“How do you know?” The question crossed Beth’s lips on a whisper, probably because she’d been holding her breath.
“When we got to the hospital, they wouldn’t let him go back with me because he wasn’t family. And the nurse said, ‘It would be different if she was your daughter.’ And he said, ‘She might as well be.’” Nora blinked and the tears fell from her eyes.
Oh God. How stupid was Beth? Why in the name of everything good and holy had she pushed him away? This man who loved her? This man who loved her kids? This man who’d said he’d wanted it all with her?
She was an idiot.
Beth reached up and started wiping at her cheeks; tears had long been streaming from her own eyes. “He said that?”
“He did. But I knew he was here to stay a while ago.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because of the way he looks at you. It’s how Dad looked at Mom, like there was no one else in the world. I want someone to look at me like that one day.”
“Oh honey, come here.” Beth pulled the almost empty bottle from Nora’s hand and set it down on the pier. And then she was wrapping her arms around Nora and holding her niece to her chest. “Someone will.”
Beth had to stop herself from saying what she’d initially thought, which was that someone already looked at Nora that way.
They sat there for a little bit, Beth rubbing her hand up and down Nora’s back, thinking about the last couple of things her niece had said.
“So it’s better with Tripp around? Huh?” Beth dropped her arms as Nora straightened and sat up.
“I didn’t mean that in a way that it was miserable with just you. But, it’s like it was…incomplete or something, without him and Duke. Little things.”
“Such as?”
“I don’t wake up during a thunderstorm terrified out of my mind anymore. And neither do Penny or Grant.”
Beth had to let that sink in…how had she not noticed this? Yes, she’d known there’d been storms that rolled through in the last couple of weeks, but as they hadn’t woken her up, she’d just figured they hadn’t been loud enough…
Another startling fact hit her: it wasn’t the kids crawling into bed during a storm that had always woken her up; it was the storms themselves. She’d been scared of them, too. And now, with Tripp sleeping next to her in bed, she slept through them.
“It isn’t like I hadn’t witnessed how a man is supposed to treat a woman. I mean it wasn’t like Dad wasn’t an awesome example. Because he was. He’s just been gone, you know? Also, hello, there are enough of your friends with husbands that make that point perfectly clear. But being around someone who is constantly like that is a different thing altogether. And seeing Tripp day in and day out, it made me really know that being with Brick was wrong. The instant I realized he didn’t respect me or what I wanted, I…I just knew. You know?”
“Yeah, I know.”
Nora took a deep breath before she let it out on a sigh. “You asked me yesterday why I didn’t tell you about Brick in the first place. And I think maybe it was because I knew, deep down. I knew he was a jerk and that you wouldn’t approve.”
“But he showed you attention, and you wanted it. Even if it wasn’t good attention.”
“Yes.”
“I still feel like I was blind for not realizing.”
“Why?” Nora’s eyebrows furrowed. “I got away with plenty of stuff with Mom and Dad.” As soon as the words were out of her mouth, her eyes widened in shock and she covered her mouth with her good hand.
“I’m sorry; what did you just say? You’re going to need to elaborate. No lies, remember.”
Nora dropped her hand. “Only if you promise I can’t get in trouble for past offenses.”
“It’s a deal.”
* * *
Just after two o’clock that afternoon Hamilton’s big blue truck rolled up into the driveway of Bennett and Mel’s house. The front doors opened a moment after the truck engine was cut off, and both Hamilton and Dale got out and headed up to the house.
Tripp immediately noticed the swollen lower lip Hamilton was sporting, and so did Bennett.
“What happened to your face?” Bennett asked by way of a greeting.
Hamilton paused for a second, debating how to answer. “Brick Mason,” he finally said.
Bennett’s eyes widened in surprise. “You got into a fight with Brick Mason?”
“You know,” Dale started, a huge grin turning up the corners of his mouth. “I’ve always wanted to say, ‘you should see the other guy.’ And really, you should see the other guy. Brick’s got a black eye and a broken nose.”
A pretty big part of Tripp was beyond proud of Hamilton at the moment. He wished he could’ve been the one to do it.
“Your sister see your face?” Bennett asked.
“Not yet.”
“Anyone else see your face? Or the fight, for that matter?”
“No one saw the fight.” Hamilton shook his head. “And I’m not worried about Brick saying anything, either. He’s the big bad football player and he won’t want it getting around that the band nerd kicked his ass.”
That made sense. Even though Hamilton had filled out in the last couple of years, he was still on the leaner side compared to Brick. Though Hamilton had a couple of inches in height on him, Brick probably had about twenty more pounds of muscle.
Tripp set down the crowbar he’d been using to pry up baseboards and crossed the yard. “And why did you kick his ass?”
Hamilton took a deep breath, looking between Bennett and Tripp. “He had a bet running that he’d sleep with Nora by the end of the school year.”
“What?” Tripp pretty much growled the word, and this was the part where he started to see red.
“Saturday he figured out that wasn’t going to happen. But today he was telling everyone it did. And what with the newest Bethelda Grimshaw article out, which is all about Nora along with Beth and you”—he gestured to Tripp—“everyone believes him.”
“Are you shitting me?” There was a sharp edge to Bennett’s question.
“No, I’m not. And that asshole didn’t get in any trouble. They sent Nora home for the week, though. Beth picked her up during the lunch hour.”
Bennett cut a glance to Tripp, his question clear. Why the hell didn’t she call you?
Tripp didn’t answer. Instead he asked, “Bolinder suspended Nora?”
“It wasn’t Bolinder; he’s out for the week,” Dale explained. “It was Shields. And she isn’t suspended; she just can’t come to school while everything cools down. At least that was what Mel told us. Whatever the hell that means.”
All of the information Tripp had gotten in the last few minutes was ricocheting around in his head. And as loud as it was all was jumbled together, there was something inside of him screaming louder than everything else. He was not going to sit back and watch everything burn down around him. He was not going to let this relationship with Beth end without a fight.
No fucking way.
“I’ve got to go,” Tripp said as he pulled his keys from his pocket and whistled. Duke got up from where he and Teddy were lying in the shade of the trees, and immediately bounded over to the truck.
Chapter Twenty-Three
All I Want
The steady knocking echoed around the house, only getting louder as Beth headed toward the front door. It had taken Beth a little while to hear it as she’d been buried in her closet with Nora. They’d also turned the music up on the speakers attached to Beth’s phone and were both singing a little throwback Madonna pretty loudly.
How else was she supposed to pick out the outfit to wear when she went and told her boyfriend just how wrong she’d been about everything?
But Beth knew even before she opened the door that Tripp was going to be on the other side. So changing would not be happening.
“Hot pink scrubs it is,” she said to herself as her hand closed around the knob and she pulled.
Yeah,
Tripp was pissed. She figured that out immediately. His brown eyes had darkened, his mouth was in a firm grim line, and his hair looked like he’d run his hands through it a dozen times. He wasn’t alone, either. Duke was standing at his side, tongue lolling out as he happily panted.
For whatever reason the whole thing reminded her of that morning all those months ago, the morning where everything had really started. And that was when his words from the day before echoed in her head…
You’ve been it for me since the day you started banging on my front door covered in mud.
And he’d been it for her since that moment, too.
She didn’t say anything as she stepped forward and pretty much threw herself into his arms. He caught her, holding her close as her mouth landed on his and she thoroughly kissed him.
She savored the feel of him—her body pressed to his, her hands in his hair, his hands at her lower back. His fingers were spread wide, like he had to touch as much of her as possible. His beard lightly scraped against her skin as he kissed her back, his tongue moving against hers.
It took everything in Beth to break the kiss, but she had to tell him, had to tell him how wrong she’d been.
Hands still firmly locked in his hair, she pulled away, her lips hovering just over his. “I’m sorry. I was wrong. So, so, so wrong. I told you I needed to do what was best for the kids, and you being a part of their lives is what’s best for them. It’s what’s best for me, too. I want this life with you, Tripp. I want all of it.”
A soft laugh escaped his mouth. “You’re unbelievable, you know that? I came over here to tell you that I’m not going anywhere, that I’ll never stop fighting for you, for us, for the kids, and then you beat me to the punch.”
“Oh.” She bit her lip to stop herself from grinning and took a step back, pulling from his arms. “Do you want me to go inside?” She pointed to the door behind her. “I can walk back out and we can do this again?”
“Come here.” He reached for her, his palms sliding across her hips as he pulled her against his body again. “We don’t need a do-over; I’ll just spend the rest of my life proving it to you.”
“I like that plan.”
“Good, because it’s what’s going to happen. Every day, Beth. Every damn day.”
Her hands went to the back of his neck, pulling slightly as she stretched up. “I love you.”
“I love you, too. More than I’ve ever loved anyone. I never had a chance in stopping it.”
“Didn’t we establish this a while ago?” she asked. “Neither of us has ever had any control when it comes to the other.”
He grinned against her mouth. “No control at all.”
And with that, he kissed her, neither of them letting go for a long time.
Epilogue
To Love and to Be Loved
One year later…with Nora
Nora leaned forward and looked into the mirror over her dresser. She pressed the lipstick down, coloring her mouth a soft pink. After rubbing her lips together she straightened and looked at the whole picture.
The sweetheart top of her dress was black, the corseted bodice helping with cleavage control. She’d had to wear a strapless bra as the top of the dress was made of sheer chiffon, showing off her shoulders and back. The skirt of the dress was a soft pink, layers of black and white tulle making her look a bit like a ballerina.
She loved it.
Aunt Beth had taken her prom dress shopping in Tallahassee a few weeks ago, and after a fairly extensive search through five different stores, they’d found the perfect one.
Nora reached up and pressed a bobby pin deeper into her hair, hiding it among the curls that had been pinned in a slightly messy up-do. She twisted one of the curls that hung in her face around her finger before letting it bounce back up.
“I don’t think it’s possible for you to look any more beautiful than you already do, honey.”
Nora looked over to see her Aunt Beth leaning against the doorframe and beaming, though she was usually beaming these days. Ever since the morning sickness had stopped a month ago, her aunt had been rocking the pregnancy glow like it was nobody’s business.
Aunt Beth and Tripp had wasted absolutely no time at all in the procreating department. They’d gotten married in December and a month later had found out a baby would be joining the family. Just last week they’d found out the baby was a girl.
Nora’s family.
Aunt Beth had been like a second mother to her throughout her entire life, and in the last year Tripp had become a second father to her. He was a man who she knew would do absolutely anything for her.
“I think you’re missing one thing, though,” Beth said as she walked into the room. She held her hand in the air, a delicate silver chain dangling from her fingers, the pearl pendant slowly swinging in the air.
“That’s the necklace you wore to your wedding.” Nora reached up and touched the pearl.
“It was your grandmother’s. She gave it to your mother on her wedding day. And your mother gave it to me when I went to my senior prom. And I want to give it to you now.”
Two years. Nora’s mother and father had been gone for two years, and the pain of it still caused her to lose her breath when she thought about either of them. The only reason she’d been able to get through the last two years was because of the woman standing in front of her.
Tears welled in her eyes and she had to take a deep breath and look at the ceiling to hold them back.
“Turn around,” Beth whispered, the emotion in her voice clear as day.
Nora did as she was told, and Beth looped the necklace around her neck. When she spun back around, her aunt was giving her a watery smile. “I’m so proud of you, you know that? So beyond proud of you.”
“Thank you. For more than just the necklace.” Reaching up, Nora touched the pearl. “For everything. I love you, Aunt B.”
“Oh, honey. Come here.” Beth pulled Nora into a hug. “I love you so much.”
When they pulled back Nora had to reach up and run her fingers underneath her eyes. Thank God her mascara was waterproof.
There was a light tap on the door and Nora straightened to see Mel in the doorway. She was holding a sleeping baby in her arms. Juliet was four months old with a head full of curling blond hair like her mother’s, and piercing gray blue eyes like her father’s.
“You about ready? I think Tripp is about to give my brother the talk, which, you know, is awkward, considering you and Hamilton have been dating for almost a year now.”
Nora grinned; she couldn’t help it. It was her automatic response whenever it came to her boyfriend.
She would never forget the afternoon he’d come knocking on the front door, and very politely asked Aunt Beth if he could have a conversation with Nora.
“I know she’s grounded for two months, but I’d like to talk to her,” he’d said. “Because I need her to completely and totally understand exactly how I feel about her, and I don’t know that I can wait that long.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes ma’am.” He’d nodded, looking down to the end of the hallway where Nora stood, her mouth hanging open in shock.
“The rules don’t exactly apply to you, Hamilton. Never have.” Beth had waved him into the house. “Good luck. I’m rooting for you.”
Hamilton had walked straight for Nora, grabbing her hand and leading her out into the backyard. Once he’d pulled her to the side of the house and out of view of any and all windows, he’d pushed her back up against the bricks and kissed her.
Like, really kissed her.
What she’d felt for him over the years had always been a little bit scary, mainly because she wasn’t sure if he felt the same way. After her parents had died, what she felt for him had terrified her. So she’d pushed him away.
But with that one kiss she’d known, known just how much she could lose.
And she hadn’t turned back since.
Hamilton—and Dale, for that matter—had
decided to go to Florida State University. It hadn’t been exactly easy the last year not seeing him every day, but he’d visited often and they’d made it work. And next year, they’d be together every day again.
Nora hadn’t made her college choice based solely on Hamilton. Though, she’d be lying if she said he wasn’t a factor. There were other things involved in her decision; the full ride scholarship hadn’t hurt at all. There was also the fact that Aunt Beth and Mel had gone there, so she’d grown up with a fondness for the school. But the main reason had been that whenever she went to the campus, it felt like a home away from home.
It also didn’t hurt that it was only an hour away from her actual home, and she’d be able to visit whenever she wanted. She didn’t want to miss out on the next family adventure. Not even a little bit.
Besides, she had a tradition to up hold as second mom. Her mother had been Beth’s, Beth had been hers, and she was going to be one to her cousin.
“We’ll be right there,” Beth said, bringing Nora back to the moment. Mel nodded before she turned and left the room, heading back down the hallway. “You ready?”
“Yes.” Nora nodded before she reached out and grabbed Beth’s hand. “You know, if it can’t be Mom here with me, I’m glad it’s you.” Nora said before she bent down, putting her mouth close to Beth’s baby bump. “You hear that? You’re going to have an awesome mom. One of the best ever. And your dad’s pretty freaking awesome, too.”
Then there was another soft knock on the door, and this time when Nora looked up it was Tripp standing there. He was looking at her with a grin turning up his mouth. “I’ve had good practice on how to be awesome from getting trained by you. Now get over here so I can get a good look at you.”
“Get your shoes, sweetie.” Beth nodded to the pink satin pumps in the corner. “He needs the full picture.”
Nora slipped her shoes on before crossing over to Tripp, doing a little spin in front of him.
“Hmmm.” His grin turned down a bit. “I think I need to go have another talk with Hamilton.”
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