Beautiful Ties

by Alicia Rae

  Lily’s jaw dropped as I finished filling her in on my eventful afternoon.

  “He what?” Lily gasped, referring to Jason.

  We were sitting in her loft—her writing cave as she’d called it—perched on her cozy white sofa that overlooked Kyle’s backyard and a small portion of the lake.

  “He left,” I repeated.

  Lily frowned. “Is he coming back?”

  “He didn’t say,” I sighed. Tears flowed all over again, and I wondered how I could possibly cry anymore. “He just said that he needed space.” I blinked, glancing at the lake and then back at Lily. “I hurt him,” I said, confiding in her.

  Lily seemed to ponder for a moment. “You said you love Pearl, right? As if she was your own daughter?” she asked, disregarding my statement.

  “Yes, wholeheartedly.”

  “Then, you have nothing to be sorry for,” she responded, tucking her feet underneath her. “Abbey, you did what any one of us would have done when faced in such circumstances.”

  “I know I made the right decision for me, and I wouldn’t take it back for anyone,” I said, turning to face her. I leaned against the back of the sofa. “I just didn’t mean to hurt Jason or to leave him out in the process.”

  Lily reached forward and placed her hand on top of mine. Her big blue eyes were sincere and soft. “I know you didn’t. But you’re in love, Abbey. When we feel that way about other people, we would do anything in our power not to hurt them because when they hurt, we also feel their pain.” She patted my hand. “Sometimes, that anguish is unavoidable. We just have to work through it, and in the end, it makes everyone involved stronger.”

  The words seemed to be flowing out of her, so I let her keep going. I smiled on the inside, adoring my new sister’s inner strength. She had come such a long way in her own personal journey.

  “Give him time, Abbey. Jason will come around. I’ve seen with my own eyes the way he looks at you…and Pearl.” She smiled affectionately. “Jason loves you both. He just needs to realize that you were put in a tough situation and that you had to take a leap of faith while making a decision—a decision you both would have immediately answered yes to, together, if you had been given the chance.”

  I was stunned speechless for a brief second. I looked at her in awe. “You certainly have a way with words. No wonder you’re a writer.”

  Lily grinned at me, her eyes shimmering with amusement. “I do love words.”

  Both of our heads turned to the roaring sound of a motorcycle pulling up the driveway, and then we looked back at each other. There was only one person I knew with a bike, and it happened to be the man I was madly in love with. My heart pumped feverishly in my chest, and my pulse started to hammer with force. I was shocked that he was here, and that was the only thing keeping me rooted in my spot.

  Lily grinned over at me. Her eyes were glowing with the excitement I felt inside. “I think your shining knight has come for you.” She beamed.

  My eyebrows lifted at Lily’s analogy. “Knights don’t ride Harleys. They come barreling in on huge horses with swords.”

  Lily rolled her eyes. “I had to improvise, Miss Analytical, so work with me here.”

  “Oh, gotcha.” I winked. “Smokin’ hot Harley knight on his iron horse it is.”

  Lily threw her head back, laughing. Then, she looked back over at me. “Kyle is definitely going to know something is up now.” Her eyes suddenly filled with mischief. “Let’s go see how your knight fairs against your brother.” She giggled, rising from the sofa.

  My eyes bulged from their sockets as I jumped to my feet. With bewilderment in my tone, I whispered, “Are you sure it’s a good idea to let your husband and cousin go face-to-face right now?”

  “Probably not.” She snorted. “But let’s sneak a peek at the two of them anyway.”

  Lily walked to the door, opened it, and snuck her head around the corner. I tiptoed behind her and gazed over her shoulder, feeling like a teenager all over again. Downstairs, I could see Kyle swing the front door open.

  He put his entire body in front of the path and crossed his big arms over his chest. “Well, well, well…look who it is.”

  I leaned forward on my toes, bracing my hands on Lily’s shoulders for leverage, so I could get a better glimpse at Jason. His blond hair was roughened up, like it had been the day we went riding around Lake Tahoe. His eyes looked tired and void of the normal high-spirits I was so used to seeing in him.

  I wanted so desperately to run to him and throw myself in his arms.

  Jason slipped his hands into the front pockets of his jeans and stared at my brother. “Kyle,” he drawled.

  Kyle let out a low, deep chuckle, catching me off guard. I had been prepared to see the fire.

  “You look like shit, man,” Kyle said to Jason.

  They were both still unaware of that Lily and I were spying on them.

  Jason let out a humorless laugh. “Good to know that it resembles how I feel right about now.”

  “So, are you going to tell me what you did to hurt my sister? If so, I suggest you quickly follow it up with a damn good reason why I shouldn’t kick your ass and send you on your way.”

  “Well, for one, we both know I’d be one hell of a match.” Jason’s lip twitched, almost lifting into a smile. “Two, I’m in love with your sister, and I am not leaving here without her.”

  Kyle started laughing again. This time, it was a little louder.

  “What could possibly be so funny, jackass?” Jason asked.

  I loved hearing their camaraderie, even during crappy circumstances. I was glad Kyle had found a friend after his solitary time when he’d returned home from the Army.

  “You…groveling,” Kyle answered, shaking his head. “After giving me so much shit for falling in love with your cousin, I’ve been waiting for the day when you got knocked on your ass by a woman. And the fact that it’s my sister makes it all the sweeter.”

  “Aren’t you funny today?” Jason replied.

  “Sorry, man,” Kyle responded, stepping forward.

  The two embraced for a manly hug, and then they drew apart.

  Jason asked, “Where is she?”

  Kyle pointed over his shoulder. “If I know my wife and sister at all, they are probably eavesdropping at the top of the stairs.”

  Before I could move, Lily jumped, knocking her back into my chest. I lost my balance, fell backward, and then grunted loudly when Lily landed on top of me. The movement knocked the wind right out of me, and I just wanted to die from embarrassment at being caught eavesdropping.

  God, what a day.

  I heard my brother chortle before he said, “Busted,” from the bottom of the stairs.

  “I think they saw us,” Lily stated the obvious. She laughed under her breath as she rolled off of me.

  I sat up, heaving for air, and then I came eye-to-eye with Jason. He was standing at the top of the stairs. His expression was an even split between amusement and relief at seeing me since our argument.

  “Are you okay?” he asked, his voice now full of concern. He knelt next to me.

  “Yes,” I answered as my attention diverted to Lily, who was scurrying down the stairs.

  “Abbey,” Jason sighed, making me look back at him, “we need to talk.”

  He took my hand in his, running his thumb across the top. The warmth of his skin on mine sent electrical currents throughout my body.

  “I know.”

  “But not here,” he stated calmly. “Will you come take a ride with me?”

  I glanced down at my knee-length Banana Republic dress. Thankfully, it wasn’t exposing any parts of me that it shouldn’t. I looked back up at him. “Uh…I’m wearing a dress.”

  “I see that,” he said. His eyes were now darker with heat as they roamed up and down my legs.

  Out of nowhere, a pair of blue jeans came flying over the railing of the staircase and landed at my side with a whoosh.

  I tilted my head to the left. “
Thanks for eavesdropping, Lily,” I teased.

  Jason chuckled low in his throat next to me.

  “You’re welcome!” Lily yelled up at me.

  I grabbed the pants as Jason rose to his feet, extending his arm to help me up. I assessed the pants in my hands, knowing Lily had almost half a foot in height on me.

  “So, is that a yes?” Jason asked hopefully.

  I gazed up at him. “If these jeans aren’t too long on me.”

  “Cuff the bottoms!” Lily shouted up the stairs.

  I laughed, looking toward where Lily must have been standing, and then back to Jason. I whispered, “Is she always so persistent like that?”

  “Yes.” Jason laughed.

  “I can hear you, you know,” Lily chided jokingly.

  I spun my head around and walked toward the edge of the staircase, looking down at Lily. Kyle was standing next to her, covering his mouth with his hand, as his body rocked with laughter.

  “Why don’t you just come up here, so you can be a part of the conversation, nosy?” I asked, playfully narrowing my eyes at her.

  “I’m good.” Lily shrugged, stifling her humor. “Now, go ride that smokin’ hot Harley, as you called it,” she added.

  She took Kyle’s hand, and they walked into the kitchen, so I couldn’t see them anymore. I turned around to see a very pleased smirk on Jason’s face.

  A dimple formed on his left cheek. “Smokin’ hot, huh?” he asked, closing the distance between us. His arms came to my waist and yanked me against him.

  “I might have said that.” I blushed.

  Jason bent forward and kissed my forehead. I leaned into him, yearning for more, but we still had so much to talk about. I needed answers. I sighed when he pulled back.

  “Come on, let’s go. We have a lot to discuss,” Jason said quietly.

  I was freaking out that my second motorcycle experience was going to be at night. As we stood outside next to Jason’s bike, the only lights in the sky were the full moon shining down on us and the porch lights of Kyle and Lily’s ranch home.

  Jason opened his saddlebag and pulled out a gray bandana. “Come here,” he said softly, lifting his hands and motioning me forward.

  I stepped toward him while looking at him.

  He draped the material over the top of my head, curled the sides under my hair, and tied the bottom. “There,” he said with a smile. “Now, you look like a hot biker babe.”

  I shook my head, laughing at him, as he turned back to reach into his leather bag for a second time. He lifted his black Harley-Davidson leather jacket and held it open for me.

  I pivoted to slip my arms into the long sleeves, and then I spun around to face him while giving him a saucy smirk. “Still think I look like a hot biker babe drowning in your jacket?”

  He grinned devilishly at me, his eyes full of mirth. “Even hotter when wearing my coat,” he answered, lowering his head down next to my ear. “If we weren’t standing in the middle of your brother’s driveway, I’d find a way to take you up against my bike until you were gasping for air and coming around me.”

  With anticipation, my muscles tightened low in my belly as a delicious shudder raced down the length of my spine. “Well then,” I breathed. I tried to toss away the image that was now burned into my memory before I allowed him to do just that.

  Jason bent forward and tenderly kissed my mouth this time. The smoothness of his luscious lips brushed along mine, lingering as if he didn’t want the moment to end. All thoughts aside, I raised each of my hands to cup his jaw, reveling in the way his skin felt against me. We had only been apart a few hours, yet when there was so much unsaid between us, that short time had felt like an eternity. I wanted to clear the air between us.

  He drew back on a sigh. “Let’s go home, baby.”

  I nodded, exhaling a shaky breath.

  He rotated, taking a step forward to climb on his bike. Swinging one leg over the seat, he settled into the plush leather. He lifted his hand to turn the key of his Harley. The purr of the engine filled the quiet night. I came closer to him, setting my hand on his shoulder for balance. I hopped up behind him, remembering his instructions not to touch the pipes, and I snuggled in behind him. I felt the clutch pop as the motorcycle accelerated forward, causing me to squeeze his middle with more pressure.

  The cool evening breeze blew against my face as Jason began the short trip back to my condo. I reveled in the feeling of the air beating along my skin as we covered mile after mile—that was, until a bug smacked me square in the cheek.

  “Ugh,” I muttered on a startled laugh. I raised my hand to flick any remains of the creature away, and then I buried my head in between Jason’s shoulder blades to shield myself.

  Briefly, I closed my eyes. As we cruised onward, I turned my mind over to my senses—listening to the sound of the bike, feeling his back pressed against me.

  Then, with my cheek nestled into his back, I smiled. Bugs and all, I loved every minute of our ride.

  I could feel Jason’s eyes on me with every step toward my condo. Our serene bubble of the last fifteen-minute motorcycle ride home seemed to have popped as the weight of the discussion lingered over us, like a storm cloud ready to downpour at any moment. I silently prayed this conversation would go smoothly. Arguing was not my thing.

  As we arrived at my door, I nervously reached into my pocket and retrieved my keys. Wordlessly, I flipped the lock, opened the front door, and walked inside with Jason following close behind. I sidestepped to the right as he shut the door. My arms rose to the zipper of his Harley leather jacket, preparing to remove it. Jason came to stand in front of me, his gaze making direct eye contact with me. He set his hands on top of mine and started undoing the coat.

  The silence was thick. I hated the tension in the room between us. It was making my insides roll as I began to accept that we were in this predicament because I had hurt his feelings by leaving him out today.

  “I’m sorry,” I whispered, the emotional dam of my feelings breaking free.

  Jason’s hands paused on the zipper with his eyes still on me.

  I continued, “You have every right to be upset with me. I should have waited to talk with you first before I made such a life-changing decision to care for Pearl, knowing it would affect us both forever. But for the last month that she has let me see into her life a little deeper, all I’ve done is sit back and do nothing, out of fear of upsetting Diane and the possibility of losing Pearl completely.”

  I pinched my brows together with determination, hoping to express my feelings right. “And today, when I was sitting there at Diane’s, listening to her explain her reasons for not wanting Pearl, I realized that precious girl owned my heart as much as you do. I fell in love with both of you,” I admitted sincerely.

  My hands found his chest as I breathed him in, knowing in my heart that he was mine. This was what I wanted—him and Pearl. I wanted the three of us to be a family.

  The seconds ticked by as Jason looked at me with a thoughtful, sincere expression. He finally finished undoing the leather jacket and slipped his hands between my shoulders and the leather, letting the coat fall to the floor. His sky-blue eyes never left mine. Then, he lifted his hand, and his knuckles brushed along my cheekbone. It was only then I realized that I had been crying.

  The corner of his mouth lifted into an adorable smile, catching me off guard. “I had this whole speech all prepared in my mind. I was ready to plead for your forgiveness for walking out earlier instead of talking things over with you.” Jason’s hands cupped around my back, drawing me closer. “Yet, here you are, apologizing to me, when you have nothing to be sorry for, Abbey. I do. I apologize for letting you think otherwise. The truth is, I was scared. What I feel for you and Pearl is so intense.”

  Butterflies soared in my stomach, and I restrained myself from jumping into his arms and kissing him into the morning hours. I had to remind myself that we needed to clear the air.

  Just a few more minutes, and th
en I can jump him.

  “Intense?” I inquired with a huge grin instead.

  “Very.” He nodded, soothing his hands up and down my waist. “In twenty-seven years, I’ve never given my heart away to anyone because I was too afraid to fall in love. But from the very second I laid eyes on you at Kyle and Lily’s wedding, you’ve had this indescribable pull over me. I wanted to see your smile and hear your laugh. I wanted to know what you would feel like in my arms.” He paused briefly, stifling a grin of his own. “And I’d be damned if someone else was going to catch that garter. There was no way in hell I was going to let another man hold you.”

  I refrained from rolling my eyes at him. “Your height alone gave you an unfair advantage over the other men that day,” I chided affectionately. A soft laughter escaped me as I threw my arms around his nape.

  “True.” Jason chortled, burying his nose into the crook of my neck as I ran my fingertips through his soft hair. “You changed something inside of me that day, Abbey,” he added on a rough breath, his voice thick with emotion.

  Jason drew back, regarding me with an overwhelming sense of sincerity and adoration. I thought surely my heart would stop beating.

  “And then, you introduced me to Pearl—this sweet, intelligent, beautiful, little girl who’s full of life and has so much love within her that she gives unconditionally—and I fell in love with her, too.”

  “You did?” I asked in awe, holding my breath and tightening my arms around him as I waited for his answer.

  “Of course I did,” he answered, brushing my tears away. “I never knew it was possible to fall in love with two people at once.”

  He let out a resigned sigh and lowered his forehead against mine. “I’m so sorry I left, Abbey. It took me about four hours of deep thought—and being miserable without you, I might add—to realize I would have done the exact same thing out of love for Pearl as you did.”

  “Thank you,” I whispered. A profound weight lifted off my chest, knowing he loved Pearl, too, and he understood my reasoning for acting as quickly as I had today. “I—”