Page 109 of Sterling Touch
It’s become my favorite thing to hear.
“So, Amelia, huh?” I glance toward the screen door again.
“Yep. Although her daddy isn’t allowing her to speak to Hudson, they talk through texts almost every day.” Vale air quotes. “They’re text-dating.”
“What the hell is that?” I ask, glancing back at my beautiful woman.
Vale giggles and shakes her head. “I don’t even know. Kids these days.” She laughs harder. “Sneaking around and dating behind backs.”
“Valentine.” I narrow my eyes without any heat. “We’re gonna be open about this relationship.”
“But not too open,” She smiles, dropping her gaze to my shirt and smoothing my collar.
I catch her meaning and lean over to kiss her again.
“It’s going to be the right mix of public dates and private time.”
Because this feels right. Love is good. For the first time, everything perfectly happens.
EPILOGUE
[Vale]
With our relationship in the open, I didn’t think I could be happier. It was the little things, likenothaving to keep my distance during a Haven Hitters baseball game. Ornotbeing able to approach him at Milton Roadhouse.
Cort was even more affectionate in public than I’d anticipated, always holding my hand when we walked anywhere or putting his arm around my shoulder, keeping me close.
He even braved joining me for coffee at Curmudgeon Bakery one morning, where Sebastian narrowed his eyes at Cort with a strong warning. “I know people.”
He isn’t lying. He served time in jail and I’m certain he has questionable connections, but the threat isn’t warranted. Cort took the warning with grace, placing his hand on my lower back before sliding it up my spine in that way that always makes me tingle, before cupping the back of my neck.
“If I hurt her, I’ll be the first to ask you for someone’s number.” Cort kissed my temple right in front of my brother, whose eyebrows I didn’t think could rise any higher on his head.
Ford and Cadence were too hectic with their three little ones and a baby on the way to give Cort and I much thought. Although Ford knows about the split between Stone and Cort as well as the rest of the family, he wasn’t as fazed by a union between Cort and me.
Knox and Halle joined Cort and me along with Hudson and Tim for a hike one day. As reunited lovers, they are big on second chances and graciously offered silent support of whatever makes us happy.
Cort makes me deliriously happy. I’m pretty certain I do the same for him.
Judd was the surprising one. He gave an open invitation for Cort and I, along with Hudson and Josh, to come to his place and enjoy the lake behind his house.
And Clay, as both the easygoing one and the closest to Stone, had simple words of advice: “He’ll come around.”
I wanted to believe that was true. That, eventually, Stone would accept Cort wasn’t the same Cort of his youth and their friendship. He’d had his own demons to conquer during their split making him the strong, reflective man he is today.
As for me, the relief at my brothers’ casual acceptance and the bliss I feel being with Cort is like honey-lemon glaze on a honey cake.
Sweet and satisfying.
Although the HavenHitters will have a Fourth of July tournament, the actual holiday is a break for the team, but not from baseball.
A new tradition has developed for us Sylvers. After the parade in town, which honors both Stone and Knox for their service as the Sheriff and a local fire fighter, the family meets back at the house for what’s become a rather competitive baseball game.
The teams were once random because of our second generation being so young but as a few of them have aged up, the family teams have reshuffled.
We’ve added more players recently, like Mavis and Dutton, and Genie. But Judd also had a request to include Trudy Wallace and her grandson, Simon. Trudy admitted she’d be more of a fan than a participant as she’s roughly the age our mother would have been. The two women were best friends when our mom was alive. Trudy’s an icon in our community for raising many of her nieces and nephews as well as a handful of foster kids.
Because of these additions, I’ve decided to make a few invites of my own to our annual game. Might as well make it a party because this year we plan to host fireworks on our property, being that Knox is well trained in fire safety. Stone’s going to look the other way on whether it’s truly legal to have our own celebratory display.
