Saved by Him

by Kristie Leigh

  “Sounds perfect. Calum is going to have a blast. I hope we catch something. That will be priceless, seeing his face.”

  We cruised along in comfortable silence. I couldn’t wait to get there and just spend uninterrupted time with them.

  About fifteen minutes before we got there, we stopped at a Publix to grab groceries. It was odd to be doing such a domestic thing with Jules, but it gave me a glimpse into how things could and should be with them.

  When we pulled through the brush and came to a stop in front of the lake, I looked over to see Jules staring out the window with tears in her eyes. I reached over and took her hand.

  “It’s stunning. I can see why Mama was drawn to it. It’s perfect.” She took off her seatbelt and leaned over, kissing me on the cheek. “Thank you.”

  I smiled but didn’t say a word, letting her take it all in.

  She opened the door and hopped down before slowly walking over to the small wooden dock. She hesitated before venturing out onto it. She stood at the end and stared out over the water.

  I grabbed my phone and snapped a picture; the lighting was perfect. I sat there and debated whether to get out and join her, wrap my arms around her from behind and take in the moment with her.

  Who was I kidding? I needed to touch her. Before getting out, I turned around and made sure Calum was still occupied with his iPad. He was staring at the screen with his mouth hanging open. I opened the door and kept it ajar before approaching her slowly as I didn’t want to disturb her.

  There was a slight breeze in the air, and I smelled her before I got to her. Vanilla and coconut. It wasn’t a scent combination I came across often. It was Jules, and every time I smelled it, it nearly brought me to my knees.

  I approached her from behind and immediately wrapped my arms around her middle. To my relief, she didn’t flinch. Instead, she leaned back into me and placed her hands over mine.

  “It’s so much more than I expected.”

  I kissed the top of her head, breathing her in.

  “I knew you’d love it.”

  “I could live out here and never tire of that view. It’s breathtaking.”

  I sighed. She should’ve seen the view of her standing out here. That ranked pretty high on my list. Talk about breathtaking.

  “I wouldn’t complain, waking up to this every day.” I meant with her in my arms, but she didn’t know that, and I didn’t care to explain.

  She squeezed my arm, but she said nothing else. Standing in silence with her wrapped up in my arms felt amazing and right where we were supposed to be. I snapped back to reality when I heard Calum giggling.

  “Better get him out of that seat before he gets restless.” Jules rubbed my arm softly and moved slightly, causing me to release her, albeit reluctantly.

  She looked up at me, smiled, and kissed me on the cheek before walking back over to the truck for Calum.

  She unbuckled him and set him down on the ground. He began to run toward the water. Jules looked panicked, so I took off after him.

  I scooped him up and swung him around just as we reached the water’s edge. “Where do you think you’re going, you little munchkin?”

  Calum was laughing hysterically as I spun him around and around. I stopped spinning, and we tumbled to the ground dizzy but still laughing. Calum climbed on top of me and touched my face. “Again, Hunter.”

  “You better give old Hunter a little break there, buddy. He’s looking a little green.” She was standing over us laughing.

  “He no geen, Mama.”

  I laughed and took a moment to catch my bearings after being so dizzy.

  13

  Jules

  Watching Calum take off toward the water had me a little freaked out, but Hunter caught up to him just in time. He knew how to swim pretty well, but there was no point in taking unnecessary chances.

  Seeing them together was harder than I thought it would be. They interacted like they’d known each other forever. My eyes started to tear up, so I gave myself an out.

  “I’m going to grab the food from the truck and a life jacket for Calum.”

  Hunter smiled up at me as I hid my glassy eyes from view behind my sunglasses.

  I could hear them playing behind me as I walked to the truck, and it warmed my heart. I took a deep breath and calmed the feels. I unloaded all the groceries onto a nearby picnic table that the previous owners must have left and then grabbed our bags. I dug out Calum’s life jacket. Better safe than sorry.

  Hunter came up behind me with Calum on his shoulders.

  “What are you doing way up there, handsome boy?”

  Calum just laughed, having the time of his life, and the weekend had just begun.

  “How about I get the trailer situated and the air-conditioning turned on. Then I can give y’all a tour, and maybe we can check out the land. I’ll show you where everything would be set up if you decided to build.”

  “Sounds good to me.” I smiled up at him. I knew I had the goofiest look on my face, but honestly, I didn’t care. “Come on down, Calum. Hunter needs to move the truck.”

  “No.” He shook his head and gripped on to Hunter’s head, covering his eyes.

  “Calum, don’t be silly. Hunter will only be a second. He can’t drive the truck with you on his shoulders.”

  “No, but I can drive the truck with him on my lap.” He raised a brow and smiled at me, waiting for my permission.

  “Are you sure? You know you don’t have to give him what he wants all the time, right? You can say no.” I stood there with my hand on my hip and eyes narrowed.

  “I know I can say no, but do I have to say no?” He smirked at me, but I just rolled my eyes.

  “No, you don’t have to. Just be careful.”

  He jumped up and down, causing Calum to squeal. “You hear that, Calum? You want to drive the truck with me?”

  Calum’s eyes went wide. “Me drive truck?”

  “Yeah. You can sit on Hunter’s lap and drive the truck.”

  “Yay!” He clapped.

  I didn’t think I’d ever seen him this excited before. I lifted onto my tiptoes and kissed Hunter. “You just made his whole world. You know that, don’t you?”

  He just smiled and kissed me back.

  I sat down on the picnic table and watched as they got into the truck. I pulled out my phone to snap some pictures. Calum’s face was precious. He was so excited.

  It should’ve only taken them about thirty seconds to get the trailer into place, but Hunter took a couple of detours to prolong the drive for Calum. And there went my heart, continuing to melt.

  Ten minutes later, they’d parked the trailer, and Calum was back on Hunter’s shoulders. Calum got down once he was in the trailer, and he took off, running down the length of it. Hunter let me go in first. It wasn’t too hot as he’d had the windows open for the drive up.

  “Wow. This is gorgeous.” The trailer was beautiful and looked like it had all the bells and whistles. I’d been in a few trailers in my life, but nothing had ever looked as luxurious as this. I ran my hand over the kitchen countertop; it was nicer than Mama’s. I turned to see Hunter watching me. “Why don’t you use this? I would be taking this away every weekend.”

  “I just live and breathe work, and I’ve never had anyone to enjoy it with.” He winked at me. “Now, let me give you the tour.”

  He walked us around, showing us the master bedroom and bathroom as well as how to use everything. Next, he showed us the bunk beds.

  “Calum, look at this bed. Do you want to sleep here?” I asked.

  “No, up there.”

  I rolled my eyes. Of course, he wanted the top bunk. No way in hell. “Not up there, buddy. That’s too high, okay?”

  Calum pouted but moved on with Hunter’s tour.

  “The dining table also collapses to a double bed, so there are plenty of places to choose from. You guys can sleep wherever you’d like. I’m not picky.”

  I bit my nail, pretending to be co
y. “I think I’ll sleep in the master, and Calum can sleep on the bottom bunk.”

  “No problem. I can take this bed.” Was he for real? He wasn’t even going to fight me on this? What the fuck?

  “Umm, no, you won’t. You will be sleeping in the master with me.”

  He looked surprised.

  “You didn’t seriously think that we weren’t sleeping together, did you? I mean Calum’s a toddler. It’s not like he’s going to question us.”

  “I— uh— I didn’t want to make any assumptions.” Hunter sounded a little stunned, but I wasn’t sure why.

  I kissed him a little rougher than I meant to. “You’ve got to be the sweetest guy ever.”

  “The thoughts running through my head right now are far from sweet.” He slapped my ass, making me yelp.

  We got everything set up, and Hunter checked the water tank, gas on the generator, and the temperature on the air-conditioning, and then we headed out to explore the property.

  Hunter walked us around the perimeter of the land, showing us how big it really was—two and a half acres was substantial. I couldn’t get over it. The previous owners had torn down a cottage and planned to rebuild, but due to undisclosed circumstances, they didn’t get around to it. Hunter explained this was good news for me since the groundwork had already been done. The power and water were readily available as well.

  I sat down on the concrete foundation left from the old cottage, looked out over the lake, and sighed. Calum plopped his little bum down beside me, and Hunter beside him.

  “I can just picture it, sitting on the porch in a rocking chair with a glass of wine, watching the sunset.” It would be amazing. I just hoped it wouldn’t take too long to come to life.

  “You’re right. It’s going to be an awesome view, and the rocking chairs, as well as a hammock between those trees, are a must.”

  “Are you mocking me, Mr. Rivers?”

  He put his hand to his heart in pretend shock. “Me? Not at all. I would never.”

  I laughed at his poor acting skills. “So, how long exactly will it take to build it?”

  He looked over at me with a genuinely shocked expression on his face, but it quickly morphed into a goofy grin.

  “What’s that look for?” I scrunched my brows.

  “I’m just surprised that you’re considering this so quickly.”

  “It’s beautiful and something my mother wanted. Why would I not be super excited to get going on this project?”

  “Very true. Well, Miss Davis, seeing as you’re a VIP customer and all… I would say around six months. Give or take.”

  “Really? That’s perfect. Clearly, we need to wait until you’re done with Mama’s house and for the six months to be up. But after being here, I can’t wait.”

  “I’m glad you love it as much as your mom did. It’s a special piece of heaven out here.”

  “It truly is.” I leaned back on the palms of my hands and breathed in the fresh air and soaked in the sunshine.

  “I would suggest getting together with Casey to finalize the plans, though. He’s a pretty busy guy and does a lot of work in Europe. You need to make sure he’s available for the changes. I would do that sooner rather than later.”

  “No need. I want everything just as Mama wanted. No changes necessary. Well, maybe to the décor but not the construction.”

  “Well then, we are all set to start whenever you are.”

  “Can’t wait.”

  I looked over to see Calum had his ankle resting on his opposite knee, mimicking Hunter’s casual position. I quietly took out my phone, so they didn’t move, and snapped a picture. I snickered, and they both turned to me. Hunter looked at Calum and must have seen it, too.

  “What? I’m a cool guy. You should be copying me, too.” He grinned.

  I burst out laughing. “Be careful, stud. Your head might float away with how inflated it’s getting.”

  “Whatever. You know I speak the truth.” He looked over at Calum. “Right, buddy?” He put his hand out and Calum high-fived him. “See?”

  “That so doesn’t count. He’s not even three. Unless you're gauging your cool factor on toddlers now?”

  “Honestly? Yes. Having Calum look up to me is extremely important.”

  All the humor had drained from his tone. I swallowed hard, not sure how to respond. “I’m glad because how Calum feels about you is important to me, too.”

  He smiled and resumed his pose with Calum.

  Before putting my phone away, I decided to post to Instagram for the first time in a really long time, and the picture of them was perfect. I debated on whether to tag Hunter but decided not to in case someone didn’t know he was here with us.

  “Who’s up for a swim? I have some floaties in the storage compartment under the trailer.”

  “Me swim, too, Hunter?”

  “Of course.” He looked over at me. “Well, as long as it’s all right with your mama.”

  I smirked. “Yes. Let’s get you ready for a swim.”

  We all got our swimsuits on, and I put Calum in his Puddle Jumper as well, so he wasn’t as restricted as with his life jacket.

  “Who’s jumping off the dock?” Hunter shouted in excitement.

  Was he crazy? It was probably damn cold in there. I was going to need to gradually ease into the water.

  “Me,” Calum said animatedly.

  I laughed at my little daredevil.

  “All right, Calum. How about I jump first, and then you jump to me?” Hunter leaned down to make sure he agreed.

  “I’ll watch from here,” I said as I slowly waded into the water.

  “Wimp.”

  I stuck out my tongue like a child, but Hunter just laughed.

  “Let’s go and show Mama how it’s done.”

  “Yay!”

  They walked down to the end of the dock hand in hand. Hunter was talking to Calum, but I couldn’t hear what they were saying from here. Calum sat down on the dock, and Hunter jumped in, making a huge splash. Calum’s little shoulders bounced with laughter.

  Hunter came up to the surface, and Calum stood up before turning around and waving to me.

  “You can do it, buddy,” I yelled, hoping he could hear me.

  He bent his knees and jumped with all his might without hesitation right in to Hunter’s arms. I clapped and cheered, so excited for him. I stood in a few inches of water as Calum swam toward me. The closer they got, the shallower the water became, and the more I could see of Hunter’s wet, ripped stomach and eventually that delicious V that called my name. They both reached me, and Hunter leaned over and wiped at the corner of my mouth. I looked at him questioningly.

  “It’s nothing, just a little drool dripping down the corner of your mouth.” His face broke into a huge grin.

  It took me a second to realize he’d caught me ogling him, and I slapped his shoulder. “Don’t flatter yourself.”

  “You talked about my head floating away. With the way you were looking at me, my head might explode.”

  “How was I looking at you?” I hoped my mouth wasn’t hanging open or something.

  “The same way I was looking at you.”

  Well, shit. I wasn’t expecting that to be his answer. I was sure my face was beet red. I decided to change the subject quickly and redirect my attention toward Calum. “Did you jump off the dock, buddy?”

  “Yeah, Mama. So fun. Gain Hunter?”

  “Let’s do this.” Hunter scooped Calum up and put him on his shoulders before running for the dock where they did the same routine a few more times and then came to join me for a swim.

  My stomach grumbled.

  “Calum. I think Mama is hungry. Should we make her some dinner?”

  Calum nodded, and I laughed. I swore my son would do anything this man told him.

  “Do you want help?”

  He snickered. “I think we’ve got it covered between Chef Davis here and myself. Let’s just hope he’s a better chef than his mama.”


  I splashed him for that dig. I was not that bad.

  They took off toward the trailer, and Calum reached out for Hunter’s hand. Now that would be a cute picture. The two of them hand in hand had to be my favorite sight.

  I swam over to the dock and grabbed the raft that was attached to it and jumped up on it to get some all-over sun while they made dinner.

  I startled at the sound of Calum shouting my name and fell off the raft. Shit. I broke the surface, sputtering out water. I must’ve dozed off while suntanning. Looking over, I saw Calum and Hunter standing at the edge of the water still in their swim shorts. God, he was delicious.

  I sank back down. Clearly, I needed to cool off. I swam over to the end of the dock and climbed up the ladder, grabbed my towel, and dried off.

  “I’m coming.”

  As I approached the picnic table, I saw they’d made burgers and a salad as well as put out some potato chips and fruit.

  “This looks so good. Did you help make all this, buddy?”

  He nodded. “Stove too hot. No touch.” His eyes were wide and serious.

  “Haha. Yes. That’s right. The stove is very hot.”

  I sat down, and they sat down opposite me. Of course, Calum wanted to sit with his new BFF.

  “This smells delish. I could get used to this.”

  Hunter looked over at me with a serious expression. “Me, too.”

  “You hungry, Calum?”

  He nodded and reached for a chip and popped it into his mouth.

  I laughed and shook my head. “I hope you’re going to eat more than just chips, monkey.”

  “Oh, he is, right, Calum? Are you going to eat some salad and a burger with me?”

  He rubbed his belly. “Mmm, yes. Me hungee.”

  “Now this, I gotta see.”

  Hunter winked at me. Cocky bastard. No way was he going to get Calum to eat vegetables, let alone salad. I’d tried countless times.

  Hunter took a burger and cut it in half, putting half on each of their plates. He added ketchup to his and asked Calum if he wanted some, too. Calum nodded. Hunter then put some salad on his plate and asked Calum if he wanted some, and to my surprise, he nodded, smiling.