Love by the Rules (Harbor Point Book 3)

by Heather Young-Nichols

  “Now let’s get inside and put that shower to work.”

  Cash pulled me out of the car through the driver’s side, impatient to get me inside.

  I was equally as impatient to get him naked.

  Epilogue

  Bailey and Bianca were in my room because it was the one safe place where the guys wouldn’t be able to barge in on us.

  Well, they could.

  Sal and Gio both had keys to my house, but I didn’t think they would because bursting into my bedroom meant they could catch me in the middle of changing, which would not only scar all of us for life, but perhaps ruin any chance of them getting an erection anytime in the near future.

  I couldn’t be sure, but I think seeing your sister fully naked held that kind of power.

  Three weeks ago, we’d gotten back from confronting our parents in Chicago and Cash hadn’t spent a night at his house even once. I loved having him with me, so I figured he should move in officially and I was going to tell him that night.

  When his mom, Lisa, suggested this little shindig, I thought she might be crazy. She probably was, but the more the idea sat in my brain, I kind of got excited.

  Then Bianca and Bailey found out and it wouldn’t matter how I felt. It was a done deal.

  Over those weeks, I’d begun to open up to Cash’s brothers a little. Very little and only general things, except for Haley. Her, I’d told the entire sordid story to over a two-hour lunch.

  She’d asked questions and gotten angry at the answers.

  Then she’d hugged me and said that she could see why Cash had fallen in love with me. That was confusing, so I’d gotten her to elaborate. She’d said anyone who could go through what I had and turn out so great was a person Cash shouldn’t let slip through his fingers, so he didn’t. She may also have mentioned that she’d never seen him like he was with me.

  Her words had warmed my heart.

  I had to tell her that Gio and Sal had been involved too, but as per our agreement, I didn’t give her any details about them and she didn’t ask. Haley got it. She understood that it was such a private experience that no one should blab about what the others had gone through.

  I’d also had a few late-night conversations with Dakota, who threatened violence at the idea of what my parents had forced me to do. He’d said that if I ever saw my parents again and Cash didn’t murder them, he would be there to do it for me.

  Which wasn’t at all what I wanted. I wanted them out of my life, not dead. Mostly because I loved Cash and Dakota and wouldn’t want either of them in prison.

  After those conversations with Dakota, I knew that I could totally open up to Aiden and Brennan, both of whom had hit their significant others with questions that had gone unanswered.

  I put that on my to-do list. If this was going to be my family, I should be able to trust them. Though everyone knew in no uncertain terms that whatever had happened would never be shared with the twins. Not for a long time anyway. And I didn’t want their parents to know either. I didn’t want them to live in a world with the knowledge that someone could do this to their own kids.

  But that was what had led Bailey, Bianca, and me to being in my bedroom together.

  Cash and I had been at his parents’ when the group had started a trip down memory lane. I loved listening to those trips but always kept quiet while they told their stories. Then Mrs. Waterford had asked me about my senior prom since they’d been talking about prom. When she’d found out that I’d never attended, her brain had started churning.

  “How do I look? I mean, I know I look fan-freaking-tastic, but I’d like some compliments, please,” Bailey demanded, coming out of my bathroom in a short, flirty black prom dress with a tulle skirt. It was trimmed in pink and her hair was soft and curly—the most beautiful shade of red.

  “Uh… Is Sal picking you up?” I asked. She nodded. “So, you won’t actually be attending the prom, I take it.”

  She gave me a huge smile. “I will be there. I can keep him under control.”

  “Sure, you can.” Bianca snorted.

  She was already in a short—though longer than Bailey’s—flowy, red number that I knew was going to drive my brother crazy. I told her as much when we’d gone shopping. Then I tried not to throw up in my own mouth. She also had her blonde hair cascading over her shoulders in gentle curls.

  These girls were my family.

  They’d helped me pick my dress because while I’d always been taught how to dress my body, I’d felt totally out of my element with something like this. I hadn’t liked anything I found until this one. When I’d put it on, they had both been rendered speechless.

  It was a full-length lace dress with a front drape that belonged in the 1920s. It moved with my body and had a very vintage feel to it. I paired the dress with equally vintage shoes. The guys had been working all week to clean out the barn, not the one that actually housed animals, but the one they used for storage, to make it exactly how their mother wanted.

  When the doorbell rang, the three of us got big grins on our faces, then raced down the stairs as quickly as our heels would let us.

  However, when I pulled open the door, nothing could have prepared us for what was on the other side. Gio, Sal, and Cash all stood there in old, I can’t even use the word vintage, powder-blue tuxedos that Lisa must’ve pieced together from thrift shops.

  I covered my mouth to keep from laughing.

  “What are you wearing?” Bailey asked, not bothering to try to hide the giggles.

  “This was Mrs. Waterford’s idea,” Sal said, not able to take his eyes off her.

  Cash reached for me at the same time Bianca went to Gio so that we could get out to the farm. I couldn’t help but notice that Bailey and Sal hadn’t moved.

  “You’re coming, right?” I called back at them.

  “Someone is,” Bianca said with a snort.

  “No, we’re right behind you,” Bailey said, stepping out onto the porch so Sal could pull my door shut.

  Cash held his hand out for my keys, then we climbed in my car. Once we were alone, I had to ask. “What’s going on with the suit?”

  “Mom,” he said with a sigh but also with a smile. “She is such a dork sometimes.”

  “I think she’s brilliant.”

  “That’s only because she picked out these hideous outfits since she said we shouldn’t outshine the women.”

  I laughed loudly. “I love your mom.”

  At first when we got to the farm, nothing looked different. We got out of the car anyway and Cash led us to the barn, where I knew they’d been working so hard.

  The walls were strewn with those small white Christmas lights and that was the only thing illuminating the entire building. It was soft and breathtaking. There were tables set up in one corner, a designated dance floor closest to the door. Mrs. Waterford had gone all out. With the lights, there were balloons creating an arch and everything you always thought would go with the theme of prom.

  “This is beautiful,” I said quietly.

  Cash nudged me in farther so that the others could enter as well. Bailey, Bianca, and I oohed and ahhed at everything. The only thing missing was a DJ, but I was pretty sure that with the sound system they had in the front corner, that they’d covered that as well.

  The guys in their powder-blue tuxes and us in our amazing dresses.

  The best part was when Aiden and Haley joined us, her in a soft-yellow floor-length gown, him in the powder-blue tux. Poor Brennan and Dakota came through next each wearing the same hideous suit as the rest of the guys. But at least they were together. Dalton and Dante burst into the room last.

  “They didn’t bring dates?” I asked Cash.

  His chuckle told me he already knew the answer to my question, but he called out anyway. “No dates?”

  Dante scowled. “Do you think I’d subject some girl to this shit? He’s my date,” he said, pointing at Dalton.

  “But I’m not putting out tonight,” said Dalton.
>
  The guys didn’t see their parents coming through the door but knew they were there as soon as Lisa smacked Dalton in the back of the head.

  “Just for that, you two are dancing together,” she said, then continued in. “First things first. Pictures.”

  The group of us lined up near the balloon arch to get a picture taken of each couple. Then we insisted their parents do the same. After all, Mr. Waterford was in the same powder-blue suit. Then we needed a group shot. We got arranged. Cash slipped his hands around my middle and pulled me close. His dad set the timer and hopped in place. Once the flash went off, I knew I’d have to have a copy of all these pictures because this was the nicest thing anyone had ever done for me without wanting something in return, besides everything Cash had done.

  It was real and it was magical.

  Mrs. Waterford served us all dinner before Aiden set up a playlist from his phone so that we could all dance.

  Dance we did. Fast songs, slow songs, group dances. You name it, we did it.

  Finally, when we knew the night was winding down, Brennan chose several slow songs and I spent every single one of them in Cash’s arms. His hips moved against mine as he held me closely.

  “Is it true?” I asked him against his ear so no one else would hear me.

  He pulled back so he could see my face. “Is what true?”

  “That everyone has sex on prom night.”

  A cocky little grin spread across his face.

  “Yup. Absolutely true. Actually, it’s a requirement. Part of the verbal agreement of accepting an invitation to prom.”

  “Good to know.”

  I laid my head back against his chest, then took a deep breath.

  I shouldn’t have been worried. I’d known Cash’s answer before I’d asked, but asking for what I wanted was still new to me. I was getting better at it, but it was still in fact new.

  “Cash,” I said, pulling back. He raised his eyebrows in question. “Will you move into my house? I mean, I know you stay there all the time anyway, but I like the idea of it being yours, too. Or we could find something else, if that makes you feel better since the house is mine and—”

  He put a finger over lips to shut me up. I was rambling. I did that when my nerves kicked up but couldn’t stop myself.

  “Gemma, I’d love to move in with you. Fuck, I basically already have, but moving what’s left at Aiden’s isn’t a problem. The only reason I haven’t done it already is I wanted you to be ready for that move. You ready?”

  Nodding slowly, I replied, “I hate it when you’re not there. Hate it.”

  “Then tomorrow, we’ll go over to his place and get everything moved to our place. But it’ll have to be in the afternoon because we’re going to want to sleep in after being up most of the night.”

  I bit my lips together to keep from smiling then asked, “We’re going to be up most of the night?”

  “Oh yeah.” Cash leaned down to brush his mouth against mine. I wished we weren’t surrounded by family because I wanted more. “Hey, Aiden,” he called over for his brother’s attention after pulling away from me too soon. “After tomorrow, you have the house to yourself.”

  “Fucking finally,” Aiden called back with a laugh.

  I could feel the others watching us, probably questioning what had happened or looking for details, but I wasn’t looking at them.

  I was looking at Cash.

  Cash Waterford.

  The guy I wasn’t looking for, didn’t think I needed, and certainly never thought I’d find.

  He was here and he was mine as much as I was his.

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  I have to thank author Jessica Calla for helping put the final polishes on this thing and for loving Cash and letting Gemma break her heart. Sorry, not sorry.

  Amy McNulty, you rock. Thank you for helping take this story and make it something readable.

  Nancy Colbert Hardy, you make all the best covers. I say this every single time so I don’t know, you might be getting tired of hearing how awesome you are.

  Sarah Arthur, you know I wrote this a long, long time ago so when it came time to actually put it out there thanks for putting your eyes on it.

  I always thank my family because most people don’t understand how time consuming writing a book is and how hard it is to make sure there is balance. I suck at balance sometimes but I’m constantly working on that. But I love that you’re here either way.

  Anyone reading this... I appreciate you! You’re taking the time and energy to read this thing that started out in my head and I can’t tell you how awesome that makes me feel. Even if you hated it, that’s cool, but still, you took the time to read it. Not so long ago I couldn’t imagine anyone would want to read my stuff so this is amazing!

  About the Author

  Heather Young-Nichols is a multi-published YA and contemporary romance author and a native of the great and often very cold state of Michigan. She is better known at home and to her friends as the Snarker-in-Chief, a job she excels at beyond anything she could have imagined. She loves many things, but especially cold coffee, hot books, and baseball. But not necessarily in that order.

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  heatheryoungnichols@gmail.com

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