Beautiful Dreams (The Beautiful Series)

by Rae, Alicia

  I smiled at him. My heart swelled at the thought of him doing all of this for me. He wanted me to be happy here, but what he didn’t realize was that I would be happy anywhere as long as I was with him.

  “I do,” I breathed against his wet lips. “And I love you,” I stated simply.

  “I love you, too, Lily—always,” he said in a quiet tone.

  We enjoyed the lake for several hours—swimming, relaxing on the beach, and pushing each other off the dock. I adored this carefree playful side of Kyle. Here, we did not have to think about our to-do lists or work. It was just us and our never-ending affection for one another.

  After drying off, we dressed back into our street clothes because the temperature was starting to drop, and we watched the sunset. It was one of my favorite things to do, especially near water because all the colors reflected off of it.

  We packed up our belongings and made our way back to his car. The short trip back seemed like twice the distance than before. It was probably from playing in the water for so long. Swimming was one of those activities that I never seemed to realize how tired I was until the aftermath.

  On our drive back to the house, I thanked Kyle once again for an exceptional evening. Seeing how naturally caring and thoughtful he was warmed every part of me.

  Over the next two weeks, we fell into a very domestic pattern of living together. Kyle would leave before I was up for work. He’d write me cute notes here and there, or he’d text me when he knew I’d still be in bed, teasing me for sleeping until half past eight.

  Then, I would make my way upstairs to the loft and begin my day’s work. By the time Kyle arrived home every night, I’d have dinner ready for him, and we would talk about our day. Afterward, we’d snuggle on the couch, and we’d watch an old rerun or a movie on Netflix until Kyle would start stealing bases, and he’d end up throwing me over his shoulder before making his way to the bedroom.

  That was one thing I would never tire of. I loved the way he couldn’t seem to keep his hands off of me, and I felt the same.

  Our wedding plans filled the rest of our spare time since it was only two short weeks away. Kyle and I decided to rent a spot near Lake Tahoe, and we would exchange our vows overlooking the water. We planned to have a small reception at our house in the backyard. I quickly accepted his ideas of renting a tent and chairs and hiring a DJ, so we could entertain everyone outside. His eyes glowed with happiness every time I asked him a question in regard to our wedding.

  The only thing I was missing was what to wear for my something blue. It was bugging me, but I settled on knowing I still had two weeks to figure it out.

  Kyle had even opened up with tiny bits about himself here and there. It was mostly only about his childhood. I eagerly listened to all of his stories about Ryan and Abbey. It seemed like they had all been so close while growing up, and it was one of the things we had in common. No matter how much we’d fought with our siblings or how they had driven us crazy at times, both of our families meant the world to us.

  I was anxious to know more about his adult years, but he had not said anything to me about it since opening up about Colton that day at the restaurant. I desperately wanted to ask, but I did not want to push Kyle.

  I was slowly getting to know the area better, and I was quite proud that I had gotten lost only once while on my way home from doing some quick shopping at Target. Silly me had thought I could take a side road and come out knowing where I was, but it had turned out that I was way off. Kyle had laughed into the phone while trying to give me directions back to the house.

  After talking with Kyle, I sent Brooke a round-trip plane ticket to fly out for a visit. She received her birthday gift in the mail a day earlier than expected.

  I was eagerly awaiting her arrival tonight. I had promised her a night in with lots of wine while we hashed out the remaining wedding details. Then, tomorrow, we would be off to shop.

  As I was barreling down to my last hour of work today, I was now seven chapters into my new novel. I was quite happy with my progress over the last two weeks.

  I had finished my edits on my last novel that Brooke had sent back to me, and it had gone rather smoothly. Now, I had a two-month deadline for my current one. If I kept to my normal pace, I would have no trouble finishing in time.

  At five o’clock sharp, I closed my laptop and made my way downstairs to get ready to pick up Brooke from the airport. Kyle had to work late, and he had left me precise directions on the countertop, so I wouldn’t get lost. Hopefully, I could make it there and back in one piece.

  I changed into a pair of Victoria’s Secret black yoga pants that read Broncos across the back. It was from an NFL special line, and they were one of my favorite teams. I threw on a Pink long-sleeved tee, and then I put my hair into a ponytail.

  Ready to go, I left the bedroom and strolled into the kitchen, so I could grab Kyle’s dummy-proof directions. Harley pouted at the door, knowing I was leaving.

  “See you later, boy.” I smiled at him before grabbing my car keys off the wall rack.

  Nearing the airport, I was feeling quite proud of myself because I had only made one wrong turn. Once into the airport though, I was quickly confused by all the signs. It took me a solid ten minutes to find the correct gate.

  Brooke was leaning up against the side wall while texting on her phone. As if sensing me near, she tipped her head in my direction. “Lily!” She beamed as she headed my way. “I thought you forgot about me!” she added while hugging me tightly.

  I’d missed her like crazy these last few weeks, and I embraced her back with equal force. “It’s so great to finally see you!” I cried.

  “You, too!” She sniffed while pulling back. “We need to invent a teleport ASAP. This thousand-mile shit is ridiculous.”

  I laughed. It was so good to hear the wild ideas rolling off her tongue.

  “It is. Although, I think a teleport is a bit farfetched.” I grinned. “Maybe we should check into those frequent-flyer miles that everyone raves about.”

  “Definitely,” she chortled.

  I picked up one of her bags, and we sauntered off in the direction from where I’d come.

  “So, do you have any idea how to get out of here? This place is a freaking zoo,” Brooke said.

  I shook my head. “I have no idea because I took so many wrong turns on the way in, so we are going to just have to wing it.”

  “Sounds like a plan to me,” she joked.

  Thirty minutes later, we found my car at last.

  “My God, I didn’t think we were ever going to get out of there,” she huffed while tossing her bags into the backseat.

  “Me either,” I snorted. “Next time, I’ll have to find you one of those airport chauffeurs to bring you to me,” I added teasingly.

  “That might be a good idea.” She chuckled while we each put on our seat belts. “Just make sure he picks me up straight from the gate.”

  Brooke leaned forward and turned on the music. She kept the volume low enough, so we could still make conversation on the ride home.

  “So, are you learning your way around yet?” she asked nonchalantly.

  “Well, if you count getting lost only once on the way here and depending on how long it takes for us to get back to the house, I guess you could say so,” I replied with humor.

  “That sounded convincing.” She snickered. Then, she began humming to the beat pouring out of the speakers. After a minute, she turned to face me. “So, how is the wedding planning coming along?”

  “Good,” I answered while judging the streetlight ahead. I quickly glanced at Kyle’s directions. Thinking this was my turn, I made a left at the next crossing. “Tomorrow, we are going with Abbey, Kyle’s sister, and Kate, his sister-in-law, to pick out the bridesmaid dresses and shoes. I can’t wait for you to meet them.”

  “Are they nice?” Brooke asked with a raised brow, looking at me.

  “Of course. You’ll love them!” I smiled while keeping my eyes on the ro
ad.

  “In that case, I’m thrilled to meet them,” Brooke replied.

  I could not stop my amused eye roll. Brooke could be someone’s best friend or worst enemy, but I was warmed at the thought that she had my back either way.

  “So, who has Miss Ava?” I asked in reference to her daughter.

  “The hubster took today off, and he will be with her until I get home,” she replied. “As excited as I am for some me time, I already miss her something fierce.”

  I frowned that it was my fault she was away from her family. This distance thing really did stink. “I’m sorry, Brooke. I should have gotten her a ticket, too.”

  She shooed me with her hand. “Nonsense. I’m happy to spend these next two days with you. Besides, it will only make her that more happy to see me when I return.” She laughed. “It’s been Daddy, this and Daddy, that for the last three weeks. Maybe this will give me the upper hand again.” She snickered good-humoredly.

  “I see.” I chuckled. “You’re just using me to get the golden mom card again.”

  She laughed out loud. “Exactly!”

  I shook my head at her silly philosophy as we pulled up into the driveway. I smiled, feeling completely at home. “We’re here,” I said while slightly rotating to take a swift glance at her.

  “Damn,” Brooke said, letting the word roll off her tongue, as she took in the full frontal view of the house. “Kyle sure has great taste.”

  “Yes, he does,” I said with admiration in my tone. “He is very talented.”

  Brooke’s eyes widened in surprise. “He built this?”

  I nodded as I parked my car in the garage. “Yes, a couple of years ago.” As I climbed out of my seat, I said, “Come on, I’ll give you a tour.”

  We each grabbed a bag. It did not go unnoticed that Brooke had enough luggage for a week.

  “Damn, girl. What do you have in these bags of yours?” I huffed while lifting what felt like a fifty-pound suitcase.

  “Didn’t I teach you anything in three years of friendship?” she asked, pretending to be offended. “A girl has got to be prepared, Lily.”

  I rolled my eyes while heaving the luggage all the way through the house to the spare rooms where my cousins had stayed during their visit.

  After setting all of her belongings down in one of the bedrooms, I gave her a quick tour of the house. Looking through the living room window, I even explained to her the ideas for the reception out back. Brooke had offered some helpful insights of how to make things flow. She even suggested hanging lights off the framing of the back patio to lighten the backyard and make it look more romantic. She was so insightful. It was one of the many reasons I loved her.

  I put a pizza in the oven and pulled out a new bottle of merlot. This was our favorite pastime. We never went wrong with pizza, wine, and girl time.

  With our plates full of pizza and glasses in hand, we ambled over to the couch to eat.

  “So, what do you have left for us to knock off on your wedding to-do list?” she asked after swallowing her food.

  I lifted my legs and placed them beneath me to snuggle into my spot on the couch. “Well, definitely, dresses first. My colors are black and white.”

  Her eyes nearly bulged out of her head. “Please tell me your dress isn’t black,” she joked.

  I threw my head back, laughing. “Of course not!” I said while trying to catch my breath. “It’s white! However, the bridesmaid dresses will be black.”

  “Long or short?” she asked as if trying to picture it all in her mind.

  “Long,” I answered before taking a sip of my wine.

  “Flowers?” she fired off.

  “White calla lilies,” I replied.

  Brooke grinned kindheartedly. “How appropriate, Lily,” she teased, making us both roll with laughter.

  “Do you have any accent colors?” She took a huge gulp of her wine.

  “Actually, I do.” I smiled. “The florist is accentuating the center of the calla lilies with a hint of purple dye.”

  “Oh, that will be pretty. I didn’t know they could do that!” Brooke grinned. “What shade of purple?” she asked.

  “Good Lord, you are detailed,” I kidded. “A medium to dark purple for a little contrast.”

  “I can work with that,” she responded while deep in thought.

  “Well, I’m glad you think so,” I replied impishly.

  Just then, I heard the back door to the mudroom open. Brooke and I both turned our heads to see Kyle strolling into the kitchen, looking exhausted. I got up and made my way over to him, and his eyes instantly brightened as they connected with mine.

  “Glad you finally made it home,” I said.

  He pulled me into his arms, and he kissed my forehead softly. “Me, too,” he answered quietly. “It was one hell of a long day.”

  “I’m sorry,” I said, unsure of how to make him feel better. “Do you want some pizza?” I offered.

  Kyle nodded. “Sure. I’ll grab a piece, and then I have to work for a couple of hours in my office.”

  I frowned as I calculated how many hours he had been working this week. It was out of sorts for him. I wanted to ask if everything was okay at work, but I didn’t want to make him uncomfortable in front of Brooke.

  “Okay,” I murmured, giving him a consoling smile.

  “Hello, Brooke.” Kyle smiled over at her and then back at me. The corner of his mouth perked up. “Glad to see you made it here safely.”

  “Hey!” I retorted, well aware he was referring to my faulty GPS skills.

  “Hi, Kyle. Yes, it was a blessing indeed!” Brooke chimed in.

  Kyle chortled between us softly. “Well, you two ladies have a good time.” He turned his attention back to me. “I know how excited you have been all week to see her. I should be done in time to tuck you into bed,” he said before kissing me once more. Fatigue reentered his eyes after he released me.

  I angled my head to watch him make his way straight to his office. He’d ignored the food completely. I couldn’t help the drop of my stomach at seeing him in such a sour mood. It was so unlike him.

  Brooke was quiet as she walked up to me in the kitchen. “Everything alright?” she asked softly while placing her hand on the side of my arm in a reassuring gesture.

  “I don’t know,” I murmured. “I think so. Maybe he’s just tired?” I asked more to myself than anything.

  She patted my arm. “Men have these days, honey. He’s probably just got a lot going on at work.” Then, she switched tactics to lighten my mood. “I swear, men say women have PMS, but sometimes, I think men have their own version of testosterone PMS.” She shook her head. “Sometimes, John comes home from work, and he’s bouncing off the walls, and other days, he’s pissier than a pregnant woman.”

  I raised my brow at her gifted ability to make me smile when I felt anything but happy. “Pissier? I’m pretty sure that isn’t a word, Miss Editor.”

  She flicked her hand left and right in the air. “Tomatoes, tamatoes…” She suddenly jerked upright and pulled her phone out of her pocket. “Actually, you never know. It might just be in the dictionary. Let’s Google it.” She snickered while sliding her finger across her touch screen.

  “Now, you’re really scaring me.” I laughed, not believing it could possibly be in the dictionary. “I guess I need to add find a new editor to my to-do list—pronto.”

  “Whatever.” She rolled her eyes, momentarily gazing up at me. “You know you could never break up with this face,” she said while gesturing to herself in a circular motion.

  “True.” I winked.

  Brooke cheered loudly, startling the daylights out of me. “Aha! It’s in the dictionary!”

  “No way!” I replied with disbelief and shock.

  She nodded, eyes glimmering, as she began to read the definition out loud. “Pissy—the first meaning is…well, that one is gross, so we’ll skip ahead to the second. It means inferior, nasty, or disagreeable!” she shouted triumphantly
. “John can definitely be inferior and extremely disagreeable!”

  “Huh, who would have thought that it was actually a word?” I chortled.

  “I know, right? I was totally making it up at the time. But now, it’s kinda funny. Now that we’ve learned a new word for the day, let’s get back to our unfinished bottle of wine.”

  “Sounds good.” I grinned. “Let me grab a plate of pizza for Kyle really quick, and I’ll be right back.”

  She pointed her finger at me. “You’ve got five minutes, or you’re going to owe me a new pair of shoes tomorrow.”

  “Deal.” I winked.

  I rapidly made a plate and ran to Kyle’s office, knowing I had only about four minutes left. The door was open, and I took in his figure before me. His body looked stiff and tense. I hesitantly stepped into the room, and after walking over to his desk, I leaned over him to set his food down beside him. Then, I wrapped my arms around his upper body the best I could, pressing my front against him.

  “I only have about three minutes before it costs me a minimum of a few hundred bucks, so please tell me what’s wrong,” I pleaded while nuzzling his neck.

  His hands closed around mine as he slightly tilted his head to gaze at me. “A few hundred dollars?” He let out a small laugh. “You lost me on that one.”

  “Never mind that part. I’ll tell you later.” Maneuvering myself in front of him, I worked my way onto his lap.

  His eyes warmed while his arms pulled me closer. Dropping his forehead against mine, he let out a tired, deep sigh. “Damn, it feels good just to hold you,” he said in a low tone.

  “Rough week at work?” I asked, knowing I was down to a minute.

  “Yes, it’s been the week from hell. I want a do-over and a vacation.”

  “Speaking of vacations, we still have to pick somewhere to go for our honeymoon,” I purred. I ran my hands up and down his chest and then over his shoulders in an effort to ease his stress.

  Kyle groaned and closed his eyes. “Anywhere you want, beautiful.”

  “How about Bora Bora or Jamaica or even Hawaii?” I asked dreamily while continuing to caress him.