Page 35 of Shaded Amethysts
“See?” I asked, splaying my hands at the obvious proof. “You’re the exact opposite of him, and you’re going to make a wonderful, caring father––right after you become my loving, adoring husband.”
It was a bold hint, but I didn’t want to leave any doubt in Gage’s mind about where I wanted our relationship to go. We couldn’t have him falling over in shock when I executed the big proposal.
Gage answered me with a tender, breath-hitching kiss. After we reluctantly pulled apart, I continued my case. “Besides, you are the best dad imaginable to sweet little Scamp.”
The energetic kitten chose that moment to pounce on my feet, which had wiggled under the covers to tempt him. Gage leaned forward to scoop up the tiny animal and placed him higher on the bed between us before admitting, “I guess this pint-sized cutie-pie is teaching me a thing or two about the patience and enduring love required to be a parent.”
“He sure is,” I agreed, running the backs of my fingers along the five o’clock shadow on Gage’s jawline.
“Do you prefer my face smooth or with a little bit of scruff?”
It was completely endearing that he seemed to care about my opinion on this topic. Beaming at him, I answered honestly, “I love looking at your handsome face and sexy body, but they aren’t what truly matter to me. It’s your caring soul that makes my heart try to beat its way out of my chest whenever I so much as think of you. You could be covered in hair from head to toe like Bigfoot, and I would love you just the same.”
The warm look he gave me could have melted the iceberg that sank the Titanic. He sounded elated when he said, “You are the first person to know the real me and stay firmly by my side. I’m so thankful for your unwavering love, Avery, and I promise to always give you mine.”
His fervent, private pledge meant just as much to me as marriage vows would have, but I still wanted us to stand up in front of all our friends and family to declare our everlasting love for each other. I couldn’t keep the secret smile from emerging as I pondered the idea that our wedding day was coming––likely much sooner than Gage knew.
After deciding to completely clear the air between us, I said, “There’s just one last hurdle for us to jump.”
“Oh?” Gage’s eyebrows snapped together in obvious surprise, edged with concern.
Gage stiffened but didn’t object when I said, “We need to hash things out with Noah.”
31
Gage
The large, black dog that greeted us with a toy in her mouth when we entered my half-brother’s office was adorable. She shoved the pink cheetah toward me, but shied away when I moved to accept it.
“She just wants to show it off, not hand it over. Isn’t that right, Bella?” Noah ruffled the dog’s fluffy ears.
Avery and I had scheduled the last appointment of the vet’s day, in hopes of having time for an unrushed, private conversation with him.
Noah’s eyes traveled from me to Avery and back again before he asked, “Where’s Scamp?”
Avery jumped in to answer, “We left him at home. He’s doing just fine, but we need to talk to you. Are we alone?”
Understanding dawned in Noah’s expression just before he nodded solemnly and said, “Yes, let’s head over to my residence where we can sit comfortably.”
He locked the front door of the office, then led us through a hallway that connected to his modern farmhouse kitchen. After he brewed a pot of coffee and delivered the steaming mugs to us, along with a plate of chocolate chip cookies, he sat down with us at the oversized, reclaimed wood dining room table.
I couldn’t resist teasing him as I grabbed a cookie. “You’ve grown so domesticated.”
Noah shook his head before answering, “Part of the charm of working in a small town is that payment is prompt and often includes baked goods as a bonus.”
After Avery took a bite of one of the cookies, she made an appreciative sound before asking, “Dr. Waters?”
“Good guess,” Noah confirmed.
Turning to me, Avery explained, “Dani and Dean’s mom has always been known for making the best chocolate chip cookies. When we were kids, half the town’s children would show up on their doorstep whenever we found out that she was baking.”
Noah and I both chuckled at the mental image of such a quaint, happy memory that was so different from the horrors we grew up enduring.
Quickly changing the tone of the conversation, Avery said, “You have my word that I will never tell another living soul anything about what really happened to your father on that fateful day, but I do have one condition.”
Noah swallowed audibly before asking, “What is it?”
“Admit out loud to the two of us that you never should have let Gage take your punishment and offer him asincereapology,” Avery demanded.
