Page 36

Sierra

I pick up the last box in the garage with living room written on it before turning and walking up the two stairs back to the mudroom.

I go through the family room, which is still empty since I haven’t even started to decorate it yet, toward the living room in the front, which I’ve now named my reading room instead of the living room.

Placing it down among all the other boxes, I try not to let my mind drift to the fight Caleb and I had a couple of hours ago.

I’m ignoring how mad I am that he just doesn’t get it.

I start to open the box when I hear a car door slam shut.

My eyes go to the front door at the same time my heart speeds up, going a mile a minute.

My breathing starts to come out in pants as I hear the footsteps on the steps.

My eyes fixate on the door, hoping it’s going to open and he’s going to be standing there.

Hoping it’s him and he’ll come in and hug me and I’ll feel safe.

Every single second feels like an eternity.

Every single second the hope that it’s him goes higher and higher.

Until it crashes and burns when the hand comes up and knocks at the front door.

I blink away the tears and the sting in my nose as I walk over to the door and pull it open.

I smile big when I see it’s Lilah standing there with a bottle of champagne.

“Surprise.” She walks in when I move aside, giving her space.

“I come with gifts for you”—she holds up the bottle—“and gifts for myself, but they’re in the truck.

” She holds out the bottle for me to grab before rushing back out the door and heading to her truck.

I watch her reach into the passenger side, grabbing two boxes.

She grabs the big pink box I know has either cupcakes or donuts in it, and then grabs another smaller one before shutting the door with her hip.

She walks back up the steps toward the house.

“I’m so excited for you to open this.” She holds up the small one in her hand.

“You didn’t have to do that,” I tell her as I close the door behind her and she looks at the furniture in my library.

“Can I come here and read?” she asks me, stepping into the room and looking at the built-in cases I had built and painted a deep moss green, with a black ladder that moves from side to side against the big wall.

She puts the box of sweet treats down on one of the moving boxes before she makes her way over to the chair I have next to the window in the corner.

She turns and sits down in the big oversized, light-beige chair with a matching footstool.

The small round bleached wood table is empty beside the chair.

“Me reading right here”—she puts one hand on the armrest—“with my tea on this table.” She points at the table.

“I bought an amazing pitcher vase for that table,” I tell her, “and the throw blanket I got for that chair is like cashmere but heavy.”

“Say less.” She smiles at me. “Now, I know you already have lots of books for these shelves, but I couldn’t help myself.” She gets up and walks over to me, giving me the present in her hand.

I put the champagne bottle by my feet and grab the present from her. “You know you didn’t have to, right?” I repeat what I told her earlier.

“Oh, trust me, this was so worth it.” She claps her hands together. “I’m not even going to lie, I got one for myself.”

I laugh as I peel off the wrapping, knowing it’s a book. I see it’s one from Parker Cooper, and I gasp because it’s one that isn’t even out yet. “Oh my God.” I look back at her. “How?”

“Charlie’s cousin, Gabriel, is married to her cousin, Zara,” she explains.

“When she came to visit the last time, she caught me reading one of the books and was like ‘this is my cousin.’” I put the book to my chest, my mouth hanging open.

“I know, so I told her how we started talking and she got a kick out of it. Then a couple of weeks later, Autumn comes into the office and hands me two books.”

“You kept it from me all this time?” I glare at her.

“Trust me, the hardest part was not reading it and waiting for you,” she tells me.

“I can’t believe this,” I say, looking down at the book.

“Look inside,” she prompts me, and I open the book. I think I scream when I see it’s signed to me.

Sierra,

A good friendship is built on good books.

Thanks for choosing mine.

Cooper Parker

“This might have to go in a glass box,” I inform her, and she laughs.

“After we read it,” she states, and I grimace. “We won’t break the spines,” she quickly adds, “and we will have to take notes on a different paper for our favorite quotes.” I smile at her. “I can’t wait for book club. Now let’s get you unpacked.” She looks around. “Where is Caleb?”

“Um, he’s out.” I look away from her. “He’s going to be back later.” I put the book down on the table by the chair.

“Everything okay?” she asks softly, and I shrug one shoulder.

“We had a difference of opinion, you could say.” I try not to sound upset. “It’s fine. It’ll be okay,” I quickly say. “Nothing a cupcake and a bottle of champagne can’t cure.”

“That means you don’t want to talk about it.” She points at me.

“Not really,” I admit, “especially since I don’t know what to say about it.” I fill her in and tell her what happened.

“I can see both sides,” she says sadly and I nod.

“Okay, enough of this,” I tell her, “let’s unpack and make this library the envy of all libraries.” I change the subject.

“It’s so pretty,” she says when we unpack the last box. “I’m so jealous.”

“Well, how about we trade?” I look over at her sitting in the big chair. “You come over with the baby. I get snuggles and you get to read.”

“Where do I sign?” she chirps and her phone starts to ring.

“Yes,” she answers, picking it up and putting it to her ear, sounding annoyed but the smile on her face says she’s not annoyed in the least, “I’m leaving now.

” She rubs her small baby bump. “I’ll see you soon.

I love you too.” She smiles even bigger.

“Okay, bye.” She hangs up and then looks at me.

“I’m sorry.” She gets up. “Lucy is staying at Autumn’s tonight. ”

I hold up my hand to get her to stop talking.

“Please don’t say whatever it is you are about to say.

” I close my eyes and squish up my nose and she laughs.

“Go and get back to your man.” She comes over to me and gives me a hug.

Then I walk her to the door and watch her walk to her truck before I wave at her and close the door.

The sun is setting outside and I see a couple of the stars are already out twinkling in the sky.

I close the door, lock it behind me, and look at the library, sighing happily at all we have done.

I pick up the glass of champagne and the glass of water that is on the round table in front of the big couch.

I take it to the kitchen and then go back to sit on the couch and stretch my legs out.

I put my hand across the back of the couch and I’m going to lay my head down on my arm when I hear the sound of footsteps, and then the door opens.

I sit up as I see him standing there. His hair looking like he’s been running his hand through it all day long.

He looks over at me, a sadness fills his face.

“I’m sorry,” he says, walking into the room wearing the same jeans he wore the first time we met, but this time he’s wearing a blue-and-red plaid button-down shirt, his sleeves rolled up. “I shouldn’t have walked out on you.”

“You shouldn’t have.” I sit up on the sofa now, putting my feet on the floor.

I’m about to say more when he looks down at his feet, and then he looks back up at me.

The anguish written all over his face takes my breath away.

“The thought of you getting hurt in all of this”—his voice is pained—“it’s just, I can’t even fathom to think about it.

” I put my hand under my neck. “What if they are horrible people who want to hurt you?”

“Then I’ll deal with it.” I stand. “But I have to do this”—I swallow—“for me, if no one else. I deserve to know. I’m going to find out who I am.

” I point at myself. “Whatever it is. If they want me or not, I need to know who I am, because regardless of anything, I still have a piece of me missing, and it’s theirs, whether they want it or not. ”

“Then we’ll deal with it.” He points to me and then to himself.

“I’m going to be there every single step of the way, and I’ll support you no matter what,” he declares, walking into the room.

I tilt my head to the side. “I know I didn’t exactly handle that as I should,” he starts to say, and all I want is to be in his arms right now, “but you have to know, the thought of them trying to hurt you, it was just too much for me.”

“What happens the next time they try to strong-arm me?” I fold my arms over my chest to stop myself from going to him.

“Besides me losing my shit and wanting to hunt them all down?” he seethes, his teeth clenched together.

“I will follow your lead.” I’m about to say something.

“I’m not even going to lie, I’m not going to like it.

And I’m going to probably need a minute to calm myself down, but I promise to never storm out on you again. ”

“I’ll hold you to that,” I finally respond.

“Good, now get your ass over here.” He points at the floor in front of him.

“Why are you still over there?” I don’t want to give in to him, but I also just want to touch him.

The two of us move at the same time. His hands go to the side of my face and in my hair as he tilts my head to the other side and kisses me.

My hands go to his chest as I feel his heart beating as fast as mine.

His tongue slides into my mouth. I groan, and he moves us back to the couch.

His hand moves my shirt up and over my head, pushing down my bra before he bends his head, taking a nipple into his mouth.

I groan as he unbuttons my jeans and rids my legs of them and my panties before pushing me onto the couch.

I reach behind me to unclip my bra and toss it to the side.

“Lie back,” he urges, and I do. I lie back, putting my head on the pillow as he drags my ass to the edge of the couch.

Kneeling between my legs as he kisses my left thigh and then my right.

He trails his tongue from my thigh up to my stomach and then toward the other thigh.

His eyes stare into mine as he licks up my slit.

My hand goes to the back of his head as my eyes close, and I feel his tongue flick my clit.

He sucks in my clit as he moves one hand to my nipple, where he rolls it between his fingers and the other one goes to push back my leg.

His tongue slides down and into me as he moves his face side to side back up to my clit.

His tongue flicks my clit before he sucks it into his mouth and then bites it.

He moves his hand from my leg to my pussy, rubbing it up and down.

“Going to make you come on my fingers, then you are going to come on my cock,” he announces, sliding two fingers into me, “then I’m going to turn you over and come on your ass. ”