All Roads Lead Home (31 page)

“Stop it, Jamie! I can’t take it anymore. Why are you making me relive this? You know how much I love her.”

I wanted to hit something, I was so angry. I loved Jamie, but hearing him remind me of the pain I had to endure for the past few days was destroying me.

“I can’t brother, not yet. You will never know how much she regrets and blames herself for hurting you, and Shane for that matter. Tenley always put us first, you know that Jagger, and if she could go back in time, I know with my whole heart that she would have never traveled that path with Shane, not for all of the gold in the world. Please tell me you know this?”

I said nothing, just nodded. He went on.

“You need to forgive Tenley. I’m not asking today, but someday when the clouds part and you let the sun shine down on you, forgive her and truly mean it, my brother. And that goes for Shane too. We have been best friends since we were in diapers. You need him in your life, and he needs you. Now, back to Tenley. She’s going to put herself through an unimaginable amount of pain as she struggles to find the reasoning in why I died and left her. She will retreat and shut everyone out who loves her. Although she promised me she wouldn’t, I don’t exactly believe her either. It’s just a feeling, but for now I have to trust her. She needs to finish her education and see where it leads. That’s another three years or so, and then to begin her career will take even longer.”

“Jamie, my head hurts. Please man, what are you asking me to do?”

“Okay, here it is. Don’t give up on her. Love her from a distance, but love her. Believe in the stars and hope that your love story is written in them. Your love story is not over for you, or for her. What’s meant to be will be, and I promise you that if you believe in the love you have for one another, it will lead her home and back into your arms. I may not be here to see it, but I promise you, my brother, I will be always watching over you from the sky and helping you any way I can along the way.”

“Here in this box, I have laid the path down for Tenley to return home to you and all who love her. The only thing is that she will not travel on that path for another five years. Five years is your time to wait for her to come back home. In that time, you will have to re-discover you, Jagger, and what you truly want for your own life. It just can’t be about a dream we all once shared. It has to be more than just the ranch, it has to speak to you from your heart, to the deepest depths of your soul. If it’s not Tenley who is the beginning and ending with every breath you take, then please move on with your life. And I truly hope you find happiness and all life’s blessings you deserve.”

“I love her, Jamie. She’s all I want since the day I bravely whispered the words to her, and patiently waited for her to say the same back to me. I love her, and I feel so lost without her. I’m so sorry for pushing her away. I should have listened, but I was hurt. I swear I will wait forever if it means she will come back to me.”

“That’s what I thought you would say. Thank you, Jagger. I love you both very much, and I will not leave this earth believing you won’t find your way back to each other.”

“You’re so sure, aren’t you?”

“I am.”

“How?”

“You’re going to have to trust me brother, I just know. When one is facing the end of his life, things become simpler and clearer. It’s another sense mastered, but never questioned. I just know, and for now, Jagger, that’s what I am asking you to trust.”

“I do, Jamie, always. Can I ask what you have in the box?”

“Like I said Jagger, it’s Tenley’s path back home. When the time is right, you will know.”

Those moments spent with Jamie, I would never forget for the rest of my life. He was my age, but so deeply spiritual. He always had an old soul that spoke to you, I know it did for me that day. We spent hours laughing, crying, and our friendship was never stronger than at that moment.

Three months later, I said goodbye to him, and shunned Tenley when my eyes found her mourning for our fallen brother. I was lost and didn’t trust myself back then. I once again let her go, but vowed to keep my promise to Jamie. I had to travel my own path of self-discovery and to grieve for all I have lost. My friendship with Shane, my best friend, to something greater than all of us, and the love of my life.

Now, after it all, she was here with me. Her beautiful, naked body was perfectly aligned with mine. I memorized every curve, every part of Tenley that nearly made my heart stop. She was gorgeous, probably too smart for a guy like me, but she was still here and she said yes.

I heard the fear in her voice when she asked me to catch her if she fell, oh hell! I would never let that happen.
She’s here with me because this is where her heart has led her. It doesn’t matter how it happened, all it matters is what Jamie promised me would happen. Tenley came home, not only to her family, but to me. No man will ever love and protect her like I do. I will prove my love and never take our second chance for granted.

I’m not sure what’s waiting for us beyond her locked door, but I do know with my whole heart that she will not walk it alone. I will be the man that makes all of her dreams come true, and she will be the light that brings sunshine to my cloudy days. We will stumble, but never fall, never again. I’m going to marry her someday. I will carry her over the threshold of the home I built for us to share our lives in. I will bow down at her feet with the sight of her swollen belly with our child. I will be everything she needs me to be, and make love to her under the stars. Our stars. The ones our story is written in. Yeah, that’s exactly how it will happen.

She began to stir a bit, and I wrapped my arms around her even stronger than they already were. She opened her eyes and smiled back at me. We slowly made love again, sealing our newfound commitment to each other.

“I love you, Tenley Faith Fairchild. You were meant to be a Parrish.” She smiled and let a tear fall down onto my chest. I wiped it away, kissed her passionately, and waited for her to respond to my very bold statement. It shouldn’t have surprised her, I’d always said it to her, and now what I saw on her face was all the assurance I needed. She believed it.

“I love you, Jagger Lucas Parrish, and yes, my love, I was always yours. Thank you for loving me enough not to give up on us when I so easily did. I swear it with all that I have that you will never have to miss me again, because I’m home and there’s no other place I want to be.”

Her words consoled me. Every bit of pain in our past was dissolved. I never felt more in love with her than I did here now. I was a lucky son of a bitch. My girl straddled me and rode me like I was a mechanical bull. I never came so hard in all of my life. I held her face in my hands so I could look deep in her eyes. She was the window to my soul. My reason for existence was in her hands, along with my heart.

“JAGGER, TIME TO wake up,” I said as I kissed him along his chest and made my way down to his perfectly sculpted abdominal muscles. I stopped myself right before the danger area where I could easily take him in my mouth and have my wicked way with him.

We stayed in the privacy of my bedroom all throughout day. My muscles were sore and definitely overworked from consummating our reunion. We couldn’t get enough of one another. We were back together and stronger than ever.
How did this even happen?
For so long, my faith in getting the fairy tale with the only man I had ever loved was lost. I would never allow myself to believe in second chances or even chance encounters where one could so easily pick up with someone after years apart, but that is exactly what happened with Jagger.

I gave my body one more stretch, and then my cowboy was awake and looking right at me.

“Hey, baby,” he crooned. His voice alone made me wet between my legs, but I needed a cold shower to calm myself down. We needed to get up before we were discovered by my parents. As Jagger continued to kiss me, I glanced over to the side table and noticed the time. It was nearly six, and a weird feeling came over me. My body tensed and Jagger stopped.

“What’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost?” he asked anxiously.

“Jagger, we need to get up.” I practically shoved him off of me, and he pulled me back to the bed.

“Hey, talk to me. What’s wrong? We were fine a few minutes ago, and now you’re upset.”

I took a few breaths to calm myself and reassured Jagger that we were still okay. I kissed him quickly and explained.

“Jagger, I haven’t seen or spoken with my parents since yesterday. We’ve been in here all day. I guess I just got scared for a minute. If I’m even late for breakfast, my mother barges in, most of the time without knocking. Don’t you think it’s strange that we have had an uninterrupted day?”

“No, not at all. They weren’t here this morning when I arrived, but some of the guys were talking about the new foal being born. They were probably still busy with the vet. No worries, baby, this is how ranch life works. The animals always come first. Now, come here and let me love you.”

“Jagger, I’m serious. We need to get up. Aren’t you hungry?”

“Not for food.”

His hand were at the nape of my neck, and I had no escape of his mouth on mine. I was relaxing and feeling my body meet his when I heard noises outside of my bedroom door.

“Tenley, are you in there?” I heard as the door knob jiggled. Oh shit! My mother.

“Jagger, you have to hide.”

“Where?”

I looked around and pointed to the closet. He put his boxers and jeans on, but his shirt and boots were still out in the open. I tried to kick them under the bed and shove him into the closet.

“Be quiet and don’t make a sound.” I put my fingers up to my lips, but he grabbed them and kissed them.

“Will you stop? If my father catches you in here, you don’t have two good legs to run with.”

“I have something that is good and working just fine.”

“You ass! Be quiet.”

Oh my god! I am a grown woman and he’s got me behaving like a lovesick teenager.

“Tenley, open the door,” mama said, as she now was knocking. I quickly threw my robe on and checked myself in the mirror. I looked thoroughly fucked, and I had skin abrasions all over my jaw and neck from Jagger’s stubble.
Way to go being discreet, Tenley.
Zoey would be loving this right about now.

I opened the door to find my mother standing there, and of course Wendy, grinning from cheek to cheek. They both barreled in my room, nearly knocking me over in the process.

“Okay, Tumbleweed! Where is he?” Wendy asked as she looked around the room. I saw Jagger’s boot sticking out from under my bed, and I shoved it out of sight before they noticed it. I tried to play it cool, but I already knew there was no way out of this.

“What are you talking about, Wendy? No one is here, just me. I’ve spent the day catching up on my e-mails and work I missed while being here.”

“Connie, do you believe the line of bullshit your lovely daughter is trying to make us believe?”

My mother began to smile. She said, “No way, Wendy, my girl is knee deep in bullshit and slowly sinking.”

Wendy said, “Tenley, we know Jagger is here. Did you forget that we know what he drives? His truck is parked right outside.”

Oh shit! I could hide him and his clothing, but I forgot about his truck. Yeah, we were caught.

Wendy was laughing so hard, her cheeks began to redden. She said to my mom, “Okay, Connie, time to pay up. Oh, I love being right. So let’s break it down. You owe me one hundred big ones. Never bet on a sure thing, I’m always right.”

“Okay, Wendy, here you go. You don’t have to rub it in.”

“Oh, Connie, I’m just having fun with you, and this is a good thing, so smile.”

I watched them both laugh and give one another a hug. My heart loved them so much, but also hurt a little that I pushed them away for so long.

“Okay, Jagger, time to come out. I hope you are decent because Tenley’s father is downstairs, and you know the gun cabinet is fully stocked,” my mother said as she looked around to where Jagger could be.

He slowly came out of the closet with cheeks as red as strawberries. He was so incredibly handsome and now he was blushing too. He looked around for his shirt, but I had it under the bed. My mother, knowing me all too well, pulled it out along with his socks and boots.

“I do believe these belong to you.”

“Yes ma’am.”

My mother and Wendy were having way too much fun at our expense.

“Jagger, why don’t you take a shower while I speak with Tenley, and then we will have a talk downstairs.”

Jagger nodded and turned to go into my bathroom when Wendy said, “Um…not that bathroom, cowboy. The one down the hall.”

“Yes ma’am.”

He quickly left and closed the door behind him. Nothing worse than getting caught with your pants down, especially in front of my mother and Wendy. I’m sure I will not be living this one down for a long time to come.

Now the playful Wendy was gone. She had tears in her eyes as she pulled me into a hug. She said, “I love you, Tumbleweed. I knew you would follow that heart of yours. You just needed a push in the right direction. I know he’s smiling down on the both of you right now.”