Page 75 of Craving Consequences

EVERLY

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Mortified doesn’t even come close to the overwhelming surge of heat washing up my neck to burn behind my eyes. It’s an overwhelming explosion of dread and panic that builds in my gut as I thunder down the stairs after my best friend.

I find her and Teddy in the kitchen. He’s standing off to one side, face red to the tips of his ears while Lauren paces like a caged creature.

“Lauren,” I begin, only to have her whirl to face me, blue eyes shut tight.

“I am never unseeing that,” she exclaims. “It is burned into my retinas.”

I grimace and shoot Teddy a fleeting glance, but he’s found a spot on the ceiling and refuses to meet my gaze.

“I am so sorry,” I try. “I had no idea you were here.”

“Where else would I be?” Lauren snaps back.

“You just ... waltzed off without a word to anyone. Packed up. Sold your house. For all I knew, Bron got you again.” She stops pacing, but her eyes remain firmly shut even as she spears her hips with her hands.

I don’t get the chance to tell her she’s facing five feet too far to the left. “You have some nerve.”

“I have a very good reason,” I insist.

“Oh, I bet you do. I saw that good reason. I’m going to need therapy for it. Thank you very much.”

I roll my eyes. “Will you stop and open your eyes please?”

“I can’t. The image of my dad face deep between your legs has forever etched itself into the backs of my eyelids.”

I pause, glance at Teddy, and am relieved to see he seems equally confused before pointing out, “So, you’re trying to memorize it?”

Lauren pauses. Her eyebrows scrunch. “What?”

“If it’s etched into the backs of your eyelids ... and your eyes are closed...”

Her eyes spring open, wide and horrified. “Why would you tell me that? Now I will never close them.”

I groan and rub a hand over my face. “Laur...”

“Don’t Laur me, you dirty, filthy creature. You have scarred Teddy.”

The man in question quickly puts his hands up. “I’m okay. Really.”

“Pervert,” Lauren mutters, eyeing him.

“Will you stop,” I beg. “I wasn’t expecting you to show up.”

“Clearly.” She sucks in a breath and simply holds it .

I’m saved from having to deal with this on my own when Van and Lachlan darken the doorway. Dressed, I’m partially relieved to notice, while simultaneously aware that I am fully naked under my t-shirt.

Without a care or hesitation, Van moves towards me. His big hand cups the back of my head, pulls me in close and brushes a kiss to my crown before facing his daughter.

“Sit,” he tells her gently. “Please. We’re all adults here. We’re going to discuss this as adults.” He pauses, catching sight of Teddy. “You, too, I guess.”

The long wooden table has plenty of seats, enough for each of us, plus another extra person, but Lachlan catches my hips when I make to take a seat, and pulls me into his lap.

My cheeks warm, but I don’t resist. I’ve wanted this for so long that fighting it would feel like throwing back a gift from heaven.

“First, if any of this leaves this house, I will find the person responsible and fillet their skin off the meat with a rusty blade.” Van looks straight at Teddy as he speaks. “This is personal family business and you’re only here because Everly won’t let me kill you.”

I made no such claim, but he’s right. I would not let him kill Teddy. I also don’t correct him; this is a serious matter, and while I know Teddy isn’t a big mouth, I’m not risking my men’s safety by taking any chances .

“I would not disrespect you or Everly, sir,” Teddy promises sincerely. “I can wait in the car if that makes everyone more comfortable.”

“No.” Van sits back in his seat, his big bulk making the wood squeak in protest. “You’ve already seen too much.”

Teddy gives a weak chuckle. “I really didn’t see anything.”

Van narrows his eyes. “Good. Remember that.” He turns his attention to Lauren. “I love Everly.”

That’s it.

No explanation. No discussion. Simple and matter of fact.

All amusement has faded from my friend’s face. There’s none of the dramatics from earlier. She stares back with a hard set to her jaw and eyes twin flames of ice.

“I’m not okay with that,” she states evenly. “If this ends badly, I will lose my friend and my dad. If this works out, I lose my friend and my dad. In no scenario do I win.”

“Wrong,” Van counters with the same volume. “She’s not going anywhere. I’m keeping her. She’s mine. In no way, shape or form will my relationship hinder yours or vice versa. Everly is free to remain your friend if she wishes, and I will always be your dad, no matter what.”

“I don’t like the thought of my dad fucking my friends,” Lauren answers.

“Agreed. I will not fuck your friends. Only one.”

Like watching a chess tournament, my gaze automatically shifts to Lauren.

“And him?” Her chin jerks in Lachlan’s direction without breaking eye contact with Van. “Is he part of this?”

“Yes,” Van answers without hesitation.

“Are you two fucking, too?”

There’s only the faintest tension in Van’s brow, but his voice remains level. “That is none of your business.”

Lauren doesn’t press, surprising me.

“Are you coming back to Jefferson?”

“We haven’t decided ... Lachlan and I haven’t decided,” he pauses and corrects. “Everly would like to live here, and we want to be with her so we will most likely join her.”

Lauren’s expression tightens. “So, you’re leaving me.”

“We’re three hours away.”

“I never wanted to come here but I did because you asked me to and you’re just packing up and leaving,” she bites out, eyes gleaming.

“I told you, nothing has been finalized.”

“But if Everly is staying here and you’re staying with her what more is there to finalize?” she shoots back.

Van gives a slow nod. “You’re right. Yes, that is most likely what is going to happen. But, Lauren,” his voice gentles, “you don’t have to stay either. If you’re not happy. ”

The hurt in her eyes guts me. The betrayal. She stares at her father with her eyes brimming and her chin quivering, and I feel her pain like it’s mine.

“Fine,” she bites out. “I don’t fucking need any of you anyway.” With a shove, she pushes away from the table and stands. “Let’s go, Teddy.”

“Lauren.”

She ignores Van as she stalks from the kitchen.

Teddy hurries to his feet. He pauses to peer at us with a deep furrow between his green eyes. He seems on the verge of speaking, but I’m not listening as I scramble out of Lachlan’s arms and hurry after my friend.

“Lauren, wait.”

She’s on the front porch when I finally catch up to her. I capture her elbow and wait until she’s facing me.

The lights from the hall catch on the tears streaking down her cheeks, the anger in her eyes as they meet mine.

“This is why I didn’t want my friends dating my dad,” she hisses through gritted teeth. “I no longer fucking matter.”

“That is not true,” I protest. “Just because we can’t stay in Jefferson has nothing to do with you.”

“I live in Jefferson,” she shrieks. “I live three hours away from every person that used to mean something to me. I ... I’m left there while you play house out here in the wilderness.” She yanks her arm free of my hold. “I have nothing over there. ”

“Lauren, please.” I retract my hand when I reach for her and she flinches back.

“Please. Don’t go. Just stay the night and we can talk about everything in the morning.

” I gesture behind me. “We don’t even have a plan.

We have no idea what we’re doing. If you stay, we can figure something out for all of us. ”

She sniffles and folds her arms across her middle. “This last week has been hell without you. What am I supposed to do if you’re gone?”

I dare a tentative step closer. “I’m not leaving, Laur. I still have work. Lachlan has his business. Van his job. We still need groceries. The only difference is where I’m sleeping.”

“That’s bullshit and you know it.” She mashes the back of her hand under her nose and rubs. “Six hours of driving every day is going to get old quick. It’s a ridiculous notion. You’ll eventually stop.”

“That’s why I’m asking you to stay, and we can figure it out in the morning. Please?”

“I can’t.” She drops her gaze to the boards under our feet. “Teddy drove me.”

“He can stay, too,” I say quickly. “I would honestly prefer it. I don’t want you out there in the dark.”

Gingerly, I brush my fingertips along her arm. When she doesn’t pull back, I hook her up in my arm — my good one — and tug her to me.

She doesn’t resist .

Her arms snake around my middle and I’m pulled a little too tightly against her.

“You’re never getting rid of me,” I tell her quietly.

I feel her twitch with a silent sob. Her back shudders and I tighten my hold.

“I fucked up a lot,” she croaks into my shoulder.

Despite the burn in my own eyes, I roll them. “You were trying to help.”

“I just want things to go back to the way they were.”

I sigh and blink up at the wide canopy of navy blue stretched overhead. I stare at the cluster of stars. The dark points in the distance where the tree line begins. It’s a still night. The kind begging for a hot drink on the porch with a blanket.

“Let’s go to bed, okay? It’s been a really long day.”

It’s not the answer she wants, but I can’t give it to her. I don’t want things the way they used to be. She may have put a dent in our friendship, but because of her, I have my boys. I’m free of Bron ... forever. Yes, I’m still upset with her, but I’m also grateful.

“You’re right.” She sniffles.

I smile and draw back.

Taking her hand, I tug her back inside. We close and lock the door before making our way to the kitchen and the trio sitting in awkward silence around the table .

Van pushes to his feet when we return. His gray eyes find my face before moving to the figure next to me.

Without a word, Lauren releases me and steps into his waiting arms. They fold around her and crush her close. He murmurs something into her ear.

Giving them privacy, I face the solitary figure watching the scene with confusion and concern.

“I’ll grab you some bedding if you don’t mind crashing on the couch, Teddy.”

His green eyes leave Lauren and fix on me. “Oh, I don’t want to impose.”

I wave away his protest. “The roads aren’t great in the dark and I’d feel better if you spent the night. I insist,” I press when he looks on the verge of arguing again.

He offers me a faint smile. “Well, I’d hate to refuse such a lovely offer.”

I turn to Lachlan. I don’t need to say a word. He leans forward in his seat, pinches the corner of my t-shirt and drags me to him. I go willingly and climb back into his lap. It feels so right, so normal. Even when he brushes a kiss to my mouth and I nuzzle my face into the side of his neck.

“Love us?” he murmurs into my temple.

I smile and wiggle closer. “Yes.”