This man has won my heart, taken care of it. It’s been the little things—surprise getaway, remembering my favorite pizza, agreeing to a silly design idea for the bed and breakfast, making that tray for me so I could relax and enjoy my baths, gifting me this bathtub. Little things have added up, making this even more real.
I turn my body completely, so I’m straddling Eli. I lean in to kiss him as my arms snake around his neck. My tongue sweeps his in a slow and tender kiss, like we’re adding a new layer of meaning to our relationship. Whether we’d both been feeling this way, now that we’ve spoken it, things have changed. It makes it more real, with no barriers between us. Right now, in this instant, Eli and I are stripped bare to one another, hearts in hands, as we give each other every ounce of ourselves we can.
…
“The place looks amazing.” Poppy’s mouth drops as she walks into my house. Her wide eyes scan the cottage, taking in every detail. “Major upgrade from your apartment.” She runs her hand across the granite countertops.
“Thanks, I think so, too.” I give her a megawatt smile.
“You look happy,” Poppy states, placing the bottle of wine she brought on the counter for our book club meeting today.
I show her the rest of the house while we wait for Abbie and Faith to arrive, both of us admiring the claw-foot tub when we walk into the bathroom. No matter how many times I see it, this bathroom always takes my breath away. And now, it reminds me of the night Eli told me he loved me a few days ago.
“Eli and his crew did an amazing job.” Poppy sits on the sofa while I open the bottle of wine and serve two glasses.
“They did.” I take a seat next to her. “The bed and breakfast is coming out great, too. When Abbie and Faith get here, I’ll show you.”
“This is so exciting. Less than three months left for opening day.”
“I know. It’s crazy, isn’t it? All these years planning and preparing for this, and here I am, the owner of a soon-to-be-open bed and breakfast, living in a beautiful house…”
“And with a hot boyfriend,” Poppy pipes in.
I chuckle. “Yeah, he’s not too shabby.”
“I think Eli’s perfect for you. You need someone like him to shake you up a bit, get you out of the same cycle every once in a while.”
“I get it,” I nod. “I know I can be a bit of a square at times.”
“You have your eye on a goal and will do anything to accomplish it, even put your social life on hold.” Poppy gives me an apologetic smile. I can’t disagree with her. While she’s quirky and a disaster at times, I’m the opposite to the point that sometimes I have blinders on and miss life passing by. We truly balance each other out.
“I have,” I agree. “Oh, hey, Lia called me yesterday to ask if I’ll be using the land for events. She and Axel want to have their wedding here by the creek toward the end of summer.”
“That’s amazing,” Poppy squeals as she practically tumbles me on the sofa with a hug. “You told her yes, right?” Her wide, blue eyes stare at me.
“Of course. We’re going to meet next week, so I can show them the area and get some ideas for the reception.”
“This will definitely help with business.”
“I know.” I can’t help the huge smile that splits my mouth in half as the excitement of this new chapter in my life swirls around me.
A knock interrupts our conversation, and I stand with a smile to open the door.
“Love the pink door. You’re already… Oh, wow.” Faith steps around me and into the house. “Can I move in?” She turns to look at me with a smile.
“If you sleep on the couch,” I shrug.
“Sweet deal. Averly, this is amazing. I can’t believe how different it looks.” She spins around as she looks at the living room and kitchen.
“It looks great, Averly,” Abbie says, closing the door behind her. “Sorry, we’re late. Someone doesn’t know that she needs to fill her gas tank and needed a ride.”
“Whatever,” Faith shrugs. “I’m just glad my car didn’t start when I was home and not stop working in the middle of the road. I owe you, Abs, already told you.”
“Don’t worry about it. Okay, give us the grand tour,” Abbie looks at me.
I show them the house first, and then we make our way to the farmhouse.
“Wow,” the three of them say when we walk in through the back door.
“I can’t believe this is the same place we sat in months ago to confront you,” Faith points at Poppy. I recall the night we had a heart to heart with Poppy about her relationship with Harris.
“I know,” Poppy says. “Everything is almost done,” she states.
“Yeah, there are small details left that will take some time, but the main things are finished, like the kitchen and bedrooms.”
“Show us everything.” Poppy claps her hands and starts guiding herself through the space.
I show them the kitchen, the dining space where guests will eat breakfast, the entryway with the check-in counter. We then climb up the stairs and into the first room.
“This is the Pasture Room.” I open the door to one of the smaller rooms that sleeps two, but it’s got a huge window that shows off the mountains and nature. The bathroom has a bathtub for guests to relax in. It’s my favorite room.
“Gorgeous.” They enter and look around, complimenting the view and the idea of having a big window.
“It’s the room that faces this side of the house, so I really wanted to take advantage of that and give guests a piece of Wyoming while still inside a building.”
“Smart,” Faith nods.
“Photos here must be amazing,” Abbie sighs, practically drooling over the views. She’s always on photographer mode.
“Well, remember you’ll be taking pictures as soon as we’re done,” I remind her.
“I know, and I can’t wait.” She clasps her hands as her bright eyes stare out the window again.
I show them the rest of the rooms, finishing off with the honeymoon suite—the biggest room, with a balcony and hot tub.
“I love the idea of each room having a name to identify it,” Faith says with a smile once we’re back downstairs.
“I didn’t want to just say room one or room three. I wanted something more unique, and I think they describe the type of room.”
“Yeah, my favorite is the Pasture Room with that view,” Faith says.
“Thanks. I still need to furnish them, but my interior designer and I have been working on that and will be bringing in furniture next month.”
“We’re so proud of you,” Abbie smiles, her eyes growing smaller the wider her smile grows, the corners crinkling.
“Thanks, guys. That means a lot to me. Now, let’s go back to the house and talk about this book.”
As we sit around my living room, laughing and talking about the book, I smile. Without my friends, my life would be pretty darn boring. Their antics and quirks make my life better, and they support me and encourage me like no one else. I know without a doubt that if they weren’t in my life, I’d still be working at a resort, managing someone else’s dream.
Averly
“Whoa.” I grip the side of the countertop as my body curls, my stomach contracting.
“Are you okay?” Eli rushes to my side.
“Yeah,” I nod. My body tenses and I run to the bathroom.
Eli’s hot on my heels, but I hold my hand out to stop him. If I’m about to puke, I do not want him to bear witness.
Nausea washes over me, but nothing else happens. My fingers press against my clammy forehead, but I don’t feel warm. This isn’t the best time to get sick. March is coming to an end, and I’m meeting Anne today to finalize the furnishings for The Farm House.
“What do you need?” Eli’s still at the door. His eyes are filled with worry as they look on at me.
I close the toilet lid and sit down after I’ve washed my hands.
“Nothing,” I shake my head but feel the grimace marki
ng my face. “I feel nauseous, but I think it’ll pass.”
“Do you want some Sprite? My grandma used to give me Sprite and soda crackers when I was sick as a kid, and it’d always help.” He crouches in front of me, his hands moving my hair away from my face before the back of his hand presses against my forehead.
“You don’t have a fever.”
“I know. I’m not sure what it is.”
Eli frowns, so I try my best to smile. “Better try again with that smile,” he leans in and kisses my forehead. “You look like you’re in pain instead of happy.”
“Ugh.” I throw my head back, which was a mistake. My stomach turns, and I shoot to my feet, knocking Eli back.
“Sorry,” I say with my hand over my mouth. My heart races in the base of my throat, but I don’t feel like throwing up.
“It’s okay.” Eli stands and rubs a soothing hand across my back. “Lie down and see if that helps. If not, I can take you to the doctor later.”
“No, I don’t need to go to the doctor. It might just be a bug. I’ll lie down until my meeting with Anne.”
“Averly,” Eli crosses his arms and narrows his eyes. “Reschedule with Anne. We’re ahead of schedule, and you’ll have time to get all the furniture set in place.”
“I can’t reschedule. You know how busy she is,” I argue.
“She’ll make time for you, especially if you’re sick. You wouldn’t want to get her sick, too, right? Risk passing it along to her kids.” He lifts his eyebrows.
“You play dirty, Eli Hastings.” I point at him.
“I want what’s best for you. I’ll be next door, so call me if you need anything. Get some rest, and I’ll check on you soon.” He combs his fingers through my hair.
I sigh and nod. “Okay.”
“Love you.”
“Yeah, yeah,” I roll my eyes, but I smile. “Love you, too.” I hug Eli, pressing the side of my face into his chest. His arms wrap around me, comforting me.
“Get in bed, and I’ll bring you your phone and some water. I’ll run out and get you Sprite or Gatorade.” Eli holds my hand and practically drags me to my room, making me change into my pajamas before getting in bed…alone. If I didn’t feel so sick, I’d call him a tease for undressing me and leaving me.
“I’m okay, don’t rush out right now. I have tea, so I can make some in a bit.” I pull the covers over my body and lie on my side, clutching my stomach. I take a deep breath as a wave of nausea passes me.
“I’ll make your tea,” Eli says, leaving no room for argument.
I close my eyes while he works in the kitchen. I have no idea what could’ve gotten me sick. I’ve been home every day. We haven’t eaten out, and Eli and I have both eaten the same thing this past week.
I curl into a ball when my stomach cramps again, biting down. I hope I feel better in a few hours. Mostly because I hate the feeling of being sick to my stomach.
“Here you go.” I open my eyes and see Eli standing by my bed, placing the steaming mug on my nightstand.
“Thanks,” I smile up at him.
“Any better?”
“I will be,” I nod, trying to convince us both.
“Rest. I’ll be back in an hour or so to see how you’re doing.” His lips brush against my forehead.
I nod and close my eyes. If I sleep, I won’t feel sick. That’s what I repeat to myself as my body tenses with another roll of nausea.
I take a sip of tea, allowing the warmth to calm me. Closing my eyes again, I sleep, praying I’ll feel completely normal after a nap.
I stir in bed, something tickling my face. I rub my cheek against my shoulder, shifting to get comfortable.
A deep chuckle wakes me, becoming fully alert, and I blink my eyes open. Golden pools look at me with a guilty smirk. Eli’s sitting on a chair next to the bed.
“Hey,” I whisper, grabbing his hand that was moving across my face, and holding it in both of mine.
“How are you feeling?”
“Eh,” I shrug, lacing our fingers together.
“You barely drank your tea.” Eli nods toward the mug.
“I fell asleep after a sip. Sorry.”
“It’s okay. I just want you to have something in your system.” He leans forward on his seat, bringing our connected hands to his lips and kissing the inside of my wrist. “Let’s go to the doctor.”
I shake my head. “I’ll be okay.”
“Averly, you’re pale.” Eli sighs as I shake my head repetitively.
“I’m better. See?” I sit up, apparently faster than I should have because I have to run to the bathroom. This time it isn’t a false alarm. I barely make it in time to empty everything in my stomach.
I cough in the most unladylike way as I gag. This is not good.
“That’s it, we’re going,” Eli says in his non-negotiable tone. If I had it in me, I could probably convince him it isn’t necessary.
“I’m okay,” I say weakly before brushing my teeth. “I’ll go tomorrow, if I’m not better,” I try to compromise.
“You’ll waste another day of not working,” he crosses his arms and cocks an eyebrow. Damn it, he knows how to get me to cave.
“Fine.”
“Babe,” Eli holds my hand as I escape the bathroom. He pulls me to him, holding me close. “Doctor Bryant can probably give you something that will help ease the symptoms and accelerate your recovery.”
“Yeah,” I sigh. Eli’s right. If I go now, I’ll have a greater guarantee of being better tomorrow.
“I feel yucky.” My nose wrinkles.
Eli chuckles and kisses my nose. “You’re beautiful.” The pad of his thumb brushes my cheek, the sensation of his calloused hands a contrast to his gentle touch.
…
Eli
I’ve never felt more helpless than I do right now. Seeing Averly in pain and discomfort without being able to take it away, frustrates the hell out of me. If I can help by taking her to see the doctor, then that’s what I’ll do. I’ll do anything to make her feel better.
I glance at her out of the corner of my eye and observe her deep, slow breaths. One of her hands rolls into her fist, her knuckles turning white. She’s holding in her discomfort from me.
I know it’s probably just a bug, but the idea of Averly being sick scares me. The worry that it can be something else besides a virus makes my skin crawl. I’ve got her, she’s let me in, and I refuse to lose her now.
I shake those ridiculous thoughts out of my head. Averly is fine. Nothing some medicine and crackers won’t fix.
I park outside the doctor’s office and rush to the passenger side to open her door, helping her out of my truck. I’m tempted to carry her, but Averly will kill me for causing a scene in town.
As soon as we walk into the office, I let Doctor Bryant’s nurse know that I’m here with Averly. I had the idea to call him this morning and tell him I may be going by if I could convince Averly. He assured me he’d see her no matter the time we came by. God bless small-town doctors.
“How are you feeling?” I ask her as I take a seat in the waiting room.
“Same as a few seconds ago when you asked,” she tries to joke, but her smile is weak.
I put my arm around her and pull her to my side so she can rest her head on my shoulder. I run my fingers up and down her arm, feeling the tension in her body surrender as her shoulders relax with each breath she takes.
I let out a relieved breath when the nurse calls Averly into the exam room no more than ten minutes after we arrived.
“What are you doing?” Averly asks when I walk into the room with her.
“Don’t even try to convince me to wait outside.” I shake my head, not backing down. I’ll be in there when the doctor examines her in case Averly forgets to mention something to me and to make sure I don’t have any questions. Knowing her, Averly will brush off what the doctor says.
“Hi,” Doctor Bryant says as he walks in after the nurse has taken Averly’s vitals.
“Hi,” she says quietly, holding her stomach as if that will stop the sick feeling.
I shake Doctor Bryant’s hand then give Averly some privacy to speak without feeling like I’m hovering. I look around the posters on the wall before grabbing a brochure about chronic pain off of a rack. I flip to the first page, skimming the paragraphs.
My ears perk up when Doctor Bryant asks Averly when she had her last period.
I don’t turn around. I don’t move. I hold my breath while I wait for her to answer, and it seems like it takes years for her to speak a word.
“About a month ago?” I hear the question in her voice. It’s not like her to not know something like this. She’s got an app and everything that tracks this for her.
“I should be getting it this week, I’ve been spotting. I’m on a new birth control, so I’m still getting used to it.” I hear a rustling sound as the doctor asks her another question I don’t catch.
When I turn around, Averly is looking down at her phone. Her hand grips the device as if she’s choking the life out of it, but it’s the only sign something isn’t right.
“Maybe a little more than a month,” she tells Doctor Bryant, keeping her gaze on the screen, her eyes moving wildly back and forth. I stare at her, my hands tucked into my pockets, but she doesn’t look at me.
The doctor asks her questions about the birth control she’s on, but all I hear is my blood rushing to my ears.
“We’ll do a pregnancy test just to rule out every option before moving forward,” Doctor Bryant says. “Cathy will help you.” The nurse walks in with a smile, helping Averly to her feet and leading her out of the exam room.
I stare at her, silence falling between us, as she still refuses to look at me. The next few minutes linger between time and space, a void of movement as I wait to find out if I’m about to become a father.
Averly
My hands won’t stop trembling. I’ve tucked them into the sleeves of my sweater, and even then, they shake profusely. I want to cry. I feel the pressure bubbling in my chest, yet I feel empty. My breaths are shallow and hard, my brain muddled. My life…turned upside down.
Make You Mine Page 18
