Page 70 of You Found Me (The Meadow Springs #1)

Now here we stand in the place where Gardenia Grove Galleria will stand in less than a year.

While we waited for approval, I sketched a few potential designs for Theo and Mr. Callahan to look at.

Mr. Callahan thanked us for wanting to include him, since the project would fall under his company, but said that this was something he wanted just for the two of us—giving Theo his blessing to go about this project as he sees fit.

Keeping this from Emmy has been so hard.

I thought that with renovations to the house and her class schedule, she’d be too busy to notice how secretive I was being.

It was a calculated risk that I’d hoped would pay off—and it did.

Watching the four of them standing together, hand in hand, looking at our proposed plan for a small portion of the land, was worth it.

As well as seeing them goofing off, just as I imagine they did when they were little.

“You’ve got it bad for her, dude,” Beckett says, clapping me on the back.

I chuckle and shrug. “I can’t deny it. I’d do anything for her and plan to for the rest of my life. ”

He smiles, both dimples popping out. “I always did want a little sister, and instead I got you.”

“Ha ha,” I say sarcastically.

“I really am happy for you, Jay.”

Theo walks back over, cutting in, “What’d I miss?”

“Nothing much,” B answers him. “It looks like Colette and Cori are bickering, while Em and Mia keep looking over here.”

“Ah,” Theo says as he turns to face them. “So the usual.”

I smirk before pointing at his head. “Your hair is looking a little unruly. Might wanna fix it.”

He flips me off, pulling a laugh out of Beckett and myself. Theo rolls his eyes, before asking. “So, Beckett. Since we finally got the green light, are you planning to move to Meadow Springs?”

Beckett smiles. “Actually, I got the call yesterday. I’m moving into Spencer’s old apartment within the next month.”

I have to hand it to her, Mia has impeccable timing. The girls just so happened to pick now to make their way over to us and since Beckett is facing away from them, he’s missed their arrival.

So, when Mia walks up with that playful grin of hers, I realize she heard him.

“You mean I’m going to have Superman as my new neighbor? This is the best day ever!” Mia says gleefully.

“Yeah,” Beckett wrings the back of his neck, seemingly nervous.

“Well,” Mia smiles, “I promise to be the perfect neighbor. Scout’s honor.”

Everyone breaks out in laughter because Mia’s holding up her left hand in the Vulcan salute rather than the actual Scout salute.

Beckett playfully rolls his eyes and asks, “Mia, you do realize that’s the wrong gesture to use, right?”

She shrugs. “I couldn’t remember what it was. It was either that or the shocker, but that felt too juvenile in the moment.”

“Jesus christ, Mia,” Theo sighs, shaking his head. “Those were the first two you thought of? Not a peace sign?”

Colette laughs in disbelief. “You thought the peace sign would’ve been her first go-to? ”

Cori snorts at her sister. “As if Amelia Callahan would be anyone’s peace.”

Mia flips them both off, causing me to laugh at the similarities between her and her brother. “You act as if I didn’t learn both of those things from you and your stupid group of high school friends, Teddy.”

It’s my turn to smirk. “You didn’t tell me you used to be a Trekkie. I’m hurt.”

Theo exhales as he looks up to the sky. “You’re a pain in my ass, Mia. And here we were about to ask if you’d want to throw your hat in the ring for potential designers.”

“Shut up! Seriously?” Mia shouts, looking between Theo and me.

“Not anymore,” he grumbles.

I laugh, lightly hitting Theo on the chest before telling Mia, “Theo said he knew you’d never outright take the job, but he wanted you to be considered.”

Mia rushes over, quickly hugging and thanking me, then moving to do the same with her brother. “Teddy, you’re the best big brother. Even if you are a huge, annoying nerd.”

As they bicker, Emmy pulls me down to her level and whispers, “As big of a Star Trek fan as Theo was, I almost bet his mom still has his Captain Kirk uniform. Mia said he wore it for a month straight before they moved to town.”

I laugh then turn, pulling her into a kiss. “Have I told you how much I love you lately?”

Emmy taps her chin. “Hmm . . . I don’t think you have.”

“Well, then,” I say, clearing the humor from my tone. “I love you. So much. I find myself falling in love with you over and over, but harder each time. I can’t imagine not spending the rest of my life with you.”

I tuck her hair behind her ear, then lean into whisper, “And when you say the word, I’m going to have the best time putting a baby in you. Filling you up with my cum, not letting any of it spill out.”

I bite her earlobe and feel her body shiver. When I lean back, her cheeks are flushed, she’s breathing rapidly, and her pupils are blown wide. She starts to say something when I hear Mia .

“Clark, what’s wrong?”

Emmy breaks from my gaze to turn to Beckett and I do the same, noting that he’s staring at his phone with anger.

“B,” I say cautiously, stepping toward him. “Are you okay?”

Right as he dims his screen, it lights up again—this time with a call. I’m not sure who it is because the number isn’t saved. I start to ask again but he walks away to answer it. Not wanting to be a bother, I try to bring the conversation back to the plans for the build.

Instead of that happening, B starts shouting, “What would make you think I’d want to be any part of that?”

Emmy asks, “Do you know what’s going on?”

I shake my head just as B responds to whoever is on the other line. “The key word there is were . We were best friends. You ruined that when you started dating Layla. And now you’re asking me to be in the fucking wedding? Don’t call me again.”

Beckett is always so calm and collected and the only time I ever saw him like this was in high school when he and Layla broke up. We all stand in shock—the others because they’ve never seen him like this and me because I’m surprised he did this in front of people. After hanging up, B walks off.

Mia looks at Emmaline before taking off after my brother. I start to go after him, too, but Emmy stops me.

“I know you want to help him—I do too—but Mia might be the right person to deal with him right now,” she suggests, squeezing my arm. “She won’t push him to talk. She’s gotten to know him really well, and will probably lighten his mood without meaning to. She’s a mess, ya know.”

I chuckle weakly. “You’re right. I’m worried about him, especially after hearing him yell out Layla’s name. She means nothing good and he’s still not who he used to be before she happened.”

“When he’s ready, I’m sure he’ll talk to you about it. Give him some time. I feel like I’ve gotten to know Beckett pretty well and while Layla might have broken him down, he’s strong,” she says with a smile. “And he has more people in his corner now that are there for the right reasons. ”

I lean down, kissing her forehead. “Thank you. He’s lucky to have you all—I am too.”

She smiles and it overtakes her whole face. “And how lucky for you that you’ll get to have us forever.”

Smirking, I tilt my head and joke, “Is that your way of proposing marriage, Shortstack?”

Emmy shakes her head, still grinning. “More like a way to let you know that whenever you’re ready, so am I.”

I can’t stop myself from picking her up in my arms, spinning her around.

She leans down, nipping at my bottom lip and I snake my arm up to the back of her neck, pulling her into a deep kiss.

It doesn’t matter that we’re in front of our friends.

I can’t control myself. Hearing her say she’s ready to get married isn’t something I expected to hear for a while.

I feel myself getting turned on, and thankfully I hear Theo’s telltale whistle then he says, “Break it apart you two. This is going to be a nice place for families to come, hang out, and eat good food.”

I pull back, noting the blush taking over Emmy’s cheeks and neck. “Sorry, dude. I just got a little carried away. Won’t happen again.”

“Yeah,” she says, clearing her throat. “Won’t happen again. It’s not like we haven’t already christened this place anyway.”

Cori and Colette laugh while Theo pretends to gag. “That’s actually disgusting. I don’t want to hear about that. You’re like a sister to me. Ugh, I think it’s time for me to leave.” He looks at the twins. “Are you both ready?”

Cori looks to Colette, tilting her head in an unsaid question—their twin powers working overtime as I try to figure out what’s wrong—and Colette nods. “Yep. We’re ready, Theodore,” Cori answers, as they start walking towards Theo’s Jeep.

“Good luck dealing with them without B,” I say.

Theo sighs. “Thanks. See you guys later.”

We say our goodbyes and as they drive off, Emmy asks, “Later? What did he mean by that?”

“We planned a whole family style dinner with everyone—Piper and Callum, too. Theo and I invited them to this reveal, but Piper said it would mean more if it was just the group that was here.”

Emmaline reaches up as far as she can on her tiptoes and I meet her the rest of the way, kissing her once again. This time it doesn’t get heated and when she pulls away, she’s smiling. “I love you, Spencer Hale.”

I caress her cheek. “I have no clue what I did to deserve you, Emmaline Jones, but I love you, too.”

I kiss her forehead again and say, “Come on. We should go get a few things checked off our to-do list before dinner.”

She sighs. “I don’t know if I want to get all sweaty before dinner.”

“Not even the good kind of sweaty-together-in-bed sweat?” I ask with a smirk.

Emmaline’s eyes light up, widening ever so slightly, before she composes herself. “I think that can be arranged considering all you’ve planned for me and my friends with this project. You deserve a little treat.” She shrugs, turning to walk away, but I grab her hand, spinning her into me.

“I’d do anything and everything to make you happy. And I’ll spend the rest of my life making sure you never doubt it,” I tell her, and lean down, lightly kissing her lips. “Let’s go home.”

“Last one to the truck has to do whatever the winner wants for the night,” she says enthusiastically.

Before I can even agree, she’s racing off in a fit of laughter.

Rather than chase after her right away, I take a look around the wildflower field and really envision what it’ll look like once everything is done.

I’ve not allowed myself to sit and bask in this huge project until we were able to tell the girls.

This place means something to them, and after sharing that night here with her, it’s become special to me, too.

Emmy made an impact on me that one fateful Halloween night and I have to believe that the universe—or some greater entity—made the decision to keep us apart until last year.

I realize that I wouldn’t have any of this—an incredible girlfriend and a group of friends who’d do anything for me—if I didn’t accept Mr. Callahan’s job offer.

I had no clue when I took it, that I’d reconnect with the person who I now consider to be my home.

Being with Emmaline gives me hope for a happy life.

One filled with laughter, love, and hopefully kids in our future.

“You lose, Daredevil!” she shouts from the truck.

I turn and immediately smile at the look of pure joy on her face.

“Actually, I think I won, Buttercup.”