Solace

by S. L. Scott

  “I don’t need rings or jewelry. I have everything I need right here.”

  Smiling, he chuckles. “Oh no, you don’t. You don’t get off that easy. I want everyone in Freeland County and wherever we travel to know you’re mine.”

  “And you’ll wear one because you’re mine.”

  “I will flash that ring every chance I get, proud to say I’m the lucky bastard who gets to go home with you every night.”

  Dawn peeks through the window. We slide farther under the covers. “I’m not ready to get up.”

  “Ricardo will manage the farm. Let’s stay a few days.”

  “Here at the hotel?”

  “Here in this bed. We’ll make love. We’ll eat like kings. We’ll binge on bad TV—”

  “And we’ll fuck.”

  “Fuck, it’s sexy when you say that.”

  Snuggling closer, I rest my head next to his on the pillow. I steal a quick kiss but he catches me before I sneak back to my side. “Better get used to this, honeysuckle.” Slipping his arm under me, we mold to each other. “I plan to hold you like this every night for the rest of our lives.”

  My eyelids dip closed, my body finally heavy with sleep, or maybe it’s that peace he found earlier. I turn and he spoons me, his arm wrapping over me. His breath is warm on my neck, but it’s even and comforting. Cocooned against him, I feel safe. “You saved me.”

  “I didn’t save you. You saved yourself.”

  “I’m not talking about last night.”

  No more words are needed. We both sigh in contentment and close our eyes.

  Just as I’m finding sleep, he whispers, “I’m going to make up for every minute of time we were apart. I promise I’ll give you the forever you deserve.”

  “I’ll give you the same, Jason,” I whisper. My lips turn up, happiness filling me, and I tighten my hand around his as I drift asleep.

  The hotel was a nice reprieve, a little escape in the middle of chaos. Returning to the farm is difficult at first. Not because I’m scared. I’m not. This place holds way more good memories than bad, but dealing with the aftermath of physical damage is stressful. “I don’t know where to start,” I say, rubbing my temples.

  “We just start. Pick something to fix and see it through.”

  Billy stands staring, inspecting the bullet hole in the living room floor. “You turned and the bullet landed here?”

  Jason is standing on the other side of it with his arms crossed and nodding. “Yup. Pretty much.”

  “Damn, dude. Did you shit yourself?”

  I laugh when Jason scrunches his nose and replies, “No.”

  Billy’s hat is off, and he’s scratching his head. “What’d you do then?”

  I peek back at Jason before I enter the kitchen. “I shot the fucker.”

  “Whoa.”

  We had a cleaning crew from one town over come and clean up the blood on a referral from the police. It makes it easier to deal with a mess of broken lamps and a few holes.

  Following up his astonishment, Billy asks, “What did you do while you were gone again?”

  “Fishing boats in Alaska. A little time in New England. A few other cash-in-hand jobs.”

  I guess that’s the story we’re sticking with. His past doesn’t matter anymore. Like he said, he doesn’t have regrets. I don’t either. Guess it took being in his shoes to finally understand why. I do. Us versus them. I hate that there’s even the necessity to think this way, but when push comes to shove, I’ll fight for us. Just like he did.

  Looking out the window doesn’t bother me. It should, considering that’s how the beginning of that night began, but Cole’s been released from the hospital straight into a rehabilitation facility. He’s facing time for his alleged ties to an underground gambling ring.

  He doesn’t rule my mind or control my life anymore. The people of McKinney are no longer blind to who Cole Cutler really is. I doubt he’d be able to get within a mile of my farm now that they know the truth. I finally feel . . . free. Vindicated.

  I let myself rest, leaning on the counter. Warm lips caress the back of my neck as his hands slide around my hips, coming to rest across my belly. After kissing the shell of my ear, he whispers, “You think we have a baby in there?”

  I cover his hands. “I hope so.”

  29

  Delilah

  Shelby Noelle always stands out in a crowd. As much attention as I got for my looks growing up, I’d simply followed in her footsteps. She’s two years older than me and won everything from Homecoming Queen to Miss Freeland County, prepping me for the roles. But she was always something I wasn’t—outspoken.

  After picking her up from the airport more than an hour away, Jason and I have been peppered with questions from the backseat of the car we borrowed from his mom. Everything on updating her on the farm to more personal questions like, “Where are you sleeping if you’re not staying in the house?”

  “We put a bed and a few essentials in the loft,” I reply, already knowing how she’s going to react.

  “The loft of the barn?” she exclaims but then laughs. “Good Lord, Delilah. You two are literally rolling in the hay.”

  “Sort of.”

  Jason’s adds, “Definitely.”

  She laughs and then adds, “I lost my virginity out there.”

  Jason’s shaking his head. “Petey Monroe was an asshole.”

  “He was, but man was he good with his—”

  “Eww,” I say, hoping she doesn’t finish that thought. “Don’t even go there.”

  Under lots of laughter, she rubs my shoulder. “I think you’re old enough to handle the truth, Delilah.”

  “I’m pretty sure you don’t want to hear too much of my truth.”

  “Actually, I want to hear everything.” Her tone turns sentimental. “You don’t know how terrified I was when Jason called me and told me what happened.”

  I sigh, exhaling heavily. I’m still not sure I’m happy he called her. On one hand, I get it. I do. He did it because my family should know. On the other hand, I knew it would worry her unnecessarily. “I’m fine.”

  “Now. But that might not have been the case.”

  “We can play out fifty different scenarios, but the only one that exists is the one where we survived. Let’s not rehash this.” We can bicker about it all we want, but I don’t want to spend my time with my sister like that. “We’re here. All is good.”

  “Okay,” she relents. “You haven’t changed much, Jason. Charming my sister just like you always did.”

  He’s changed so much, but those changes are hard to see when you’re looking at our hometown hero. He’s more than that. He’s my savior in so many ways, the king of my heart. I won’t correct her though. He’s fine lying low and letting everyone else fill in the blanks. Now I understand the deep-seated reasons behind his calm demeanor, he deserves even more respect. Jason doesn’t need the glory. He never did. Not when he played football and not now.

  He quietly goes about putting himself on the line for others, protecting what he cares about, and loving me like there’s no tomorrow. I don’t mean for my swoony mewl to slip out, but it does. After grieving the loss of my parents, missing my sister, the fear of losing my home to debts, and the abuse—emotionally and physically—I survived at the hand of Cole, it feels good to feel this happy, to find happiness with this man I’ve loved for what feels like my whole life.

  He’s changed.

  I’ve changed.

  Our once naïve young love has changed, and I like us better. I’m better just from him being back. We are moving forward together with our eyes wide open. I’m finally me again, the me I’ve always wanted to be. And for that, I’m thankful.

  Jason reaches over, his hand covering the one resting across my stomach. In this sweet moment, it’s easy to remember the most valuable lesson my sister taught me: looks don’t matter. It’s what’s in your heart that counts.

  We came from a long line of beauty queens, but they all
had something else in common—they loved with their whole heart, and they lived for their families. With one hand on my stomach and Jason’s nestled on top, I’ve never felt closer to my roots, and for the first time, I truly understand what Shelby meant.

  Jason Koster has good looks down to a science, but it wasn’t his looks that drew me to him. It was his heart. It still is. He’s given me his heart to protect and I will with all that I am. “We’re getting married.”

  The back of my seat is grabbed and she pulls herself forward. “What? You’re engaged?”

  “We are.”

  “When? How? Oh my God. My baby sister is getting married.” Her accent has lessened since she’s lived in Chicago the last couple years, but every now and again, I hear it. Like now. “Delilah Rae, how could you keep this secret from me? Tell me everything, and you owe me a pie big time. You so lost that bet.”

  Jason’s too busy laughing to get in the middle, so I reply, “Not even a week ago. I wanted to tell you in person, and I already have one cooling in the kitchen.”

  “Yum.” She hits Jason on the arm. “Well, look at you coming back to town and sweeping my lil’ sis right off her feet all over again. Took you long enough.”

  Turning onto our property, he says, “It’s good to have you back, Shelby.”

  “It’s good to be back. So. When’s the wedding?” Sidetracked, she leans so far forward she’s practically in the front seat with us. “Oh wow.”

  “What?” I ask.

  “This place. Doesn’t matter where I go, or how long I’ve been gone, there’s no place like home. Pictures do not do this place justice.” As soon as the car stops, she jumps out and heads to the side of the property to see the lake.

  Jason looks at me, his hand gently rubbing my shoulder. “You okay?”

  “I’m so much more than okay.” His smile sends my heart soaring. “I’ve never felt happier.”

  The engine is off and he gets out to open my door, but I hop out before he can help me. It drives him nuts when I take away an opportunity for him to be chivalrous. He ribs me over it, but he also knows that sometimes I’m okay standing on my own independence. I take his hand though, because I appreciate having his support too. He allows me to feel safe and secure, which gives me the courage to be me. The me I like.

  We reach the corner of the house. He kisses my temple and says, “I’ll take her bags inside. Go spend time with your sister.”

  A small look is exchanged, but it says all we need to say. Love fills the gap between us, and we both smile.

  When the tips of our fingers part, I walk around the house. Shelby stands with her hands clasped in front of her. I stand next to her, looking at the lake. The sunlight glistens across the water as the wind blows. “It never gets old.”

  She glances to me with a gentle smile on her face, and then wraps her arm around mine. “You’re pregnant.”

  My head jerks back, my body shifting. “Why do say that?”

  “I can see it. Your eyes. Your skin. Your happiness. The way you hold your stomach without even realizing you’re doing it.” The lake holds nothing to the glistening in her eyes. “Mom and Dad would be so happy for you, Delilah.”

  “What about you?”

  A tear slips down her face. “I’m so happy you found a love to last a lifetime.”

  I embrace her as my own tears slip down my cheeks. Leaning my head on her shoulder, I sniffle. “Thank you. That means more to me than you know.”

  After our mother died, Shelby not only looked after me like a sister, but also a mother. It’s a role she shouldn’t have had to take on, but she did, putting her needs behind mine. When we look back up, we laugh—feeling a little silly and a lot sappy. “You’ve done so well managing this farm on your own. Maybe you should take this time for you and Jason.” Pressing her hand lightly on my belly, she adds, “And for your family. The farm will always be here. Go see the world you’ve always wanted to explore.”

  “Jason has seen so much, but he says he wants to see it with me this time.”

  Turning back toward the lake, her arm is around mine again, her head on my shoulder. “You should. It’s your turn, Delilah.”

  “You sacrificed a life back here to help keep this place afloat. We still have so much debt to deal with.”

  “Let’s walk to the dock.”

  I follow her as she meanders, taking her time, as if she has all the time in the world. Slipping off our shoes, we sit on the edge with our legs hanging off and our toes in the water. She leans back, closes her eyes, and raises her face toward the sun. “The farm has been paid off.”

  I’m about to mimic her position, but instead I bolt upright from her words. “What? When? How?”

  Peeking over at me through one open eye, she says, “I think that’s a discussion you should have with Jason.”

  “Why do I need to talk to Jason?”

  Patting my leg, she says, “Just talk to him and then we can talk again.”

  The sound of tires grinding against the gravel draws our attention to a truck parking in front of the barn. Shelby’s eyes go wide, and she asks, “Good Lord. Who. Is. That?”

  I burst out laughing, and turn my gaze back to Billy as he unloads some bags of feed. “That is Billy Langston.”

  Now she’s upright. She might even be sticking her chest out if I’m not mistaken. “No way. That cannot be Billy.”

  Shrugging, I laugh again. “I told you he wasn’t that lanky kid anymore.”

  “Yeah, but you didn’t tell me he looked like that. Good gracious, he could be mistaken for Chris Hemsworth.”

  “Yeah.” I nod and look back at him just as he lifts the front of his shirt and wipes his face. Shelby’s jaw drops open. Nope, not lanky at all. “It’s happened a time or two from what I hear.” Raising my hand into the air, I yell, “Hey Billy.”

  A large bag goes flying onto a pile, and he looks up. Tipping the brim of his cowboy hat up, he smiles. “Hey Delilah.” I can tell the moment he realizes who’s sitting next to me. He walks over as Shelby stands and starts straightening the bottom of her shirt like he’ll care if it has a few wrinkles.

  Billy runs his hands down the front of his jeans as he comes closer. “Is that you, Shelby Noelle?”

  “Sure is, Billy Langston.”

  My, oh my. Look whose accent has suddenly made a comeback. If you were wondering, the answer is Shelby’s. Billy has a way of doing that to the ladies—you know, making them all gooey inside and flipping their worlds upside down.

  Except me. My heart knows where it belongs. I’ve found my home with that sexy man inside the house. This second chance is one I’ll never take for granted.

  While they start chatting, I slip my shoes back on, and say to Billy, “Don’t forget about tonight.”

  Shelby asks, “Are you joining us for dinner? We’re making a big homemade meal with all the fixins’.”

  “I’d be a fool to miss it, Ms. Shelby.”

  I think I hear her swoon. “Well, don’t go getting all dressed up for me. What you’re wearing now—this T-shirt—is such a good fit. Feel free to come as you are.” I definitely see her blushing before I turn and head inside, giving them some time to get reacquainted.

  I find Jason sitting upstairs in my bedroom. Leaning against the doorframe, I look around the room wondering what he’s looking at. “What are you doing up here?”

  His eyes find mine. “Thinking about life.”

  “That’s heavy.”

  Chuckling, he looks down. “Yeah, kind of.”

  I go inside the pink room and sit on the bed next to him. “Shelby told me the farm is paid off.”

  Almost expecting him to tense up, I watch his shoulders for the subtle movement, but it doesn’t come. He’s relaxed, and I find comfort in that. When he finally looks at me, he says, “You would have never taken the money.”

  “Because it’s yours.”

  “Don’t you see, Delilah? There is no me without you. If I can do something to make your si
ster, Ricardo and Paloma’s, and your lives easier, I will. That feels like a good way to spend money.” I rub his back and nod. He adds, “I also bought my mom’s house and paid off her debts.”

  Now I smile. “You are an amazing man, Jason Koster. Thank you for everything you’ve done.”

  “I’m only amazing because you love me.”

  “And I always will.” We sit there a moment longer before he says, “Now that it’s all paid off, Shelby said she wants to move home and into the house. I was thinking we could build one a few acres down, around the lake.”

  Thrown for a loop, my words get caught in my throat. “Eh. Wait. Jason.”

  “Yes?”

  “Maybe we should talk about money like you wanted to.”

  “I have a lot.”

  “Do I want to know how much?”

  “Since it’s half yours, I think it would be wise for you to know. That way we can make decisions on how to spend it together.”

  My mind is struggling to wrap around this massive turn of events. “You’re giving me half of your money?”

  His arm works its way around my lower back as he teases, “You’re not going to make me sign a prenup, are you?”

  Rolling my eyes, I laugh. “Not likely.”

  “Then we share everything fifty-fifty. How’s that sound?”

  I stand and move in front of him. Pushing him down on the mattress, I crawl onto his lap, and straddle him. I kiss him, my body awakening from the intimacy. When our lips part, our breaths are heavy between us. “Like heaven on earth.”

  Pressing my mouth to his again, I will never tire of these lips on mine. He rolls us over and says, “The best is still to come.”

  Not a prediction.

  A promise.

  30

  Delilah

  Some matches are made in heaven. And some are made right here in our little parcel of paradise.