Right in Front of You: (A Friends to Lovers Contemporary Romance)

by Lacey Silks

  Kids?

  My eyes must have doubled in size. He was talking about our future as if it were already here, and the truth was, I loved every moment of it. He pushed his crutches to the side and slowly bent his knee, on the good leg, steadily holding his casted ankle in the air.

  “Carter, what are you doing?”

  He was kneeling in front of me with a square box in his hand, which he opened, saying, “Molly, I love you today more than yesterday but not less than I will tomorrow. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife? Will you marry me, Molly?”

  I didn’t remember saying yes, but I must have because I wanted to. The next thing I knew, I was looking down at a beautifully weaved platinum ring that tied into two clover flowers at the top, with tiny diamonds all over the small petals. It glistened in the morning light.

  “Molly?” I heard. “Are you all right?”

  “I said yes?” I asked, my eyes still on the new adornment on my hand.

  “Yes, you said yes.”

  I looked up. My eyes were watery, so I wiped them with the back of my hand.

  “And we’ll live here?” I asked.

  “Yes, we’ll rebuild. Your mom’s only a five-minute walk. It’s three minutes to the clinic where you’ll be working now, and Jo and Nick’s is not far. We’ll be able to visit Mac whenever we want. And this little place, right in front of you,” he motioned his hand around the house to be, “will be yours and mine.”

  My heart melted. He’d thought of everything. Now that Doctor Burke, my real father, had decided to retire and enjoy the rest of his years with my mother, under his guidance, I would be running the practice. He’d survived the stab and the six-hour surgery when he went into cardiac arrest, and was now recovering. I was moving back to Hope Bay next week. Everything was happening so fast.

  I looked down at my hand.

  I’m engaged.

  Loud clapping of hands echoed as my mother, father, and brother, as well as the whole Clark family, stood at the future front door screaming, “Congratulations!” They were all here. Doctor Burke -- my father I mean -- sat in a wheelchair that matched Carter’s.

  It was only nine in the morning, and this day was already the best one of my life.

  “Molly, I know you’re excited, but we have a secret wedding to get to.”

  “We do. Do you mind if I don’t tell Jo about this until tomorrow? I want her day to be special.”

  Carter was already sitting back in his wheelchair. I’d finally managed to convince him that the less pressure he put on the ankle, the quicker it would heal and the quicker he’d regain his physical strength. He rolled closer to me.

  “And this is only one of the million reasons why I love you so much. Of course I don’t mind.”

  “Congratulations, Carter and Molly.”

  We popped a champagne bottle right in the middle of the lot, where the future kitchen was supposed to be, and poured it in plastic cups. My brother’s cup was filled instead with sparkling non-alcoholic wine. Looking at both our families, smiling, laughing and chatting, was one of the rarest moments in my life when I’d felt that it was truly worth living. Pure joy beat through my heart, and my cheeks hurt from smiling. Yet I was so mistaken that this day couldn’t get any better.

  My mother pushed the wheelchair our way and my father reached out to shake Carter’s hand. “Carter, I want to thank you for saving my daughter’s life, and apologize.”

  “Apologize?”

  “Yes, for assuming that you were taking advantage of Molly that afternoon you came into my office.”

  “Oh, you mean when she scraped her knees.”

  “Well, we both know that’s not the only reason she came in. Thank you for bringing her to me, for being a good friend, and for taking care of her all these years. There’s nothing I can do or say to show my immense gratitude.”

  “It was my pleasure. So, I know I haven’t done this the right way. I mean, I don’t do much the right way, but I wanted to officially ask you for Molly’s hand.”

  If Carter didn’t think he was doing things the right way, then he was mistaken.

  “Of course. You both have our blessing.”

  My father kissed me on the top of my head and shook Carter’s hand before joining my mother.

  “I’m so proud of you,” I said to Carter.

  “Really?”

  “You don’t see it, do you?”

  “What?”

  “How much you’ve changed.”

  It had been a while since I’d seen Carter blush. It was sexy.

  “Do you think Nick will mind the bandages?” Carter pointed to his cheek. His newly formed skin had been irritated and punctured when he was set on fire. The wounds though were healing nicely.

  “I don’t think Nick will notice anyone other than Jo today.”

  “You know what, I think you’re right, because I’m pretty sure I’ll be looking at you all day. Come here.” He patted his thighs in the wheelchair. I sat down on his lap and wrapped my arms around his neck.

  “I never thought I could be this happy,” I said.

  “And I always believed you would be. That we would be.” Carter pressed his mouth to mine, sealing a promise of a long future together with his lips.

  We walked to Pebble Beach as a family, where Nick was supposed to bring Jo and Mac to skip stones. Jo had no idea she’d be getting married today, and I couldn’t wait to see my best friend tie the knot with the love of her life. I glanced to the side where Carter was sitting, and I was more than certain that I was lucky enough to have the love of my life as well.

  When we passed a table full of calendars, I stopped. “What’s this?”

  “Oh, the guys at the firehouse took some pictures. We’re selling them for ten bucks apiece. It’s for Sarah at the hospital. All proceeds go to help pay for Sarah’s procedures and to help the family with hospital bills.”

  “You did this?”

  “Sort of.” He shrugged. “I really want her to get well. I think Daisy would have liked that.”

  “I know she would have. Are you in there?”

  I flipped through the pages until I landed on Mr. July where Carter’s only clothing was a fire hose wrapped around his body. He was holding the nose right at his crotch to cover himself, and I’d never seen anything hotter.

  “Yeah.”

  “I can’t believe you did this, Carter. Thank you. And just so you know, I’m getting five of these. Actually, make that a hundred. And everyone who comes to the clinic for a checkup over the next month will get one for free.”

  “Thanks, Molly.”

  “It’s for a very good cause.”

  “They’re here.” Jo’s father came rushing toward us and we took our spots by the water, Carter on Nick’s side and me on Jo’s. In the center, a few feet away from the water, was a floral arch with flowing fabric at the sides. Chairs were lined up, creating a pathway through the middle. Our families – in fact, the entire town – stood up, waiting. The beach fell quiet as we watched their heads slowly appear from beyond the small hill separating the beach and the parking lot.

  Jo stopped, surprised. I watched as Nick got down on one knee and Jo accepted his proposal before the family of three walked down the aisle toward us. Fate got it so right with those two. Maybe good had a way of winning over evil after all. For the first time in my life, as I looked to what was right in front of me, my family and friends, as well as my bestest friend in the world, Carter, I believed that life would work out, even if it threw a few curve balls in between.

  CARTER, TWO YEARS LATER

  “That’s the esophagus.” I pointed to the colorful diagram in one of Molly’s medical journals.

  Gabi, our oldest daughter, giggled and then sneezed, showering the page with spit. I wiped it with my sleeve before Molly noticed that we’d ruined a book.

  “Carter, she’s only one.”

  Molly stood in the doorway, rubbing her eight-month swollen belly. Yeah, we hadn’t waited long after
the birth of our first one to get pregnant again. We didn’t want to. Actually, we didn’t plan on having a second kid so quickly, but I couldn’t keep my hands off Molly, and well, most times, she had a difficult time keeping her hands to herself as well, especially when it rained.

  “Never a better time to start teaching them than now. Did you know that kids soak up information like little sponges?” Holding tight onto her, I turned to Gabi and smacked a wet kiss on her cheek. She squirmed in my embrace, giggling.

  “Is that why she won’t stop saying ‘Daddy’?”

  “Daddy,” Gabi squealed as if on cue. I might have been repeating the word to her since the day she was conceived, hoping it’d be the first word out of her mouth, and it was.

  “Mommy,” Molly said, sitting back on the carpet beside us.

  “Daddy,” Gabi replied and I held back the laugh.

  “Don’t worry. She’ll get it one day.”

  “‘Mommy’ was supposed to be her first word.”

  “I may have cheated a little,” I said, now feeling a little bad for my wife. We’d married shortly after Jo and Nick. What was the point of waiting when you knew you wanted to spend the rest of your life with your soulmate? “I promise that Mommy’s the next word that will come out of her mouth.”

  “Daddy,” Gabby repeated.

  “You better be quiet, sweetheart, or Mommy won’t let Daddy make sweet love to her tonight.”

  “Carter! You can’t tell her things like that.”

  “It’s not like she can understand.”

  Someone cleared her throat, and I turned around to see Sarah standing in the doorway, with a batch of fresh cookies. “I know they’re not as good as Mackenzie’s, but she’s a good teacher.”

  Daisy and Molly’s little cousin was finally healed. Raising money with our calendars had become an annual event. It was all donated to the children’s unit at the hospital. This year was the third one, and requests for specific photographs were still coming through.

  “I’m sure they’re delicious, Sarah.” I patted the spot on the couch. “Thank you for helping out with Gabi’s birthday.”

  “Carter? Is it okay if I think of Gabi as my cousin? I mean, I don’t have many other ones.”

  Once Sarah was in remission, Daisy’s mom, as well as her sister and niece, had all moved back to Hope Bay. The quiet town, a new united family and Molly’s constant aftercare for Sarah was exactly what they needed for the little girl to make a full recovery.

  “Of course, Sarah. You’re family. You always will be.”

  We sat down by the fireplace. Christmas would arrive in two weeks, and I couldn’t stop looking at the love of my life and the miracle we’d created that was now crawling on all fours toward the plate of cookies Sarah was holding. I steered Gabi away from the table where a battery-operated candle was lit. Molly had agreed that until our kids were older, there’d be no fire in the house, except for the gas-burning one on the far wall. Our house was officially fireproof, child proof, bug proof, and everything proof, as well as decorated in Christmas ornaments from top to bottom.

  “Carter, look! It’s snowing.” Molly grabbed a mug of hot chocolate and we all came to her side by the bay window.

  I picked up Gabi, took Sarah’s hand, and joined Molly on the seat. We sat there watching the flakes float to the ground. I looked to my beautiful wife and her joyful face as the white stars hung above us reflected in her eyes. Rain days weren’t my favorite ones any longer. Neither were snow days. Any day with Molly and my family was my favorite one. From now on, even our cloudiest days would be filled with sunshine.

  DAISY

  Uncle Ron. You fucking piece of turd.

  Who knew that we were related? I certainly hadn’t. Well, at least, not until I was dead. Apparently, my father’s brother had been banished from the family years ago, and despite living in the same town, they rarely spoke.

  “How’s that coma treating you?” I asked, slowly floating toward him, though of course I knew he wouldn’t reply. He’d fallen into a coma two days after his bone marrow was retrieved and transplanted to Sarah. Thank God Doctor Burke was smart enough to check hospital records to see whether he was a match for Sarah. And thank God Carter was smart enough to plant the idea in his head.

  “What’s that you say? You’re too hot?” I scanned over his unresponsive body, wondering whether I should give that heart of his a few pumps so that he’d wake up.

  “Nah, not yet.”

  I pushed the window open and waited for the cold breeze to sweep through the room. It might had been a hot day outside, but Mother Nature and I were pretty tight. And she promised me frost on his hands and toes. I blew a ghostly breath to push the covers aside. His feet were the grossest I’d ever seen.

  “Don’t worry. No one will care about your long toenails when you’re six feet under.”

  I floated around the room with my hands crossed over my chest, wondering about the best way to help him transition to the other side. My parents had never spoken about Ron Fowler. They’d never mentioned his connection to Uncle Sid, Sarah’s father. Now that I knew what kind of a man he was, I wasn’t surprised, and I was grateful to my family for staying away from him, though ungrateful that they hadn’t helped Clare, Molly, and Nathan. How could they have turned a blind eye like that?

  Well, they did, and it was time to make amends. It was time for both families to heal, without any further fear. It was time for the families to unite in peace.

  I blew another breath, and the window shut with a thud. Ron finally jolted awake on his own.

  “Where am I?” he asked.

  “You’re in a hospital. About to die,” I said.

  He stiffened, taking in his surroundings, sweeping his frozen hands over his arms as the first shivers enveloped his body.

  “Who’s there?” he asked.

  “Oh, you can’t see me? Let me fix that.” And so I appeared in my ghost form, and the heart rate on his monitor jumped up.

  There was the reaction of utter fear I’d been waiting for.

  “Who are you? What’s this?”

  “I’m here to take you to hell,” I said in a deep voice, holding back my chuckle. He might have survived Molly’s gunshot to his chest, but I’d die before I let him walk out of this room alive. Wait – I was already dead.

  Fowler reached for the red button and pressed it over and over again.

  “The call button’s not working today. It won’t work tomorrow either.”

  “Help!” If he thought his lousy attempt at a scream could be heard, he was wrong.

  “Nobody’s coming, Ron. You’re going to die in the next thirty seconds, and they won’t find your body for at least a week,” I lied again, and watched the heart monitor as his heart rate sped.

  Come on, you can do better than that, Daisy.

  “Satan’s been asking about you.”

  “What?”

  “Do you know how much it hurts when you die?” I floated closer and watched his eyes bulge with fear. I didn’t need to say anything else because with each inch I moved, his pulse quickened. It beat faster and faster until Ron Fowler took one last desperate breath, grasped his chest, and froze before collapsing to his bed.

  I opened the window and floated back to Hope Bay, where I lay down on my grave and could finally rest in peace.

  Afterword

  Dear Reader,

  I hope you enjoyed reading Right in Front of You. If you have time, I would love for you to leave an honest review.

  If you enjoyed this novel, you’ll also like Yours and Mine. Joelle and Nick’s story happens during the same time as Right in Front of You (so yes you read spoilers in this book).

  What’s next? A first love re-union story. After living 10 years apart, life for Alex and Jackson will forever be changed. Tentative release date for Only You is March 20, 2017. Check here for updates on the novel’s pre-order date.

  Happy reading!

  xoxo

  Lacey Silks
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  Also by Lacey Silks

  Dazzled by Silver (prequel to the Layers Trilogy)

  Layers Deep (Book 1)

  Layers Peeled (Book 2)

  Layers Off (Book 3)

  Crossed (prequel to the Crossed Series)

  Layers Crossed (Book 1)

  Double Crossed (Book 2)

  Crossed Off (Book 3)

  When Things Go Wrong (short prequel)

  Cheaters Anonymous (Book 1)

  Loyal Cheaters (Book 2)

  Broken Cheaters (Book 3)

  Chloe (Book 4)

  Perfectly Equipped (short prequel)

  Perfectly Seduced (Book 1)

  Perfectly Kissed (Book 2)

  Perfectly Loved (Book 3)

  Friends to Lovers Series

  My First, My Last

  Yours and Mine

  Right in Front of You

  Only You

  Short Stories

  My Only One | Dance With Me | Teacher’s Pet

  Bossy Request | Over The Limit | My Neighbor’s Will

  Mistresses (a five story collection)

  Connect with Me Online:

  Twitter | My Blog | Mailing list | Facebook

  About the Author

  USA Today Bestselling Author Lacey Silks writes erotic and contemporary romances with a touch of suspense. Her stories come from her life, dreams and fantasies. She’s a happily married wife with two kids who uses her husband to test out the more intimate scenes for her writing – he said he doesn’t mind it at all.

  Lacey likes to make her readers blush and experience the story as if they were the characters. Drawing on the reader’s most sensitive emotions through realistic stories satisfies her more than… …ok not really, but you get the point ;)