My Only Reason (Men of Monroe Book 2)

by Rachel Brookes

  I reached out and squeezed his hand as I looked up at him with eyes glistening with unshed tears. “Thanks for including me in your family, and I will never refuse cake and whiskey. Like ever.” I glanced around the room, and my eyes landed on Austin. His face told me he’d get them out of here if I asked, but I wouldn’t do that. Instead, I said, “We’d better order pizza if everyone’s staying, but I’m eating spaghetti ala Austin. I’ve waited five years for that.”

  Gigi’s eyes swung to Austin. “You cook as well as look this good? You are a double threat. Oh wait, you’re a triple threat because we already know there’s no vanilla about you in the bedroom. Oh, Sasha and Missy, do you know about vanilla sex?”

  Gigi shuffled toward them, rattling off sex positions she’d learned in the latest erotic novels filling her Kindle and asking what their favorites were.

  Ben pulled out his phone and ordered pizza while Crazy John poured us all a glass of whiskey.

  Austin came straight for me. “You good?”

  All I could do was nod.

  Later that night as I snuggled up to Austin, everything dawned on me. Tonight, I’d witnessed firsthand that family doesn’t need to be blood to share love, and some of the best relationships you can have come from the most unlikely places.

  “I want to speak to Finn,” I whispered, and immediately Austin’s hand went still on my back. “I also want to meet his grandmother.”

  “Whatever you want to do, I’ll be there.”

  “Your mother went too far this time. It’s one thing to lay shit on me, but she’s crossed the line. She’s trying to use Dad’s death, and our non-existent relationship with her to gain votes. And bringing Finn and his grandmother into this when they’re just trying to live their lives? That is low, even for her. She practically said that Finn was going to become a murderer because of his father!”

  He rolled me to my back until his body partially covered mine, and I found his eyes in the candlelight. The green of his eyes danced with the brown of mine as a million unspoken words traveled between us. He was choosing me. There was no going back for him with his mother. No chance of redemption. No second, or third, or one-hundredth chance. With her desire for success, she’d lost her son forever.

  “I love you, and I will always, always be by your side.” I ran my fingers through his hair and held his face so his eyes remained locked with mine. “You and me. Always.”

  He blinked, and the softest, most gentle smile hit his lips. “I should be the one saying that.”

  “You always say the sweet things, so it’s my turn to make you swoon for once.” I leaned in and kissed him quickly before he rolled off and tucked me into his side.

  “You make me swoon by simply breathing,” he murmured as his fingers drew patterns on my lower back.

  “Oh my god, stop it! Even when you’re not trying, you say something swoony.”

  His chest moved under me as he laughed. “What can I say? It’s a talent.”

  “Go to sleep, Romeo.”

  “Okay, my sweet Juliet.”

  “Oh my god, stop!”

  His roaring laughter was the last thing I heard as I drifted off to sleep.

  What had started out as a shitty day had turned into a pretty spectacular night.

  All thanks to Mr. Swoon, aka Austin Hart.

  Two days later, I sat at Mom’s dining table surrounded by Mom, Cora, Finn, and his grandmother, Martha. Tension smothered the room, but I wouldn’t let us succumb to it. I wasn’t sure Finn would show up, and I was almost certain he wouldn’t bring his grandmother, so when they arrived just before ten, I was shocked. Happy but shocked.

  His nervousness was palpable though. The fun, easygoing Finn I had come to know hadn’t arrived. In his place was a young man who looked embarrassed, uncomfortable, and like he had the weight of the world sitting on his shoulders. I hated that Austin’s mother had done this.

  Hovering in the kitchen, both alert and ready to intervene if needed, were Austin and Trent. Cora needed Trent here, I needed Austin, and Mom needed all four of us.

  “I don’t want you to quit.”

  Finn’s grandmother burst out crying as soon as I spoke.

  “Marnie—”

  “Please, let me speak,” I interrupted him, and he nodded before tearing his attention away from me and focusing instead on his hands locked together on top of the table. I sucked in a breath and glanced at Mom, desperate to get even an ounce of strength from her. When she smiled across from me, I got all the strength I needed. “Finn, you are not your father.”

  His head shot up, and his eyes, now filled with tears, locked fiercely with mine. It broke my heart, but I wouldn’t stop until he heard me. Really heard me.

  “You are not your father.”

  He shook his head.

  “Listen to me, Finn. You are not your father.”

  “Marnie …” His voice was pained, and his expression even more devastating.

  “You are not your dad. Your gran is not her son, and my boyfriend is not his mom.”

  Finn shifted in his seat toward his grandmother, who was sobbing quietly beside him. The pain and stress on her face were evident. They’d both been living with this hanging over them for five years, just like my family had been living with our new reality.

  “Our families, even though it came about by devastating circumstances, will be forever bonded. Speaking on behalf of my girls and me, we don’t blame you, we don’t judge you, and we wish no ill will toward either of you. What your father and your son did was entirely his choice. The decisions your mother and daughter-in-law made were entirely hers.” Mom leaned across the table and wrapped her hands around theirs. “The decisions you make right now are yours. You can either keep running from this and allow something that wasn’t your fault to rule your life, or you can stick around in Monroe and start living.”

  “Finn, I’d really like to stay.” Martha’s voice broke when she spoke to her grandson. “It’s time for us to stop hiding who we are.”

  “And if I can add one last thing.” We all turned back to Mom, who pushed back her seat and was standing. “I know my daughter loves having you work at the shop, and I’ve seen you two work together, and it’s like watching siblings. And personally, she’s pretty bossy, so I’d really appreciate it if you stick around so I don’t have to go back and work for her.”

  With that lovely comment, Mom left the table and walked into the kitchen. After a moment of silence, the entire room erupted in laughter. Mom had officially broken the tension.

  “That is a lie! Finn, tell her right now that I’m not bossy.”

  “Uh, Marnie, you just bossed him around then,” Cora piped up from across the table, which set off another boisterous round of laughter. My head fell into my hands, and I smiled against my palm.

  “Now, who wants coffee and cake?” Mom asked, looking expectantly at everyone. Yes pleases and coffee would be great echoed around my family home, and the sound of chairs being pushed back from the table sounded when Cora and Martha headed for the kitchen. Finn and I remained at the table before we were joined by Austin.

  Under the table, Austin wrapped his hand around my thigh and squeezed it gently. Tension radiated through my shoulders because even though Mom had spoken, Finn hadn’t agreed to come back, and his face gave away no clue of what he was thinking.

  “So, do I have my employee of the month back?” I asked softly, grabbing Finn’s attention.

  Before he answered, he stared into the kitchen at his grandmother who was talking quietly to Mom, with Cora and Trent huddled together and listening to whatever they were saying. His grandmother looked timid, but I knew it would only be a matter of minutes before Mom made her feel at home.

  “Are you sure about this?”

  Nodding, I looked him square in the eye. “Absolutely.”

  The edges of his lips begin to rise, and finally, he smiled. “Some might think you’re crazy.”

  “I don’t care what people think of
me.”

  “You’re a cop. Are you okay with this?”

  The fact that he asked Austin showed me exactly the type of man Finn was, and I knew right then that he was going to come back. Why else would he ask his boss’s boyfriend if him working with her would cause any issues?

  “I one hundred percent trust Marnie’s decision and I have no issue with you working for her, and legally, there is no reason you shouldn’t work for her or reside in Monroe. As far as your name is concerned, you can change it to Purple Star Bush Lover for all I care. I really don’t give a shit, and there is nothing to say you can’t change it. But let’s take me being a cop out of the equation and let me speak as Marnie’s man.” Oh boy, here we go. I placed my hand on top of his that was still resting on my thigh and gently squeezed it, but it did nothing. Austin’s attention remained firmly locked on Finn, and Finn didn’t look away. “If you fuck her over in any way, I will not be happy. It’s as simple as that. Fuck with Marnie, and you fuck with me. And you don’t want to fuck with me.”

  “Austin Hart! Language,” Mom called from the kitchen. “We have guests!”

  Austin apologized and blatantly lied to my mother when he said it wouldn’t happen again. Under the table, his hand moved and now rested between my thighs just above my knee. Finn still hadn’t said the magical words I needed to hear, and to be honest, I was beginning to worry that he wouldn’t say them.

  “I really want to come back,” he finally said, and my excitement grew then crashed down when he added a but. “But I don’t want blowback to happen with Grandma. That newspaper article listed our names, and my photo was in there. I can handle it, but she shouldn’t have to.”

  “What if I can make this right?”

  He chuckled nervously. “Are you some kind of miracle worker?”

  “Nope, just someone who really dislikes bad things happening to good people.”

  His brow creased. “You don’t have to do this.”

  “Yes, I do.”

  “Not only are you bossy, but you’re also stubborn.”

  I chose to ignore that comment. “So are you coming back or what?”

  “Fine, I’ll come back tomorrow.”

  I clapped excitedly, and under the table, Austin squeezed my thigh again.

  Even though a storm threatened us, I’d say we came out shining bright again.

  And I knew, without a doubt, Dad would be proud of his girls, and somewhere he’d be looking down, smiling big and saying, “They’re my girls.”

  Three days later, I sat on my porch with my knees up and the morning newspaper in my hands. Never in my wildest dreams did I think my response to the scathing article about Finn would be put on the front page, but there it was alongside the photo taken at Mom’s house three days ago.

  As I skimmed the interview and looked at the photo of me, Mom, Cora, Austin, Trent, Finn, and his grandmother, I knew I’d done the right thing. Cybil Hart had taken it too far, and I was coming back with facts. Unlike her, my intent wasn’t malicious. All I wanted was to give Finn and his grandmother the chance to live the life they wanted, where they wanted, and not be put on trial for something they had no part in.

  A letter from Marnie Lavender.

  Three days ago, Monroe Independent published an article featuring comments from Cybil Hart, mayoral candidate in the upcoming Monroe election. She made derogative statements about my employee, Finn Brown, and attempted to use my father’s passing, and a non-existent relationship between her and my family to generate sympathy votes for the upcoming election. I would like to address her comments and provide my own and put this to rest.

  Yes, I am the daughter of Captain Theo Lavender who was killed at Monroe Police Department by Thomas Bell, who is currently serving a life sentence without parole.

  Yes, I am in a relationship with Cybil Hart’s son, Detective Austin Hart of Monroe Police Department. However, he does not have or want a relationship with her, and I will only be her daughter-in-law in the eyes of the law, but nothing else.

  Yes, she entered Luscious Lavender and refused to leave after being asked repeatedly, and she then proceeded to take a photo of my employee without consent, and this photo then accompanied the article.

  Cybil Hart’s opinions are not and will not be supported by the current, long-standing mayor of Monroe, and this is one of the many reasons why he will be getting my vote, my boyfriend’s vote, and my family’s vote come election day.

  And finally, the most important part of this is that I want to introduce Finn Brown to my beloved Monroe. He saved the day and my sanity the moment he started working at Luscious Lavender, and my business would not be the success it is without him. He is my valued and irreplaceable employee, my newest friend, a straight-A college student, a perfectionist when it comes to flower design, a loving grandson, and will forever be welcomed in the Lavender family. The least important thing about him is that he is Thomas Bell’s son, which he did not choose to be.

  He is not his father, and he should not be treated any differently than you or I.

  Monroe is better than this.

  My dad once told me that Monroe was the best place in the world, and he also told me that people should not be blamed for other people’s mistakes.

  Myself, my mom, and my sister have welcomed the Browns into our home and our lives and will continue to do so.

  Monroe, please join my family and me in welcoming the Browns into our town.

  This is our home, your home, and their home

  Regards,

  Marnie Lavender.

  Thirty-One

  Austin

  I put my foot down and held Marnie captive for three days. Okay, okay, I didn’t keep her hostage; we just locked ourselves away from the world after the shitstorm known as my mother blew through town. We spent three days in solitude. We ate, drank whiskey, fucked, slept, and repeat. We kept our phones off, we didn’t go online, and we didn’t talk to anyone other than each other.

  It was perfect and exactly what was needed.

  At times, Marnie would go super quiet, and worry would taint her pretty face, and I had no doubt she’d stepped into the world of what-ifs. She’d worked her ass off to achieve her dream of Luscious Lavender, and in her head, she thought she was going to lose it all. But the people of Monroe weren’t stupid. They’d been around my mother’s bullshit and her games for years and many had been played and burned by Cybil Hart. Plus, the Lavenders were a town treasure, so no one would ever think any less of them. But Marnie was a thinker, and she was overthinking and overanalyzing everything, which was completely understandable, but it was my job as her man to help her sort through it.

  I couldn’t have been prouder of her. When she told me what she wanted to do, she had been hesitant about how I’d react. I reacted the only way I could. I looked her square in the eyes and told her she had my support and always would. Her sigh of relief and soft smile she gave me in response would be forever embedded into my memories. We were a team, and a team stuck together. What my mother had done, and the shit she’d brought down on Marnie, Finn, and his gran was unforgivable. She’d gone out of her way to hurt people just to make herself appear high and mighty, and simply put, it was fucked. I had absolutely no hesitation in supporting Marnie and standing with her one hundred percent. I’d been the one to suggest I get in the photo that would accompany Marnie’s response so we could show a united front. If the mayoral candidate’s son was going against her and supporting the woman and young man who she set out to hurt, then that had to play in Marnie’s favor.

  There was no going back from this.

  While Marnie showered and got ready for the day, I stepped outside onto the porch and sucked in a deep breath. I loved her place. I’d been here when Sasha lived here, but Marnie had completely made it her own. I’d remember her telling me that this was her dream house and how she wanted to live here one day, and now look at her.

  She owns her own flower shop, and she’s living in her dream house.


  Two for two.

  Tomorrow, we were both going back to work, so today was our last day of hiding away from the world. We had a busy day of movies, food, making out, sex, and naps ahead of us. But first, I needed to break the no phone rule and check in with Finn because he’d been on my mind, and I knew for sure he’d taken over Marnie’s thoughts too.

  After scrolling to his name and tapping the call button, I took a seat in one of Marnie’s wicker seats and propped my feet up on the railing.

  I had no idea where his head was at or what he was thinking, and that was a concern. I needed to check in with him and make sure his head was in a good place and that he was still planning on turning up at Luscious Lavender tomorrow. He didn’t deserve the bullshit that had been served up to him. He was as innocent in this as Marnie. I didn’t give a fuck who his father was; all I cared about was the man Finn was.

  He picked up after two rings.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey, Finn, it’s Austin. How are you doing?”

  There was a beat of silence before he answered.

  “I’m doing okay. Is Marnie okay?”

  Instead of leaving the conversation on him, he’d moved it straight to Marnie. That impressed me and said a lot about him as a man.

  “She’s doing good. Excited to get back to work. How are you feeling about it?”