Walker’s whole body started to shake as I pushed him back toward the living room. I knew that I had to get Walker away from the horrific scene. “Officer?”
The tall man towered over me when he turned away from putting another number next to the stack of past-due bills on the kitchen table. “Ma’am?”
“Walker needs to report to base by seven in the morning. Is there any way that we can leave, get him up there, and then I can come back if need be?”
“Well we do need to get statements from y’all, but I cannot interfere with military orders.” He turned to Walker. “How long will you be on base, Private?”
Walker cleared his throat, trying to keep his voice as steady as possible. “Just short of two weeks, sir.”
“All right. Well we’ll see y’all when you get back. Here’s my card.” He handed each of us a beige business card with the name Deputy Vance Winter. He took down both of our contact numbers and we made plans to come back up to the station to give our statements right when Walker was done with his orders.
“Thank you, Deputy Winter.”
We both shook his hand and made our way to Walker’s truck.
Once the truck doors were slammed shut and the engine was warming up, Walker broke down, but not in the way I’d been expecting. With his hands gripping the steering wheel and his eyes turned up at the corners, he began to laugh. It wasn’t his normal giddy, throaty chuckle; this was a nervous, holy-shit kind of laugh.
“You all right, babe?” I rested my hand on his shoulder and could feel that his entire body was still shaking slightly.
“It’s the weirdest feeling in the world. It’s fucking sad and messed up, but is it weird that I’m not sad? I’m not anything. I’m not even surprised.”
“It might be that you’re in shock, Walker.”
We started to make our way to the main road again, finally heading to our original destination. If we were lucky, we’d get a few hours of sleep before Walker had to be on base.
After sitting in silence for a few minutes, Walker pulled me closer to him. “I don’t think I am in shock. Am I a terrible person to feel relieved?”
“No, I don’t think that makes you a terrible person. Those people put you through hell.”
“I’m not glad they’re dead. I don’t wish that on anyone. I just feel a little lighter knowing I don’t have to feel guilty about not being a better son and brother.”
“Walker, you did so much for them. You made sure that those lowlifes had a source of income while you were gone bettering yourself. You rose above the ashes of your past to become something so much better.”
He kissed the top of my head before whispering, “Thank you.”
Twenty-two
Walker’s warm lips pressed on my cheek as he kissed me awake. “Wake up, snoring beauty.” Walker chuckled as my eyes tried to flicker open a few times. He kissed my lips softly. “Babe, I’m gonna run inside and get us a room.”
I nodded. “Okay.” I yawned as I rubbed my eyes.
I had only been asleep for thirty minutes, but I felt like I had been knocked out for a few hours. My body was tired but my mind started racing. The last week had been a terrible mess of one fucked up thing after the next.
Walker came to my side of the parked truck and helped me out. “Our room is right over here.”
I hopped out and followed Walker to our first-floor room only a few feet away from his truck. I looked down at my phone to check the time. I sighed when I saw that it was already two in the morning.
Walker slid the keycard into the mechanical lock and looked up at me. “What’s up?”
“It’s just so late and we only have a few hours left together.” Tears started to well up in my eyes as thoughts of having to say goodbye to Walker and drive away from him in only five hours came flashing into my mind.
“I know this isn’t ideal, babe.” We walked into a neat, small motel room, with two queen beds, emerald green carpet that matched Walker’s eyes, and an old tube TV sitting on top of a light wooden dresser.
“How are you so calm right now?” I stared at Walker as he placed his duffle bag on the bed and hung up his uniform for the morning in the tiny closet.
He turned to me and shrugged. “I feel calm. It’s weird. I think it’s you.”
“Me?”
He grabbed me, pulling us both down onto the empty bed next to the window unit, which was blowing freezing cold air right at my face. “Yeah, you. You’re my heart, my peace, my happiness. I don’t know what I would do without you. I probably would have beat Silas to death if you hadn’t been there tonight.”
“You didn’t even seem to get mad.”
He sat up, rubbing his hands over his eyes a few times. “Mags, I can’t even start to explain how much rage I bit back when I saw how strung out he was. And then my…”
I could see the breath catch in his throat as he fought to get out the words about seeing his mom on the floor. I scooted behind him, resting my head on his back. With my hands I drew small circles on his back with my thumbs. His body started to shake again, and I could feel all the muscles in his body start to flex slowly.
We didn’t move for a few minutes while Walker silently started to grieve the loss of his family. Even though they had not been good for his life, deep down, Walker had wanted the best for them, and in that moment, he was finally able to find peace and comfort.
I kissed his back right in between his shoulder blades. “It’s going to be okay.”
He whispered, “I know. I just wish they could have risen up from the mess of their lives and become better people.”
Silence fell over us again as Walker turned and grabbed me. We cuddled in bed, watching an old black-and-white movie. The next thing I knew, Walker was gently nudging me. “Mags, it’s five thirty. Wake up, babe.”
Walker was shirtless, standing over the side of the bed. The smell of freshly made coffee consumed the room. He handed me my Styrofoam cup after I shoved up to a seated position.
“Thank you,” I croaked as my eyes tried to focus in the brightness of all the lights in the room being on.
“So, I was thinking…”
The long pause made me a little nervous as Walker fiddled with the flowered comforter. “Yeah?”
“Well, you see, I had this planned so different. And I was thinkin’ about waitin’, but that just ain’t gonna happen.”
Walker jumped up from the bed, rummaged in his duffle bag, pulling something out, and came back over to his spot. “This right here”—he grabbed my hand hard and pressed it against his chest—“only beats because you make it beat. My lungs only work because the air I breathe allows me to see your eyes light up right before you smile. I am here because of you and I will spend every day of my life proving that to you. All I want is your safety and your happiness. I can only live knowing that I provide that for you. Margret, will you marry me?”
With those words, Walker opened up a tiny black velvet bag and let a ring fall into his open hand. My hands started shaking as my jaw dropped. My mind started racing to all the reasons why I should say no—the rage, the guilt, the rollercoaster we were on, the instability of our emotions and lives. But then one thing trumped it all: the love I saw in Walker’s eyes as he held a tiny promise in his hands. I looked into his deep green eyes, which were lit up with more excitement and nervousness than I had ever seen. A single tear escaped, quickly rolling down my cheek as his proposal fluttered to my ears and slowly registered. My heart came crashing back down instantly when I nodded yes, finally finding a soft place to land.
“Of course!” I whisper-yelled into his ear before I crushed my lips to his.
Walker grabbed my hand, pulling away to look into my eyes, a smile starting from the corner of his eyes traveling all the way down to pull up the corners of his mouth. I placed the slender white gold band on my finger. The circular diamond solitaire glistened beautifully.
“Oh, Walker, it’s beautiful!”
“Not as beauti
ful as you are.”
We drank our coffees and talked about the next few weeks. About how excited I was to start working for Buck, how Walker was nearing the end of his commitment to the military, and how he promised to not renew his contract. We skipped over the pending trial that his brother would soon be in and how we were probably going to be the star witnesses, even though that was weighing heavily on my mind. I bit my tongue and let our conversation stay light.
“So in twelve days I will come back up here and pick you up?”
He nodded while taking the last sip of coffee out of his cup. Walker got his uniform out of the closet and started to put it on. My eyes filled up with tears again right as he started to lace up his boots.
When he looked back over my way, his brow creased. “What’s wrong, darlin’?”
“I just…” I sniffled and wiped a tear off the tip of my nose. “I just don’t want to have to say goodbye.”
“Mags, this ain’t a goodbye. This is a see ya later.”
I buried my face down into his shoulder. “Yeah, but I just don’t want to go back home without you.”
“Well how about this? Go home with this.” He pulled a large white envelope out from his breast pocket, placing it in my hands.
“What’s this?”
“It’s the cash from the sale of the station. Start looking for a new home for us, so you won’t be going home without me. You’ll just be away from me for a little. When I’m finished with these orders and we find something we love, we’ll go home together.”
“But what about my house?”
“Don’t you think it’s time we have a fresh start in our lives?” He grabbed my arm and pulled me up off the bed. He put his fingers under my chin, pulling my lips closer to his for a tender kiss.
I wrapped my arms around his waist, breathing in his clean sent of musk, cologne, and hotel shampoo. “I like the sound of that.”
“Good. Me too. I want to start the rest of our lives, and this is right where it begins.”
I snickered at him as a smile spread on my lips. “Man, you can be so mushy for a tough, tatted-up Army guy. You know that?”
“What can I say? I think it’s called Southern charm.”
“Yeah, whatever you say, cowboy.”
We pulled down the road from the gate to the Army base. Walker stared out the windshield as he gripped my hand in his.
“This time is going to fly by, Mags. Promise.”
“If you say so.” I threw my arms around his neck, laying a soggy, tear-filled kiss on his neck, right below his ear.
“Don’t worry, babe. I ain’t gonna be gone long.”
Epilogue
Walker
Two years had gone by since the day Mags had promised to be mine, and finally the day had come. After my orders were complete, Mag and I had gone to work at getting the pieces of our lives glued back together. After my brother was convicted of Chet’s death and put away for twenty-five to life, Mags and I sold my childhood home and finally moved into our own. Buck’s business took off after Mags became his right hand.
Looking at all of our family sitting in white chairs, toes in the sand on that sunny spring afternoon, I couldn’t help but be so thankful for each and every one of them—even Maverick and the rest of The Hysterics sitting in the back row.
Standing with the sound of waves crashing lightly against the shore and sand pushing up between my toes, I realized that there could not have been a more perfect setting for that day. The light salty breeze whisked across my face as I gazed at her beautiful honey eyes staring back at mine as she walked down the aisle.
As she got closer, Cali’s sniffles now becoming audible as she escorted my bride to me, Mitch nudged my arm. “Hey, man. She’s glowing.”
I peeled my eyes away from Mags for just a quick second to wink quickly at Mitch. It seemed like years before she finally made it to my side, but once Mags’ hands were firmly grasped in mine, my entire world stopped. The strong thumping of my heart clouded my ears as the minister began his speech. I barely could concentrate on his words as they swirled around in my brain. All I could focus on was how Mags’ dark brown hair was blowing so gently in the wind, how loving her round eyes were gazing at me, how soft her hands were clutched in mine, how amazingly her dress complemented her gorgeous curves. I was shocked to see the gentle hint of pink glisten in the afternoon sunlight. Mags always has to be just slightly different. Damn, I love her.
“Walker, will you have this woman to be your wedded wife? Will you love and comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto her as long as you both shall live?”
“I will.” The words screamed from deep down in me.
I had wanted, prayed for, and pleaded for that day and it was finally freaking here. The love of my life was standing in front of me, prepared to promise something to me that I’d only thought was an unattainable wish, a whisper floating on a dampened breeze, and there it was, sunny and shining like the light reflecting off Mags’ engagement ring, which she was slipping off her finger and handing to Cali.
A look of concern must have creased in my brow, because as the minister was talking to Mags, she leaned in. “You have to put my ring on before that one goes back on, silly. Don’t worry.”
And then her lips curled into the sweetest smile I had ever seen, her eyes glistening with the faintest of happy tears as the most beautiful words rolled off her tongue and rang into my ears. “I do.”
My breath caught as Mitch’s hand clapped my back to hand me Mags’ wedding band. “Thanks, man.” It was his turn to wink at me as I took the ring, grasping it in my palm while my hands started to shake with all the awesome nerves and emotions bubbling up through my body.
I choked out, “With this ring, I thee wed.” My shaking hands twitched until Mags’ diamond-studded wedding band was embracing her dainty finger, her eyes glowing down at it.
“Walker, it’s so beautiful,” she whispered under her breath before firmly taking my left hand, slipping a black brushed-titanium band over my knuckle, and repeating, “With this ring, I thee wed.”
Quickly the minister chimed in to conclude, “Walker and Margret, in so much as the two of you have agreed to live together in matrimony, have promised your commitment to each other by these vows and the joining of your hands, by the authority vested in me by the State of Florida, I now pronounce you husband and wife.” And then came the words I had longed to hear since the day Mags had said that she would make me the luckiest man in the world. “Congratulations. You may kiss your bride.”
With a few hoots, whistles, and hollers from all of our friends and family, I wrapped Mags in my arms, smiling down at her gorgeous face, just taking in the sight for a moment—the light sparkling in her eyes, the gentle blush on her cheeks, the water beginning to well up in her eyes as she mouthed, “We really did it.” Our lips crushed together and fireworks erupted between our lips. Every nerve pulsed within my body as it all came falling right to where it was supposed to be. Fate always had played cruel games with my heart, but in this moment, it let me have my moment, and I knew that, for the first time, I was right where I was supposed to be—being loved by the one person I had always dreamed about sharing this moment with.
Through muffled ears, dampened by how engulfed I was in Mags and how amazingly happy I was right then, the minister shouted, “I now present to you Mr. and Mrs. Walker Eastman.”
The End
Crashing: The Wedding
Cali’s Story
Dedication
To my Twin,
and for all the lovers of The Crashing Series,
this one is for you.
One
The door slammed behind us as we staggered into my tiny apartment. Grabbing Quinn’s wrist, I pulled him into the kitchen, sporadic giggles leaping into the air from my throat as I tried not to fall face first onto the porcelain. “So, when you walked into that restaurant, what was your first reaction?
”
Our lips sloppily crashed together as I swung the fridge open to grab a couple beers. “Honestly?” He pulled away to help twist open the bottles, his husky voice dripping with seduction as his tongue gently glided over his bottom lip. “I was shocked. This is the first blind date I’ve been on that the chick wasn’t a complete ogre.” Quinn’s words slurred a bit from the after dinner shots we’d taken right before I’d gotten the great idea to bring a complete stranger to my flat.
In all seriousness, he wasn’t physically my type—short black hair, light brown eyes, cute dusting of freckles over his cheeks, broad shoulders, and just about six feet tall—but he was drop dead gorgeous. I hadn’t thought Vero was telling me the truth about how hot this guy was, but I had to hand it to my co-bartender—she was right. Even so, he was for sure not someone I would bring home to mom. He’d dripped with douchebaggery from head to toe from the very moment we’d met; all he could do was stare at my tits, which, to be fair, were popping out of my little black number. It had been so long since I had dated anyone, I figured, why the hell not?
I slid up onto the counter, sipping from the brown bottle. “This was my first blind date.”
Quinn’s hand landed on my hip as he stumbled a bit to press himself onto the counter right between my legs. “Oh yeah?” His hot breath landed on my cheek before a slobbery kiss planted itself slowly. “How do you think it’s going?”
We were both clearly way too drunk to be in any shape to let the date continue, but drunk-asses do dumb-ass things most of the time. “Pretty well? I guess. I really didn’t know what to expect.”
“Well, I am having a marvelous time.” The long sleeves of his light green button-down were rolled up, showing two forearms covered in gorgeous tattoos. They were collages of everything from musical instruments to sugar skulls.
The Crashing Series Page 37
