Joshua Healy (Mitchell Healy Book 10) (13 page)

“Don’t mind my sweet Madison. She has a crush on her uncle.”

The little blonde is adorable, just like her uncle. They have the same dimples. Before I can reply, someone comes from behind us. “You two would make the cutest set of parents.” It’s Callie. She’s winking at her brother, as if I won’t notice.

Josh reacts quickly. “Shut your mouth. I ain’t having kids for a long time.”

I’m uncomfortable. It’s not exactly the conversation two people have after a week of being a couple. We’re struggling to find a common ground on the labeling. I don’t plan on missing one single birth control pill for the next couple years, at least.

When dinner starts it’s easier to handle the crowd. I sit next to Josh, who keeps me close to his sisters.

They let loose, cutting up on each other and then laughing it away. It’s beautiful to see them together, but what’s the most wonderful sight is turning to see Josh smiling at me when our eyes meet. It just feels right.

Chapter 15

Joshua

I’m hugging her goodbye, wishing I was able to go along with her and family for their vacation. After six weeks of seeing each other as much as possible, I’m standing at the airport kissing my girlfriend one more time before she boards a plane for Mexico. “Call me when you land.”

“I will.”

“Are you sure there’s Wi-Fi?”

“That’s what the brochure says, but I doubt it’s high speed. I’ll be lucky if we can Skype.”

“It’s only a week and then you’ll be home.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to buy a ticket and come with me?” She asks.

“Your parents paid for this trip before we were together. It’s important to them. I’m good. Our cattle shipment goes out on Tuesday, so I’ll be busy for the most part. It’s only at night where it’ll hit me hard.”

Tamsyn makes a sad face, her bottom lip protruding. “You’re sweet when you get all sensitive.”

“What can I say? You bring out the best in me.”

She giggles.
“Don’t go hooking up with any island dudes. I can’t compete with those tans.”

She slaps me on the ass. “Stop it. They don’t compare to the man I have waiting back at home.”

It’s been over a month since we started dating each other, and not one of those days have I ever considered being with anyone else. She gets me. She loves my family, and they love her right back. I feel lucky, blessed even. She’s all mine, and she reminds me as much as possible. I’ve fallen for her, and without saying it I think she’s fully aware. I don’t hide it. There’s no reason to. I’m happy, content, and optimistic that there’s so much more for us to come. “Tell me you’ll miss me again.”

“I’ll miss you,” I say against her lips. “So much.”

“When I get back we’ll spend the whole weekend in bed. I promise.”

“I’ll hold you to that.”

She laces our hands together and looks into my eyes. “I know this is probably stupid, but in case the plane goes down, there’s something I want you to know.”

“Don’t say it.”

She’s laughing at me, because she knows it scares the shit out of me. “What? Why can’t I say it?”

“Because. The plane won’t crash. Don’t you dare say it. It’ll make it worse.”

“Oh, you poor baby. Am I still allowed to feel it? Can I mouth the words?”

I place my finger over her lips to prevent it from happening. “No.” We’re both smiling. We’re always smiling. That’s how I am certain it’s real.

“Fine, but I do. Just so you know. Maybe I’ll text it before we take off.”

She starts backing away. “You better not. I don’t want to hear it until you’re back in my arms.”

“Six days, babe. Then you’re going to hear it all the time.”

“Okay.” That will give me enough time to practice in the mirror. I have to get it right, because I don’t want to fuck it up.

“I’ll call you in a couple hours. Tell your mom I’ll look for that art she was talking about. Oh, and I’ll pick your dad up some good tequila.”

“Bye, beautiful.”

I hate watching her walking away with that suitcase in tow. When she turns back she waves and blows me a kiss, which at least makes me smile. I’ve never felt like this before. It’s like a piece of me is leaving with her, and I hate it.

When I pull back into the ranch my dad is out front trimming the weeds. He turns off the machine and looks me up and down. “You’re pathetic, you know that?”

“Don’t start.”

“Wow, she’s got you by the balls.”

“Whatever.”

My phone chimes that I have a message, and when I see it my stomach knots up.

I’m in love with you, Joshua Healy. You better miss me. – Tamsyn

I’m in my twenties and never had a woman tell me she loves me, except for my family. I look to my father and struggle to speak. I’m in a trance. “She loves me.”

“Yeah, tell us something we don’t know.”

“I’m crazy about her,” I say while responding to her message I’ll never delete.

I’m not saying it until you get home, smartass. – Josh

“How long will she be gone?”

“Almost a week.”

“We’ve got a heavy workload coming up. It’ll go by fast and keep you out of trouble.”

“I haven’t gotten into trouble since I met Tamsyn.”

“Yeah, your mom tells me. She says she’s never seen your room so clean before. I’m impressed.”

“Me too.”

“You staying for dinner?” He asks.

“No. Cam and Wes invited me over. Actually, I’m babysitting for a few hours while they go somewhere.”

“How did they con you into that? You could have them drop the kids off here instead. We’d love to have them.”

My father is crazy about his grandkids, and it’s funny because he was such a hard ass with his own children. “I’ve got it tonight, Dad, but thanks for the offer.”

Mom makes me a plate of food before I leave, insisting I need to eat like she always seems to do. My forty minute drive to my sister and Wes’ place leaves me feeling depressed. I don’t understand why I’m this upset over Tamsyn leaving. We’ve gone almost five days without seeing one another and everything was fine. I’ll hear from her as soon as she lands, and after the week is over she’ll be back in my arms where I like having her.

I think my problem is finally being able to completely open up to someone. She knows everything. We don’t keep secrets. I used to think I had to lie to keep someone happy, but I’d been wrong. I talk to Tamsyn more than Wes, and I’m not sad about it. I get why Wes and my sister have such a strong relationship. What I once envied, I now get to experience through my own relationship. The best thing I ever did was hit on Tamsyn at the dealership that day, because I can’t imagine her not being a part of my life.

Wes and Cam are waiting for me at the back door, as if I’m late. As soon as I’m inside, I’m handed a crying baby and given a list of what I need to do for each kid, before they leave.

Madison is always a big help. She gets me the diapers and shows me where to find the bottles of breast milk in the refrigerator. Once my nephew gets that nipple in his mouth he starts to fall asleep. It takes me three tries to put him in his crib without waking him. After the final attempt, I find my niece crashed out on the couch. I carry the precious little girl to her princess decorated bedroom and tuck her in before going back out into the living room.

My phone rings, and I don’t have to look to see who it is calling. I pick up before the second ring happens. “You still my girl?”

“You know I am. Miss me yet?”

“I’m drowning here. I’ve spent the past two hours trying to get these kids to sleep. I’ll be crashing soon.”

“Are you staying there tonight?”

“Yeah, I reckon I might.”

“We just got checked into the hotel. It was about a forty minute ride without air-conditioning from the airport. I think I may take a shower before we have dinner. Do you want me to call you later tonight?”

“No. You don’t have to.”

“Okay.”

“Stay out of trouble, beautiful.”

She’s quiet, so I check to make sure we’re still connected. She wants those words. She’s ornery like that. Tamsyn has started something that can’t be taken back. “Are you upset I said it first?”

“No.”

“Josh…”

“I’m not,” I say with a reassuring chuckle. “It made me smile.”

“You don’t have to say it back.”

“I told you, I’m waiting until you get back. Don’t spoil it.”

“As long as I know it’s how you feel I don’t need you to say it back. I know it’s tough for you.”

“It’s not tough at all, Tamsyn. It’s so damn easy.”

“Ugh, you’re making me miss you already. I’ll call you tomorrow. Sweet dreams.”

“Goodnight.”

She follows our call up with a text of a single heart. I send one back, typing out those three words she wants to hear, and then erasing them before hitting send. It’ll be better this way, I tell myself.

Then I crack.

She answers on the third ring, reminding me she mentioned getting a shower.

“Hello?”

“I love you.”

She clears her throat. Knowing Tamsyn like I do, she’s probably tearing up, because she knows how important those words are for me to express. “I know you do.”

We’ve talked about our feelings, just avoided the words. The build up was way worse than the release. “It’s true. I don’t want you thinking any different.”

I can hear the water in the shower in the background. “Can I call you back?”

“I’m headed to bed. Just couldn’t wait any longer.”

“It means a lot to me.”

“Well goodnight then.”

“Goodnight again.”

When we hang up I head to the guest room and strip down to my briefs. I play on my phone, scrolling through pictures I’ve taken of me and Tamsyn. She’s always snapping shots of our adventures. We’re pretty active, so there’s a lot to go through. Then I get to the ones I took of her. The muddy ones in the woods, where she’s naked. My dick jumps at the sight. I close out my phone so I don’t have a predicament I have to take care of myself. It can wait. My girlfriend will be home in six days.

I don’t know what time it is when I hear the back door opening. I sit up in bed and listen for my sister or Wes’ voice but neither say a word. Just to be sure, I head toward the back of the home to make sure everything is okay. That’s when I come face to face with the last person in the world I want to see.

“Hey handsome. It’s been a long time, hasn’t it?”

“Liv?” I smack myself in the face to make sure this isn’t a dream.

“What’s wrong? Hard to believe I’m here?”

I shake my head and begin to walk back to the bedroom. “I don’t necessarily care. Congrats on the engagement, by the way. I hear he’s just your type.”

She’s following behind me, and I somehow wish I wore pajamas so this wouldn’t be awkward. “Are you jealous? Is that why you started dating my childhood friend? Did you think if you fucked Tamsyn I’d come running back to you?”

The mention of her name pisses me off. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

She steps forward, making it entirely too close for comfort. “No. I’m not. You forget that I know you better than anyone. Look me in the eyes and tell me the thought never crossed your mind. That you didn’t think about being with her to get a rise out of me.”

“I didn’t,” I lie. It’s irrelevant. Things have changed. “We’re together. I’m fucking happy too, so don’t think you’re going to run your mouth and change my mind.”

She takes her hand and tries to touch my cheek. I swat it away, my eyes wide and expressing my animosity. “You and I both know you’ll never be over me. You might think you are, but the moment I leave again you’ll be wishing you had another chance.”

“No. I won’t.” I’m almost laughing as it comes out. “This bullshit is done. Leave it be.”

“You don’t mean that,” she assumes while chasing after me, stopping me before I’m able to slam the door in her face. “I know you don’t mean that. Out of all the people in the world, I know you wouldn’t push me away.”

“Who do you think you are? I waited half my life for you, and for what? You walked all over me. You made me miserable. I’ve got something good now, and I’m not about to stand here and listen to you try to convince me otherwise.”

“You think you love her?” When I look at Liv she has tears in her eyes. “Do you, Josh?”

“I’m not doing this with you.”

“Just answer the question. Look at me and tell me you don’t love me anymore. Say it one time.”

“No.”

She throws herself in front of the door to keep me from passing without touching her. I take her by the wrists and try to make my way past her. “It’s always been you. Maybe I needed you to love someone else to see it, but it’s true. I can’t believe this. Her of all people.” She’s crying now. I’m pissed, but feel bad at the same time.