? I want to run out of the room, but that is probably what she is hoping for too. I am not playing into any of her games tonight.
Finding You: The Switched Series book one Page 8