Page 16

I smile when I find Bellamy getting ready in her bathroom.

My cock twitches at the sight of the shower to the left.

For the first time last night, she let me wash her, my hands skirting over every inch of her body, taking my time, on a hunt for every freckle on her skin.

Then afterwards, she bent over so I could see her finger sliding in and out of her pussy while she got herself off and I came all over her beautiful ass.

Adjusting my pants at the thought, I swing my attention to Bellamy. Her long red locks are flowing in big waves down her back. My gaze traces her makeup-free face, loving the way her freckles show. Her wide smile meets mine in the mirror, and she puts the curling iron down, turning to face me.

Immediately, I nuzzle into her neck. “You smell so fucking good, Bella.’”

She laughs, playfully pushing me away. “You better get ready. We’re leaving in, like, twenty minutes.”

We have dinner for my dad’s birthday tonight, but I couldn’t wait to show her.

“I know, but I have something I wanted you to see.”

Her green eyes light up as they trail all over me, and she notices I still have one arm tucked behind my back.

“Whatcha got there, Stud?” She quirks her eyebrow and reaches for my arm, but I pull away, playfully waving her off.

“We got our new jerseys today for the upcoming year, and I have a little secret, one I think only you and I will notice.”

She smirks, but her eyes narrow, wondering what I’m up to, so I hold the jersey out in front of her. “I changed my number this year.”

“Forty-four?” she says it almost as a question, her eyes still tracing the jersey, trying to figure out what she’s missing.

I see the moment realization takes over her features.

“Or four-four,” I whisper, suddenly thinking this might’ve been a stupid idea.

She covers her mouth, confirming what she suspects. “My birthday.”

I smile. “Yep, my new favorite day of the year, April 4 th .”

Bellamy sweeps her finger over the numbers, hopefully admiring the thought behind me doing this.

“I know it's not some crazy grand gesture, but it was my way of quietly honoring my girl.”

Within seconds, she’s on her tiptoes and pressing her lips into mine. They linger as we kiss slowly, languidly.

“That’s the sweetest thing, Cash, and I love that it's our secret.”

Footsteps on the stairs have me placing one more chaste kiss to her lips. “See you soon, Bella.”

“Don’t you two look spiffy,” Gigi says from where they are getting out of Papaw’s truck beside us.

Bellamy immediately embraces them both in a hug and takes Papaw’s arm to walk with him into the restaurant.

“Y’all clean up nice, too. I forgot Pa even owned a collared shirt,” I tease, loud enough that he can hear me as I take Gigi’s hand and lead her in.

Bellamy pats his arm. “Don’t listen to Cash; he’s just mad you look sharper than him tonight.”

She turns over her shoulder and sticks her tongue out at me, then she winks at Gigi.

We walk a few steps toward the steakhouse when Gigi’s words surprise me. “That girl is good for you, Cash. I see a spark in you since she moved here. One that had been snuffed out for quite some time.”

There’s no judgement in her tone, only love. Maybe to her, we’re just friends, or maybe she suspects there’s more, but either way, I don’t even try to deny her statement. “Thanks, Gigi… I’m not so sure I was really living anymore until she moved to the ranch.”

She smiles gently. “I love you so much, Cash.”

Picking up her hand in mine, I place a kiss on hers. It may be worn from love and hard work, but they are the kindest hands I know. “I love you more, Gigi.”

This steakhouse is top-notch, as always; it's our favorite place to eat in town. We just finished up the cake Andrea made, and Dad and I didn’t miss the surprise on Bellamy’s face when she found out her mom had baked it.

Did she not bake Bellamy cakes? Why does that bother me so much?

I’m glad she’s doing it for my dad, but her daughter deserves all that love, too.

My dad grabs Andrea’s hand in his and clears his throat, gaining everyone’s attention. “While we have you all here, we wanted to talk to you about something.”

Unable to help it, I look at Bellamy, anxiety rolling through every fiber of my body at the paleness in her face as her mouth gapes open and she stares at their joined hands.

I feel Maverick watching us both from across the table, but that’s when my eyes snag on the diamond resting on top of Andrea’s left ring finger.

“You guys are getting married?” I shock myself when I realize I said the words out loud.

My dad’s smile grows as Andrea looks to Bellamy with a more tentative one.

“Actually, we eloped on our getaway a couple of weeks ago.”

What the fuck?

“Excuse me?” That comes from Gigi, whose words sound hurt that this is the first she is hearing of it.

My dad’s eyes soften as he takes in all the shocked faces staring back at him.

“That part was my idea.” He pauses, and his free hand rubs over his chin like he does when he’s trying to stop himself from crying.

“I just… I couldn’t do it without her .” He shakes his head, still trying to get his words together, and my chest aches at my selfish thoughts when the emotion in his eyes leaks out of one corner.

Andrea takes her ring-clad hand off the table and rubs my dad’s back, before he continues, “The thought of having a big event and looking into the crowd and not seeing…Jules...” He blows out a deep breath, and I swallow past the growing lump in my throat.

“I couldn’t even handle the thought, and I didn’t want to take away from the special moment with Andrea.

” Leaning over, he kisses the top of her head.

My papaw, who’s usually a quiet man like me, breaks the silence. “Happy for you, Son. Welcome to the family, Andrea.”

I try to gauge Maverick’s reaction to this whole thing, but in true Mav fashion, he’s the first to get up from the table and embrace our dad.

Everyone else follows suit, going through the motions of hugging the newlyweds, congratulating them. Andrea whispers something into Bellamy’s ear as they embrace.

To everyone else, she may seem like the happy daughter in this moment, but I can sense the tightness in her body from here. It starts in her smile and goes all the way to her toes. I try my best to give her reassuring smiles, but she has a shield in front of those green eyes.

I’m happy for my dad, but all I want is to get home and talk to Bellamy. I have a sickening feeling she’s going to push me away because of this.

That anxiety only doubles when my dad asks Bellamy to ride home with him and Andrea so they can talk to her about something.

Two hours later, it has tripled, and I feel like I’m on the brink of a nervous breakdown, pacing in my bedroom.

Then I get a text that has my heart soaring and plummeting all in one second.

Bella

Meet me in the barn.

Bellamy

My feet dangle from the open loft door, bouncing with nervousness against the side of the barn.

The excitement on his face when he showed me his jersey number earlier keeps flashing through my mind, my subconscious trying desperately to hold on to it.

Because I know in a few minutes, I’ll be responsible for a completely different emotion on his handsome features.

I know he’ll be here any second, and I don’t want to face him. How can I, knowing what I'm about to say is going to destroy us both?

Our journey of anything more than friends…

ends here. We’re stepsiblings now. No more late-night sneaking into each other’s rooms, no more stealing kisses when we know no one is around to see us, and worst of all, no more falling asleep in my protector’s arms. The place I’ve never felt more at home, more like myself.

Heavy footsteps thud upon the stairs leading up to the loft, but I don’t turn around to look at him right away. I’m too scared of what I’ll see in those golden-brown eyes. Of what he will see in mine.

“Bellamy, what’s going on?” he asks, and his frantic tone slices through me. My calm, cool guy is nowhere in sight, and I know it’s because, deep down, he knows what has to happen.

I don’t answer him quickly enough. As soon as he sits down beside me, he asks, “What was said on the car ride home?”

So many things.

How happy my mom makes Cal. How blessed he feels to have the opportunity to help raise me.

If I weren’t so close to eighteen, he would love to adopt me.

How he knows I may never look at him as a father, but he’s here for me in any way I’m willing to let him be.

How he plans to help my mom pay for all four years of my college, including a place to live.

How my mom and I have brought so much life back into his home and heart after all the loss he’s experienced. And lastly…

“Many things, but the one that’s probably stuck on repeat is how thankful he is that his boys have me as a sister.” I swallow thickly past the emotion, knowing I need to get this out to try to make Cash understand.

“He knows I’ll never replace Jules, but he sees the way you and Maverick have changed for the better since I’ve been here. He’s so happy for you all to have a true family unit again for your last year before college.”

Cash rubs his hand over his face and through his longer hair. “Bella, we just need to sit them down and tell them. We can…”

I stand abruptly, not even wanting the idea to form hope in my heart. The second I stepped out of Cal’s truck, I knew what I had to do.

“No,” I say with as much finality as possible. “No, Cash, we can’t.” The first tear falls from my eyes at the look on his face as realization washes over him.

“You weren’t there.” I sniffle, shaking my head. “I heard it in your dad’s voice. He’s finally so happy. This—” I bury my face in my hands. Taking a deep breath, I wipe the tears from my cheeks and continue, “This would kill him.”

“Okay, well, I don’t like it, but we don’t have to tell them, then. We can keep sneaking around for this year, and then when we’re at Mountain Ridge, maybe things will feel different by that point. Let some time pass.” Cash nods, like he’s trying to convince himself as much as he is me.

“Cash…” His name comes out like a plea, and he takes a step toward me, but I hold up my hand. I can’t handle his touch right now.

“We can’t. I don’t like this either, trust me, I’m trying my best not to be selfish in this moment, but in reality, I’ve been selfish all summer.”

“Don’t say that,” he whispers. His pleading tone nearly guts me.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper back, unable to keep myself away from him any longer. I move my body right in front of his, feeling his warmth and relishing it. He leans down, touching his forehead to mine, breathing each other in.

“I can’t lose you as a friend, Cash.”

Pulling back slightly, he stares at me for a second until anger invades his face and he’s the one taking a step back. “After everything…everything we’ve done, everything I’ve felt, everything I haven’t even said out loud to you…you think I can just go back to being friends and nothing more?”

“You’ve done it with other girls…” I quip, thinking bitterly of Tori, and he narrows his eyes on me.

“No, I haven’t. I have never had feelings for any of those girls, and on top of that, I wouldn’t even consider them my friends. You know me better than that. I keep my circle tight, and you are the center of it.”

I hear how sincere he is, and it makes my chest ache. But I can’t let my heart win. I can’t. Taking a shaky breath, I stay strong. “Well, the puck is in your rink, then. If you want to be my friend, I’m still here… always. If not, then that’s on you.”

“You must not have felt half of what I feel for you if you think jumping right back into friendship is possible,” he nearly snarls, but I see the pain in his eyes.

“That’s absolutely not true, and no one said anything about jumping right back into it. Trust me, I know it will take time.” He’s hurting, but so am I. At the end of the day, this situation sucks, but it's no one’s fault. We knew the risks when we took things to the next level.

I may be putting up a front, not wanting him to see the cracks in my armor, but it feels hollow, weak, and ready to crumble at the thought of losing Cash.

When he meets my eyes this time, dejection is all that stares back at me. “Well then, it sounds like you have it all figured out. Thank you for asking my opinion on the matter.”

I shake my head, pointing from myself to him. “There is no my or your opinion, there’s only theirs. And whether you want to admit it or not, you know our parents won’t be okay with this happening.”

I take a step closer, desperate for him to understand where I’m coming from, but he takes another step back. It has my stomach sinking to my feet.

“I don’t know shit, but this conversation is obviously done, and I’m over it. I can’t stand here and listen to you deny the one thing I want more than anything one more time,” he says in the gruff tone I remember from the early days of being here at the ranch.

He starts his retreat out of the loft. I want to call him out for being an asshole about this as much as I want to take back everything I said and kiss him and continue pretending our situation isn’t what it is.

But instead, I stand frozen, knowing him walking away is for the best. If I were to follow him, I wouldn’t be able to let him go a second time.

Once I’m sure the coast is clear, I make my way to my own bed, alone, for the first time in over a month. I cry myself to sleep in sheets that smell like him.

I can almost feel the anger radiating through his wall in my direction… I wonder if he can feel my sadness.