Fighting for Us: A Small Town Family Romance (The Bailey Brothers Book 2)

by Claire Kingsley

  “I’ve been saving this for a wedding gift, but I decided it was time.”

  I opened it and drew out something flat, wrapped in tissue paper. I could tell right away it was a picture frame.

  Grace pulled back the tissue, revealing a collage frame with four photos. In the top left was a picture of Gram and Grandad. They looked exactly as I remembered them from my childhood. They were standing together on the back porch, smiling, and Grandad had his arm around her shoulders.

  Next to that was a photo of my parents, Charles and Helena Bailey. They were looking at each other, rather than the camera. Smiling in a way that made my chest ache.

  Below that was a picture of me with my brothers from when I was about nine. We were all sitting in the bed of Grandad’s truck, a bunch of dirty, messy-haired boys. We looked like trouble.

  Finally, a photo of me and Grace. I was about eleven here, Grace ten. We were standing in the creek with our pants rolled up to our knees, looking at something in Grace’s hands. Our heads were close together, our expressions excited, like she’d just found a treasure.

  I remembered that day. She’d found a rock that had a streak of something gold-colored in it. It hadn’t been real gold, of course, but it had sparked weeks of imagining, the two of us pretending to be prospectors, panning the creek for riches.

  Grace traced her fingers lightly over the frame. “Oh Gram. This is amazing.”

  I swallowed hard, waiting for the rush of emotion to pass before I could speak. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. I chose the photos I thought you’d enjoy the most. I know the house isn’t ready for you to put up pictures yet, but it felt like today was the right day to give it to you.”

  Grace swiped under her eyes. “I don’t even know what to say.”

  “That’s all right, Mama Bear, I hear what your heart’s saying.” Gram glanced back at the house. “Things are looking good in there. You’ll be hanging this on the wall in no time.”

  “Yeah, we will,” Grace said. “It’s such a shame there was a fire, but it could have been so much worse.”

  “Sometimes these things happen just the way they’re meant to,” Gram said. “There’s meaning in the two of you bringing this house back from the ashes together. Making it a home.”

  I looked at Grace and she met my eyes. Gram was right. This house was full of meaning for us. It was a link between our past and our future. A representation of the life we’d both wanted, and the life we were now working together to build.

  That life didn’t look like the one we’d been expecting the night we’d stood outside this house and shared our first kiss. We’d faced hardships and challenges we never could have predicted. There was no magic that would instantly heal the wounds we’d suffered. Like this house, it was taking hard work for us to rebuild what we’d had together.

  But we were rebuilding. Because love was bigger than tragedy. It was bigger than pain. I’d lost sight of that for a while, but Grace had been here to show me the way. Her steadfast love and loyalty had taught me so much. She’d saved me from the darkness, from the demons I’d never thought I’d escape.

  Her love was that big. I never should have doubted her.

  But somewhere along the way, I must have done something right, because this beautiful woman was mine. Forever.

  And soon, I was going to make that official.

  49

  Grace

  I leaned back in my chair at Gram’s big dining table, feeling pleasantly full. I still had some dinner left on my plate, but I’d already eaten too much. If I kept going, it wouldn’t be long before I was wishing I’d worn pajama pants instead of jeans. Gram’s cooking was like that, and it wasn’t even a holiday. Just a Tuesday night in October.

  The table buzzed with loud conversation. Logan and Levi were arguing with Evan over something to do with old muscle cars. Gavin was telling jokes to Elijah and making him laugh hysterically. Jack occasionally added his two cents to the muscle car debate, and my mom and Gram chatted about chickens. My mom was apparently thinking about getting some for the fresh eggs, and Gram was heartily encouraging her to get her own peckers.

  Asher sat quietly next to me, his arm around the back of my chair. He leaned close and placed a soft kiss on my temple.

  We’d moved into the house on Evergreen Street several weeks ago. In between coaching an ever-increasing number of clients, and the kids’ grappling class he’d started, Asher had been working hard on the house to get it livable again. The outer wall and roof were repaired, and we had a functioning kitchen. Not much cabinet space yet, but we had a sink and refrigerator.

  There wasn’t a stove or oven, but even though the cooler fall weather had settled in, Asher insisted he could just grill food until we got a new one.

  Living in that house together, even with work left to be done, was everything I’d ever dreamed of, and more.

  Sometimes I still woke in the night, and in the haze of sleep, stretched my arm across the bed, reaching for him. But now, he was there, sleeping beside me.

  He still had nightmares, but their frequency had lessened. Therapy was helping. But it was more than his sessions with his counselor. He had purpose again. Gram would say he’d found his mission. Training in martial arts gave his body something it craved, and working as a coach gave him meaning and direction—something a man like him desperately needed.

  Things weren’t perfect, but they were improving. And I was so, so proud of him.

  He inspired me every day, and I’d been working on myself just as hard. Processing what had happened to me hadn’t been easy. It was difficult and uncomfortable. But Asher had been with me, supporting me, every step of the way. It felt good to know I could go where I needed without Cara as a crutch. That I was no longer letting the past rule my present. I was in control.

  Asher brushed his nose against my temple and kissed me again. “I’m going to get some air. Want to join me?”

  “Sure.”

  I grabbed my sweater and we went out to the back porch. It was chilly, with the fresh scent of fall in the air. We stood next to the railing and Asher put his arms around me to keep me warm.

  “Have I mentioned lately how much I love you?” he asked.

  “Yes, but you can say it as often as you like.”

  He moved so he was facing me and picked up my left hand. “You know, it’s October. It’s not summer anymore. We haven’t talked about that.”

  “I guess we haven’t.”

  “When I asked you for a summer all those years ago, I think we both knew that wasn’t what I really wanted. A summer with you would never have been enough. When you asked for the same from me a few months ago, I knew that was still true. But I still needed it to be that way, and somehow you understood that.”

  “You needed time.”

  “Yeah. I’m sorry for all the ways I made things harder. I’m trying to make it up to you, but I don’t know if it will ever be enough. You waited for me for so long. That still blows me away.”

  “It’s simple. I waited because you’re my best friend and I love you. Because you sacrificed everything for me. And because I knew you’d be worth the wait, no matter what.”

  Idly rubbing my ring finger, he tucked my hair behind my ear with his other hand. “Grace, you’re worth everything. And there’s something I need to ask you.”

  My heart fluttered in my chest. His eyes were intent on mine, holding me captive.

  “The first time I did this, I made a big show out of it. And that was fun. I’m glad I did it that way. But this is different. This question, this moment, isn’t about a grand gesture in front of the whole town. It’s about you and me.”

  Swallowing hard, I nodded.

  “Grace Miles, I’ve loved you my whole life, and I’m going to love you until the day I die. It would be my greatest honor if you would spend those days with me, as my wife. I promise you, I’ll spend the rest of my life loving you with everything that I am.” He leaned closer, brushing his n
ose against mine. “Will you marry me?”

  Closing my eyes, I melted against him. His arms wrapped around me and he buried his face in my neck.

  “Yes,” I said softly in his ear.

  He squeezed me tight, almost crushing me against him. “I love you so much.”

  “I love you too.”

  After long moments in each other’s arms, he let go and dug into his pocket. He lifted my hand and slid a ring on my finger.

  The same ring I’d worn before.

  Biting my bottom lip, I gazed at my hand through the tears filling my eyes. It looked so perfect. Like I’d never taken it off. “You kept it.”

  “Of course I did,” he said. “I’m sorry I ever gave you a reason to take it off. That won’t happen again.”

  “I know.”

  I let out a long breath and he pulled me in close. Wrapped his thick arms around me. A few tears leaked out of the corners of my eyes.

  Everything was right again. Asher and I were together. We were whole.

  The back door opened and Gavin poked his head out. “Gram said to quit making out back here or you’re both grounded.”

  “I said no such thing.” Gram’s voice carried from inside. “You kiss that girl all you want, Bear.”

  Asher’s shoulders shook as he laughed. “Thanks, Gram.” He looked down at me. “Should we tell them?”

  “They didn’t know you were going to ask me again?”

  “No. Like I said, this was just for us.”

  I tilted my chin to meet his kiss. His lips pressed against mine. Gavin made gagging noises from the doorway, but we ignored him.

  “Yeah, let’s go tell them,” I said.

  Taking my hand, Asher led me inside. Gram caught my eye and her mouth twitched in a smile. Maybe he hadn’t told them, but I had a feeling she knew.

  “So, Grace and I have something to say.” Asher glanced down at me and winked. “We’re getting married. Again. Or still.”

  “How about still,” I said, holding up my hand.

  Everyone jumped up from the table and the next thing I knew, I was being hugged by a seemingly endless stream of people. My tearful mom, then Jack. Elijah, who seemed like he’d grown two inches since last week. Logan squeezed me so tight I had to beg him to stop and Gavin lifted me up and twirled me around. Levi hugged me almost as hard as Logan had. Evan held back at first, but still hugged us both, offering sincere, if gruff, congratulations.

  Ten minutes later, Logan and Levi had gone to the store for drinks, Gavin was building a bonfire outside, my mom brought over several bottles of wine, and Asher and I found ourselves on the brink of an impromptu engagement party.

  I stood on the porch watching Gavin stack more logs on the fire. Gram wandered over and slipped her arm through mine.

  “Well, Mama Bear, seems now you have a wedding to plan.”

  “I sure do.”

  “It’s about time, isn’t it?”

  I laughed. “Yeah, it’s been a long engagement.”

  “That it has. But I always knew things would turn out all right.”

  “You really did, didn’t you? Are you sure you’re not psychic?”

  She chuckled softly. “No, nothing like that. I’ve just been around a while. Besides, you’ve always belonged to us. You’ve always been a Bailey. Now we just get to make it official.”

  I put my hand over hers and squeezed. “Thanks, Gram.”

  Asher came over and gave her a light kiss on the head.

  “You did good, Bear,” she said, patting his arm.

  “Thanks. For everything.”

  “You’re welcome. But it’s nothing. You’re my cubs. This is what I do.”

  She patted his cheek, then went back inside.

  Asher moved next to me. “So when do you want to get married? Soon as possible?”

  “I don’t know, maybe we shouldn’t rush into anything.”

  Chuckling softly, he drew me in front of him and put his arms around me. “Suit yourself. But I don’t want to wait too long. I keep thinking about how much I want to put a baby in you. Kinda want to marry you before I do that.”

  “Oh my god, did you just say put a baby in you?”

  He put his mouth next to my ear. “Yeah. Why? Too caveman for you?”

  A tingle ran down my spine. “Actually, no.”

  “Beautiful, we can get married anytime. If you want a nice wedding, we’ll have a nice wedding. If you want to get married this weekend down at City Hall, we’ll do it. I’ll give you anything you want.”

  “Including a baby?”

  He kissed my earlobe. “Absolutely.”

  “We don’t have to have a baby right this second, but I’m not going to lie, you murmuring in my ear about getting me pregnant is really hot.”

  “Yeah? Maybe we should go home and practice.”

  I giggled and he squeezed me tighter, trailing light kisses down my neck. “We should probably stay for our own engagement party. At least for a little while.”

  He groaned. “Okay. For a little while.”

  I watched the sparks from Gavin’s fire rise into the night, wrapped in Asher’s strong embrace. Loved. Happy. At peace.

  The roads we’d traveled had been unexpected and hard. But our struggles had made us who we were. We’d been tested and challenged. And ultimately, our love had prevailed. I’d always believed, deep down, that Asher and I were meant to be together. Our souls were inextricably intertwined and there was nothing that could tear us apart.

  Together, we were unbreakable.

  Epilogue

  Evan

  The cold night air rushed past me as my bike raced down the empty highway. The scenery flew by, unseen, save for the patch of road illuminated by my headlight. I wasn’t sure where I was going. Away, mostly. I was too restless to go sit at home. I needed to drive. To cut through the wind and lean into the turns. I needed speed.

  The highway curved and I had to slow down when I got into Pinecrest. I could drive right through and keep on going. There wasn’t much to do in this little town. But the Crooked Owl Tavern caught my eye. A beer didn’t sound bad right about now. I’d been here before; it was a dive, but the beer was always ice cold.

  I parked outside, took off my helmet, and went in.

  The light was dim and classic rock played in the background. The rough-around-the-edges crowd hung out here. A few biker types—I’d seen their Harleys outside—and guys with thick beards and work boots. There was a group of twenty-somethings playing pool, a few girls who eyed me when I walked in, and a couple of grizzled old-timers at the bar.

  I picked a stool away from everyone. I wasn’t here to talk about the weather, or sports, or whatever the fuck passed for news in a shit hole town like this. I was just here to kill time and get a drink.

  The bartender came by and I ordered a beer. True to form, it was ice cold. Had a nice bite to it. I hunched over my drink, bored. Restless. Dissatisfied. But that was how I felt most of the time, so it wasn’t exactly new.

  My phone buzzed in my pocket, so I checked my messages. It was from a client asking about the car I was restoring for him. I’d get back to him later. Taking another swig of my beer, I flicked through a few things. I’d been waiting to hear about a lead on a forties Dodge Power Wagon I was hoping to get my hands on. It didn’t look like much, but if I could get it for the right price, I’d flip it and make a shit ton of money.

  I accidentally hit the contacts icon and a name I didn’t recognize flashed on the screen. Jill? Who the fuck was that? Why did I have the number of some girl I didn’t know?

  Oh, shit. She was pink cardigan girl, the one Luke Haven had been hitting on. That made me crack a smile. Fucking Luke Haven. As a Bailey, I was obligated to hate the Havens on principle. Truthfully, I didn’t really give a shit about the feud, or the Havens as a whole. But Luke Haven? I’d keep that goddamn feud going just to feed my hatred for that piece of shit.

  I selected Jill’s contact info and hit delete. It wasn’t li
ke I was ever going to call her. She’d tasted sweet when I’d kissed her in front of Luke, and sweet was a hard no. A girl like her looked harmless, like a kitten. But kittens had sharp claws, and they were damn good at convincing you it was your fault when you got scratched.

  My younger brothers hadn’t learned that lesson yet.

  Asher… he was another story. But he’d always been the exception to most rules. And Grace was no kitten.

  I was happy for my brother. Glad he’d gotten his shit together enough to work things out with Grace. I didn’t envy him the demons he’d had to battle, nor the time he’d done in prison. The whole thing still pissed me off. But there wasn’t anything I could do about it. And he was home now.

  But fuck, this meant there was going to be a wedding. I’d probably have to be in it. And if not, I’d certainly have to go.

  I fucking hated weddings.

  The beer wasn’t putting me in a better mood. Neither was thinking about weddings. I’d left my brother’s impromptu engagement party hoping to outrun the hollow ache I’d been feeling. It was irritating how it kept trying to follow me.

  A beer wasn’t going to cut it. I’d go home and drown it in whiskey.

  Leaving my bottle half-full, I was about to get off my stool and cut out of here, when someone sidled up next to me.

  A girl in a black leather miniskirt and a leopard-print top that barely contained her tits perched at the bar. “Hi.”

  My brow furrowed. “What?”

  The corner of her mouth lifted. She was pretty, even though she wore a lot of makeup, and she had flower tattoos on her shoulder. “You look a little lonely over here all by yourself. I thought maybe you could use a friend.”

  My eyes swept up and down. She was about my age. The type of girl who knew exactly how hot she was. Definitely not sweet. By the way she watched me, I could tell what she wanted. Girls didn’t openly stare at your dick like that when they were hoping you’d ask them out to dinner.