Match Made in Valley View (Valley View Book #2)

Chapter 27

JANUARY

Christmas was everything that we wanted it to be for Annabelle. She got every Frozen toy that we adults could find at the store. She was up at five in the morning banging on Wes’s door. Thank God we locked the door because we fell asleep naked after a few hours of mind-blowing lovemaking.

Well, that isn’t totally aurate, not every round was love making, there was some dirty quick sex too. It was perfect, all of it was perfect. What wasn’t perfect was Annabelle almost seeing us naked in the bed cuddling. Thankfully, we were able to get dressed quickly and Betsy kept Annabelle entertained downstairs for breakfast so we could shower and get ready.

New Year’s Eve was spent at the Watering Hole with the other Brown brothers, Tiff, Candy, Stacy, and Sheila. We ended up crashing at Jimmy’s old apartment over the garage since it was about 2 am when the bar closed and we were far beyond smashed. We hit up the diner for brunch that next day and then eventually made it back to my place by evening.

It has been really tough balancing the bakery and a relationship with Wes. Although Harlington and Valley View aren’t that far from each other, the ranch is a good distance outside of Valley View, and since we both work long and early hours, that 45 minutes to an hour that we have to travel to get to each other’s place is really hard at 4 am or earlier.

It’ll probably get even harder for Wes once Spring hits and they’re back to being on the ranch at 4 am, so right now we’re just making the most of it and spending what time we can together. Today, Annabelle is going to a follow-up ortho appointment to get x-rays. We’re hoping that they’ll give us a better timeline on her getting the cast-off.

Wes asked me if I wanted to tag along. I think he mostly wanted me to come to keep him calm. He still gets really frustrated dealing with medical professionals. When he gets angry, Annabelle feeds off of that and gets scared. So although I’m happy to spend the day with the two of them, I’m pretty sure I’m here to keep everybody was yelling and crying.

“Holly?” Annabelle speaks up from the back seat.

“Yes, sweetheart?”

“Do you have any more cookies?” She asks in her sweetest little voice.

“I’m not sure if your daddy wants you to have anymore. You already had two.”

“I know, but I’m three. So I get three,” she says so confidently.

Wes chuckles from the driver’s seat, “Well in that case, do I get 36?” 

“That for sure isn’t happening.”

He glances over at me and winks, “Party pooper.”

“Don’t call Holly names!” Annabelle chastises her dad from the backseat.

‘Yeah, don’t call me names,” I repeat Annabelle.

Wes checks the rear view mirror where he can see the mirror that faces Annabelle, “Wait, whose side are you on here?”

“Holly’s!”

“What? I’m your dad!”

“Girls gotta stick together, Daddy.” I laugh and pass her back another chocolate chip cookie. Wes grabs the bag from me and grabs one too, shoving it in his mouth almost all the way.

“Chew your food young man.” He looks at me and gives a little growl.

After a not-fun four-hour drive, we finally arrive at the hospital. Some of the nurses that are there were the ones that helped to take care of Annabelle during her stay. They are all very sweet and usher us right up to the ortho department where Annabelle gets changed into a gown and we wait for the x-ray machine to be ready for us.