by Teri Blake
“Well, then let’s do our best to make sure that never happens again. In six months, we can talk about what we feel and what it means.”
His hand remained, heavy and steady, on top of hers. “I hope it means we’ll be unshakable.”
No couple was completely. If what Aryn and Sonica said was true about Channyon and Becker, everyone had said they were impossible to separate, yet they had.
“Wonder what’s going to happen with Channyon and Becker?” She stepped closer to Sawyer.
“I have my guesses, but they said they’d let us all in on their plan tonight. Don’t be surprised if it doesn’t include all of you.”
Karla closed her eyes to keep her hurt to herself. She’d gotten that feeling too, but hadn’t wanted to think about it. Channyon had just come back into her life and might now be leaving again. “What about Aryn and Sonica? I need my sisters here to help me. This inn was supposed to be for all of us once the addition was added. I don’t want to have to hire people.”
He squeezed her hand yet again. “Don’t worry until you have to, remember? You can’t control them. If I had to guess, they would stay. They like it here.”
“But they stayed with Channyon longer.” She leaned against his shoulder and let him support her for a moment. It would be wonderful to have a partner whom she could lean on instead of having two people trying to do everything on their own in the same house.
Channyon and Becker joined them and slid the patio door closed. “Evening,” he said, as he shoved his hands in his pockets.
Becker always seemed uncomfortable, but he was the family secret revealed. He knew all about her but she knew nothing about him. “Evening. Have a seat. Can I pour you some tea?”
He laughed. “I’m not from around here, the tea just doesn’t sit well with me. But if you’ve got a glass of wine, I’d take one.”
Channyon smiled up at him. “I’ll go inside and get one.”
Becker sat in a padded lawn chair and took a deep breath. “So…”
The poor man could tame a courtroom but had no clue how to start a conversation with family. “You know, the reason she kept you a secret wasn’t you. It was my husband, Rob. He’s long gone now.”
“I know.” He frowned. “I never agreed with the secrets. I think Channyon needed all of her sisters then, because she felt like she had to be both herself and you to fill the hole for Aryn and Sonica.”
She’d assumed they wanted to be separate so hadn’t bothered to keep up except random phone calls. “I’m sorry for that. There are a lot of things I’m sorry for. If there was a way I could still have my kids, but never have met Rob, I’d do it.”
Becker chuckled and shook his head. “Life doesn’t work that way and you’d be shocked with the person you’d be without him. You are who you are because of the battles you’ve won…and lost.” He shrugged. “I’m just glad to be out in the open now.”
Channyon came back through the sliding door followed by Sonica, Aryn, and Tim. Sawyer led her to a chair and they both sat, leaving the others to sit next to each other. Sonica was the only odd one without a partner and she didn’t seem bothered in the slightest. Oddly, the only one who seemed uncomfortable and fidgety was Aryn.
“We can eat whenever you like. It’s finished but it will taste just as good hot as cold,” Karla offered, not sure where the conversation should start.
Becker cleared his throat. “Before we all get too comfortable, I want to thank you for letting me stay here the last few days and for letting me use your wifi to keep working. Channyon and I have been talking a lot when she isn’t at work and we’ve come up with a solid plan.”
Karla knew what was coming. She had felt it just like Sawyer had, but she didn’t want to hear it. Once Channyon left, their lives would be totally different again. And completely different for Aryn and Sonica. They’d never lived without Channyon.
Channyon took over, her eyebrows raised in excitement. “I’m moving back to Missouri with Becker. He needs to get back to work and I want to be with him. I miss it there. Not that I won’t miss all of you, too. But I belong with him.” She wove her fingers though his.
“Won’t miss all of you…” Sonica repeated. “You’re saying we’re not invited.”
Channyon bit her lip and looked to Becker. He answered for her, “Karla will need you. You’re more than welcome to come back, but you’d have to find somewhere to live. We plan to live alone.”
Karla couldn’t blame Channyon for not wanting to say that. Some things had to be set in stone by people you weren’t close to.
“You’re breaking us apart when we just got back together.” Sonica blinked rapidly. “I don’t understand why you can’t move your practice here.”
Becker cleared his throat and took a sip of his wine. Now she understood why he’d asked for one—he was tense about telling Channyon’s sisters what they’d planned.
“I could, but it would take a lot of time. Time we’d rather spend starting a family. Channyon and I are going to be starting the process of adoption once we’re settled again.”
Karla heard the sounds of surprise all around the circle, some of them may have even come from her mouth. Channyon had told them her feelings on adoption.
“What changed?” Was it just that Becker was back and making promises? People always made promises when they wanted something.
Channyon turned to her. “Becker’s case. That’s what changed everything. There was this little boy who lost his mother. Two people were fighting for custody and both were good. Becker was having such a tough time because it didn’t seem fair to deprive the boy of either of them. I saw his heart, really, when he was talking about that case. We aren’t giving up hope on having a child of our own, but we’re going to start this process too.”
“Good.” Sonica frowned. “I was not about to be a body donor for you guys. I love you, but that’s a lot to ask of anyone.”
The group laughed, but Becker and Channyon’s announcement left everyone quiet. Sawyer stood and turned on the speaker setting on the railing near the house. Blues music played softly and the twinkle lights flashed slowly to the music.
Sonica, Becker, and Channyon went inside to start eating, leaving Karla, Sawyer, Aryn, and Tim outside. Tim seemed either eager to talk or nervous, since he hadn’t been invited to anything like this before.
“Nice evening. Quiet,” Tim said to Sawyer.
“It is. I like it on this side of town. Even if you can’t hear the water, it’s calmer over here.”
Aryn touched Tim’s arm, getting his attention immediately. “You need anything?”
“No, I’m good. While it’s just us four… I wanted to talk to you about Aryn and I. Sawyer, you know I value your business. I wouldn’t even have the business I do without you.”
Sawyer looked uncomfortable and sat forward in his chair. “I know you do…”
“I just want to make sure, before I do anything, that it won’t affect my contracts with you. Aryn is beginning to mean a lot to me—”
Aryn squeaked and her mouth dropped open.
He glanced over at her. “I really want more between us...”
“No. No, no, no.” Aryn slowly shook her head. “We can’t be doing this.”
He grasped her hand in his own. “It’s okay. Really. We’ll be fine.”
She continued to shake her head. “No, you don’t understand. We can’t be anything. We can’t—” She stood and rushed inside.
“I don’t understand.” Tim shook his head then stared at the door. “She’s been flirting and trying to spend time with me all summer long. I feel like I know her really well. Why is she doing this? Was she just playing with me this whole time?”
Karla reached out to stop him, but didn’t touch him. “Tim, she’s got a history.” It would be horrible to tell him that she was using him for fun and it would make her sound so shallow when she wasn’t. She was just tormented. “It’s her truth to tell.”
He took in a deep breath.
“I’ve talked a lot with her. We’ve gotten closer and I really felt something for her. I’m not giving up on her.”
Karla wasn’t sure if pushing her was going to get the response he hoped for, but she wasn’t sure if Aryn could be swayed after seeing that a guy could be imperfect and still great. She wanted perfection to make up for the abuse, but that would never happen.
In the distance, fireworks burst over the water. “I can’t tell you not to.”
Sawyer nodded. “You won’t lose your business with me unless you do something that makes me change my mind, but that goes with any client, not just this family.”
Tim nodded his understanding and they all stood and migrated to the front yard. Soon Channyon, Becker and Sonica joined them. Sawyer wrapped his arms loosely around her waist and leaned her head back against his chest so they could watch together. His heartbeat was just the constant, steady thing she needed in that moment, because life could get rocky, but some things would never change.
Also by Teri Blake
Don’t miss book Four in the Driftwood Bay series
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Winter Holiday
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