Everything She Needed (Cedar Valley Novel Book 2)

by Christina Butrum

  “Do you remember what I said?” Conner questioned him, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. Arms resting on his knees as he leaned forward, waiting for Adam to recall the memory of the night before Conner had taken off. The night he had proclaimed that there was more in life waiting for him to discover. If he stayed in Cedar Valley, he would miss the chance of a lifetime.

  “Yeah, I remember.”

  They had let him leave, without any more fight to give, they had all watched Conner load his truck up and head out on the highway, unsure if they’d ever hear from him again.

  “Well, I’m taking that all back.”

  Adam looked at him like he had lost his mind. “You can’t take back what you said that long ago. Words are the last thing you can ever take back. The damage is already done.”

  Those were fighting words. Adam knew that and so did Conner. The look on Conner’s face said it all. He didn’t have to say a damned thing for Adam to know what he was thinking.

  “Look, I ain’t looking for a fight,” Conner said, holding his hands up. “I didn’t come back to fight with you guys. I came back to make up for lost time.”

  The irk was there, causing heat to spread under Adam’s skin. There would never be a better time than now to get this all out in the open, whether it would cause another issue or not, they’d soon find out.

  “I thought Colorado was the place to be,” Conner explained, not giving Adam a chance to interrupt. “At first it was great, I won’t lie about that. Chasing huge fires and car accidents involving falling boulders...”

  His words trailed off and Adam could see he was thinking back on the good calls, the ones that went well and ended successfully. “Then the fires were getting larger, getting harder to control,” he said, pointing toward the article in Adam’s hand. “That fire took a lot of manpower to try to control it, but it ended up taking a helluva lot more than that once it was done spreading its ugly flames across the land.”

  Realizing how beat up his brother had gotten over this fire that had made national news, made him realize he might have been a bit too harsh and uptight with him. His brother deserved some slack for having to face what he did out in Colorado.

  “I lost friends that were family, and family that wasn’t friendly that year,” he said, again pointing at the article in Adam’s hands. “Hearing about the fire out at Woodland’s farm and the explosion that tossed you aside...”

  His brother choked on the emotion as it unleashed and forced its escape. There was nothing left to do except hug him and pull in close. His little brother had been beat up and spit out by the ugliness of the reality firefighters had to face from time to time.

  “I thought I lost you, man,” Conner said, his face beet red, anger twisting his mouth as emotions pressed on.

  “But you didn’t. I’m right here.” Adam wrapped his strong arm around his brother and pulled him into his side. Guilt edged its ugly sword into Adam’s gut as he thought about the hell his brother had gone through. The hell they had both gone through, at the news of each other’s battle of fires. They had both been afraid of losing the other, but hadn’t spoken a word to one another, until they realized how close death had come to destroying their chance to make things right.

  Whoever said grown men don’t cry was full of shit. There had been enough tears shed to last them a while. But it had felt good to get it all out, making their relationship that much stronger. If he had known his brother wasn’t happy out in Colorado, he would have tried a heck of a lot harder to get him back home.

  “I hope you’re not planning on going anywhere for a while,” he offered, as they walked out of the room and headed for the bay.

  “Why’s that?”

  Adam shot him a glance that, if he had to guess, told his brother not to mess around.

  Conner held his hands up in defense. “I’m not going anywhere, Jesus, settle down.”

  “Because you’re going to be meeting a niece or nephew soon.”

  A brow rose and the sarcasm followed. “How soon we talkin’? Will I have time to make a trip back...”

  A slug in his arm shut him up. “Ow, what was that for?”

  “You aren’t leaving, ever. You’re home for good. We need you here.”

  Having his brother around would ease the stress and the worry. He would allow Conner to implement some of the training he’d had out in Colorado. It was a good thing Conner was back home, no matter what their father had to say about it.

  28

  A few months later...

  The envelope received was from Adam’s friend, Lux Hamilton, who had promised Adam he’d do some checking around as far as the custody battle over Ava was concerned.

  She had forgotten about the whole situation, or at least had put it on the back burner, since she hadn’t heard anything from Scott’s attorney in the last couple of months.

  Opening the envelope and reading through the paper Lux had sent, it was clear why she hadn’t heard anything since she received the very first paper. The attorneys had been working behind the scenes in an attempt to come to an agreement on an immediate mediation for Scott, Rachel and Ava.

  She didn’t want to keep Ava from Scott. It had been his own actions that had kept him away from her. Seeking a lawyer to handle this was irrational and a bit uncalled for on Scott’s behalf. This was something that could have been handled without the court’s help.

  “What’s that?” Adam asked, walking in from outside. Since his arm was more than healed, basically back to normal, he had been catching up on missed yard time with Tyler.

  “Lux sent me this,” she said, handing the paper over so he could check it out. “This could’ve been handled without lawyers.”

  “I agree, but it’s one of the benefits of having an attorney as a good friend,” Adam said, holding the paper up as proof. “He basically worked it out for us and all I have to do is return the favor.”

  Rachel slid, defeated, into the kitchen chair. “I know, it’s not exactly what you wanted, but it could’ve been a lot worse,” he said, wrapping an arm around her.

  She knew he was right. Scott had dealt this hand and it ended up being a win-win for all involved. It was just the fact that he didn’t know Ava.

  “I know, it’s just that it’s not right for him to waltz into her life whenever it’s convenient for him,” she explained, trying her damnedest to make Adam understand. “Missing out on two years of her life is a big deal. He’s basically a stranger to Ava.”

  Adam pulled a chair away from the table and sat down next to her. “You’re right. I couldn’t imagine missing two years of my child’s life, but I give him credit for wanting to be in it now.”

  Rachel pushed back, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “Whose side are you on?”

  “Rach,” he said, grabbing hold of her hand, breaking apart her arms from their position. “There are no sides in this. It’s what’s best for Ava. That’s the only thing that matters to me.”

  Nodding because she had to agree, she leaned forward and reached for the paper. Picking up the phone, she dialed the number provided on the sheet and waited for Lux to answer.

  * * *

  It was a done deal. Sign on the line and follow the rules. She could do that, right? She couldn’t guarantee there would be a lack of tears or an emotional outburst the first weekend Scott picked Ava up from their house, but she knew she would manage to get through it. She didn’t have any other choice.

  Leaving Lux’s office, she headed straight for the café. Baking had become her form of stress relief, and lately she had baked plenty.

  Granny Mae had taken notice of the overflowing shelves in the display and had offered to take some things to the ladies at church, or Barbara Ann’s salon down the street where she was certain Barbara’s clients would love a cookie or two.

  She had even heard Rosie’s comment about “mixing the beaters right off that old mixer.” There were plenty of people, including Leah, who had taken notice to the vibe that som
ething was bothering her. Aside from the custody’s visitation arrangements and her pregnancy, Rachel wasn’t concerned with much else.

  Leah and Willow had squeezed in a visit earlier in the day when Rachel had taken a short break from the third batch of brownies that morning.

  “Are you sure you should be working all these crazy hours?” Leah had asked her. Her response had been a pretty simple and straightforward “I’m fine.”

  Honestly, it wasn’t like her body wasn’t used to all the baking. She’d bake until her feet were too swollen and sore to stand on, or until her belly got so big her back began hurting.

  This wasn’t her first pregnancy and she had a feeling it wouldn’t be her last.

  29

  Adam wasn’t too worried about Rachel’s hours at the café. What had him worried, though, was what she had been bottling up since agreeing to visitations.

  Pulling into Levy’s, he knew that the kids were with Rachel at the café, helping her bake the last dozen or so of muffins needed for the school’s Muffins with Mom event tomorrow.

  “How’s that baby of yours?” Adam asked Liam when he walked up to the counter. He could already see the wear and tear of having a little baby in the house—it was written all over Liam’s face. Another few months and he’d be looking like he had no idea what sleep was. He couldn’t wait.

  “She’s doing good. Up about every couple of hours to eat, and falls right back asleep.” Liam wiped the countertop off and tossed the towel aside. “Hate to say it, but I miss having Megan around.”

  Ever since Conner came back home, Megan had picked up more and more hours at the station. Adam wasn’t complaining, because it was giving him extra hours at home with his family. But it was obvious that with Megan doing extra hours at the department, Liam was struggling to fill the bar’s hours.

  “Speaking of which,” Liam said, pulling up a chair alongside Adam. “You guys set a date yet? You guys can have the reception here if you’d like. No charge.”

  “How’s that a ‘speaking of which’?” Adam asked, chucking back his drink. Setting an empty glass down, he looked at Liam and said, “To tell you the truth? We haven’t. We haven’t even talked about a wedding at all. We’ve been trying to get through one thing at a time. Taking it one day at a time. Starting this weekend. Tomorrow in fact.”

  Liam refilled his drink and slid it across the bar to him. “I heard. Leah mentioned something about Scott getting visitations. How’s Rach taking it?”

  Tossing back the refill, Adam said, “So far so good. I’m sure the town can attest to that, since she’s been baking nonstop. It’s once she stops baking that we have something to worry about.”

  On that note, he offered Liam enough to pay for his drinks and have a tip left over, and headed home.

  * * *

  Arriving home just as Rachel and the kids pulled into the drive, Adam offered to help Rachel carry in the containers of muffins that she would take to the school tomorrow.

  Tyler was excited to know that she’d be there eating muffins with him at his school. He had told Adam on numerous occasions that he was happy to have Rachel in his life. She was the best. Adam had agreed and would always agree with that.

  She had come into their lives by the grace of God, who had finally answered his prayers of finding someone to fall in love with and raise Tyler with. It was just his luck that she had come into their lives when they needed each other more than ever. Being a single parent was difficult, but finding the right person to raise a family with was a heck of a lot more challenging.

  Wrapping his arms around her as she set the plastic containers on the counter, he kissed the back of her neck. Her shoulders were tense, more than likely a factor caused by stress of what was coming tomorrow.

  Gently pressing his thumbs into the tense muscles of her back, he didn’t have to wait long for her to relax, melting into his hands. He slid a chair out and offered her to sit down. Usually it was the other way around, but it was his turn to cash in on some of his debt he owed her from all of those nights he had come home with tense and sore muscles, not wanting anything more than a good old back rub.

  “I’m not sure I can go through with it,” she whispered, low enough for the kids not to hear. “I know that everything will be okay. I know that she will be fine once she’s there, but I just worry about the what ifs.”

  She had talked about the what ifs every night for the last couple of weeks. He had promised her there was nothing to worry about. Worrying never helped any situation. And the stress wasn’t good for her or their baby. He had made her supper each night this week, offering her favorite Rocky Road ice cream—sometimes even before supper was cooked.

  He didn’t have to say it again. This time she recanted her statement, agreeing that she was probably worrying over nothing. “Scott isn’t a bad guy,” she said, leaning into his grip on her shoulders, silently begging him to go deeper with his thumbs. “He just wasn’t the one.”

  Adam pressed his thumbs in deeper, concentrating on the knotted muscle. He didn’t care to hear about Scott, but he had a feeling the guy would treat Ava like the princess she was. When a lot of other men would feel a hit to their pride, or defensive of their territory, he had stepped back and realized it was best for Ava to know her father. And hey, she got two dads out of the deal, so that was a plus for her.

  “I’m sorry I keep talking about it,” Rachel said, rolling her head around in a circle in an attempt to loosen the stiff muscles in her neck—the next place his thumbs would venture to, once the muscles in her shoulders and upper back gave way from the knots.

  “You don’t have to be sorry, Rach,” he offered, massaging deep enough to cause a deep moan to escape off her lips. Hearing her moan like that caused things to heat up. One of the reasons he had concentrated on the muscles, and not the way she was reacting to the massage. “You shouldn’t make those kinds of noises though. Unless you want me to haul your butt upstairs and leave the kids without supper for the night.”

  Laughing, she leaned forward, away from his grip. “How about after supper when the kids are in bed?”

  Rubbing his hands along her neck, massaging the stiffness out, he agreed to take a raincheck for now. They had plenty of alone time once the kids were in bed. What they didn’t have now was enough time to cook supper before their kids starved to death.

  30

  No one could have prepared her for the moment Scott picked Ava up and drove her away kicking and screaming in the back of his truck. He had promised Rachel that everything would be okay. He would take her to the park and possibly swimming, depending on the weather.

  It sounded good, but not good enough when it was compared to those blood curdling screams coming from the backseat, as he drove down the road in the opposite direction of Cedar Valley.

  It was lost on her what to do with herself once Ava was out of sight. She wanted to call Scott and make sure Ava was okay. Heck, she had put his phone number on speed dial just in case she needed to hear Ava’s voice, or needed to tell her she loved her for the millionth time.

  Adam had reassured her that Ava knew Scott. He had visited plenty of times, and that they were all sure Ava was comfortable with him being around. The fact that she didn’t call him dad yet wasn’t a justified reason to feel different about the situation.

  She knew Adam was right, but what didn’t settle her racing thoughts was the fact that Ava hadn’t ever been without her for more than a day’s time. Sure, she had stayed the night with her grandparents, but that didn’t count. This time it was somewhere she wasn’t used to.

  “We saw his house, Rach,” Adam reassured her once again. “He has everything she needs, including her favorite Sesame Street shows and Cheerios. She’s going to have fun there.”

  The thought of waking up on Saturday morning without the sound of Ava’s babbling and the tunes from Sesame Street echoing through the house, saddened her. The thought of missing their breakfast together, snuggling up on the couch for their af
ternoon nap, followed by the evening play outside in the pool with her swimming toys was enough to break her heart.

  Adam’s arms pulled her close. The smell of his cologne and the warmth of his body pressed against hers and caused her to release the breath she had been holding. Relying heavily on the sigh to make her feel better, she pressed against his chest and allowed him to comfort her as she lost control of the emotions she had tried so hard to overcome.

  “It’s okay,” he whispered, guiding her up to the front porch, his embrace never losing contact with her as he sat down next to her on the swing. “Everything is going to be okay, I promise.”

  Finding comfort in his words, she leaned in closer to his chest, wrapped her arms around his waist, and allowed the scent of his cologne to linger in her senses for as long as she could.

  There really was no one else she would rather be with than him. No one else she would rather spend the rest of her life with than with him. With Adam, everything felt right. Unlike the unsuccessful relationships in the past, this one brought a sense of familiarity, ease, and security.

  She had been an emotional wreck for the last few days, and this man had stayed by her side, never faltering and never waning. When she had felt uncertain and full of doubt, he had been there to provide her with stability and the certainty that she was lacking.

  Looking back at the time she debated on making the move to Cedar Valley, she had contemplated the pros and cons of doing so. Never once had she imagined that so much more would have been offered in her life, along with Ava’s. She hadn’t imagined a life rich in love and full of honesty and sincerity. A life filled with passion, desire, and a willingness to keep trying when the odds were against them.

  Ava would be okay, just as Scott had promised. There would be nothing that man wouldn’t do for his daughter. She knew it as well as anyone else knew it. She had no reason to worry. Worrying only robbed the happiness of the present day, or however her mother used to say it.