Forever You're Mine (MINE #4)(44)
Before we left, Nikki told me she had a letter Landon had written to me before we left on our first deployment. He said he wanted her to give it to me if anything ever happened to him, but she couldn’t find it.
“I’ve been digging for days. I thought it was in his safe,” she’d said. “But when I tried to find it after the funeral, it wasn’t there.”
Well, she finally found it, tucked inside a pair of his old boots. She was overnighting it and had called to let me know. I wasn’t sure when I would read it, or even if I could. But either way, the damn thing was coming.
Cora reached for my hand and I lifted hers to my mouth, seeking comfort in her touch.
No, I could do this.
I kissed her hand again before placing it on my lap, so f*cking thankful I would not have to face his final words alone.
In love, women are professionals, men are amateurs.
~Francois Truffaut
I couldn’t remember ever having this much fun. Alcohol played a heavy part at the moment, but most of my inebriated state had to do with the amazing people surrounding me, and the man sitting next to me. How happy he made me. I could not stop smiling.
Katy had made Jello shots out of strawberries. They were so damn cute. She’d taken real strawberries, cut them open, dug them out and used the hulls as edible shot glasses. She also made all of these cute fruit desserts with watermelon and kiwi. That girl and her Pinterest board sure do know how to host a party. They’d gone all out with the food too, hiring a popular Bar-B-Q joint to cater the celebration.
I think…no…I know I ate my weight in fritters. Those things are the damn devil and will probably be making a future appearance on my ass.
What turned out to be a beautiful warm day had given way to a crisp, cool night. We took what was left of the party to the covered patio so we could stay warm by the new fire pit, a housewarming gift from Cannon and I. Vaughn, Katy and Archer’s son, and Ava, Tabitha and Barrett’s sweet baby girl, had finally passed out from all their running around. And their failure to comply with naptime ensured us they were down for the night. The twins had gone home with Maddie’s parents about an hour ago so now we were all sitting around talking and drinking.
Even my girl Lyssa had joined us, and surprisingly had loosened up a bit since Maddie forced that Margarita in her hand. Lyssa didn’t drink. At all. But Maddie can be very persuasive.
“I need a refill. You want anything?” I asked Cannon, raising my cup.
He leaned over to kiss my cheek then brought his mouth to my ear. “Yeah, you ridin’ me. That’s what I want. One more drink and we’re out,” he informed me without delay.
Goosebumps trampled my skin as I kissed him soundly. “One more drink,” I said then tagged Lyssa’s hand on my way inside the house. “C’mon girl, I need your assistance.” Once I had her in the kitchen, I began my interrogation. “So,” I said, twisting the nozzle of the industrial size margarita maker to fill my cup with more strawberry goodness. “What’s the deal with Alex?”
Her face turned about as red as the frozen slush filling my cup. “What do you mean? There’s no deal,” she answered, taking a rather large gulp to conceal her embarrassment.
I raised a brow. “Really?”
Her cheeks flushed again but she still tried so hard to play it cool. “Really.”
“Hmm…well if that’s the case then why can’t you stop staring at him like he holds the key to your virtue?”
She had the gall to gasp. “I have no idea what you’re talkin’ about.”
“What are you bitches talkin’ about?” Maddie asked, making her way into the kitchen. Katy and Tabitha trailing behind her.
“Oh nothin’, I was just thanking Lyssa for puppy sitting while we were gone,” I lied, smiling around my cup.
I would get it out of her ass eventually.
Katy took a seat next to Lyssa. They could be taken for sisters with their dark hair and trusting eyes, but Katy had an edge to her that Lyssa didn’t. Lyssa hadn’t found the thing that set her on fire yet. Katy was a strong, confident, independent woman long before her domineering husband Archer came along. Lyssa was none of those things.
Not yet anyway.
“So y’all had a good time I take it.”
“We had a great time. His family is so amazing. And so very unlike mine.”
“He looks so happy. I didn’t even now the * had that many teeth until little you got a hold of him,” Maddie teased, smacking me on the ass. “I always say it takes a strong woman to bring out the best in a man.”
“Yeah well…he brings out the best in me too.”
“I love seeing you two together. Makes my heart smile,” Katy said, taking a sip from her straw before turning her attention back to Lyssa. “And you, what’s gotten into you? I can’t believe you’re actually drinkin’.”
Probably because she’s lusting over your brother!
“Ooooh…let’s do more shots!” Tabitha suggested.
“Fireball!” Katy shouted, raising her cup high in the air.
Lyssa looked terrified. “Fireball?”
Tabitha reached over and patted her small hand. “You’ll love it. Makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.”