Page 149 of Love, Lies, and Whiskey

“Is that a yes?”

“Yes, Dr. Whiskey. If you still want me, I’ll happily accept your offer.”

He touched his forehead to hers, tangling his fingers in her hair. “There’ll never come a day when I won’t want you, darlin’.” With a gentle tug, he tipped her face up and lowered his lips to hers. As happened so often, their love took over, and the rest of the world fell away.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

JULIETTE STUDIED THE childlike drawing on the wall of Dr. Santowski’s office, trying to hold on to the hope she saw in it. It was the end of January, almost seven weeks since Lucas had rung the bell after his last chemotherapy treatment. They’d all breathed a little easier over the holidays. He’d had another PET scan earlier in the week, and they were waiting for the results to see if he needed further treatment. Lucas was feeling good and bouncing back beautifully, and he’d already put on some of the weight he’d lost during his treatments.

That alone should give her hope that today’s news would be good.

She was hopeful, but she was also scared. She was having flashbacks to the first time they’d been in that office, sitting just as they were now, with her and Seeley flanking Lucas. As if they could protect him from the invisible disease that had brought them there. Lucas had been vibrant and had seemed healthy then, and they’d clung to hope because of that, only to have their legs kicked out from under them.

Even with the trials and tribulations of Lucas’s treatments and the ups and downs of life in general, their lives had been really good the last few months, and she worried they might not have any luck left.

It had been two months since the confrontation with her father at the hospital. They’d gotten lucky, and hadn’t had to go after him. The morning after that awful confrontation, she’d learned that Ana had made a deal with the FBI, and her parents and many of her father’s cohorts in crime had been arrested. It was all over the news—how they’d stormed her parents’ house and the houses and offices of all the others, including Josh’s father, which made her wonder how much Josh had known about that situation. She’d been shocked to hear that her mother had been arrested, but according to reports, her mother had known about, and been part of, some of her father’s shady business dealings.

She’d learned through the press that her father had been found badly beaten in a field. He claimed not to remember how he’d gotten there or who had beaten him up, but the media had a field day blaming it on a shady business deal gone wrong. The media had exposed a list of things her father had done, including how he’d deceived her and Seeley. Seeley had kept his promise to protect them. He’d hired Shea Steele, a high-powered public relations professional, and she’d done an incredible job of handling things for and with them to minimize the media circus.

But what her father had done to them was nowhere near the worst of his wrongdoings. It appeared the rumors were true, and he had an even more sinister side. He’d actually had people murdered to further his career and businesses. To say Juliette was relieved when the judge had deemed her father a threat to society and had sentenced him to be detained until the trial would be an understatement.

She felt safer than she ever had.

She glanced at Lucas, who was thumbing out a text, and wondered how scared he was today. He hadn’t said much other than he couldn’t wait to get today’s appointment over with. She was in awe of his strength. What her father had done to them and having cancer had forced him to grow up faster than any kid should have to, but he’d stood strong against those storms, showing the world that there was nothing he couldn’t survive.

He was so much like Seeley, he even always went the extra mile for his girl.

The Snow Ball had taken place five days after his last chemo treatment, and he’d been completely exhausted. But he was determined not to let Layla down. Seeley had been equally determined to make their night unforgettable. Juliette had planned a low-key pre-dance get-together for the kids with Layla’s and Robert’s families, so their parents could take pictures of all of the kids together. Seeley had taken it a step further, renting a limousine and giving the kids a Dark Knights escort.

Despite the bitter cold, he and Tiny had led the pack ahead of the shiny black limo, and Cowboy, Dare, Ezra, Rebel, Hyde, and Taz had driven their motorcycles alongside and behind the vehicle, giving the kids an air of royalty when they’d arrived at the dance.

Lucas, Layla, and their friends still hadn’t stopped raving about it.

They’d moved in with Seeley a few days later, right before Christmas, and they’d had the best holiday ever. Hazel’s house was too special to sell. For now, they were going to fix it up, and possibly rent it out. Juliette had started working with Seeley right after the New Year, and Lucas often joined them on rounds. Brave Heart had spent three weeks in the hospital before moving to the rehab barn, and she was doing great. She and Lucas had bonded deeply. Three days after her arrival, she was whinnying when she saw them and had tried to groom Lucas’s head. Queenie and Contessa were also well on their way to living a long, healthy life, and they’d both found a place in Lucas’s heart. He and the horses had been healing together.

They all had.

Lucas was back to school with his friends in Weston, and he was spending more time with them outside of school. He was enjoying working on his truck with Seeley and Dare, and he and Layla were still incredibly happy. She’d become part of their family, joining them for dinners and bonfires and hanging out at the ranch with Lucas and Kenny. They even let Gus tag along sometimes, which Gus loved.

“What?” Lucas asked, eyeing her as he thumbed out another text.

“Nothing.” Thinking fast, she said, “I was just thinking about how much you look like Seeley.” He’d never completely lost his hair. The stubble had grown to something akin to a crew cut. Some areas were sparser than before, but like Seeley, the short hair made his sharp, handsome features stand out that much more.

He glanced at Seeley, who cocked a grin and said, “You’re a lucky dude.”

Lucas scoffed, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth as he went back to texting.

Dr. Santowski walked into the room and said, “Good afternoon.”

“Hi,” Juliette said, motioning for Lucas to put his phone away.

“Doctor.” Seeley stood and shook his hand.

“It’s nice to see you again,” Dr. Santowski said as he went around his desk and sat down. “Lucas, how are you feeling?”

“Fine. Good,” he said. “Do I still have cancer?”

“Honey, give him a second,” Juliette said, although she was anxious to know, too.