Finding You: The Switched Series book one

by Brittany Bromley

  “I can’t go back. I should have told the truth from the beginning. He may think he loves me now, but every time he looks at me he is going to be reminded I’m the reason he has no family.”

  “Callie, please tell me you don’t seriously believe that. He’s not stupid. He knows it’s not your fault or his dads fault. These things happen, he should know that better than anybody. He just needed someone to blame and you were the easiest person. They really do care about you here and are really worried.”

  “You can tell them I’m okay, just don’t tell them where I am. I really don’t want them to worry. I’m really sorry I ran out on you this morning. I didn’t even see you. Were you even there?” I ask her, thinking how strange it was that I didn’t wake her up.

  “Of course I was there. Where else would I have been? I better go before they come looking for me. I’ll be home soon. Get some rest. You have had a long night.”

  “Okay, thanks for everything Leighton. I’ll talk to you soon,” I say, before hanging up. I really do have the best friend in the world. I just hope she really can keep a secret.

  I don’t know how long I have been asleep, all I know is my doorbell is ringing nonstop and it better be Leighton and no one else. I open the door and my heart jumps up into my throat. It’s not Leighton. It’s the one person I thought I would never see again. Before I can say anything, Ash picks me up and carries me over to the couch. He sits down bringing me down onto his lap and just holds on to me like he will never let go. His face is buried in my neck and I am starting to feel the tears that are running down my face hitting my neck.

  “I am so sorry,” I whisper to him. He just hugs me tighter before removing his face from my neck to look at me.

  “Please don’t ever leave me again. I honestly don’t think I know how to live without you in my life. I need you. Please come home with me,” he says, staring into my eyes.

  “I can’t,” I say. “I love you so much, but I can’t stand the thought of you looking at me one day and resenting me because you have no family. It’s my fault. If I hadn’t begged him to stay with me, he could have saved your family. I am so sorry,” I say, feeling my own tears running down my face now.

  “I had a long time to think on the flight down here. I know it’s not your fault. I never really thought that, I just needed somebody to blame and you were the easiest person. I talked to my dad today. We actually had a conversation that didn’t involve me screaming at him or walking away. That hasn’t happened in years. I am so thankful you have had him in your life. You deserved to have someone and I can’t thank him enough for taking care of you.”

  “I shouldn’t have had him in my life, you should have. I will never forgive myself for asking him to stay with me that night. If I hadn’t, you would still have your family together. It’s my fault you have no one.”

  “That’s not true baby. I really am glad he had you. Look at it this way; while you were spending holidays with him, I was with your family. Maybe this year we can all celebrate together,” he says to me with a small smile on his face.

  “You would do that? Spend the holidays with your dad?”

  “Yes, I plan on spending every holiday for the rest of my life with you and my dad,” he says, looking into my eyes.

  “How can you just forgive me like that? It’s my fault you have been alone. It’s my fault you will never have another conversation with your mom or watch your sister grow up. Not only did I take them away from you, but I also took your dad away from you. I don’t think I will ever be able to forgive myself for that. I know how that feels and I would never wish that on anybody.”

  “I know you would never do that Callie. That’s one of the things I love about you. All you ever do is worry about other people. I have watched it since the first time I saw you sitting on that fence staring out at all of those horses. I honestly think I fell in love with you at that moment. All you have done is try to make all of this easier on everybody else, your brothers, parents, even Molly. You are the most selfless person I have ever met. For once, Callie, please do something for you. Stay here if that’s what you want. Go back to Tennessee if that’s what you want. The choice is yours, but please let me be wherever you are. If you don’t want to come home with me, please let me stay here with you.”

  “You would do that? Leave your life there and move here to be with me. Knowing everything you do about me. Every secret is out. Are you sure you can forgive me for everything I have lied about?” I ask him. The tears are still flowing down my face. I know what I’m going to do. I just need to make sure he is still one hundred percent sure of me.

  “I don’t think you lied. I think you kept a lot of secrets to yourself. I hope you know you can tell me anything and we will work through it together from now on. I still can’t believe I never figured out who Clay was,” he says, shaking his head and smiling at me. “I love you baby and I really hope you pick me. I feel like I died that night with my mom and sister and you brought me back. I can’t tell you how many times I wished it had been me instead of them. Now I know why it wasn’t me, because I was meant for you for forever. I love you so much. Please come home with me.”

  “I think I know what I want to do,” I say to him, taking a deep breath.

  “Okay baby, anything you want, just please say I’m included,” Ash says, pushing me off of his lap to sit beside him. He turns to look me straight in the eyes. I don’t know what he is going to say, but before he says it, I have to tell him something first before I chicken out.

  “I want to go to Vegas,” I blurt out before he can say anything.

  “You want to go to Vegas? Why? Please say you don’t want to live there,” he says.

  “I don’t want to live there. I want to live in Nashville, with you. I want to try to have a relationship with my family, all of them, even Molly. Most of all, I want to go to sleep with you every night and wake up with you every morning. I want to live in your house with you and Scooby. I’m still not sure I will ever want kids. If that’s a deal breaker, I understand. If it’s not, then I want to grow old with you by my side, because if I have you, I honestly believe I can get through anything life throws my way. I want to pack up all of my things and I want to go home with you. I guess what I am saying is Ash, will you marry me?”

  He is just staring at me like I have suddenly grown another head. Why is he not saying anything? He said he wanted me forever, but he is just staring at me not saying a word. This is officially the worst day of my life. After what feels like forever, I get up to run out the door when he catches my hand and pulls be back into his lap.

  “Kids are not a deal breaker for me. I have something for you,” he says, moving me to the side and taking something out of his pocket. “This was my moms. My dad gave it to me to give to you before I left.” He opens up his hand and shows me what’s in it. “I guess I wasn’t quick enough. I want to do this right too, so Callie,” he says, before scooting me back onto the couch so he can get on one knee in front of me. “Will you please do me the honor of flying to Vegas with me and making me the happiest man that will ever walk this earth?” he asks, putting the most perfect diamond ring on my finger.

  “Are you sure you want me to have this? Are you sure Clay wants me to have this. It has to mean the world to him. Yes, I will marry you, but I can’t accept this ring.”

  “We both agree that it is perfect for you. He said my mom would want you to have it. I want you to have it. She was the most important woman in my life for a long time, but now you are. Please accept this ring Callie, unless you don’t like it. We can go buy any ring you want if you don’t. I want you to have what you like. We can go tomorrow and get any ring you want,” he says, finally getting off of one knee to sit down by me again.

  “I want this ring. It’s perfect. I just didn’t want to take it from her, but if the two of you want me to have it, then it would be an honor to wear it. When can we go to Vegas?” I ask, staring down at my hand. I can’t believe this morning I thou
ght I would never see this man again and this afternoon I am going to get to spend the rest of my life with him.

  “I’m free tomorrow if you are,” he says, grabbing the back of my neck to pull me in for a long kiss.

  “I’m free tomorrow, but I think tonight sounds a whole lot better,” I say, climbing back onto his lap before pressing my lips back to his.

  “Tonight can definitely be arranged,” he says, pulling his phone out of his pocket to call the airport.

  “I only have one condition,” I say, pulling the phone out of his hand and holding it behind my back. “We can’t tell anyone. It has to stay a secret for now.”

  “Are you kidding me? Didn’t you just say not even ten minutes ago no more secrets? Why do you not want anyone to know?”

  “I said no more secrets between us. I didn’t leave things in a good way with any of them. I’m pretty sure they would all think this is a bad idea. If I am going to work things out with them, then I have to work things out with Molly. If she knows we are married, that would be awful. Did you really have no idea she has been in love with you forever?”

  “What are you talking about? She is not in love with me. She has been nothing but a little sister to me as long as I have known her. Why would you think that she is in love with me?”

  “She told me. That’s what started the whole I knew we were switched a long time ago fight. She asked what was going on between us. I tried to lie to her because I didn’t want everybody to know, but she knew too much. She said the two of you used to be together and you would just use me and break my heart like you did to her. I’m assuming she was lying. I hope I’m right,”

  “I was never with her. If I had been with her and broke her heart, her brothers would have killed me. I don’t want to talk about her anymore. I just had the most amazing woman in the world agree to fly to Vegas with me. I guess I can keep one more secret to make her happy, but promise we won’t keep it long. I really don’t like keeping things from them and they are going to be furious if they think we are shacking up. They really are like family to me.”

  “I promise, we can tell everybody as soon as we get everything figured out with them. Can we leave tonight?”

  “I’m ready when you are,” he says, nodding his head at me. I don’t know what I did to deserve this man, but I am very thankful I found him.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Where am I and what is that sound? I lift my head and look over next to me where my husband is. I still can’t believe I am married. We left my house to go straight to the airport and headed to Vegas that night. After doing a little clothes shopping because neither of us packed anything, we found an all-night wedding chapel and I officially became Callie Clayton. The only person we called and told where we were was Clay. It wasn’t my idea, but Ash wanted to let him know we had put the ring to good use and thank him one more time. He also agreed to keep our secret. He didn’t think it was a very good idea, but he would do anything for us. After spending the night in Vegas, we flew back to Miami and started packing my stuff. We rented a truck and trailer and brought back the few things I wanted to keep. We both decided to go furniture shopping together and make this place ours.

  The truck and trailer, I’m sure everyone has seen it by now and that’s the sound.

  “Ash, wake up,” I yell at him, jumping out of the bed to find some clothes. “Ash, you have to get up.”

  “Good morning beautiful. Come back to bed, we don’t have to be anywhere today. Come on,” he says, trying to grab me and pull me back into the bed. He lets go of me when he hears the beating on the door, and from the sounds of it more than one person is here. That gets his attention. Jumping out of the bed he grabs jeans and a t-shirt and puts them on.

  “What time is it?”

  “It’s already ten in the morning and Saturday. You know none of them are working today. What are we going to tell them?” I yell, starting to panic. I didn’t think about what we were going to tell them, I just thought about what not to tell them.

  “We don’t have to tell them anything. We are adults. Let them think what they want. I should have known they would be here as soon as they figured out you were. It’s going to be fine. Just act natural, okay,” he says, kissing my forehead. “You may want to take that ring off if you still want to keep this a secret. Up to you,” he says, making his way out of the room to open the door. I quickly slide the ring off of my finger and put it in a box on the dresser. Maybe we should just tell them we are engaged, at least then I could wear the ring.

  I walk out into the living room and it goes completely silent. All three of my brothers turn around and just look at me.

  “Hi,” I say looking from one to another. When my eyes hit Brody, he is just looking at Ash. Collin is the first one to me and picks me up in a huge hug.

  “Thank you for coming back. I didn’t think you were going to. Please say you are planning to stay and that’s why there is a trailer outside,” he says, letting me go to look at my face.

  “I’m staying,” I say, looking at them all.

  “I hope you’re staying for all of us and not just this guy,” Brody says, pointing at Ash. I look at Ash then for the first time since I walked into the room and he just smiles at me.

  “Can’t I just stay for all of you?” I ask Brody, smiling.

  “I guess that’s okay, but where do you plan on living? Leighton went back to Miami since school starts next week and I’m pretty sure you don’t want to live in a hotel anyway,” he says.

  “I was planning on staying here,” I say, looking at Ash, who just smiles back at me.

  “Absolutely not,” Brody says, looking from me to Ash. “She is not shacking up with you man. I love you like a brother, but that is not happening.” Again Ash just looks at me and smiles. He knew Brody would be furious and refuse to let me stay here and he thinks I’ll give in and tell them we are married. Obviously he doesn’t know me that well after all. I just grin back at him and turn to Brody.

  “Where do you think I should stay?”

  “You can stay with me or even them,” he says, pointing to Jaxon and Collin. “Just don’t stay with him,” he says, pointing at Ash again. “Mom and dad are really not going to like it and I don’t either. You should be with family.”

  I really didn’t plan on them having a problem with this, but I guess I was wrong. I thought they would just be so happy I was back that they wouldn’t care where I lived.

  “Brody, thank you for caring so much, but I am staying here and no one is changing my mind. This is where I want to be and this is where I feel safe. I’m sorry if you don’t like it, but I’m not going anywhere.”

  Brody just keeps staring at me before his lips turn up into the biggest smile I have ever seen. “Okay, I’m moving back in,” he says, turning to look at Ash who is just smiling and shaking his head.

  “You want to move in here with Ash and me?” I ask, trying to think of a way to change his mind. He just smiles back at me and start nodding his head. He really thinks he’s going to win this little game. He couldn’t be more wrong.

  “Okay, but don’t worry about taking the couch, your bed has been empty for quite some time now,” I say, before turning around and walking back into Ash’s bedroom. Ash will probably kill me for leaving him with that mess, but I have no idea what else to say to make him not want to stay here. I hope they aren’t out there trying to kill each other right now.

  “It looks like we are getting a new roommate,” Ash says, coming to lay down on the bed with me.

  “I’m sorry, how mad is he?”

  “He’s not mad. He thinks he will eventually change your mind and you will move out. However, I am furious,” he says, leaning over to kiss me.

  “Why are you kissing me if you are so furious?” I ask, pulling him on top of me.

  “I didn’t say I was mad at you. I’m mad we have to be so quiet now. These walls are pretty thin around here. I wouldn’t want him to run in here and choke me to death because you
are way too loud.”

  “You need to get off my sister and get your tail in here and help us unload her crap if she’s really staying here,” Brody yells through the door, making me burst out laughing.

  “Thank you,” I say to Ash giving him one more kiss. He looks down at me with a confused expression, “for letting Brody stay here and not getting mad at me about it. I know it’s not an ideal arrangement for newlyweds, so thank you,” I say to him.

  “You are very welcome baby. He won’t really stay here anyway. I think he was just getting his bluff in. He knows you will be safe here. He wouldn’t be unloading your crap if he wasn’t okay with it. He usually gets what he wants,” he says, giving me one last kiss before getting up to go help my brothers. I am definitely one very lucky girl. I get up and follow him into the living room and start telling them where to put everything. It’s not much, but most of it has special meaning to me. After they have gotten everything unloaded, Brody turns to look at me.

  “Mom and dad are having a cookout tonight and really want you to come. Molly should be there, so they didn’t know how you would feel about that. Clay will be there and I guess Ash will have to be there if you are,” he says, smiling.

  “I can handle Molly,” I say, turning around to look at Ash. “Can you handle your dad being there?”

  “I can handle anything for you,” he says, grinning. “I told you I am good with my dad and I meant it. I have actually talked to him twice in the past week so he would know what was going on with you.”

  “You talked to him twice and he didn’t even ask to talk to me?” I practically scream at him. He looks up at me shocked.

  “You were busy both times, he did ask about you though. Do you have a problem with me talking to my dad?” he asks. Brody, Jaxon and Collin take this as their cue to leave. They tell us bye and they will see us tonight and head for the door.