Trusting You: The Switched Series book two (10 page)

I cannot believe how much I love my life right now. Not only have I found the man of my dreams, but I think there may be a way I will get to be with him a lot. I honestly thought after Josh, I would never be able to trust another male again. But Brody has definitely proven that wrong. After I left Thanksgiving, I came back for Christmas. Brody made sure he was able to come to Miami at least once a month and now since school is out, I get to spend my summer in Nashville.

This has probably been the longest flight ever because I finally get to see Brody as soon as I get off of this plane since Callie is in the hospital giving birth. As soon as I exit the plane I take off as fast as I can to find Brody. As soon as I spot him, I run and jump in his arms.

“Hey sweetheart, I am so glad to see you,” he whispers, before setting me down on the ground. “How did this morning go?”

“It actually went really well. They said I would hear from them in four to six weeks,” I say, not being able to stop smiling. “I made it without seeing my sister too, so that was nice. Have you told anyone yet?”

“No, I still have seven weeks, so I’ll tell them later,” he says, grabbing my hand. “Are you ready to go meet the two smallest most beautiful babies you will ever see, until you see ours of course,” he says, smiling.

“Yes, I am.”

“Thank you so much. No problem, I will be there. Two weeks, sounds great. Thank you,” I say on the phone, turning around to see Brody standing in the doorway smiling. I hang the phone up and can’t stop the huge smile that is on my face.

“You got it,” he says, smiling.

“I got it. I have to be there in two weeks. Pretty good timing, I was starting to get really worried,” I say, feeling a huge relief. I was not looking forward to leaving here and not having Brody with me.

“I wasn’t letting you get away that easily. Nothing is going to keep you from me anymore. Can we please go tell Callie about us and what is fixing to happen? We have kept us a secret for way too long now and I really want to be able to be with you in front of them. Please, they have to find out….. now,” he says, coming over to kiss me.

“I don’t think we have a choice now. I think they will be very suspicious when they hear the news if we aren’t together,” I say, dreading telling Callie about this. I know she will be happy for us, but I also know how much she loves having Brody around and I really hope she doesn’t blame me for him not being around much anymore.

“Let’s go,” he says, grabbing my hand and pulling me out the door.

“The party’s not until later,” I say, getting nervous about how this conversation is going to go. I don’t think she will be very surprised to hear about me and Brody being together, it’s the rest of the news I don’t think she is going to like.

“I know, but I would really like to tell the rest of my family tonight. I think Callie and Ash deserve to hear it first from us. She has been kind of a mess the past few weeks and I really don’t know how she is going to take the rest of the news,” Brody says. I know he’s right, but it definitely doesn’t make it any easier.

We pull up to the house and walk up the steps to the door. I open the door and walk in with Brody right behind me.

“Hey, I didn’t think y’all were coming until later. We just got the girls down if you just came over here to hold them,” Ash says, smiling.

“We actually came to talk to the both of you,” I say, trying to hide my nerves.

“We have some big news,” Brody says. “You guys may want to sit down,” he says, pointing to the couch. I take a deep breath and grab Brody’s hand. Here goes nothing.

“What’s going on?” Callie asks, looking really worried. “Is something wrong?”

“No, everything is great. We just have some really exciting news to share with both of you,” I say, hoping this is not going to go as bad as I think it is.

“We already know you two are together. I may have been really busy the past few weeks, but I’m not stupid,” Callie says, looking at Leighton. “I’m not mad, I mean I know I told you to stay away from him, but I figured that was void when I married his best friend and didn’t tell either of you.”

“You’re really not mad?” Leighton asks with a look of pure relief. I know she has been worried about telling them about us being together, but I am more worried about telling them the rest.

“Of course I’m not mad. I just wish you had told me sooner. Believe me when I say it’s a lot less stressful with everything out in the open,” she says smiling. I’m really glad she’s okay with all of this, but I really need her to be okay with the rest. I guess I better go ahead and finally get all of it out there.

“There’s something else we need to tell you,” I say, taking a deep breath.

“You’re not pregnant, are you?” Callie asks Leighton.

“No, of course not,” Leighton says, looking shocked. I definitely wasn’t expecting that question.

“Here’s what’s going on. Over a year ago, I put in a transfer. I needed to get out of town for a while. I wanted a change. It was before Molly’s accident and before I knew about you,” I say, looking at Callie. “They never got back with me on it, so I kind of forgot about it, until a couple of months ago when I found out I was finally being transferred,” I say, looking over at Ash. I hope he has some idea of how Callie is going to react to all of this.

“Where are you being transferred?” Ash asks.

“Destin”

“You’re moving to Florida?” Callie asks finally saying something.

“Yes,” I say quietly.

“I was hoping Leighton would finally move here. Are y’all really okay with a long distance relationship? Miami and Destin aren’t very close,” Callie says.

“Actually, I am moving to Destin. I sent my resume in a couple of months ago when Brody found out and went for an interview before I flew up here. They called this morning and I have to be there in two weeks for a meeting,” Leighton says.

“When do you leave?” Callie asks, looking back at me.

“I have to be there next week. I need to leave in two days,” I say, wishing I had told her this a few weeks ago. She is really taking this well, way too well. Maybe she doesn’t need me as much as I thought she did.

“Okay, well congratulations to both of you on your new jobs,” Callie says, finally looking like she is about to lose it any second. “I need to go check on the girls,” she says, getting up and walking down the hall.

“I guess this is permanent since Leighton got a job and is moving with you?” Ash asks.

“I told them I didn’t want permanent. You know how that goes, could be a couple of months or a couple of years. We just didn’t want to live in different towns anymore,” I say.

“I understand that. I really wish you had told her on any other day but today. It’s not her favorite day, you know,” Ash says, leaning his head back on the couch. How could I have been so stupid? I completely forgot this is the Fourth.

“Oh no, I wasn’t even thinking about the date. I’ll go talk to her,” Leighton whispers, standing up to walk down the hall.

“I’m sorry man. I really should have told her sooner. I haven’t been thinking straight lately. How has she been? I mean before we came over and ruined the day,” I ask.

“She’s better. I think she is just feeling really overwhelmed with everything. She’s a little worried about having everybody over tonight too. I think she’s just exhausted. Kids are exhausting,” he says, yawning.

“Yeah, I have no idea how my mom handled four under four. Lucky for her I was the perfect child,” I say with a laugh.

“So, you and Leighton, when did that start?” Ash asks.

“It probably started the first time she opened her smart mouth to me, but officially started, a few months ago. It has been pure torture being away from her,” I say knowing he probably understands what that feels like.

“I bet you were going to see her all those weekends you had to go away for work,” Ash says, laughing. “I can’t believe you thought no one knew about it,” he says, shaking his head.

Finally, after a few minutes, Leighton and Callie come back into the living room holding a baby each. I stand up and go give Callie a big hug.

“I’m so sorry I told you this today, I really wasn’t thinking. I hope I haven’t made your day even worse,” I say, before grabbing Annie from her.

“I am really happy for both of you. I hate y’all aren’t going to be here, but now I will have a good excuse to come to Florida. I could use a week at the beach,” she says, before going over to sit with Ash on the couch. I go back to the other couch and sit by Leighton, who is still holding Ella.

“Speaking of Destin, how it that going to go with your sister and Josh?” Callie asks Leighton.

“I’m hoping I can avoid them. I made it to the interview without seeing them. I don’t see any reason they need to find out,” she says.

“Wait, isn’t Destin where the crazy restraining order woman lives? What if you find her, what was her name?” Ash asks, laughing.

“You never told me that was Destin. I guess we will have a long list of crazies to avoid,” Leighton says. I had completely forgotten about her too. Leighton really has messed with my head. I am really hoping I never see that girl again.

“What crazy restraining order woman?” Callie asks. I can’t believe she has never heard this story before.

“This girl, Sam, I used to date. She turned out to be a psycho. She would call all the time and drive by my house. She would not take no for an answer,” I say hoping she has moved on to some poor guy by now.

“I can’t believe a cop had to get a restraining order. That is the funniest thing I have ever heard,” Callie says, laughing for the first time today.

“What is so funny in here?” Jaxon asks, coming through the front door.

“Brody is telling me about some girl he used to date that he had to get a restraining order on,” Callie says, laughing even harder. Maybe she is okay with all of this after all.

“I remember her. She was hot and he was so in love with her. I wonder what happened to her,” he says, coming over to take Annie from me. These poor babies get passed around so much.

“Of course she was hot,” Leighton says, sounding jealous. I hope she knows she has absolutely nothing to worry about with that crazy woman.

“Just because they are hot, doesn’t mean anything. My ex-wife, Maya, was really hot and we all know how that turned out,” Jaxon says.

“What is the story with her anyway?” Callie asks. Jaxon never talks about her, so I’m not sure how this will go. In fact, I don’t remember him ever bringing her up voluntarily before today.

“I thought she was amazing until I opened up an envelope with pictures of her and my best friend in bed.”

“How do you know it wasn’t photo shopped? Did she say why she was with him?” Callie asks.

“I’m a detective. It’s kind of my job to be able to tell if something is real. Believe me, it was. I sent her divorce papers the next week and told her I never wanted to see her again and I haven’t. She sent me a letter once, but I never opened it. I didn’t really want to see any more pictures of them,”

“Wow, I can’t believe you never talked to her after all of that. Are they still together?”

“I have no idea. I haven’t seen either of them in almost five years now,” Jaxon says, shaking his head. “Oh well, it doesn’t matter now. Why are you talking about crazy ex-girlfriends anyway?” I guess I might as well go ahead and tell him now. I should probably wait until we are all together, but I am too excited to keep it quiet much longer.

“I’m moving to Destin,” I say, looking over at him. “Actually, we are moving to Destin,” I say, grabbing Leighton’s hand.

“Why are you moving to Destin?”

“I got transferred. I put in for one over a year ago and it finally went through a few weeks ago,” I say.

“You are moving to Destin too?” he asks Leighton.

“I put in my resume when we found out he was being transferred. I found out this morning I got a job.”

“Wow, have you told mom and dad?” he asks. Why is he not asking about us being together? Has everyone known about us this whole time?

“Not yet, I was planning on telling everyone tonight. We just came over early to tell Callie and Ash.”

“Congratulations. Florida will probably be a nice place to live. Are you going to sell your house here?”

“No, I’m hoping one day we can move back here,” I say, wondering if he caught the word we.

“Good. And I’m really glad we can stop talking about the two of you behind your backs. Mom will be glad too. She was starting to get mad y’all were keeping your relationship such a secret. I mean, she understood why they did it,” he says, nodding his head toward Ash and Callie, “but none of us could figure out why the two of you were being so secretive.”

“So everybody knows about us?” Leighton asks.

“It wasn’t really that hard to figure out,” Callie says. “I’m really sorry y’all thought you couldn’t tell me. But really, did you not think I would understand?”

“I hoped you would, but you did keep telling me they were all off limits,” Leighton says, smiling.

“I am a little mad y’all are moving though. You really better not stay gone forever. You would probably be really good babysitters, if I ever leave them,” Callie says, looking like she is ready to grab her babies back.

“I know someone who would love to keep them. Mom is about to have a fit for these babies to stay with her,” Jaxon says.

“Yes I am, do you need a babysitter?” mom asks, walking into the house.

“Not yet, but I will keep you in mind,” Callie says. While mom heads over to grab a baby from Jaxon, Leighton stands up to take one to my dad. I know they are crazy over these little ones and I am really glad Callie is being so good with sharing them with all of us.

“When is Collin supposed to be here?” I ask. I am so ready for everyone to hear our news.

“He was outside talking to Clayton. They both pulled up behind us,” dad says.  “Are you two finally not keeping secrets anymore,” he says, looking at our hands.

“We may be keeping one more. As soon as Collin gets in here, we have some news,” I say, squeezing Leighton’s hand and watching my mom give me a funny look.

“I guess Molly decided to stay in Nashville?” Callie asks. A couple of months ago Molly decided to go back to work in Nashville and she hasn’t been back since. We are all trying to call her more often since she probably does feel like she is all alone, but so far we haven’t been able to get her to come home. I’m assuming it probably has something to do with the two tiny new additions to this family.

“She said she had a few properties to show this morning and was going out with some friends tonight. She also said to thank you for inviting her,” mom tells Callie.

“Okay, here’s Collin, what’s your news, Brody?” My dad asks as soon as Collin walks in the door.

“I got transferred to Florida,” I say, watching my mom smile at Leighton.

“So you’re moving to Miami,” she says.

“Not exactly, I actually got transferred to Destin.”

“Destin and Miami aren’t that close. Wouldn’t you two rather be in the same town? I’m sure Leighton could get a job here and you could ask to not be transferred,” mom says.

“I tried to get out of it, but I couldn’t. I put in for the transfer a year ago, I thought I wasn’t going to get one, but I got a call a few weeks ago,” I say.

“You’ve known about this for a few weeks?” she asks. I should have known this wasn’t going to be easy. I guess I need to go ahead and tell her the rest.

“I have. As soon as I found out, Leighton put in for a job in Destin too. She found out this morning she got one, so she will be living in Destin too,” I say, watching my mom.

“Well, I’m glad you two will finally be together. I wish it was closer, but I understand you need to do what’s best for the two of you,” she says, coming over to give us both a hug.