Page 105 of Forever Found
“I thought you guys needed your own space and who knows, maybe we will too, one day,” Asher laughed. “Just in case I made our side easy to split into two three bedroom spaces if we ever find girlfriends who can put up with us.”
“Of course you both will!” I cried tearfully. “You’re both amazing men and any woman would be lucky to have either of you.”
“This is amazing, Asher. You’re a genius,” Jordan said as he gave the arm he had around me a squeeze.
“Why’d you tell him that, Jord? Isn’t his head already big enough?” Adam groaned.
“Don’t say that!” I defended Asher as I moved towards him and wrapped my arms around his waist. Tears were flowing, but they were of complete, unbridled happiness.
“Thank you. This place is everything I didn’t even know I wanted,” I told him with a sniffle.
“I haven’t even finished yet, little dot. There’s the pool and gym in the basement level,” Asher chuckled as he wrapped his arms around me and hugged me tight.
“I don’t think I can handle any more. You’re killing me with this beautiful home,” I sniffled.
“You deserve a place that feels like home, sweetheart. You deserve to always feel safe and loved, and I hope this place can at least be a small part of that.”
“It is,” I assured him, “But you guys are the biggest parts of it. You and Eli. Adam, Jordan, and Kane. It’s all of you that are my home really. This amazing place is just the cherry on the top.”
“We love you, Addy. There’s nothing Ash and I wouldn’t do to see you smile, shortcake,” Eli added as he wrapped his arms around both Asher and I. It was an emotional moment, but for once, there was no sadness or fear in that emotion as it bubbled over. It was just happiness and gratitude for the day that these two amazing men, that I was lucky enough to share blood with, walked into my life and saved me. I had been drowning in terror and loneliness and I had no hope for anything resembling a future, but they grabbed me and they pulled me up. Without them I knew there was no way I would have survived more than a matter of days, lost in the justice system, and charged with the murder of the monster who had truly broken me.
“Why don’t you all show her the gardens? I’ll grab some beers,” Asher suggested as he pulled back from our hug and took a deep breath.
“Come on, angel. You’re going to love this,” Kane said as he took my free hand and pulled me towards the huge bi-fold doors that were open, leading out to the garden.
I stopped at the doorway and looked out with a huge gasp. The whole garden had been relandscaped and it was breath taking. Flower beds had been build to hip height up both sides of the huge space, and inside them were the most beautiful. brightlycolored flowers and plants, all of them seeming to burst from the beautifully built walled planters.
“Come on,” Adam said as he took my other hand, then he and Kane led me outside and down a path.
The large lawn had been split into four with a white stone path that led around the perimeter of the space and crossed the lawn. At the cross where the paths all met, at the very center of the vast space, stood an enormous, white stone fountain that was spraying water up into the air in elegant arches, and it was back lit by soft lights under the water. Around the fountain were benches, made of the same white stone, where I could see myself happily sat, just watching the hypnotic movement of the fountain. I looked back to the house and realised there was a large patio there, filled with a massive table and chairs we would all easily fit around, and some loungers I would love to lay out on in the summer. Plants, blooming with even more flowers in pots, surrounded the patio and made it look beautiful in the light of the setting sun.
“Pretty, isn’t it?” Jordan asked as he appeared over my shoulder, wrapping one of his arms around my back and draping the other over his brothers shoulders.
“It’s spectacular. If you’re looking for me, I’ll probably be out here,” I sniffled tearfully. The garden had always been where I went for peace, even in the depths of winter in the snow. Now Asher had made it a place where I could find that peace even more easily if I needed to, especially in the tough times.
“Are you happy, Addy?” Kane asked.
“How could I not be?” I grinned as I looked between all three of them surrounding me. “I have everything I ever could have wished for, and so much more.”
“So do we,” Adam said as he brought my hand to his lips and pressed a kiss there.
“Hey, don’t settle so easily, princess. We don’t have a pony. You should totally ask Asher for a pony! Or a dog! A dog would be awesome out here. Ask him for a dog!” Jordan cried.
“You’re crazy!” I laughed as I looked to him with a huge grin.
“Crazy for you maybe,” he told me before he pressed a long and loud kiss to my lips.
We were all laughing at Jordan’s list of things he thought I could still wish for, as we walked together back towards the house, to meet my brothers who were bringing out beers, a soda for me, and a huge [platter of snacks. We were home. We were safe. We were loved and we were happy. We had a lot to celebrate.
THE END (for now)