Briar Valley: The Complete Duet

30. Zach

CHAPTER 30

ZACH

FOREVER – MUMFORD & SONS

“Congratulations!”

Clinking our champagne glasses together, we all knock back the gross, bubbly liquid, aside from Willow and Micah. Rachel and Miranda are drinking with Doc, Ryder, Albie and the rest of us.

Willow’s cabin is packed to the rafters with our family, all gathered to celebrate the big news. Arianna has been bouncing off the ceiling all day since we told her about the engagement.

“This is so exciting,” Ryder exclaims. “I’m going to be a best man!”

“Bit of a bold assumption,” I joke.

He cuts me a glare. “Like you’d ask anyone else. Unless you want me to be a bridesmaid, Willow? I look killer in a dress.”

Giggling, she sips her orange juice. “I think we have that front covered, thanks, Ry. At this rate, half of Briar Valley will be arguing over who’s doing what in our wedding.”

“When’s the big day?” Albie takes a seat on the sofa.

“Not for a while.” Willow rubs a hand over her protruding belly. “We need this one to come along first, and there’s still the divorce to finalise.”

“Your Grams would be so proud,” Doc says wistfully. “She always loved an occasion to celebrate.”

The room quietens as we feel her absence, but Willow’s smile doesn’t falter. She knows that Lola is still here with us, especially in these moments. All of us can feel her here, celebrating with us.

“You should set a date!” Aalia insists.

“No, no.” Willow shuts her down. “Not until all of this is over.”

Moving to the living room, we all take seats as Killian remains in the kitchen, cooking up a storm. He offered to cover Sunday dinner for everyone, taking over Grams’s old post.

There’s a knock at the door before Walker pokes his head in. “Mind if I join you? The kids are playing with Johan outside.”

“I want to go!” Arianna squeals.

She races off to join the others, rushing past Walker as he slips inside to join us. He plants a kiss on Aalia’s lips before accepting the beer that Albie offers him.

“Congrats, guys,” he says to all of us.

Willow gives him a bright smile. “Thanks, Walker.”

“Anything else you want to spring on us while you’re here? Another baby? Extra puppy?”

We all share a laugh.

“I guess we’re doing life a bit fast at the minute,” Micah worries.

I clap him on the shoulder. “Making up for lost time.”

He nods. “Exactly.”

Willow watches us both with a grin. I know she loves it when we’re getting along and not driving each other insane. After last night, I can’t imagine ever being unhappy again.

She’s ours. Forever. Part of me is still shocked that she said yes. There was still a hint of doubt, despite Killian’s self-assuredness that this was the right time to take that leap, given recent events.

“I heard you’re rebuilding the cabin,” Walker says conversationally. “I was wondering if you needed any help?”

Killian halts with a saucepan in hand. “Yeah?

“I’ve done my fair share of tiling and plastering over the years if you need an extra pair of hands. I’d like to be useful.”

Aalia kisses his cheek. “He’s been wanting a job to do ever since arriving in Briar Valley.”

Nodding, Killian sets the saucepan under the tap and fills it with water. “You can start Monday. We need all the help we can get.”

The smile that fills Walker’s face is radiant. He’s a good guy. None of us know him well as he keeps his cards close to his chest, but he’s looked after Aalia well enough and treats her right.

“What about me?” I pout.

Killian narrows his eyes. “Didn’t I fire you already?”

“Like ten million times over the years. I don’t tend to pay attention. Where do you want me, boss?”

“As far away as possible,” he says under his breath before ducking to look in the oven and check the roast chicken.

I flip off the back of his head. He’ll only break my finger if he catches me. Pouring more champagne for everyone, Micah refills his glass with orange juice then fixes Willow’s next. She gives him an appreciative kiss on the lips.

“Not drinking?” Albie asks him.

Micah shakes his head. “Not anymore. I’ve been dry for almost eight weeks now.”

Everyone congratulates him, and Micah turns bright-pink. I elbow my twin in the ribs. I’m secretly so relieved, it barrels me over. He’s been like a new man recently.

“Going back to the house,” I redirect. “We only have a few more months before the little spud arrives. Will it be done in time?”

“Little spud?” Willow repeats, her brows furrowed. “Are you comparing our baby to a potato?”

“Uh… maybe?”

It’s her turn to flip me off.

“That’s you out of this confusing, co-parenting quadrilateral.”

Killian barks out a laugh from the kitchen. “Zach doesn’t even know what a quadrilateral is. Right, kid?”

“Asshole. I know what it is.”

Halting his cooking, he cocks an eyebrow. “Humour me, then.”

“It’s a… um, fuck,” I stumble, my brows knitting together. “An equation? Or is it a fraction? Some maths bullshit, I think. No, it’s a shape. Shit. That can’t be right.”

Everyone bursts into raucous laughter. I fight the urge to soak them all in shitty, over-priced champagne. Even if Willow would kill me.

“Hey! I have brains!”

“Of course, you do,” Willow coos as she blows me a kiss. “We’re only kidding, Zachariah.”

“For the record, it’s a four-sided shape,” Micah whispers. “Or a confusing as fuck parenting square.”

I snap my fingers. “Totally knew that.”

“How does that actually work?” Aalia wonders. “The parenting, I mean. All of you.”

We shake our heads.

“I guess we’ll figure it out as we go along.” Willow worries her bottom lip. “We can’t screw it up that badly, surely?”

Micah squeezes her thigh from next to her on the sofa. “Of course, we won’t. This kid’s gonna be just fine.”

“And you’ve got the whole town to help fuck them up even more.” Ryder chortles.

“Like we need any more help,” Killian rumbles.

Sliding a hand beneath her belly to manoeuvre herself up, Willow joins him in the kitchen to help with dinner. We all drink and chat until the food is ready, and Killian calls us to the table.

Gathering around the cramped space, we all manage to sit down. Willow rolls her eyes when Killian takes the heavier dishes from her and gives her a light bowl of veggies to carry instead.

“Sit,” he orders gruffly.

“Yes, sir,” she snarks back.

He swats her on the behind. “I mean it.”

With everyone sitting down and the table full of food, we take a moment to toast the one person missing from the table before diving in. I halt, a forkful of food halfway up to my mouth.

I can remember when this table was empty. Not even Killian and I made it to sit down with each other, and Micah was incapable of leaving his studio for even a breath of fresh air.

Our lives have changed so much, and it’s all down to her. Willow. Our forever. Our soon-to-be wife. Saying those words, even internally, gives me a little thrill. I love seeing our aunt’s ring on her finger.

After dinner, I flip a coin with Micah over who gets the honour of washing up. Losing the bet, it falls to me and Ryder to clear the table while everyone else relaxes in the living room.

We get the table emptied before turning to the washing up. It’s a mountainous pile next to the sink. I’m convinced Killian made an extra mess for his own amusement.

“You speak to Ethan?” I ask quietly.

Ryder drops his voice. “He arrived home a couple of days ago. They arrested Mason yesterday, and he’s on his way back to England.”

“That’s what I heard when he called this morning to update us all. Willow seemed to take the news well.”

“She’s going to have to face him, you know.” Ryder fills the sink with soapy water. “Mason is as much a part of her past as that asshole Sanchez is.”

“I don’t want her within a hundred miles of him, Ry.”

“Keeping her locked away from this won’t help. If she doesn’t face her demons, they’ll haunt her forever. He’ll go on trial soon, and she’ll be called to give evidence against him and that other wanker.”

Just the mention of Mario Luciano, the motherfucker who sold my girl to Sanchez, causes me to drop a plate into the sink so hard, it clatters loudly. Ryder jumps and slops water everywhere.

“Chill out, Zach.”

“Chill out?” I hiss.

“Yes!”

“You want us to put our wife in a room with the men who exploited her as a sixteen-year-old child. Excuse me if I’m not feeling too fucking calm about that.”

“Not your wife yet, mate.”

Grabbing the carving knife, I mime slicing his head off. “Keep going. I dare you.”

He stifles a laugh. “I’m just saying.”

“Well, don’t.” I drop the knife into the sink that’s now full of bubbles.

“If Willow’s on board with testifying publicly, then there isn’t much you can do to stop her. Better get your head around that fact.”

Turning to slide the next stack of dishes over to him, I gulp down a bubble of fear. Willow’s doing good right now, despite all the odds. I’d hate anything to set her progress back.

But if this will ultimately give her the healing that she needs, who am I to deny her that? She deserves the chance of a happy, healthy future, without all this trauma weighing her down.

This may be how she gets that.

We have to let her try.

“I hate this shit so much.”

“I know.” Ryder bumps me with his shoulder. “If it’s any consolation, Ethan’s confident that Mason will squeal on Sanchez and reveal something we can use. That slimy fuck is desperate to save his own backside.”

“What about the others they arrested?”

“Two other players are being brought in by the FBI as we speak. I reckon they’ll all turn on him sooner rather than later. Loyalty doesn’t run that deep in people like this.”

I nod to myself. Ryder is right. The net has closed in on Sanchez even more, and his entire life is now in jeopardy. Bringing these assholes in was the right decision.

“What happens now?”

Ryder shrugs. “The Anaconda team will interrogate them all and get the information we need.”

“And?”

“I don’t fucking know, alright? I don’t work for Sabre. Ethan can’t tell me everything.”

“He’s your boyfriend.”

“Is he?” He laughs bitterly. “I’ve seen him twice in the last four months. You guys speak to him more than I do. I feel like I’m in a relationship with a ghost.”

Placing a clean dish in the cupboard, I rest a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry, Ry.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“Have you spoken to Ethan about this?”

“What do you think?”

Scrubbing the roasting pan a little too enthusiastically, his jaw is clenched tight with tension. I feel like a complete asshole. We’ve been shitty friends to him, focused on our own chaos going on while Ryder’s suffered for it.

“I’m thinking of leaving Briar Valley,” Ryder blurts out.

“What? You’re kidding?”

He shakes his head. “Long distance just isn’t working anymore, and I don’t want to lose Ethan. Perhaps if I move to London, we can make things work.”

“You belong here with your family.”

“You all have your own lives.” He shakes his head. “I have nothing without Ethan. Can’t you understand that?”

Making myself take a breath, I nod. “Yeah. I can.”

“Then you understand why I have to do this. Albie’s on board with it, and he’s promised to support whatever decision I make. I have to do this for my relationship.”

“Shit. This is really happening.”

“I don’t know when,” he rushes out. “But yeah, it’s happening soon. I haven’t told Willow yet. I’m scared too.”

“She will support you no matter what.”

“I know… I just can’t help but feel like I’m abandoning you all.”

Ditching the dishes, I yank him into a hug. Ryder hugs me back, and I hold him there as his shoulders shake with the emotion rolling over him.

“We will support you no matter what,” I whisper in his ear. “You’re our brother, and all I want is for you to be happy. That’s all.”

“But—”

“No buts, Ry.”

A breath whooshing out of his lungs, he releases me and nods. “When did you get so damn mature?”

“Can’t be a kid forever, right?”

“I guess not… kid.”

Hands clasped, we share a laugh then resume washing the dishes as footsteps approach. I feel Willow’s arms wrap around my waist from behind, her sweet, floral scent betraying her presence.

“You look cute covered in soap suds,” she murmurs.

“I always look cute, babe.”

“Full of yourself much?”

“Always. You know me.”

“A little too well, unfortunately.”

Letting my waist go, she drops a kiss on Ryder’s cheek before moving to the fridge to retrieve the orange juice. I pin him with a glare then pointedly move my eyes over to Willow.

“You’ve got this, right, man?”

Ryder panics, his eyes bugging out. “Uh.”

“I’ll leave you to finish up. Keep him company, babe.”

Willow frowns at me, and I wink at her. She moves to lean against the counter, and before I leave the room, I hear Ryder splutter as he tries to figure out how to tell her the news.

Back in the living room, Killian has broken out a pack of cards and sits playing poker with Albie and Doc. I pause to scratch Demon’s ears from her curled-up perch on the floor.

“What are we betting?”

Killian inspects his cards. “Who has to make the next supply run into Highbridge.”

“Sweet. Deal me in.”

Shuffling the cards, he hands me a stack and gestures for me to take a seat. I sit down, swallowing the rest of my abandoned champagne before inspecting my cards.

It’s a couple of rounds before Willow and Ryder join us, both of their eyes red-rimmed. She gives me a small smile.

“Everything okay?” Killian asks worriedly.

“We’re fine,” she replies.

“Sure?”

“Go back to your game, Kill.”

Grumbling, he resumes staring at his cards. Retaking her seat next to Micah on the sofa, Willow snuggles close to him. Ryder nods at me, indicating that everything is alright.

I’m happy for him, even if the thought of losing him hurts. His relationship has to take priority. This long-distance bullshit can’t be easy, and Ethan’s practically family at this point.

Before long, Willow has fallen asleep in Micah’s lap. His eyes slide shut soon after, and I can practically feel the contentment oozing off him. He doesn’t need to drink or hide anymore. His girl is all he needs.

She’s all any of us need.

This right here is what we’re fighting for. This crazy, imperfect life, surrounded by family and friends.

Willow gave us that.

She made us whole again.