Page 144 of Now and Then

Luke grins. “Well, damn. You got the Navy stamp of approval.”

She flips him off. “Shut up, Luke.”

We spend the next hour eating dinner and catching up on life. Afterward, they clean up while I stand around because no one will let me do anything.

Eventually, we settle onto the couch, and I cue up a movie.

As soon as the music begins, Sutton sits straight up. “Is this what I think it is?” Excitement sparkles in her eyes.

“Since I screwed up the Holiday Whoolabalooey party—”

Navy glares at me. “Holiday Cheermeister, you loser.”

“My bad.” I lift my hands in surrender. “Since I ruined the Holiday Cheermeister party, I figured I could try to make up for it a little now.”

Sutton leans over the couch and kisses my cheek.

“Why do you two have to be so perfect?” Navy groans. “I’ve been on, like, twenty-five dates and still haven’t met a man who even comes anywhere close to being as thoughtful as you two.” She gestures to Luke and me.

“We do set a high bar,” Luke says.

Greer wraps her arm around Luke’s. “You sure do.”

“Yeah, well,” Navy says, “I’m giving up on the whole dating thing for a while.”

“Your guy’s out there,” I tell Navy. “Sometimes it just takes longer than you expect.”

Navy gives me a knowing look—like she knows I’m not just talking about her.

“Who knows,” I add, “maybe you’ve already met him, and you didn’t even know it.”

Greer curls into Luke’s side. Navy steals Sutton’s blankets, and Sutton snaps at her to get her own. The atmosphere is loud, chaotic, and somehow perfect.

Sutton drops down beside me, her thigh brushing mine, her hand settling on my knee. She leans into my shoulder like it’s the most natural thing in the world.

Something tight in my chest eases. For weeks, I’ve wondered if I’m enough for her, enough to hold steady when the world tilts under her feet.

Tonight, sitting here with her curled against me, I think maybe I already have my answer.

I wrap my arm around her and press a kiss into her hair.

Whatever storms are coming, I’m not going anywhere.

30

Sutton

The fireplace crackles, warming the living room. December slipped in quietly after weeks of recovery, trying to convince Hunter to rest, and holiday chaos.

Hunter’s shadow stretches across the window, back bent over some kind of project outside. Not that I can see what he’s working on. The man has every curtain facing the back of the property closed, and I’ve been instructed to “keep my ass out of the yard, or else.” I’ve only been tempted a time or two to find out what “or else” might consist of.

With his case wrapped up, Hunter took time off work for the rest of his light-duty sentence. I wish I could do the same, but I have a few more days of work until my holiday starts. Today, I’m heading into the office to play catch-up and finalize the open house.

Even though it felt like the universe was against me on occasion, everything came together. The remodel is done. And the open house is planned. With only a week until the event, I am crossing my fingers Hunter can finish whatever he is working on in the backyard before guests come tour our place.

“Hey, babe,” Hunter says, breathing hard and entering the living room from outside. He’s got a new pair of jeans on, a dark Henley, and a ball cap. No jacket in sight.

“You’ll catch your death out there.” I toss him his coat.