Always Series Box Set

by Becs, Lindsay

  “Yeah. I gotta put in for leave, but it shouldn’t be a problem. Why?”

  “I want to get married at my mom’s pond.”

  He smiles at me. “I think that sounds perfect. Then we can drive down here with Bear and all your stuff.”

  “How soon can you take leave?”

  “I’ll have to ask my supervisor.”

  “Next month?” I ask.

  He flips me on my back and kisses my neck. “I’m going to marry you as soon as I can, Nugget. There’s no getting away from me. I’m making you mine for good.”

  “Promise?”

  “Yep. I’m going to put babies in you. And I’m going to spoil you. And we’re going to be a little mechanic family with grease always under our nails. And it’s going to be perfect,” he says, straddling my waist.

  “I want all of that, Jess.”

  “Just don’t ever make lemonade again,” he teases. I smack his chest, but he grabs my hand and kisses the ring that sits on my finger.

  “I won’t make lemonade as long as you promise to always catch lightning bugs with me,” I tell him, pressing my other hand on his tattoo.

  “Nothing else I’d rather do.”

  Leaning forward, he kisses me and I know that it’s only the beginning of an incredible life with my best friend. We started as kids with lemonade and lightning bugs, but we’re ending with forever and our own happily ever after.

  We’re home.

  * * *

  I go straight to my dad’s once I fly home from Jesse’s. I want to tell him in person about our official engagement. I know he’ll be happy, but I didn’t want to tell him over the phone.

  I walk inside the house, like I always have, and yell for my dad. His truck is outside, so I know he’s home, but I don’t see him anywhere. I look out back, but no. I’m walking back inside when I see Tilly coming down the stairs.

  My eyes go wide when I see her buttoning her shirt. “Tilly?” I question. But I know exactly what’s going on.

  I see my dad coming down the stairs next, and when he looks to Tilly and then to me, he knows I know exactly what they’ve been doing. “LP…” he begins.

  I start to laugh. Not giggle, not chuckle, but roar with hysterical laughter. Tears are beginning to fall from my eyes, and my sides are hurting from how hard I’m laughing. The two of them stand there frozen, watching me in my fit of laughter, not sure what to do. I hold my hand up and wave it back and forth to try to signal that it’s fine. But I think they’re still unsure if I’m losing my mind or if I’m really OK with them.

  “Penny, it’s not what you think,” my dad starts as he walks over to me, which makes me laugh all over again, harder this time.

  I calm down just enough to speak then. “No, Dad, I think it’s exactly what it looks like. You two are sleeping together.”

  His eyes dart to Tilly, who still hasn’t moved. “Can we sit down and talk about things?” he asks.

  But then Tilly notices my left hand, and her hand covers her mouth. I smile at her and nod. “That’s why I stopped by.” I look to my dad. “Jesse asked me to marry him.”

  “It’s been fourteen years in the making,” my dad says, pulling me in for a hug. “Congratulations, baby girl.”

  “Thanks, Dad.” When he pulls back, I look at him with a quizzical look. “And how many years in the making has this been?” I ask.

  “Probably just as long,” he croaks out, rubbing the back of his neck.

  “I’ll go put on a pot of coffee,” Tilly says, walking to the kitchen. As I watch her walk out of the room, I don’t miss the sweet smiles that pass between them.

  Dad and I sit on the couch. I turn to him. “How long?”

  “How long for which part?”

  “What does that mean?” I ask confused.

  “I think we’ve both been attracted to each other since the day she moved in next door,” he admits with a shy smile, one I’m not used to seeing on my dad’s face.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Jesse

  I don’t know how I managed it, but I was able to get a week of leave approved in record time to go home. I’ve been back in Graves for a few days already, spending time with Tilly as much as I can. Nugget has done the same with her family, too, soaking in as much as possible before moving with me to Vegas for the next couple of years.

  I still can’t believe she’s willing to leave everything and everyone here to follow me. I never expected her to, not even before Royal King was an option. Sure, in the back of my mind I hoped, maybe, but I never expected her to leave her dreams to follow mine.

  The military has been rough at times and miserable at others, but it’s also given me so much. An appreciation for my country that goes beyond fireworks on the Fourth of July. I’m grateful that I have the opportunity to serve next to some of this country’s finest. I mean, yeah, some are dickheads, but some are incredible individuals whom I hope to be even a fraction as honorable.

  Tilly—and Travis too—have been amazing in my life. Teaching me, molding me, helping me, kicking my ass when needed, but I needed to do something on my own. To attain something that I could be proud of and look back on with humbleness and know I did something important and worthwhile.

  “What are you thinking about out here?” Penny asks, coming up behind me. Her arms wrap around my shoulders as she kisses my cheek. I smile, content and happy.

  “I’m just watching the sunset,” I tell her honestly as I sit on my porch with Bear at my feet.

  “You getting cold feet about tomorrow?” she teases, sitting in the matching chair next to me.

  “Never. I watched the sunset each night that I was deployed, thinking about you. That will never change.”

  “Well, it might after my brother gets you shitfaced tonight,” she laughs. We’re having our bachelor/bachelorette parties before we tie the knot tomorrow.

  “Please, I can handle Ollie any day. He’s getting old.”

  “He acts more immature than Max most days,” she adds.

  “Actually, I should go change. We need to head to your dad’s soon.” I stand and kiss her before going inside.

  She hasn’t moved as she watches the night sky turn dark around her. The breeze blows her wild locks of hair around her beautiful face. I see a lightning bug light up next to her, and it gives me an idea.

  She looks up at me with a big smile when her eyes see the jar in my hands. “Let’s catch lightning bugs, Nugget.”

  Running through the grass with Bear on our heels, we catch dozens of them. Pouring them into the jar with some grass, I screw the lid back on the jar and leave it on the porch to light up my path home later.

  I can’t wait to marry her tomorrow. Definitely no cold feet here. My feet feel toasty warm.

  * * *

  “If anyone was going to take my baby sister’s virtue, I’m glad it was you,” Ollie slurs, slapping me on the back.

  We’re at some bar, Ollie, Benton, Alvie, Travis, and I. I was shocked as shit when Alvie wanted to fly in for the wedding, but I’m proud to have my brother in arms stand next to me tomorrow.

  “Oh, he’s taken her virtue plenty of times!” Alvie announces all too loudly. I shoot him a look to shut the fuck up, but it only makes him cackle in drunken laughter more.

  “Can we not talk about my sweet innocent baby girl’s virtue right now, or at any time, please?” Travis asks after draining his beer. Can’t blame him for that.

  “By the sounds she makes, she is not—”

  “Alvie!” I yell, interrupting him. “You are cut off for the rest of the night if you don’t keep your fucking mouth shut.” His hands go up in surrender before he knocks back a shot, giving me the finger. Asshole.

  Benton chuckles next to me as he shakes his head. “It was bad enough for me with Tatum and getting her pregnant. But you, you’ve gone and taken the baby of the family. You might as well join your mate and get pissed off your ass.”

  He orders another beer for me and a round of shots for a
ll of us. When we raise our glasses to toast, Alvie can’t keep his mouth shut as he cheers, “To Penny’s virtue!” Everyone but Alvie groans and takes the shot. I might murder my friend before the night ends. I hope Penny will visit me in Leavenworth.

  We rack up a game of pool and play a few more while drinking. This is pretty much all I wanted for my bachelor party, and I’m glad no one fought me on it. Afterward, we take a cab back to Travis’s house, where the girls stayed in. They’re all giggling up a storm out back when we walk in.

  “Jesse, can I talk to you before you leave?” Travis stops me before we walk out to greet the girls.

  “Of course,” I say, following him out front to his porch.

  He sits and takes a deep breath, staring out at the night sky before turning to look at me.

  “All jokes aside, I’m happy it’s you. I know you’ll always take care of her; you always have. Probably better than me at times.” He pauses to think a second. “She’s kind and compassionate and beautiful like her mother. She is the most precious thing in my life. Now, she’s going to be the most precious thing in your life. Love her that way. Always.”

  My mouth is dry from his sincere words. I swallow down the emotions I feel hearing him say such things. “I think I have all along. I know I always will because it’s always been her. No doubt in my mind.” I smile looking out and seeing a lightning bug. “She’s my home. My whole world. My everything.”

  “Good.” He nods in approval and pride.

  “Now, you going to do the same with Tilly?” I ask with a knowing smirk. Penny walked in on them a while back but told me no one talks about it. Tilly sure as shit hasn’t said anything to me.

  Travis huffs a laugh, looking down at his hands almost like he’s embarrassed. “Guess that’s deserved.” He looks up at me again. “Yeah, I promise, I will.”

  We stand to join the rest of the group of people who are my family in so many ways. I find my glossy-eyed girl and drop a kiss on her lips. She begins to deepen it, too inebriated to remember that her family, including her dad, is watching us.

  I feel a beer can hit the back of my head. “I told you I don’t want to see that shit!” Ollie screeches, making everyone laugh.

  I sit behind Penny on the lounger, wrapping my arms around her. “I can’t wait to marry you tomorrow,” I whisper in her ear, nipping at her lobe.

  “Me too,” she hums.

  We sit outside for a while longer, all of us together, making smores and enjoying the late night with everyone here. Bex sits on Ollie’s lap, laughing as she wipes chocolate off his face. Tatum and Benton make googly eyes at each other, lost in their own world. Looking at Travis, I know it’s pulling him to his past memories, but the small smile on his content face tells me it’s a good one.

  Tilly kisses his cheek, and when he scoops her into his lap and blows raspberries into her neck, everyone stills for a beat before beginning to cheer. It’s obvious they need each other and are good together. None of us are going to stand in their way.

  “I’m gonna marry your ass tomorrow,” I tell Penny, kissing her one last time before I head home with Alvie. Penny is staying in her old room at her dad’s tonight.

  “You better,” she sasses.

  “You, me.” I hip thrust at her. “Tomorrow!”

  “Get out of here, crazy!” she laughs. “But you bet your cute butt we are!” she yells as she closes the door behind us.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Penny

  I wake up with a smile on face as I stretch. I’m getting married today! Then, I feel the pain in my head. Oh, I drank too much last night. I’m gonna kill Tate and Bex.

  Groaning, I pull myself out of bed and make my way toward the smell of coffee and breakfast. I start to laugh when I walk into the kitchen and see everyone looking the same way I feel. My laughter quickly ends when I grab my pounding head.

  “I’m making pancakes and bacon, and coffee is ready,” Tilly says a little too chipper for me from the stove. She obviously didn’t drink much last night.

  “Thanks,” I mumble, walking to get coffee. “Did you stay here last night?” I turn and ask, looking back and forth to her and my dad, both of them seeming embarrassed.

  “You ready for today?” Tatum asks, pulling my curious and confused face to her.

  I smile into my cup. “I’m so ready.”

  “Good. Get that hangover under control and eat. Then, you are mine, baby sister,” she declares, rubbing her hands together.

  I do as she says, and when I follow her, Poppy, and Ruby into my room, she already has it set up with more make-up and hair products than I’ve ever seen. Poppy mirrors her mom as she begins to fix her little sister’s hair.

  Both of my nieces are beautiful and look just like their mom, blue-eyed beauties. Poppy has Tatum’s sass and serious demeanor, while Ruby is a cute little thing with constant giggles. And their brother, Harry, is the spitting image of Benton. I’m glad they go back and forth from here to Vegas and I’ll still see them quite a bit.

  I’m going to miss Ollie, Bex, and Max. I know they are just a phone call away, but it’s not the same. Hopefully, they’ll come visit more with both Tatum and me in Vegas. Same with Dad and Tilly. I’m going to miss everyone, but I’m excited to start this new chapter with Jesse.

  “What’s with the face?” Tate asks me.

  “Just thinking how I’m going miss everyone here, but I’m so ready to move with Jesse.”

  “You’ll see us lots, though!” Ruby exclaims excitedly.

  “You better believe I will,” I say, reaching over to tickle her. She gets scolded by Poppy to sit still. Ruby responds by rolling her eyes. There’s Tatum.

  “Did you read your letter yet?” Tatum asks me after a little bit, chancing a glance at me in the mirror.

  I shake my head. “No. I probably should before you do my make-up, though.”

  She snorts a small laugh. “Yep.”

  A few minutes later, my hair is finished, pulled back into a braid that wraps around my head. It looks pretty, but not uptight.

  “We’ll give you a few minutes if you want,” Tatum tells me, leaving the room with her girls.

  A knock sounds when I sit to open the letter from my momma. “Come in.”

  My dad pokes his head in. “Safe?”

  “Of course it is.” I smile at him and pat the bed next to me. “Sit with me.”

  He takes my hand in his and lets out a breath. “I love you so much, Penny. I’m so damn proud of you. I’m proud of the man you chose, the life you live, everything. And I know she would be, too,” he tells me, referring to my mom.

  “Thanks. I love you, too, Dad.” I lean against his shoulder and swipe the falling tear from my cheek.

  “I have something for you.” He holds up a necklace. I’ve seen it before, but I can’t place where until he goes on. “This was your mother’s. She wore it when we were married. I gave Tatum her earrings, and I want you to have this. You don’t have to wear it today, but I want you to have it nonetheless.”

  “Will you put it on me?” His smile widens as he shifts to clasp the chain around my neck. On it is a pendant with the word Always inscribed on it. “Thank you, Daddy,” I say, turning to hug him with tears in my eyes.

  He kisses my cheek and stands to leave. “I’ll let you finish getting ready.” I see him grit his teeth, and I know he’s trying not to cry, trying to be strong for me. “Save me a dance later.”

  “Duh! You’ll always be my favorite dance partner.”

  When the door closes behind him, I take another breath, picking up the letter from my momma. I don’t really remember her, just through the memories shared by my family, pictures, and these letters. Those are enough for me to miss her and wish so much she could be here.

  “I wish you were here today,” I tell her as I pull out the piece of paper with her neat handwriting.

  My Beautiful Penny,

  Today is your wedding day!

  As I write this letter, you
are sleeping next to me with your head of wild red hair on my lap. It’s hard for me to think of you as a bride when I want to keep you little and innocent from the world. I know that’s not possible, though. I’m positive you are beautifully stunning and strong!

  I hope you have found yourself a man who loves you like your daddy loves me. I hope the love you share is yours and yours alone. That you don’t let others tell you how you should feel, but that you feel and love each other freely as you’re meant to.

  Choose love above all else. Always. When you do and follow your heart, you can’t go wrong.

  I hope you found your lobster, baby girl.

  I’m watching you from above,

  Momma

  As I fold the letter to put it away, Tatum reenters my room. She takes one look at me and knows. Throwing her arms around me, I cry into her shoulder, and she lets me for a full sixty seconds before she tells me it’s time to wash my face and get my ass ready to marry the man of my dreams.

  We finish getting ready and load into cars to drive to the pond. It’s the same place my dad would go to get away from his rough childhood, the place my parents were married, the last place he danced with her in the snow, the place we used to come to eat ice cream and talk to Momma all throughout my childhood. It’s the place I feel closest to both of my parents and exactly where I want to marry my best friend.

  I look up at my dad’s face before we begin to walk where Jesse and the pastor stand behind my mom’s bench, which is draped with flowers. “I can feel her here. Can’t you?”

  “I feel her with me every time I look at you, LP.” He kisses me on the forehead and takes my arm to walk me toward the love of my life.

  “I love you, Daddy,” I whisper in his ear when he gives my hand to Jesse.

  When I look up into Jesse’s face, there is no doubt in my mind that we are both exactly where we’re supposed to be. He is my lobster in this crazy sea of life.