Page 43 of Wildest Forever (Lovelock Bay #3)

Sunny moves over, head popping over Morgan's shoulder.

“Tequila?” her voice is high, and Aspen wiggles her brows.“Can I join in?” she asks, stepping beside Morgan and myself and Aspen nod eagerly.

Sunny moves forward, reaching for her own glass and holding it between her finger and thumb.

“Ready?” Morgan asks, her eyes slowly drifting to mine as she waits for the girls.

“Ready,” James, Aspen and Sunny all say in unison.

Morgan beams her beautiful smile that lights up the whole room.

We watch as they shoot them back and Dixie groans, “Wish I was shooting back tequila.”

“Not long Dreamcatcher, just think in a few months we're going to have a beautiful baby and once he or she is here, I will stay home, and you can go out with the girls like you deserve.”

She leans into Tripp, and he lifts his arm and lets her snuggle into him, he presses a kiss to the top of her head and murmurs, “ I love you .”

A small smile lifts the corners of my lips before I turn and look at my wife, who is now taking another tequila and shooting it back.

It's nice to see her relaxed, maybe even having fun. She's had such a good few days and it's nice seeing her letting her hair down.

“Woo!” Aspen shouts out, her eyes squeezed shut before she shudders when the bitter tequila taints her tongue.

“More?” James asks, spinning her finger around the tray and I look at Riggs who lifts a shoulder in a nonchalant way.

Sighing, I tilt my head and look at Morgan.

She's giggling as James leans into her, and I have no idea what she is saying. Sunny is leaning onto Aspen, her arms locked around our friend, they're both smiling.

“They're happy,” I mumble.

Riggs breathes a heavy sigh, “They are.”

I give a soft nod then slip into the booth, Riggs beside me and we watch as Nate whispers something in James' ear, her cheeks turning pink in an instant.

Nate smirks then sits back opposite us. Titus gives him a knowing look and Nate's lips twitch as if he is trying to hold back his words.

“So,” I say, picking the label of my beer and Titus points at my empty bottle, giving me a raised eyebrow.“Please,” then he turns his attention to Riggs who shakes his head.

Riggs doesn't really drink when we're out.

The odd whiskey or beer here and there, but he'll drink more when we're at home.

Nate shuffles out the way and when he does Amora slips out and finds James, standing next to her, Dixie follows.

I watch for a moment as they talk amongst the group, Sunny away ordering more tequila, and after a couple of minutes Amora and Dixie perch up a small table, sitting on the stools and go back to a conversation between them.

It's nice watching Dixie open up a little. She is such a closed book when it comes to new people so to see her finding common ground with someone is great to see.

Nate sighs as he sits back down and slides closer to Tripp, giving him a soft nod before he is facing me and Riggs.

“You started a sentence I think,” he pushes his glasses up his nose, waiting for me to speak again.

“I was going to say,” I cough gently, clearing my throat, “how are you finding Blossom Cove?”

“We love it, we always knew we wanted to come back because James lived here for a while and her dream was to come back. I was a little hesitant at first, wasn't sure that I would ever leave New York, but then...” he pauses for a moment as his eyes graze over to his wife.

“You did it for her?” Riggs says, his fingers linked, hands resting on the oak table.

“Yeah,” he nods slowly before his eyes are back on us.

I go to speak, but Nate continues.

“But do you know what?” he asks and we say nothing, “I am so glad I did because life just seems a little...” he trails off, looking at where Titus stands at the bar.

“Easier,” I finish his sentence.

“Yeah,” he scoffs a laugh and lets his head fall forward, “which I know probably sounds stupid to you both, seeing as you live here and work on the ranches and that.”

We both nod.

“It's not all sunshine and rainbows,” Riggs chuckles.

“I can imagine it's not, we've only got the horse rescue and I feel like that's hard enough,” he sighs, casting his eyes to James and she catches it, giving him a wide smile.

“I suppose when you've come from somewhere like New York to rural living, it's a bit of a wakeup call,” I say softly, not to be a dick, but just speaking the truth.

“Exactly, I worked behind a desk. That was my job. Computers, security, hacking...” he rolls his eyes, “then to do manual work well…”

“It's hard work.”

Nate laughs, hitting his palm on the table softly.

“Yes! It is,” he admits before sitting back in the chair and rolling up the sleeves of his shirt.

“But do you know what, I wouldn't change it. What with Tanner and James... I am honestly in such a happy place. I never thought I would find someone to spend the rest of my life with,” he gets sappy just as Titus walks back and scoffs, placing the drinks down and then giving his shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

“Best decision we made,” Titus agrees as he takes his seat.

“Yeah?” I ask as I thank him for my beer, slipping it towards me.

“Yeah,” he nods, “I mean...” he pauses for a moment, “I miss my daughter, Arizona, but she has her husband and her kids... she doesn't need me anymore,” he smiles but I look at him a little confused.

“You have another child?”

His throat bobs as his head dips.

“Yeah, Ari, she's twenty-two.”

“Wow, so soon you'll have three kids.”

He chuckles, taking a sip of his beer, “Yeah, three.”

“Two girls and maybe a boy?” he smirks at my words.

“I have no idea but honestly, as long as they're healthy then I am happy.”

“His daughter is married to our best friend,” and Riggs' mouth drops open, and I sink my teeth into my bottom lip to try and not smirk.

“What!?” Riggs' thunderous tone echoes around the bar and Nate chuckles beside him, Tripp just sits and listens, his eyes on Austin at the bar.

I catch a look and see him talking to the croc man and I make a mental note to ask him who he is.

“Yeah,” Titus sighs and then scrubs his face.

“How... I mean... how old... what?” Riggs' brows furrow and he scrubs his own face.

“Just happened I suppose,” he shrugs and swigs another mouthful of beer.

“And that doesn't bother you?”

“It did,” he admits as he spins his bottle on the table.

“What changed?”

Titus' ice blue eyes meet Riggs'.

“I saw how happy and in love they were... he treats her well, he respects her and honestly, as much as it was a kick in the teeth and bitter pill swallow, I couldn't be happier that she found someone who loves her as much as Keaton does.”

“How did they feel when you left?”

“They were gutted,” Nate nods along to Titus.

“So was Connie, Kaleb, Killian and Reese but they understood that we wanted to move.”

I try and keep up, but just go along with the conversation, nodding and making noises when needed.

“This wasn't planned,” Nate slips in, his finger passing between him and Titus.

“So, you're friends too, like from way back when?” Tripp decides to join the conversation, still nursing his beer from earlier.

“Yeah, all went to school together, then started our business.”

“What happened with that?” Riggs asks and I know this sounds like twenty-one questions but we're just trying to get to know our new neighbours.

“Kaleb and Keaton are still running it, but it'll be scaled back... I wanted out for a while and when we decided to move here it just felt like the right time,” Nate admits and Titus nods.

“We've had such a hectic few years so walking away was needed,” Titus slips in his version.

“How did the move between you happen?”

Nate smiles then looks over at James.

“We were at Amora's art gallery one evening, me and James decided to announce that we were moving to Montana, then Titus jumped on the bandwagon and told us he was moving to Lovelock Bay. As soon as he said it, I felt my heart warm as I knew it was the next town along.” Nate finally looks back at us.

“Even if they didn't come, I don't think I would have felt homesick, because as soon as my feet touched the soil, I knew this was home.”

We all smile, and I knew exactly what he meant.

There was something special about where we lived, and I could never see myself leaving.

This was home.

The ranches.

The towns.

The people.

It would always be our home.