Beautifully Broken Pieces (Sutter Lake, #1)(89)

I laughed, and Walker headed into the kitchen, shaking his head. “I can’t listen to this fool anymore.”

“That’s gratitude for you,” Liam called after him. He tipped his head down to me. “I save both of your lives, and this is the thanks I get.”

Now it was my turn to shake my head, but my lips were tipped into a smile as I moved around the dining room, setting down knives and forks. Helping Liam set the table, I was suddenly struck by the full-circle moment. Almost a year ago now, I had stood in a similar place, doing this very same thing. Getting ready to tell my closest friends that I was planning to move to Sutter Lake for a year. Now, that year was potentially forever.

Liam pointed a butter knife in my direction. “You’ve got an I’m-up-to-something smile on your face, Taylor. What gives?”

I bit the inside of my cheek. “Nothing.”

“You’re a horrible liar.”

The rest of the crew poured into the dining room. Walker and Austin carried heaping piles of food, while Carter carried little Ethan in her arms.

“Why are you calling my girl a liar?” Walker asked as he set down a platter and came to put an arm around my shoulders. “You keep saying you’re still injured, but you’re asking for an ass-kicking.”

Austin snorted. “He’s always asking for an ass-kicking.”

Liam clutched his hands over his heart in mock-affront. “I’m hurt. Truly. Taylor here,” he said, pointing the butter knife at me again, eyes narrowing, “had that I’m-up-to-something smile on her face, but she wouldn’t tell me why.”

All eyes came to me, and my smile only got bigger. I turned my gaze to my shoes.

“Something is up,” Carter agreed. “Tell us what’s going on.”

“Let’s sit,” I urged, and everyone hesitantly took their seats. Walker took my hand under the table.

Carter’s jaw fell open. “Are you pregnant?”

It was bad timing. I had just taken a sip of orange juice, and it spewed out of my mouth as I choked. Right onto Liam’s plate.

He looked thoroughly disgusted. “Gee, thanks.”

I ignored Liam. “I’m not pregnant! Why would you think that?”

Carter bit her lip. “I don’t know, you’re all glowy and happy.”

“Those are kind of knocked-up vibes,” Austin agreed.

I glared at them both. As excited as I was for the future, I was not ready for a baby yet. I turned my gaze to Walker, who was shaking with silent laughter. No help from him. “Walker asked me to move in with him. I’m staying in Sutter Lake.”

Carter beamed, handing Ethan to Austin and coming around the table to pull me up and into a tight hug. “I’m so happy for you.” She squeezed harder. “I’m sad for myself, not having you back in LA, but so happy for you.”

I pulled back from my bestie, tears glistening in both of our eyes. “I’ll come visit, lots. And you’ll always have a place here.”

“Actually, we might have our own place here,” Austin broke in.

My eyes widened, going from Carter to Austin and back again. “What?”

Carter’s lips tipped up. “I had a feeling you’d be staying here, and Austin and I thought it would be nice to have a place where we could get away from the craziness of LA. Why not Sutter Lake?”

I let out a high-pitched squeal, dissolving into some sort of dorky happy-dance with Carter.

Liam stuck a finger in his ear as if he were trying to clear it. “Damn, woman. First, you spit on my plate, and now you’re trying to make me go deaf.”

I ran around the table, giving Austin a huge hug and kiss on the cheek. “Thank you.” Then I continued on to Liam, hugging him and pinching his cheek. “What about you?”

He swatted my hand away. “Well, I was actually thinking about asking if I could stay here a while. I need a break from LA. What do you say, Walker, think your family would rent me the place?”

Walker studied Liam, probably wondering the same thing I was. What was he hiding from in LA? We’d never gotten around to that heart-to-heart, but I’d make sure that happened sooner rather than later. “We’d be happy to have you stay on,” Walker said.

I grinned and clapped my hands like a five-year-old. All my favorite people in the same place. Walker pulled me down to his lap and kissed me soundly.

“Ew, gross, we’re about to eat,” Liam whined. Austin chucked a biscuit at him.

“I’m glad you’re happy, Short-stack.” Walker kissed the end of my nose.

“I’m the happiest.”





Shoving the last drawer of Walker’s dresser—no, our dresser—closed, I flopped back onto the bed. All my stuff was moved in. Well, the little I’d had sent to me from Texas. I’d have to get everything I had in storage sent up here, too, but there was no need to tell Walker that his home was about to be inundated with dozens of boxes of girlie things.

My eyes traveled around the space, taking everything in. This was the place I would make my home. It was gorgeous, with its high, beamed ceilings and wide-planked floors, but it could use a bit of a feminine touch. I grinned to myself as I wondered how Walker would react to decorative throw pillows.

I stared up at the ceiling, mentally planning a trip to one of the cute little home décor shops in town. Walker’s voice drifted in from the deck off the master bedroom as he talked on the phone. My shoulders tensed as I recognized the tone of concern in his voice.