“I’m already mad,” she murmurs, her brows drawn low. “I thought we agreed I needed time.”
“We did, but there’s a lot you need to know, babe. Just hear him out.” Before she can argue with me, I pick Eli up. “I’m going to give you some privacy.” I kiss her forehead. “I’ll be in the bedroom if you need me.” I look over at Walker, and nod once before leaving the room, praying that I made the right call. I sneak around the corner an hour later, and exhale in relief when I see Reese hugging her dad. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. You have to know I never stopped loving you.”
Definitely the right call.
I startle awake when Reese climbs into bed. I have no idea what time it is, and when I turn on the bedside lamp, Reese’s face is wet, her eyes red, and puffy, but I see no sadness in the depths of her blue eyes.
“I want to be so mad at you right now, Thorin, but…” she pauses, swallows, wipes her face. “Thank you.”
“Come here.” I reach for her, and she comes willingly, curling herself into my side and resting her chin on my chest. “He told me everything,” she says, her voice hoarse. “It was never me.”
“No, baby, it wasn’t. You still mad at me?”
She cups my cheek, and touches her thumb to my lips. “I was, but not anymore. I am curious though, why’d you go looking for him earlier?”
I move onto my side, and intertwine my legs with hers. “I wanted to know why he came, the real reason. Guess I wanted to make sure he wasn’t planning on hurting you. Bringing him here was a spur-of-the-moment decision, though, and I know I was risking you being mad, but I’m glad I did. After talking to him, I realized he was hurting, too, and if there was even a remote possibility that hearing the whole truth, that what your mom did to you was never about you at all, would help you, it’s a chance I was willing to take.”
“It’s a lot to take in, but I’m glad you took that chance. As hard as it was to hear, the truth makes me feel lighter somehow, and now I know I was wrong to think he walked away from me so easily.”
I was worried it’d be too much for her, but once again, I underestimated Reese, and her ability to just keep rising astounds me. Inspires me. Leaves me awestruck. She’s teaching me so much about life, love, and forgiveness, and she doesn’t even realize it. “He loves you, Reese.” I touch her forehead, her nose, and touch my lips to hers. “Just like I do.”
She smiles, and although she’s given me a thousand smiles in the last few weeks, this one is different. “You love me?”
“Yes, I do.”
“I love you, too.” She presses a kiss to my lips, and I cup the back of her head. This isn’t about sex for me, it’s about reaffirming how I feel, and showing her, giving myself to her in a way that’s far more intimate than sex.
I pull back, and gaze into her blue-glass eyes. “I have a question.” By the way she tenses, I suspect she thinks I’m about to propose. It makes me chuckle. “Not that,” I tell her. “Not yet, anyway.”
Her breath leaves her mouth in rush. “Thank God,” she laughs, and it’s shaky. “Not that I’d say no, but it’s too soon.” She relaxes in my arms, and it might not be a proposal, but my heart thunders away in my chest just the same. “Move in with me.”
I wasn’t planning on asking her for a few more weeks, but after tonight, I don’t want her anywhere else but next to me. “We already spend every night together, and I thought maybe, if you’re okay with it, your dad can move in here. You can spend more time with him, let him into your world at your own pace. Give him the same chance you gave me. We’d have to ask Mya if she’s okay with, but…”
She falls quiet, watching me with knowing eyes.
“If you don’t want—”
She covers my mouth with her hand, and then drops it. “I’d really like that.”
“Yeah?”
“Why do you sound so surprised?”
I suck my top lip into my mouth. “Hmmm…I wanted you to be ready, that’s all.”
“I’ve been ready,” she says quietly. “I wanted to suggest it, but I was waiting for you to ask me. That way I know you want it, too.”
“You wanted old school chivalry, huh?”
She shrugs her delicate shoulder, and her top slides off, exposing soft skin. “I’m a sucker for a good romance, what can I say.”
“Does that mean I have to sweep you off your feet?”
This time, when she smiles, it’s shy, and she looks at me from beneath her thick, black lashes. “Haven’t you realized yet that you already have? You snuck in when I wasn’t looking, and now, life without you is unimaginable.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Reese
“Stop fretting,” Mya says over Eli.
“I’m not fretting,” I whisper-hiss. Which is a big fat lie. We’re piled into Thorin’s truck, with my dad and Maggie following behind in his Rover, Benji and Carson behind them in their truck, but no one will tell me where we’re going. As if the last few days haven't been stressful enough between my launch—the app, and the apparel go live at midnight—and having my dad around more frequently. He took Thorin’s offer to move into my house, and I moved in with Thorin. We gave Mya the option to move into the main house too, since she doesn’t know my dad from Adam, but she decided to stay. She seems to have hit it off with him, though, and considering our office is in my house, it’s just easier. Turns out, Dad is a pretty chill guy, it’s been far less awkward having him on the ranch than I thought it would be. I expected stilted conversation, and uncomfortable silence, but I got the complete opposite instead. Figure that one out. He’s been helping Thorin and the band with their construction, and not just supervising, but actually getting his hands dirty. Things between him and Thorin have also been good, they’re more comfortable around each other, and the more time I spend with him, the more Thorin seems to relax. Hell, Dad has even taken quite the shine to Eli, and if I didn’t know better, it would feel like he’s been here longer than he has. And then there’s everything he told me about my mom. It’s been on my mind quite a lot, actually, but I haven’t had much time to stew. Which, I guess, is a good thing when there’s so many other things to focus on. For one, my dad’s back in my life, and he’s making a concerted effort to get to know this me. I was surprised to learn that not only has he been in contact with Maggie on a regular basis over the last nine years, but he’s taken a vested interest in my career. “I always knew you’d do something great with your life, sweetheart,” he’d said that night Thorin brought him over. I never sought his approval, but knowing he’s proud of me touched a part of me that I thought was dead. In fact, I never knew how much those words meant to me, or how badly I wanted to hear them, until he said them. I look outside the tinted car windows, and can tell we’re heading into town. We pass the bar, the diner, the inn and a few other storefronts before Thorin takes a right, and stops outside town square. There are people roaming the streets, enjoying the fresh, spring evening, but nothing gives me any indication as to what we’re doing, or where we’re going. And I know everyone knows because I’ve caught Mya, Thorin, and Dad whispering in the kitchen a few times, but as soon as I asked what’s going on, they pretended like it was nothing. It’s been driving me crazy, and not even using sex against Thorin has worked. The man is a vault, and it turns out everyone else is too, even Maggie. I move to climb out, but when I try to open the door, it won’t budge. Mya grins. “Child lock.”
“Seriously?” I look at Thorin, and he just smiles. Fletch chuckles, and they all three climb out, but not before Mya fixes my hair, and checks my make-up. At her insistence, I got dressed up, wearing a pair of dark jeans, knee-high brown leather boots, a teal long-sleeve drape-neck silk blouse and a tan leather jacket. My hair is down, big ringlets draping over my shoulders, and my make-up is simple, and fresh with extra mascara and a nude gloss. She unclips Eli’s carrier, and takes him from the car. My door finally opens, and Thorin holds out his hand. I look around at the smiling faces—Mya, Dad, Maggie, Fletch, Beni, a
nd Carson—and then glance warily at Thorin. “Turn around,” he tells me. With my back to his chest, he covers my eyes with his hands, and leads me down the side-walk, careful to help me step onto the road. “Seriously, guys, someone needs to tell me what the hell is going on.” All I get is a few chuckles. Damnit. This was cute on our first date, but now we have an audience, and my nerves are already shot to shit. We cross the road—I think—and I step onto the sidewalk, a door clicks open, and Thorin’s pushing me forward. All at once, he lifts his hands, and a room full of people yell, “Surprise!”
“Wha-what is this?” Looking around, I can tell we’re in a store. There’s a cherrywood counter with a state-of-the-art cash register to my left, and to my right are hanging shelves with… “Those are my…” I point at my fitness apparel. On the back wall is a pink neon sign that reads Simply Reese in cursive letters, and below that is a small stage, with tables covered in food beside it. I spin on my heel. “Thorin?”
He grins at me. “This, baby, is your store. Welcome to ‘Simply Reese’.”
I’m speechless. My eyes don’t know where to look first. I recognize many of the people from town, but there are even more faces I don’t recognize. Mya steps up to my side, and puts her arm around me. “I know you didn’t want a launch party, but your fans demanded otherwise.”
“You guys planned all this for me?”
“This deserves a party, and you, Reese Hayes, deserve to be celebrated.” She kisses my cheek. “I’m so proud of you.” Her eyes glaze over, and so do mine because this is so much more than I expected. And for everyone to have planned this? I’m dumbstruck. “Did you buy the store?” I ask Thorin.
Mya and I spoke about the possibility of opening an actual store, but real estate in town is expensive, and scarce, and this place is in the heart of town, facing town square. It’s prime. “I did, but I bought it for you. This place is all yours.”
I throw my arms around his neck, and kiss him like my life depends on it. The sound of applause fills the room, and soon I’m being passed around, getting hugs from Maggie, my dad—who may have shed a tear—and the band. Thorin cuts through the crowd, and grabs the mic.
“I want to thank y’all for coming tonight, and for showing your support for my girl.” His gaze locks with mine, and I just about die. “Reese, I’m so incredibly proud of you, babe. You’ve worked so hard for everything you have, and tonight, it’s all about you.” Claps and hollers break out around us, and the attention is almost too much. “Now, what do you say we get this party started, huh?” The band join him on stage, and as soon as they start playing, the crowd goes so wild, the walls vibrate. I’ve never seen Thorin on stage before, or seen him in his element, but watching him now, I can tell he’s enjoying himself. And he did all this. For me. Maggie slips a pair of noise-canceling headphones over Eli’s ears before taking him out of his carrier. She smiles at me, and winks, swaying her hips like everyone else. After four songs, Fletch, Benji and Carson climb down, leaving Thorin alone on stage. “I have one more song left to sing,” he breathes into the mic. “This ones for you, Reese Pie.” My heart flip-flops in my chest, and my pulse skitters double-time when Thorin takes a seat on a stool, an acoustic on his lap. The familiar chords of What’s Mine is Yours by Kane Brown filter into the room, and Thorin’s slower rendition of the song has every woman in the room swooning. Including yours truly. I don’t even mind that they’re swooning, because I know he’s all mine, and he’s singing to me, for me. When he’s done, Fletch puts some other background music on, and while they sign a few autographs, I end up signing a few myself. Which is so bizarre. Women, and girls alike come talk to me, tell me what an inspiration I’ve been, and honestly, it’s the most surreal experience I’ve ever had. People eat, and mingle, congratulating me as they pass. Mya taps me on the shoulder. “Your app has gone live, and it already has over three-hundred-thousand downloads.” My eyes just about bug out of my head. How is that even possible? “And all the clothes in the store are sold out.”
“What? That’s insane!”
“We have a ton of pre-orders as well,” she adds, hopping up and down on her feet. “You did it!”
“We did it,” I remind her. “I wouldn’t have made it this far without you, Mya.”
Just then, an older woman and her daughter approach me.
“Hi,” the woman greets. She has kind brown eyes, blonde hair, and a thin frame. “I’m Kirsten, and this is my daughter, Hannah.”
“Hi,” I shake both their hands. “It’s nice to meet you both.”
Hannah pulls at her long-sleeved shirt, a habit I know all too well, and gives me a shy, timid smile. She’s built a lot like me, and looks very much like I did back in high school.
“We’re kind of new in town, moved here about six months ago,” Kirsten explains. “Hannah and I are both big fans, and…” Her chin trembles, and she swallows. “We really wanted to meet you because, well, Hannah tried to…” She swallows again, and when her tears fall, I get what she’s trying to say. She doesn’t need to explain. “Y-you have helped my daughter find her courage, and I wanted to say thank you.” Without preamble, I pull the woman into my arms, and it’s all I can do not to cry myself. Because this right here, is why I started doing what I do. I wanted girls, and women, from all walks of life to love themselves, and their bodies, regardless of their shape or size. I wanted to give them courage to embrace who they are, and at the same time, teach them to take care of themselves, not because society expects them to look a certain way, but because they owe it to themselves. “I’m so glad I could help you.” I pull back, and look at Hannah. “You are a very brave girl,” I tell her, my voice a little shaky. “And no matter what anyone tells you, you are beautiful, and you are loved, just the way you are.” She steps forward, and gives me a hug, but doesn’t say anything. Her mom thanks me again, and I watch them leave the store. And they’re not the first people to share their story with me. Several other girls, some from the local high school, and others from out of town who came just to be here tonight, tell me how much I’ve helped them, and by the time the crowd starts to thin, I’m left feeling so fulfilled, I’m about to burst. This is my purpose, I realize. What started out as a way for me to share my own story, my own journey, turned into a plight to give hope to people who feel hopeless, courage to those who feel afraid, and strength to those who feel they have nothing and no one to live for. When Maggie and my dad call it a night, my dad squeezes me, and kisses the top of my head. “I’m so glad I got to see this,” he tells me, his smile wide, and his expression awash with pride.
“Me too, Dad.” God, if my heart expands any more, it’s going to explode. Any doubts I had about having my dad back in my life are eviscerated. We may be still getting to know each other again, but we’re in no rush. Maggie kisses my cheek, and when they leave, it’s just me, Mya, Thorin, Benji, Carson and Fletch. Benji and Carson are messing around on stage, while Mya and Fletch stand apart from us. Pretty sure there’s a whole lot going on there right now, but I decide to leave that for another day. Or at least until I can corner Mya long enough to pepper her with questions. Tonight though, it doesn’t matter.
“You happy?” Thorin asks, wrapping his arms around my waist.
“Deliriously so.” I sigh. “I can’t believe you did all this.”
“I probably should have mentioned that I have a condition attached.”
“Oh, Lordy,” I laugh. “Sex every day for a year?” A small, but extremely rewarding, price to pay in comparison to what he’s given me.
“No,” he chuckles, “but I can always work it in. In fact—”
“What’s the condition?” Best not to let him get carried away. He tends to do that a lot. Tonight is a perfect example.
“Sing with me,” he says, brushing my nose with his.
I frown. “Like, right now?”
He shakes his head. “On the next album. I want you to sing with me on the next album, maybe even write a few songs with me. Like we used to.”
“You know I haven’t written a song since college, right?” The thought of writing songs with Thorin again, singing with him, fills me with apprehension. Not because I don’t want to, but because I’d probably pale in comparison.
“I know, but I read some of the stuff you wrote, and you’re good, Reese.”
“Have you spoken to the guys about it?”
“I have, and they’re totally on board with it. You shocked the shit outta them when you sang Under The Same Sky, and they agree that you’ll be perfect for what we have in mind for the new album, the new sound.”
“You’re changing your sound?” Until now, Eighteendust has been country rock—a mixture of that Southern goodness, and angsty lyrics.
“I’ve been playing with some ideas, and I want the new album to feel like coming home.” He watches me, his expression open. “Or rather like finding home.”
“And have you?” I ask. “Found home?”
“I have, because you’ve shown me that home is not just a place, but a feeling, and a person, and you’re that person for me. You’re home.”
When he says things like that, I could just melt, which makes the decision an easy one, despite my reservations.
“Okay.” I stretch onto the balls of my feet. “I’ll do it. Because you’re home to me, too.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Reese
Three Months Later
I walk off stage, and Mya’s the first to grab me. “That was fucking awesome!” she screams over the deafening crowd. Not only am I sweating like a hooker in church, but I also feel like I want to puke. I just performed with Thorin in front of a crowd of thousands.
Holy.
Shit.
I won’t even get into the fact that Kane Brown—the Kane Brown—introduced me, alongside Eighteendust—after his set. A month ago, part of the local high school burned down in a freak accident, and Thorin suggested we host a benefit concert to raise funds for the repairs. Initially, I thought it would be just him and the guys, but I should have known Thorin doesn’t do anything in half measures. Nope. He pulled some strings, and ended up with over twenty artists-slash-bands who were more than willing to perform. Eighteendust sponsored the building of the stage in an abandoned field a few miles outside of town, and all the proceeds from ticket sales go to the school. The entire town is here, but if I were to guess, so is half of Texas. Mya did a phenomenal job with the PR and social media campaigns for the concert, and like me, totally fangirled when we got to meet all the artists before they went on stage. Of course, when Eighteendust took the stage—before I joined them—we screamed the loudest. And then it was my turn. I’ve recorded a few songs with Thorin and the band in the last month, since the studio was completed, but being on stage? Hoo boy. My hands are still shaking from the adrenaline.
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