June
Moving the box to my left hand, I do my best to keep it balanced against my chest as I reach my other hand out to close the trunk of Brea’s car. Squinting my eyes against the sunlight, I make my way into my building and up to my second-floor apartment.
The box in my hands is the last of our things. It’s been a week since Brea and I graduated from college. It didn’t take much to convince her to move home with me.
After we’ve spent so much time apart, I think we both knew we didn’t want to be without the other and were willing to make it work.
In a few short weeks, I will be starting my internship at the law firm my dad works at in Des Moines. We wanted to move to Arbor Creek, but with the distance it would take every day, we felt it only made sense for us to move to Everton.
Not only would it be closer to where I’m interning, but there were more job opportunities available for Brea. She has been submitting applications to a few of the local schools, although there are still not many to choose from. Everton is bigger than Arbor Creek, but not by too much. Until school starts, she was thinking about applying at a couple of the daycare centers in town until something becomes available.
I move the box to my left arm and reach out my right to try and open the door to our apartment, only for the door to swing open before I get the chance.
“Sorry, we got distracted unpacking.”
“Brea, I think I got your dresser put together. I didn’t know where you wanted it so I let Mason arrange it to how you like it,” Brea’s dad says, as he steps out of our bedroom and into the hallway.
Brea is still working on repairing her relationship with her dad. Although it took some time and encouragement from both her mom and me, she has put the past behind her and is working on moving forward.
I was with her when she finally met Kyla and Kaden. They took the trip to Chicago with their dad when we graduated. It didn’t take her long to warm up to them, and I know now how happy she was to finally meet them. While she has admitted she will never have a close relationship with their mom, I think it took seeing how happy her mom is with David for her to accept the place Patricia will have in her life.
“That sounds perfect. Thank you so much for making the trip here and helping us get everything put together and in order.”
You can see the sparkle in Nathan’s eyes, knowing how much being here with her has meant to him. We went out to dinner after our graduation ceremony and he pulled me aside, wanting to tell me thank you for being there for his daughter. He admitted he’s aware that her giving him a second chance and allowing them to be at our graduation was because of me encouraging her. I know now how much that has meant to him.
“I had to see where Mason was whisking you off to. Your dad needs to know you’ll be safe after all.” He chuckles, flashing me a wink. “I know Mason will always make sure you’re well taken care of though.”
Brea moves in closer to me, sliding her arm around my waist as she peers up at me, flashing me a big smile. Looking at her, I give her a wink of my own, letting my eyes travel to her lips. I wish her dad wasn’t standing in front of us because I want nothing more than to have them pressed against mine.
“Well, listen, Brea, I should probably take off. It’s going to be a long trip to Ohio. Come here and give your old man a hug before I go.”
Brea drops her arm from around me and walks over to where her dad stands, wrapping her arms around him and rests her head against his chest. He doesn’t take his eyes off me. I see the emotion on his face as he mouths “thank you.” With a nod, I head toward our bedroom and give them a moment to say their goodbyes.
Once I hear the door shut, I walk down the hallway to where she’s standing at the table, unpacking a box.
“Is this the last of it?”
She turns to face me, dressed in a tank top and a pair of my gym shorts, rolled up around her waist. Her hair is piled high on her head, bouncing with every move that she makes.
“This is it. It’s official; you’re my roomie. How does it make you feel, babe?” I ask, pulling her closer.
“Just your roomie, huh?”
“Oh, you’re more than just my roomie, babe,” I say, pulling her closer and tangling my hand into her hair, kissing her deeply. Her arms slip around my waist as she presses the front of her body against mine. I feel the steady beat of her heart beneath me.
She opens her mouth and runs her tongue along my lips. Letting out a deep growl, I open my mouth to her.
“Yeah, that kiss certainly feels a hell of a lot more than a roomie,” I say, pressing my lips against her forehead.
She flashes me a smirk before stepping back to open the box.
“Have you talked to your brother today?”
“Yeah, he had to make a trip this morning to Des Moines to take some materials to my dad. They are starting on the house remodel this week. I guess he and Ellie are going to drop by later this evening though.”
The relationship between Callum, my dad and I has been a lot better since our visit last fall. A lot of it has to do with how well our father has been doing in his recovery. I know how much it means to Callum to have him around now, especially knowing his wedding is coming up.
“Two more months until they officially tie the knot. It’s crazy how fast time has flown by.”
Callum proposed to Ellie on New Year’s Eve and, of course, she said yes. Ellie made him promise the wedding would be small and intimate between the two of them and their close friends and family.
Callum just wants her to be his wife, which mean he happily agreed with whatever she was proposing.
Raps are heard against the door as I turn my head looking out the window. I spot Graham’s souped up pick-up parked out front.
Swinging the door open, I find him standing there holding two boxes in his hands and an annoyed look on his face.
“A little help,” he grumbles as I open the door further letting him enter.
“You could’ve called me and told me you were here. I would have helped you bring shit in.”
“I got it,” he grunts as he walks down the hall.
“It’s the one on the left,” Brea yells, shouting out directions to Graham’s room.
As soon as he’s out of the room, Brea swings her head up with her eyebrow raised expectantly.
“I thought he wasn’t supposed to be here until tomorrow?”
“Yeah, I thought so, too.”
I’m still shocked to hell that I could convince him to move here with us. It damn sure wasn’t easy. When Graham got the call three months ago that his mom’s health wasn’t going so well, he put his stubborn pride aside and finally agreed it was time to go back to Arbor Creek.
Since then, he and Dean have decided to open a security business together. Their plans are well under way. Craig has agreed to help them both, as a silent partner, under the condition that they open locations in Des Moines and Chicago. He certainly has the experience with overseeing the security at Velvet and Hard Stop. Craig even agreed to hire them on as their first client.
The sound of his heavy booted feet down the hallway ceases the conversation as Brea turns back to the box and begins unloading items onto the table.
“Will you help me carry in the big stuff? There’s not much. We should be able to get it in a few trips.”
“Yeah, I’ll be right down,” I confirm as Graham stalks past me out the door.
“You still think it was a good idea he moved with us?” Brea asks, looking up at me.
“Of course, I do. Sandy needs him home right now. He may not want to be here, but give it time and he’ll come around. Sometimes you have to let people heal on their own terms, right?” I say, leaning back, winking at her. She laughs as she tilts her head up to me.
“Yeah, you’re right.”
“Of course, I’m right, baby.” I lean my head forward and press my lips against hers.
Moving to head out the door, “Mase,” Brea says, stopping me as she grabs me by the hand and pulls me closer to her.
“Promise me it will always feel like this between us,” she says, holding her hand between us as her fingers curl around mine. “Promise me nothing will change.”
I run my eyes over her face, the soft tan skin and the way her hair is falling out, framing her face. The smile on her lips begs for me to lean in and kiss her.
“I can’t promise you nothing will change,” I say, and I see her throat move as she swallows. “Because I know with every passing day we’re together, I fall more in love with you. I do promise I won’t ever let a day go by where you don’t know it.”
The smile that breaks out across her face nearly knocks me on my ass. Using her hand, I pull her closer to me as I press a kiss against her lips. “Mm, I love you, Brea Wade.”
I don’t take my eyes off her as I take steps backward, moving toward the door. She bites her lip between her teeth as she shakes her head.
“I love you, too, Mason Reid, and I always will.”