Fire, page 25
A man who promised to love me forever.
And we all know what it means when Micah Hutton makes a promise.
Micah
“Ladies and gentlemen!” The emcee’s voice booms over the speaker in the reception hall. “May I have your attention! For the first time as husband and wife, please welcome Mr. and Mrs. Micah Hutton and their daughter, Penelope Michaela Hutton!”
I take Ivy’s hand on one side and Nell’s on the other and we step into the reception hall as a family. My daughter was over the moon the day she became a Hutton. She wiggled and danced after the paperwork was signed, gleefully singing her new name for everyone to hear. That’s when the idea to have her announced along with Ivy and me struck. Ivy cried when I suggested it, much like she’s crying now, standing in front of an army of family while they cheer and clap and whistle, celebrating our union.
We cut the cake and have our first dance as husband and wife, followed by a Daddy Daughter dance for me and Nell, while Dad spins Ivy around the dance floor with the ease of a man used to being the center of attention.
“You look very beautiful tonight, LG,” I say to my little girl. “Even if you are wearing a dress.”
She laughs, wrinkling her nose in that adorable way of hers. “You look like Batman when he’s not Batman.”
“You mean Bruce Wayne?”
“Yeah. All rich and handsome. But I guess he looks grumpy a lot, and you look happy, so you’re not just like him. It’s just the clothes and the hair.”
“And the handsome,” I add, lifting her little feet onto mine and spinning her across the floor while she giggles wildly.
When the song ends, Ivy and I join my cousin Angela and her husband Garrett at a table.
“Have you seen Nator To—I mean Nathan?” I ask, scanning the crowd. “I think I spied his sullen ass when we walked in, but I haven’t seen him since.”
“He was here for a little while. Saw you cut the cake and have your first dance.” Angela folds her arms over her chest, looking worried and trying to hide it. “He told me to tell you the wedding was beautiful.”
Yeah. No. I’m not buying it.
I mimic her posture and lean in close. “My bullshit meter is through the roof, Angel.”
Anyone else would fight me, but Angela and I have always been honest with each other. “Fine. Nathan said love was a trap he hopes never to fall into. He looked pretty miserable.”
“And like he’d been hitting the open bar a little hard,” Garrett adds with a frown.
Well, shit. I hoped he’d have popped back from his slump by now. “That whole Blossom thing messed with his head more than I thought it would.”
“He said he’d never be stupid enough to get married.” Angela gives me an apologetic smile. “Not after what happened with her.”
Nathan’s grown more and more bitter since he learned the truth about Blossom. I keep swearing he’ll snap out of it, but he seems desperate to prove me wrong. He’s settling into life as a grumpy recluse, and I was sure seeing how happy I am with Ivy would make him drop the lone wolf act and bring him back to his Golden Retriever self.
“Is he really building a giant house out by Shadow Cove?” Ivy asks.
Angela shrugs. “Last I heard.”
“Good ole Nator Tot won’t stay like this. He can’t. He may be looking into building a big ass mansion of solitude right now, but he won’t go through with it. Nathan doesn’t do seclusion,” I say, shaking my head.
“He does now.” Garrett sounds like it’s a done deal and it’s not. It just isn’t. Nathan is too good, too pure, too genuinely nice to play the evil villain isolating himself in a big ass house card.
My cousin Nick sidles up to us, all buzz-cutted and dress-blued, looking every bit the hero he is. He thumps me on the back then turns to Ivy. “I can’t imagine a reason to look so worried in front of a bride who looks this happy.” He takes her hands and kisses her cheek, then we fill him in on the Nathan discussion.
“He’s hurting,” Nick says with a grimace. “Retreating to lick his wounds. I’ve seen it happen too many times with Marines who’ve been injured. The psychological damage takes longer to heal than the physical damage.”
I love Nathan to death but getting dumped by some ball-busting parasite isn’t exactly the same as what Nick and his buddies go through. “I’m not sure getting Blossomed is anywhere near as traumatic as the shit you deal with on a daily basis.”
“I don’t know,” Nick says with a shrug. “Trusting someone enough to love them? That takes an immense amount of vulnerability. Having that trust shattered can do some real damage. But Nate’s got support, so hopefully, he’ll be back to his old self by the time I’m done with this next op. It’ll be a long one, so he’ll have time.” Something in Nick’s eyes says there’s more he wants to say, but a shriek sounds across the hall, with childish laughter chasing behind as Nell hits the dance floor with Tucker’s twins, Flora and Mitchell.
I meet Tucker’s eyes across the room and lift a hand. He looks great. No cane. Big smile. He’s been back to work for the last several months and happier than ever. He grins, then intervenes as Mitchell and Flora get into a squabble.
There’s dancing and drinking, laughing and so many conversations with so many people that the evening blurs into one giant warm feeling. Throughout it all there’s Ivy’s smile. Her hand in mine. The brush of her lips. The knowledge that after all these years, she’s finally back in my arms. Forever.
My wife.
My bride.
My past. My present. My future.
“What’s got you smiling so big, Mr. Hutton,” Ivy whispers, leaning her head against my shoulder.
I draw her close, my hands slipping low on her back as I press my forehead to hers. “You, Mrs. Hutton. It’s always, always been you.”
I hope you loved your time with Micah, Ivy, and Nell!
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MICAH’S PARENTS
Did you love Micah and Ivy? You’ll adore his parent’s story!
Meet Micah’s parents in BEYOND US.
Two roommates. One pact. A kiss that changes everything.
Moving in with Eli Hutton was supposed to keep my heart safe. After both our relationships crashed and burned, cohabitation seemed like a no-brainer. A reset from chaos back to stability. A chance to protect one another from Cupid and his stupid little arrows.
Sure, he’s adorable… Hilarious… Gorgeous… And so charming he makes me feel like the brightest star in the sky…
Alright, fine. The man is a sinfully sexy angel sent to tempt me each and every day. (Don’t judge. No one can resist him. You’ll see.)
All that aside, Eli’s like a brother to me. And for him, I’m just one of the guys.
But somewhere along the line, I did the one thing I swore I wouldn’t. I fell in love. With him. It was only a little—at first. Then one accidental kiss sent my traitorous heart into overdrive.
I swear, it’s just a phase. I’m sure it’ll pass with time. I just need to keep my feelings secret until things go back to normal.
Then again, the heart wants what the heart wants…and mine wants him.
Warning! This standalone friends-to-lovers romance includes:
• A broken accidental nudity clause
• A strange interaction with a Pinky Finger
• Kindle-melting chemistry
• And a strip club named Eggplant
Check out BEYOND US now!
Meet Angela and Garrett in FATE.
He shouldn't have kissed me. But I shouldn't have liked it.
Garrett Cooper is grumpy. Bossy. Rude. Sparks fly every time we’re in the same room—and not the good kind. While I’m trying to brighten the mood, he’s dismissing me with a roll of his eyes.
One thing’s for sure. Garrett and me? We would never work.
But there’s the problem…
He’s my last, best chance to save my family’s hotel.
He waltzes into our business meeting—grinning like a Bond villain—and verbally eviscerates me in front of my father and uncle. I try to see the good in everyone, but the only thing this guy has going for him is dark hair, a rugged jawline, and black slacks that hug a fantastic rear end.
I convince him to one last meeting. Just the two of us. A do-over, if you will. Instead of focusing on business, the sparks between us catch fire.
Tall, dark, and evil has never been my thing, but staring into those stormy eyes makes me feel equal parts alive and uncomfortable. Nothing good comes from mixing business with pleasure, especially not with a man like this. Intense. Glowering. And holding the lifeline for my family.
Before I know it, inappropriate text conversations become an X-rated phone call I will never forget. Suddenly, this grumpy, growly man is feeding me strawberries in bed and what am I supposed to do with that?
He doesn’t do relationships. He doesn’t even do connection.
And I’m supposed to be closing a deal, not enjoying that trick he does with his belt.
I have to put an end to this.
I will put an end to this.
Maybe after one last kiss…
Check out FATE now!
FAMILY TREE
EMOTIONAL ABUSE - DOMESTIC ABUSE HOTLINE
Conflict is natural in any relationship, and is often a healthy way for two people to talk through emotions and work through issues.
Conflict can be stressful, but shouldn’t lead to power imbalances or degrade the confidence or autonomy of one member in the relationship.
If you are in an abusive relationship and you’re in the United States, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text START to 88788.
From the SafeHorizon website, here are five signs of emotional abuse:
1 They are Hyper-Critical or Judgmental Towards You
◦ It is human nature to critique or judge, but in emotionally abusive situations, someone takes it to the next level. This can look like someone is:
▪ Putting you down in front of others
▪ Humiliating or embarrassing you
▪ Using sarcasm or “teasing” or “jokes” to make you feel badly about yourself
▪ Having an opinion about a lot of what you say, do, or think
▪ Upset if/when you don’t agree (e.g., how you dress, how you spend your money, who you spend time with, what you are interested in)
2 They Ignore Boundaries or Invade Your Privacy
◦ We all have the right to our own space. Sometimes it can be tricky to distinguish between the rush and thrill of any new relationship or connection and a violation of your space because you may feel that you want to spend all of your time with this awesome person. This can look like your partner:
▪ Wants to move a relationship faster than you are comfortable with either emotionally or physically (e.g. saying “I love you” very quickly and pressuring you to do the same, pushing you to engage in sexual activities, pushing you to move in together)
▪ Checks your texts messages, email or social media accounts without your permission
3 They are Possessive and/or Controlling
◦ The abuser may try to restrict your behavior through unreasonable jealousy such as:
▪ Monitoring your actions
▪ Constantly calling or texting when you are not around
▪ Getting upset when you want to spend time by yourself or with family or friends alone
▪ Isolating you from other people in your life and/or activities you enjoy or work
▪ Demanding access to your phone, email, or social media accounts
4 They are Manipulative
◦ An emotionally abusive person may try many things to get you to do what they want or feel badly, such as:
▪ Withdrawing affection when you’ve done something “wrong”
▪ Ignoring or excluding you
▪ Guilt trips
▪ Making you doubt yourself
▪ Denying something you know is true
5 They Often Dismiss You and Your Feelings
◦ The abuser might try to play down your emotions or feelings by:
▪ Saying you are too sensitive or calling you crazy
▪ Making fun of your achievements or hopes and dreams
▪ Refusing to talk about or take responsibility for their actions
▪ Blaming you or someone else for their actions (it’s never their fault)
▪ Being indifferent to your feelings
If you are in an abusive relationship and you’re in the United States, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text START to 88788.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Mr. Wonderful—This wasn’t an easy book to write and it could have gotten extremely dark. But, your love has shown me what a healthy relationship is, allowing me to counteract the ugliness of Julian with the beauty of Micah. Thank you for holding my hand when the book wouldn’t come together and plot points were out of order. Thank you for pulling me out of a web of twisted relationships and teaching me what it means to love and be loved. You are my rock. My world. My everything. I love you.
To Jordan S.—Thank you for the time you spent answering my seven thousand questions about life as a firefighter. I appreciate the detailed information you gave me almost as much as your enthusiasm for the job. Micah came to life because of you.
Thank you to O, T, and C. You are loved more than you know.
Thank you to Linda, Nickiann, Stormi, Kieran, Elaine, Suzanne, Cole, and Candy. I hope you see your fingerprints in this story. Love you all.
And thank you to YOU, darling reader, for sticking with this story to the very end.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Abby Brooks writes contemporary romance about real people in relatable situations. With equal parts humor and heat, her books provide an emotional smorgasbord readers love. You’ll laugh, cry, and cheer her characters on as they chase down their happily ever after.
Abby lives in Ohio with an amazing husband, three fabulous kids, and a stinker of a cat. In her spare time you’ll find her messing around outside, dancing in the kitchen when she should be paying attention to cooking, and enjoying the company of her family.
For more books and updates:
abbybrooksfiction.com
THE HUTTON FAMILY SECOND GENERATION
Fate
Fire
WILDROSE LANDING
Fearless
Shameless
Reckless
THE HUTTON FAMILY
Beyond Words
Beyond Love
Beyond Now
Beyond Us
Beyond Dreams
It’s Definitely Not You
The Hutton Family Series - Part 1
The Hutton Family Series - Part 2
A BROOKSIDE ROMANCE
Wounded
Inevitably You
This Is Why
Along Comes Trouble
Come Home To Me
A Brookside Romance - the Complete Series
WILDE BOYS WITH WILL WRIGHT
Taking What Is Mine
Claiming What Is Mine
Protecting What Is Mine
Defending What Is Mine
Wilde
THE MOORE FAMILY
Finding Bliss
Faking Bliss
Instant Bliss
Enemies-to-Bliss
THE LONDON SISTERS
Love Is Crazy (Dakota & Dominic)
Love Is Beautiful (Chelsea & Max)
Love Is Everything (Maya & Hudson)
The London Sisters - the Complete Series
IMMORTAL MEMORIES
Immortal Memories Part 1
Immortal Memories Part 2
AS WREN WILLIAMS
Bad, Bad Prince
Woodsman
Abby Brooks, Fire
