Always and Forever (18 page)

We went back to Ryan’s and I’d called my dad but he hadn’t heard anything. Then I
called Cassie who was freaking out just as much as I was because Jeremy and both her
brothers were out there but she hadn’t heard anything either. I’d left messages on
Brody’s phone telling him I was back and asking if he’d please call me as soon as
he got my message. Then I called Fin since she was the only reporter in town but she
was clueless as well.

Over the past two hours, I’d heard a big fat total of nothing about Brody.

“Hey, no news is good news, right?” Ryan states with a smile. She’s sitting in the
big, cushy chair she bought from me last year. It’s got purple paisley fabric and
doesn’t match any other object in what I’ve dubbed her Bohemian living room. Her walls
are painted turquoise, her couch that I’m sitting on is fuchsia with gobs of brightly
colored pillows on it, the love seat is a bright royal blue with more colorful pillows
and her tables are a mish mash of varying styles.

I love it.

“I guess,” I mumble then can’t hold back a yawn.

“We need some sleep. I’ve got an eight o’clock dye job in the morning with Mags. You
wanna stay here or go to your house?”

“If you don’t care, I’ll stay here. It’s closer to him.”

She lets out a “Pfffttt” noise. “Of course I don’t care.”

“Just gonna sleep on the couch, okay?” I stand to go to her hall closet to get a quilt.

“Yep. You know where everything is.” She comes over and hugs me. “Everything’s going
to be fine, okay? We’ll know more in the morning.”

“Thanks, Ry. ‘Night.”

“’Night.”

After getting some sheets and a quilt, I go to the main bathroom and get ready for
bed. Ryan and I always keep extra toothbrushes at our homes in case we need to crash
with each other, so I get a new one out of a drawer and use it. She walks by with
an armload of clothes.

“Hey, here are the sweatpants you left here that day you decided to take up jogging
but only made it from your house to mine before quitting.” She snorts. “There’s a
pair of your undies in there too for some reason and some shorts and a t-shirt of
mine.” She holds the stack toward me. I could just go out to my car and get some clothes
out of a suitcase but I’m too tired, so I take it from her and place it on the counter.

“Tell me again he’ll be okay.”

She gives me a soft smile. “He’ll be okay, Pipe. ‘Night.”

I take a quick shower because I feel gritty from the six-hour flight plus the hour
drive from Richmond then put on what Ryan brought me. In the living room, I put a
sheet down on the couch and one over it to crawl under with the quilt on top. After
I’m lying down and comfortable, I reach back and turn the lamp off then lie there
thinking of Brody out there battling that stupid fire in all kinds of danger and pray
that he makes it back safe.

Just before I drift off, a tear slides down the side of my face as I visualize us,
eighty years old and sitting in rocking chairs on the front porch of our house. We’re
holding hands and smiling as we watch tons of our grandchildren of all ages playing
in the yard. He turns his still handsome face to me and winks then leans over, kisses
my cheek and whispers, “Always and forever.”

~~~

I’m awakened by my phone ringing and frown into the dark not knowing where I am. I
turn and see it lit up on the coffee table and realize I’m at Ryan’s. Leaning over
to grab it, I swipe the screen and put it to my ear and let out a raspy, “Hello?”

“Piper? It’s Amelia. They’re back and safe.”

I’m instantly awake and sit up. “What time is it?”

“Almost two. Kade said Brody went to the hospital to see Kevin and Chris, so you might
catch him there.”

“Everyone’s okay then?”

“Yes. The fire’s still burning a bit but they’ve got a fresh crew out there so the
guys came in.”

“Thanks, Mill,” I say and we hang up.

I get up and change into the jeans and sweater I’d worn on the plane. I’m pulling
on my boots when Ryan comes in.

“They’re okay?” she asks.

“Yes. That was Amelia. I’m going to see if I can find Brody.”

“’Kay.” She yawns and starts heading back to her bedroom. “Come by the shop later.”

I drive to the hospital on the east side of town and see Brody’s Jeep parked outside
and pull into a space near it. I look in my rearview mirror and see that I look hideous
and smooth my fingers under my eyes to diffuse the smudging that’s gone on. When I
get out of my car, I run my fingers through my hair trying to allay some of the craziness
that’s going on there but give up, instead finding a hair tie in my pocket and pull
it up into a high ponytail.

I go inside and head to the nurses’ station and stop dead in my tracks. Brody’s standing
there in his blue uniform pants, t-shirt and jacket with smudges on his face and Bethany
Yates, one of the assholes who asked me if she could ask him out after we broke up,
is wiping them off for him with a cloth. She sees me, but he doesn’t, and I see a
wicked spark flash in her eyes as she looks at me. I then watch in horror as she tiptoes
up and puts her hands to his chest then proceeds to blow at an invisible spot of soot
on his cheek. Brody’s hands land on her waist and he leans down to give her better
access and I swear, their lips are only millimeters apart.

What the fuck?

He pulls back and blinks down at her, giving her what I’d say was a look of realization
like he’s just figured out that he might be interested in her.

Again. What the fuck?

She smiles brightly up at him and as she goes flatfooted, brushes her hand sweetly
over the scruff on his cheek.

And he’s still got his hands on her waist.

I breathe in deep and blow it out trying to remain calm then walk toward them. Brody
finally sees me out of the corner of his eye and looks at me in surprise. He drops
his hands and steps away from Bethany then narrows his eyes at me.

“Thought you wouldn’t be back for another couple days?”

Wow. That’s it? I bite my lips and feel my brow wrinkle as tears sting the backs of
my eyes. I glance over at Bethany who smirks then goes to do some nursely duty or
suck off one of the doctors. It’s a toss-up at this point, I’m sure.

“I, uh,” I clear my throat, blinking several times to keep the tears at bay. “I came
home early.”

We stand and stare at each other. His eyes look tired. But they also look indifferent
as if he could care less that I’m here.

I take in a shaky breath and whisper, “I was so worried about you tonight. I’m glad
you’re okay.” I look off to the side because I can’t take his eyes on me like that
anymore. When I hear a rustling sound, I look back to see that he’s put his hands
in the pockets of his jacket and he’s still looking at me with cold eyes.

“Did some thinking,” he shares.

Shit.

Shit. Shit. Shit!

I bite my lip as I meet his gaze. My heart’s pounding so fast I think I might pass
out.

“Taking a break.”

Oh, my God.

He doesn’t want to be with me.

I knew I screwed it all up.

Oh, my God!

“Wh-what?”

I can’t breathe. It’s just like the first time he broke up with me but worse. Then,
I thought I’d die but I somehow made it through still breathing. But this time… this
time I know it’s going to kill me.

As in kill me dead.

As in heart shattering-breath expiring-face planting-body convulsing-soul leaving-right
here on the floor, dead.

He nods. “Need a break.”

Just then another firefighter, Drew Reynolds, walks out of one of the rooms midway
down the hall to the left where I’m assuming either Kevin or Mr. Ackley is checked
into.

“Hey, Piper,” Drew says, smiling shyly at me when he walks up. He, too, has smudge
marks on his face but it doesn’t take away from his hotness. He’s got blond hair that’s
spiky on top but it’s looking a little mushed right now from wearing his helmet. He’s
the same size as Brody, built almost the same but is really quiet and reserved.

“Hey, Drew,” I reply but I don’t smile, I don’t do anything but stand there in a daze.

“Mind if I take your guy for a minute?”

My guy.

I shake my head and see him put a hand on Brody’s shoulder turning him to lead him
to the room that he just left.

I’m still standing there when I hear a beeping noise at the desk then a doctor goes
running by shouting something about cardiac arrest and for someone to get a crash
cart. The doctor goes into the room Brody just entered and I see him and Drew come
out, along with Will Dawson and Corey Appleton.

I stand there until Brody looks my way, shakes his head and turns away.

It’s only then that I leave.

Chapter 16

I leave the hospital and drive slowly back through town on Main Street looking around
at the buildings. I know every owner of every business here as well as the people
who work for them. I know everyone who works at the bank and not only because of Dad.
I know every stocker and cashier at Shop and Bag. I know all the waiters at Maggie’s
Diner. I know every bartender and waiter at Jen’s. I know Jen. I know Patty and her
workers at her flower shop, Patty’s Petals. Everyone at Sanderson Insurance.

I know all of them. And I love that I know all of them. And I love my town.

I love that if I accidentally leave my doors unlocked at night I don’t really have
a reason to be scared. I love that when I walk down the street, numerous people will
greet me. I love that if I call someone in town, I usually don’t have to tell them
who it is. They know my voice just like I know theirs.

And I’m saddened that I’m going to have to leave all of it behind.

I click the remote and pull into my garage after the door opens. As the door goes
down, I contemplate getting my suitcases out of the trunk but decide to wait until
later. I walk into the kitchen flipping on the light and see that Mom must’ve come
by and done the couple of dishes I’d left in the sink before I left. I look around
at how cute my kitchen is. Red cabinets, white embossed wainscoting and blue-gray
paint on the walls make it my own. The rustic farmhouse table that I found for cheap
brings it all together.

I turn out the light then walk into the living room glancing by the light of the two
nightlights everything I’ve used to personalize my space and know I’ll miss it all
too.

I sigh before turning down the hallway and going to my bedroom. I love my bedroom.
My iron four-poster canopied bed is the highlight of the room. The head and footboards
have rails but the top third is a gorgeous curlicue pattern. On the canopy, I’ve draped
two long strips of white material that flow down the thin, iron poles at the head
and foot on each side and have tied each to the rails just below the curlicues.

Brody tied me to the rails once then did very naughty things to me.

I want to cry but I can’t. I’m too tired to cry.

I strip naked in the dark taking my hair down and get under the covers then stare
at the chiffon fabric on the canopy as I make plans to call a realtor in Richmond
tomorrow to find space for a store and for a house.

I can’t stay here.

I love Serenity Point, but if I have to live the rest of my life here knowing I’ll
run into Brody, perhaps see him with Bethany, I won’t be able to make it.

I may be a survivor. But that. That would be the end of me whether figuratively or
literally.

Literally would be bad but figuratively would be devastating. I won’t become a ghost.

So that’s what I plan to do: leave.

Then everything will be better.

~~~

I feel the mattress sink then I’m encased in strong arms. I don’t speak. I don’t make
a sound. That would ruin it.

This is his goodbye.

My back is to Brody’s front and I feel his mouth at my neck. When he breathes me in
then lets out his breath I shiver. I feel his lips caress the spot behind my ear as
his hand slides down and glides over my folds making me tremble now. I gasp when he
pushes a finger inside of me, touching a spot that makes my abdomen clench and my
back arch.

When his finger starts moving in and out in a steady rhythm my body instantly reacts,
more so when his thumb presses against my clit. And even more when he rolls my nipple
between the thumb and finger of his other hand.

His mouth at my neck is sucking at my flesh now, biting, nipping, and it’s all too
much yet not enough. He persists in playing my body with his fingers, with his lips,
when my back urgently bows against him as the breath leaves my body in a rush of warm
air as I not surprisingly come apart right there in his arms.

While still in the all-consuming throes of my rapturous undoing, I feel him lift my
leg at the knee pulling it over his thigh, and he pushes his cock inside of me. Another
burst of breath explodes from my mouth when his hips begin surging into mine, when
I feel how deep he is, how utterly and thoroughly, how heartbreakingly and completely
he fills me.

His hands slide back to the places on my body his fingers had mastered just minutes
before and they begin ravishing me anew.

And I have to know. I have to understand truly that this is the end.

I lift my arm and wrap it behind me, my hand resting at the side of his face pulling
him forward then I turn my head to gaze into his eyes.

And I see they’re warm on mine. Soft. Deferential. Adoring.

And it’s then that I feel as if I can finally breathe.

His mouth collides with mine, his tongue seeking my own desperately, furiously and
my body fractures, every particle of my being infinitely shattering into a million
pieces that only he knows how to put back together.

~~~

I blink myself awake gradually and feel the cold against my back.

Then I sit up in a panic looking at the other side of my bed to see it empty.

No. No! It couldn’t have been a dream. Please, God, don’t let it have been a dream.