Always and Forever Page 9

  K: Obviously not. She’s one of my best friends and my boyfriend’s sister.

  M: I wanted to talk to someone about this that might understand. I’m sorry, Keller. I’m sorry to you and Mallory.

  I took that opportunity to delete her contact information from my phone. I knew we’d probably run into each other around town, but it would be handled for the moment. I didn’t need to talk to her about it because it hurt Mallory. No back story was going to change that.

  I told Micah about the text while Mallory was running an errand. He scowled before thanking me for being good to Mallory about it. We both knew that she’d probably never tell me who to be friends with, but I respected her too much to do that. Life could get complicated fast, and I was trying to avoid that. I just needed Micah to be happy and his family. I needed them all so much that it scared me.

  Life eased back into normalcy after that morning. I stayed at Micah’s place more than my own and worked a lot with them. Mom urged me to live my life, and she was feeling better. The girls seemed to stay around more since my relationship with Micah grew serious. There were times I wanted to pinch myself to see if I was dreaming.

  Spring turned into Summer, and we started to spend a lot of time hiking and generally outdoors. Mallory and the twins joined us when they could, and we made weekends of it in between shows. I went to every Linger Longer show that I could when I wasn’t seeing other local bands for work. When I did that, Mallory came along a lot since she realized how much she enjoyed live shows again. We got closer as we spent more time together, and she pointed out Micah’s ex one night in a bar.

  I took him in with keen curiosity. He was tall and attractive in a chiseled way and could easily model. He smiled a lot as he drank with a group of people, and I sensed how flirtatious he was. No, not just flirty. He was all over the place from one guy to another. How could he let Micah go like that? He had a prize, and he didn’t give a shit.

  I smiled when I realized my gain in the situation. I didn’t love the idea of him sleeping with other men, but the same could be said for Micah. We all had a past. He was mine now, and that would never change if I had anything to do with it.

  “He was such an asshole. I could tell early on, but Micah seemed something like happy at first. We made a pact not to tear down every person the other dated, and I honored that. I just sensed something about Trey, and then he hurt my brother. I handled it a lot like Micah handled Lance. I wanted to kill him, but it wouldn’t change anything. “I have honestly never seen him this happy, Keller. You have him.” I looked over at her and smiled at the sincerity in her eyes.

  “Thank you. I know that, but sometimes I doubt it. He’s so good, and we’re perfect together. I feel like there’s so much involved in all this.” I shook my head.

  “There is. Love.” She squeezed my arm and started to dance as the band returned from their break. I made notes and made the usual trip to the bar when they finished, asking for an interview. It was a group of four guys with a great alternative rock sound, and I needed to know more.

  Mallory stayed at the bar to nurse a drink as I chatted with them. They were friendly and told me everything about their start in high school and the handful of years they struggled. Malice was picked up for a small tour and leaving in two months.

  I mentioned Micah, and the guys and their faces lit up. “They’re the real deal. I keep thinking they should do a tour.” Finn told me as I smiled.

  “There’s a part of them that wants to, but one has a wife and kid. They have ties here.” I sipped my water and let it slide down my throat. “I’m with Micah, so I’d hate to see him leave.”

  “I thought you looked familiar. That’s cool,” Talon told me as he reached for his beer. “That’s his sister?”

  I looked over at Mallory, stiffening when I saw Lance talking to her. “Yeah.” I moved to the edge of the chair, and she shot me a look. She smiled to assure me that everything was fine, but I kept an eye on them. “That’s Mallory.”

  “Is that her boyfriend?” Talon asked as I raised a brow.

  “That is the ex that doesn’t deserve to be talking to her at all.” He looked at me with a challenge in his eyes. “Look, I’m not going to tell you to stay away for the sake of that asshole. I will say that girl means the world to me, and I’ll kill you if you hurt her.”

  “Wow. I don’t know if I should just stay here,” Talon laughed as he gazed at me. “I do hate that son of a bitch, so I’m going.” He pushed up from his chair and sauntered to the bar, sitting a stool away from Mallory. She glanced over and smiled, telling him something as he ordered a beer. Talon responded, and they got caught up in a conversation as Lance glared at him.

  He gazed at me for a second as I flipped him off, pushing back from the bar and stomping toward the doors to leave. “Good fucking riddance,” I murmured before Mallory laughed at something Talon said to her. I knew that I’d have to explain this to Micah, and I looked at the other guys. “He’s a good one, right?”

  “Absolutely,” Finn replied, and I sighed in relief. We stayed at the bar talking for a while before everyone headed to the door to leave. Talon got Mallory’s number and kissed her cheek before we walked to her car. She screamed once inside and looked at me.

  “I’m guessing that was for Lance’s sake, but he’s so nice!” She pressed her hands to her face as I started the car. I always let her drink and stayed sober for the sake of work.

  “He is. I told him to go for it, and he did. I also threatened his life if he fucks up.” We both laughed as I drove home, moving on to talk about the band. I walked Mallory to her door and then crossed the driveway to mine.

  Mine.

  I smiled as I unlocked the door and walked in, seeing Micah watching a hockey game. He glanced at me with a smile as I locked up and tossed my keys on the counter. “How was it?”

  “Good band. Great sound,” I replied, sitting beside him on the couch. I kissed him, and our lips lingered together for a long moment. When we pulled away, I was breathless.

  “Did Mal have a good time?” He reached for my hand and squeezed tightly.

  “Yes. Lance was there at the end of the night.” He turned his head to stare at me, and I kissed him again. “He was talking to her, but Talon went to get a beer, and they got on well.”

  “Shit. I have to do this again?” He groaned as I smiled.

  “She’s gorgeous and fun, Micah. Don’t worry. I threatened his life if he hurts her.” He raised a brow and closed his eyes.

  “That didn’t get anywhere with Lance,” he grumbled, and I sighed.

  “He knows what he lost. It was all over his face.” I stood and went to get water. I offered one to Micah, and he took it, sipping it gratefully. “Do you know Malice?”

  “I’ve hung out with them a couple of times. Nice guys. I hear they’re going on tour.” He pulled me against him for a kiss.

  “Yes, they are,” I mumbled against his lips before he kissed me again, losing myself in him. We didn’t make it to the bedroom before I was lying before him, with my feet pressed to his chest. Micah took me hard, and I moaned with every thrust. “Baby. Oh, baby. I love you,” he moaned as he jerked inside of me. I gasped as he slid deep.

  I moaned as he pulled out of me and dropped to the couch. “That was fucking fantastic.”

  “Yes.” He whispered as he stroked my stomach.

  We made our way to bed after a while, and I curled up beside him. Micah pulled me close, kissing me deeply before we snuggled together. “I love you,” I murmured as he stroked my hair.

  “I love you. Thanks for watching out for Mallory.”

  “No problem,” I sleepily murmured before everything went black.

  We woke up to the sunlight, and I pulled the comforter over my head. Micah laughed and dove under to join me, kissing me hard. “I don’t want to get up.”

  “It’s nine. We slept in today,” He assured me before kissing me again.

  “Not enough.” I closed my eyes and curl
ed up on my pillow. We had a little work to do today but planned to go to his Mom’s house for dinner. Mom and the twins were going to be there, and it would be a good time. We also had dinner with the band this week.

  I had a life built around Micah and loved it.

  Mallory joined us to write, bringing donuts from a good place on the corner. We sipped coffee, and she told Micah about Talon. He stayed calm and listened, advising her to be careful. I finished my article, and Mallory read it before I submitted it with a grin.

  We showered and dressed to go to dinner. I drove us in Micah’s car and smiled when I saw that Mom and the twins were there already. The girls were both driving now and took turns on Mom’s good days. I spent some time with them driving, and it was scary, but I was hell-bent on training them right. Even Micah took some drives with them.

  We all got out of the car and headed to the door. Micah knocked and opened the door on command, leading us in to hug everyone. I was thrilled when I smelled lasagna, and Mom smiled when she hugged me. I laughed when I saw our moms sitting together on a couch, giggling over something, and then looked at the three girls bent over looking at a phone.

  There would be a time that there would be marriages and kids. Little children would be here laughing and screaming, and it would be crazy. There wouldn’t be a place fuller of love for them.

  We gathered at the table to eat, and I raised a brow at the three trays of pasta that Irene and the girls placed in a line. There were two big bowls of salad and sliced bread. My mouth watered as I looked at Micah, and he winked as I blushed. He always made me blush when he winked at me like that. Olivia said her prayer, and we started loading up our plates as conversation flowed around the table. I looked at Mom and wondered if this place made her better. Did it have a more supportive family behind her?

  We enjoyed cheesecake with coffee for dessert, and I glanced over at Mallory as she looked down at her phone. I knew that she planned a date with Talon for this week and hoped that he would be better than Lance. We stayed for another hour and left together, watching as Marlin backed out of the driveway. “She looks confident,” Mallory observed as we got in the car.

  “They both are. I think I approve of private driving lessons in this day and age.” I started the engine and headed to the house. We were loaded down with leftovers, and Mallory yelled at her mom for making too much food. They both laughed afterward, and Olivia stopped looking scared. Mallory hugged us before heading inside with her phone in hand.

  “She’s going to be on the phone all night,” Micah noted as we walked to our door.

  “It’s a good thing she’s self-employed,” I joked as he shot me a dark look. We walked inside and put the food away before heading back to bed. Micah turned on the TV, as we settled against the pillows. He found a late-night show before reaching his hand out to me. I took it and gazed at him in the dim light, thinking how handsome he was. “I love you.”

  “I love you.” Micah smiled at me and grinned back. We managed an hour of the show before falling asleep. We had the alarm set for seven to wake up and get some work in so we could go on a hike in the evening. Malory came over and announced her dinner date with Talon, making Micah groan.

  “Shut up,” she told him as I laughed. She set up her computer and got some coffee before starting her project. She played a podcast in the background for us to listen to that a friend hooked her on. We usually had the TV on at a low volume or played music that we talked over. This exchange between the hosts was funny and informative about the crimes they outlined. I asked to see her phone and read more details about this podcast and others, figuring it might add to my list of things to listen to when I worked, or even in my downtime. Most of that I spent with Micah, but he was open-minded and intelligent. He played several documentaries for me over the last few months and told me that he liked to learn about events.

  We wrapped it up after lunch, having made a lot of progress. Mallory went home to search through clothes for her date, and Micah and I dressed for our hike. We had to shower after the sex we had in bed, but that left plenty of time for our activity. We hopped into the car with a backpack of water and snacks, headed to Emerald Lake.

  It was recommended to arrive in the morning, but we found a parking spot. We didn’t mind people, and it felt safer that way. We found a moderate trail that took us directly to the lake and easily chatted as we walked. The rocks and trees made for beautiful scenery, and I shot a few pictures. When the lake was below us, we both paused to take it in. “Damn. This is gorgeous.”

  “It is.” I snapped a couple of shots, and we began the descent down to the blue-green water. There were a few smaller beaches as the lake wasn’t huge and we sat on a rock to sip water and enjoy the peace.

  “This is perfect. You’re perfect. We have the best jobs that allow us to cut out in the afternoon and do things like this.” Micah took my hand, kissing it. “I love you.”

  “This is a dream life for me. I love you.” We mainly hiked alone during the week when everyone else was busy with school or activities. As much as we loved being with family, this was perfection. I looked over the water as the sun shimmered on the surface and enjoyed the moment.

  I wasn’t always this calm. Life with my dad was chaotic at times, and I tended to try and fix his messes. I was too young for that, but it was something I felt like I needed to do. Now, everyone he affected was happy and thriving, and my life was close to perfect.

  We waited for the sun to lower a bit before making our way up the trail. We grabbed dinner on the way back, delivering pizza to Mom and the girls as a surprise. We spent a fun couple of hours over there eating and talking. Micah shot me a look as we walked out to the car.

  “She does realize we have a few months before the holidays, right?” He asked, starting the car. “We just started summer.”

  “Mom has always loved the holidays, and now that we introduced the families, we’re screwed.” I leaned back and closed my eyes, worn out by the busy afternoon.

  “Shit. You’re right. My mom’s going to make it a bigger event. Awesome.” He pulled onto the main road, and we fell into a comfortable silence. “I’m tired.”

  “Yeah. I could’ve taken a nap after the hike.” I yawned. “It was good to see them. They’re getting better.”

  “I wonder how Mallory’s night is going,” Micah said as we drove down our street. He did some digging about Talon and seemed pleased with his findings. He wasn’t Lance, who turned out to just be an all-around bad guy. Mallory would’ve never gotten involved with him, but I couldn’t know that back then. We parked in the driveway, both glancing over to see a blue SUV in her driveway and lights on through her blinds.

  “They’re home safe.” I looked at my boyfriend as he nodded, his lips in a frown.

  “I hate being so damn protective of her. She’s a big girl.” I reached for his hand and pulled him to the door.

  “I get it.” We went inside and decided to have some beers while we watched something on TV to wind down. We changed into loose shorts and collapsed on the couch, sipping our bottles as we searched the TV menu. I settled on the crime channel, and Micah chuckled at me.

  “Is Mal rubbing off on you?” I knew that he was referring to the podcast, and I shrugged.

  “I’ve always liked the psychology of it all. My mom used to watch stuff like this, and we’d try to solve the puzzle.” I leaned against his shoulder and kissed his neck. “Her boyfriend is a homicide detective. Imagine that.”

  “Shit. Are you serious?” He laughed, and I nodded.

  “He’s tied down to the job there. That would be the key thing to get Mom to come here, but it isn’t California. It’s an adjustment.” I looked at the screen, thinking about my pretty blonde mom. I wanted her to meet Micah, but we’d have to travel there unless she decided to come for Christmas.

  “We should visit one weekend. I’d love to hang out at the beach,” Micah suggested, and I gazed at him. “I’d like to see your home.”

&nbs
p; “I’ll plan something. That would be a lot of fun.” I leaned in for a kiss, and he tilted his head to return it. The TV and everything else in the room were forgotten as we moved from the couch to the bedroom. We made love there, using some hidden energy that Micah always supplied me.

  I passed out when we finished. When I woke up, the house was clean, and I assumed Micah got up to pick up. We made coffee and breakfast, grinning as Mallory came through the front door. “How was your date?”

  “He’s awesome. We went to this seafood place and brought ice cream home to watch a movie,” Mallory replied with a wide smile. “Casual but a great way to get to know each other.”

  “I like that,” I told her, and she met my eyes.

  “He’s a good guy. Just be careful,” Micah told her, and Mallory nodded.

  “Of course. I wasn’t in love with Lance or anything. He just seemed like a good prospect.” She shrugged and sipped her coffee. “I suppose I’m glad there are no women in his band, but he’s around them. I can’t let that get to me.”

  “If he’s the one, it won’t matter. I’m only jealous a tiny bit now.” Micah kissed my cheek as Mallory laughed.

  Chapter Twelve

  Micah

  It felt like we were somewhere every night over the next several weeks. We enjoyed dinners with the band, where Keller obtained Marley’s stamp of approval. He found himself in her room, playing dolls more often than he cared for. They all liked him and told me we were perfect together.

  They met Talon a few weeks into that relationship, and while most of the guys knew him, it was casually. They got on well together, and Mallory beamed. We needed some band friends in town now that Moira and Lance were a thing of the past.

  We also had Sunday dinners with both families. It was a major tradition now, and I think the moms lived for it. Aside from that, we had dinner with Evelyn and the girls.

  It was a crazy life, but I loved it. We decided to go to California to see Keller’s mom, and once Mallory heard about it, she wanted to come along. Talon was traveling for a small tour, and she’d been craving the ocean in her life for some time. With that in mind, I looked into renting a house near his to fit the three of us. California was expensive, and her home was small. We booked a flight for Thursday evening and planned to return on Tuesday morning. The band had no obligations, so we could all have a break.