by Nicky James
“You take care of my son,” she said in accented English. “He is my world.”
“I will.”
“Make sure he calls his mama and comes to visit. Don’t let that big city swallow him up.”
I smiled even though she couldn’t see me and gave her hand a squeeze of acknowledgment. “I won’t. My family is here too, so we’ll be back to visit frequently,” I talk-yelled.
Mama Rojas pulled me down and kissed my forehead then she muttered something else in Spanish. Iggy smiled in my direction, so I knew whatever it was wasn’t a bad thing.
I hugged Bryn again before she moved into Iggy’s arms for an extra long hug of her own. More tears streamed down Iggy’s face as he peeked over her shoulder to his mom. The poor guy was having a hard time with this goodbye. I knew he would, and part of me felt guilty because it was my job taking us away.
“I’ll take good care of her,” Bryn whispered by Iggy’s ear. “Please don’t worry about her. Trust me.”
“I’ll always worry about her,” he blubbered. “She’s my mama. It’s been me and her for so long.”
Their hug kept going until Phoenix convinced Iggy to let go. Leaving his mom in someone else’s care while he moved three hours away was a difficult thing. He’d been fretting for weeks even though he’d assured me he’d get through it.
We said a final goodbye to everyone before making our way back out to the car. Iggy took a minute pulling himself together while Phoenix offered him a tissue and a bro-hug.
“I’m gonna try following you,” Phoenix told Iggy as they pulled apart. “In case we get separated, text me the address so I can Google Map it.”
Iggy spent a second doing just that, then he took one final, longing look at the house where Bryn and his mom stood by the window—Bryn encouraging Mama Rojas to wave even though she couldn’t see—before we got in the car and drove away.
With the open highway ahead of us and Dewhurst behind, Iggy and I linked our hands together and drove toward our future. There were a lot of scary unknowns waiting in Toronto. It was a huge city, and my new job was going to test all my skills, but I was ready for it.
Our families were behind us every step of the way. Dewhurst might not be home anymore, but my home and my heart traveled with me. He was the man who’d stood beside me when things got rough. The person who’d fought for me when everything went wrong. I was his heart, his soul, and his life.
Our future was wide open and full of promise.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Ireland
A warm fall breeze blew across the open field that had once been a pasture for cattle. No animals roamed there any longer, and the grassy acres were painted red, yellow, and mauve with the scattering of fall leaves that had blown off the trees from the distant forest.
September had arrived.
The scent of the changing season lingered in the air: wet earth, rotting leaves, and a hint of decaying vegetation. The clouds were thick, an autumn sky, but summer warmth still clung to the land making beads of sweat pop out across my brow. I inhaled and closed my eyes, seeking a calm serenity while blocking out the twitchy nerves making my skin buzz.
The big red barn which had once accommodated Raven’s loft living arrangement stood solid and formidable against the slate gray sky. Its front doors were wide open, propped with cement blocks on either side, and the large interior had been set up with white, tablecloth draped tables and fancy strings of lights that hung from the rafters. Chinese lanterns glowed with warm yellow light and had been placed in the middle of each table as centerpieces. White lattice closed off the back section and hid the old farm equipment. It was laced with sheer fabric and white roses.
Off to the side, an area had been set up for the band to play later. They’d invited a friend to fill in the vocal section for when Raven wanted to dance and mingle with guests.
Beside the barn, white lawn chairs had been placed in even rows, all facing a floral weaved archway up front where I’d be making my vows in just over an hour.
Raven had been swept away ages ago by his sister and taken inside to get ready. I wouldn’t see him again until the ceremony began. I’d been placed in the caring hands of my doctor. It was a good thing she was also one of my best and closest friends.
“How are you holding up?” Erin asked as she came up behind me.
I blew out a breath and glanced down at my tux, checking for the hundredth time to ensure it was sitting straight. “Nervous, but excited too.”
Erin wore a cute white summer dress with a floral pattern in yellows and oranges that accented her strawberry blonde hair. Ebony, Raven’s sister, had braided it into this fancy updo that made her eyes stand out pretty against her pale, freckled skin. A few loose curls framed her face.
Erin tugged me around with a small yank on my jacket so I stood square in front of her. She fussed with my bowtie and smoothed my shirt front. My heart hammered away, and I knew she felt it when she laid her hand on my chest and stilled.
“Breathe, Ireland. You’ll get yourself in a knot and you won’t be able to do this.”
I closed my eyes and followed her directions, placing my own hand over hers and keeping her in place. Like Raven, Erin’s touch had the ability to calm me.
After a few minutes, I opened my eyes again and met her steadying gaze. “Better?” she asked.
“I don’t know. Yes?” I chuckled and ducked my head, releasing her hand and turning once again to admire the setup Ebony had worked hard preparing for us. “It looks really beautiful.”
“It does.”
More silence loomed between us before I spoke what had been on my mind the past few hours.
“I miss my mom. I wish she could have known about this. Been here today. Saw me get married. Met Raven.”
“I know. She’d have been so happy for you. Proud. You’ve come a long way, Ireland.”
“I wish she could have seen that too. She and I were such a mess all the time.” I blew out a breath and shoved my hands in my pockets as I shook away the past and tried to focus on today.
The sound of a car driving up on the gravel driveway had both Erin and me turning around.
“Guests are arriving. Shall we?”
I held out my arm for Erin, and she clasped my elbow with a small smile. We’d been put in charge of greeting guests and showing them where to go for the ceremony. Also, monitoring parking. Ebony was busy with Raven and the kids doing food preparation for later and ensuring Raven stayed away from me.
We’d only invited a small crowd. A few friends, some colleagues, and Raven’s family. Over the past five months, I’d become close with many people from group as well, so they’d all been invited. There were less than forty people in total. Plenty for our small backyard wedding.
The approaching car was one I recognized immediately. As it slowed and parked in the marked off area, I tilted my head back with an exaggerated groan. Krew barreled out of the car the minute it stopped and bounced across the lawn with his arms flung wide.
“Ireland, you sexy thing. Get over here and hug me. I deserve it. It’s your last day as a free man. Take me in your arms and love me.”
Taking tight control of the buzzing bees under my skin, I blew out a breath, squeezed my eyes shut tight and shook out my hands before meeting him head-on. I fucking loved that man about as much as I hated him. I could do this for him once.
“One time, Krew,” I said as I got closer. “Enjoy it while you can. Never again.”
I opened my arms and braced for the impact because he came running, fancy suit, dress shoes and all. He didn’t hold back, either. Less than a foot away, Krew launched into my arms, colliding with my chest and wrapping his legs around my waist.
“Finally!” he cheered, squeezing me tight.
It was overwhelming, and it took a little more control than I anticipated, but I didn’t let him linger long. However, before he slid back to the ground, he pinched my face between his hands and laid a wet one right on my lips with a
big wet smacking noise to go with it.
Then he dropped to the ground and strutted back toward Max who was shaking his head.
“Best. Day. Ever,” Krew announced.
I wiped my mouth, laughing, and held up defeated hands toward Max. Honestly, Krew was just being Krew. There was no containing or controlling that man. Max knew it and never seemed bothered by his boyfriend’s uncontained and uncontrollable flirtations with everyone.
Max smacked Krew’s butt good-naturedly which made him squeal and grab his ass before Max came and offered me a hand.
“Congratulations, and I’m sorry about that, but you had to know it was going to happen eventually.”
I shook Max’s hand, chuckling. “I’m just surprised it didn’t happen a year ago.”
Erin showed Max and Krew where to sit as more cars pulled up the driveway and found a place to park. I greeted Raven’s parents, an aunt and uncle I’d met only once, Reece and Levi from the band, Arden and Iggy who’d driven from Toronto to be here this weekend, Grayson and Beck, and Adrian who apologized for Rory’s absence.
“The only way he was going to make this happen was with a hefty dose of drugs, and believe me, you don’t want that.”
“No worries. I understand,” I said, shaking Adrian’s hand.
“He sends his best.”
Adrian went and found a spot with Krew and Max just as I caught sight of Finn and Aven getting out of their car. I watched as the two men fussed in the back seat before coming out with an overfilled diaper bag and a compact stroller.
I grinned and headed over to see if they could use any help.
“I can hold her,” Aven was saying. “We don’t need the stroller, do we?”
“What if she gets fussy?” Finn said as he pulled a chubby bundle of ruffled pink from the back seat. “Best take it. You don’t want her interrupting the ceremony. We might need to walk her around.
“Okay, yeah. That’s true.”
“Need a hand with anything?” I asked coming up alongside the car.
Finn and Aven both turned and grinned wide. “Hey. It’s the handsome groom. I think we’ve got it, but thank you,” Aven said.
“Congratulations,” Finn said, shifting the baby onto his hip and offering out his hand.
We shook as I observed the baby in his arms. She had a white bow in her curly red hair, a pink dress and a knitted white sweater over top. She had white tights, and her shoes were white silk with lace ties that did up like ballet shoes. She blinked wide green eyes back at me while clinging to Finn’s neck and sucking her thumb.
“Well hello there. You must be Scarlet.”
She buried her face in Finn’s chest, and he laughed, bouncing her and patting her back when she fussed. “She’s not loving strangers right now. She does this for Aven’s mom and Maggie and basically anyone who isn’t me or Daddy.”
“How old is she now?” I asked.
“Almost five months,” Aven said as he rounded the car and opened the folded up stroller.
He took Scarlet from Finn and smothered kisses on her belly making her laugh before setting her carefully into the seat and buckling her up.
“Congratulations, my man,” Aven said once he straightened. “Big day.”
“Thanks.” I shook his hand too and waved them to follow me as we walked to where the ceremony would take place.
“So how is parenthood treating you guys?” I asked.
Finn laughed. “Well, I don’t think I’ve slept in five months. So there is that. Do me a favor and don’t tell Dr. Kelby. I see she’s here. I’m failing in all aspects of my therapy right now. I'm living off coffee and sarcasm. Sleep is an illusion.”
Aven chuckled and clasped Finn’s hand before kissing his knuckles. “Nonsense. You aren’t slipping. Lack of sleep due to having a baby isn’t the same thing. We’re both suffering sleep deprivation right now. It will get better.”
“I know. I was kidding. But honestly, this has been the best thing to ever happen to us. Scarlet coming into our lives, becoming a family, I can’t even describe it.”
“Amazing,” Aven added. “Just purely amazing.”
Someday, I told myself. When I’d gone longer without major setbacks, then Raven and I could look at doing the same thing. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted a family one day.
After delivering Aven and Finn to the seating area, Erin came up and tugged me aside.
“Ebony said things are ready to start. You need to get into your place.”
I pulled myself straighter and wiped a hand down my jacket front. “Do I look okay?”
She scanned me once before smiling. “Handsome as ever. Now go.”
I slipped away to the place I’d been instructed to wait on the other side of the barn. From there, I heard the wedding music when it kicked on and waited for my cue to meet Raven at the head of the aisle so we could walk down together, hand in hand.
I’d always found Raven to be handsome. His hard-working, rugged exterior, his dark as night curls, his perpetually unshaven face, and his silver-blue eyes all came together to make the perfect man for me. Not to mention his kind heart, soul-crushing smile, and endless patience.
In a tux, clean shaven, hair tied back, and standing in front of me before all our friends and family as we made our vows, he was drop-dead gorgeous. Everything I could have asked for in a man. My personal nirvana. Perfection.
All the days I’d fallen apart, Raven had stood beside me and encouraged me to get up and keep going. He’d been my shoulder to cry on and my unwavering support. He’d never asked for more than I could give, and his love was boundless.
Today, we would become husbands, and it would bring us that much closer.
“Do you, Raven Kingsley, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband. To have and to hold, through sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?”
Raven’s eyes never left mine, and he squeezed my hands tight as he whispered, “I do.”
“And do you, Ireland Hayes, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband. To have and to hold, through sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?”
“I do.” My voice cracked on the two words, and Raven smiled.
“Then by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you to be husbands. You may seal this marriage with a kiss.”
Knowing how cautious Raven would be today considering my nerves were elevated, I dropped his hands and was the one to step forward. I took his face between my palms and peered deep into his eyes.
“I love you so much.”
“I love you too,” he mouthed.
I joined us in a deep, bonding kiss as everyone in the audience cheered and clapped.
The kiss naturally ended, and I wrapped my arms around Raven, hugging him tight and treasuring our close connection, knowing that only a year ago this was something I could barely do. It wouldn’t always be easy. There would be times I’d slip backward. Times I’d need all the space in the world. But I knew, no matter what my future held, Raven would be there to help me get through it.
We were in this together.
Him and me.
Always.
THE END
Or is it?
Stay tuned for more tales from Dewhurst Point.
“Fear Niblets”
These will be shorter novellas that will be released at random. They will not be numbered and will be 100% standalone. The characters in these stories will explore lesser fears and learn to conquer their struggles with the help of a loving partner.
Stay tuned for the first Fear Niblet
“Rigger’s Decision”
Coming soon…
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Other Titles by Nicky James
Standalone Contemporary
Trusting Tanner
Twinkle Star
Love Me Whole (available in audio)
Rocky Mountain Refuge
The Christmas I Know
Trials of Fear
Owl’s Slumber
Shades of Darkness
Touch of Love
Fearless (A companion novel)
Lost in a Moment
Cravings of the Heart
Heal With You (Finale)
Healing Hearts Series
No Regrets (available in audio)
New Beginnings: Abel’s Journey (available in audio)
The Escape: Soren’s Saga
Lost Soul: AJ’s Burden
Taboo
Sinfully Mine
Historical
Until the End of Time
Steel My Heart
Tales from Edovia Series
Something from Nothing
Buried Truths
Secrets Best Untold
