Chase Our Forever (Sutten Mountain #3)

51. Liv

51

LIV

I anxiously roll my bottom lip between my teeth as I stare at Dean, trying to read his reaction as he stares at the art pieces I commissioned for his birthday. It’s been a little over two weeks since my accident and exactly two weeks since his birthday, but it’s better late than never to give him the gifts. Because of the accident, we waited to celebrate fully until I’d had time to recover. Plus, it took longer than expected to get them back from the tow company. He didn’t even begin to track them down until a week after the accident; his focus was too much on making sure I was recovering from the crash, even though I kept telling him I was fine.

Dean runs a hand over his mouth, his eyes staring at the three pieces in front of him. I try not to focus on how good he looks. He wears a pair of dark jeans that fit him perfectly and a long-sleeved shirt that hugs his biceps like a glove. We’re waiting for Shirley to come pick up Clara for a sleepover before Dean and I go out to celebrate his birthday with friends, hence why he’s dressed up for a Saturday night. I wanted to make sure to give him his gift with Clara around so she could see them, too.

Clara and I have had a special relationship since the moment I met her. From the very beginning, we had a connection. But in the weeks since the accident, we’ve grown even closer. Dean insisted I rest as much as possible, and Clara took it upon herself to keep me company. She’d barely let me out of her sight in the hours she was awake. We’ve watched countless movies in bed together, and I don’t know how many butterflies I’ve drawn for her. But the time with her while taking it easy has been incredibly special, making me even more excited for her to see the gifts I had commissioned for her dad.

“Do you like them?” I ask Dean, my pulse spiking with nerves. He’s so quiet as he looks at them that I can’t get a good read on him.

When his eyes meet mine, they’re misted over. “I love them.”

Clara comes running down the stairs with a pink backpack on. She skips to us, stopping when she sees the three paintings. “That’s me!” she yells excitedly, pointing to the picture of her Axel had painted. I’d given him three photos I’d taken of Dean and Clara and asked him to paint them on large canvases. My vision was for Dean to hang them in the living room and bring a few more personal touches to the house.

“That is you,” I tell her, fixing the braid I’d given her a few hours ago. I look at Dean, finding him already watching me with a slight smile playing on his lips.

“I didn’t want to overstep, but I felt like the house could use a little more personality. I thought these would be perfect to hang here in the living room.”

Dean’s eyes stay on me, the slight smile not faltering. “You could never overstep. This is your home, too, sunshine.”

Clara yanks on my arm, pulling my attention from Dean for a moment. “Livvy, where’s your picture?” she asks, her eyes bouncing over each piece. There’s a painting recreating a photo I’d taken of Clara while on a walk with Honey, one of Dean and Clara on the porch swing, and one of Clara holding Honey in front of the fireplace.

“Oh, I don’t need one.” A slight blush creeps up my cheeks. I’m not sure we even have a photo of the three of us, not that I was expecting to have a photo of me hung anyway. I commissioned these pieces before things between Dean and I evolved into how we are now.

It’s crazy to think how much has changed for us in a short amount of time. It doesn’t seem like that long ago I was just starting out as Clara’s nanny. I’d quickly developed a crush on Dean and daydreamed about what it’d be like to kiss him. Now, I get to kiss the man I’m in love with—and the man who loves me back—anytime I want.

“But Daddy told me last night he loves you. That you’re family, too, now. You need a picture.”

My chest hitches as my eyes find Dean’s. We’d been slowly easing into telling Clara that things had progressed between him and me. But he’d asked me last night if I was okay with him telling her that I’ll be sticking around for a long time and that I’m now his girlfriend. I’d told him I was happy with whatever he was comfortable with; I just hadn’t known when exactly he’d talk to her.

I’m not sure I’d expected him to tell her that he loves me.

Dean closes the distance between us and lifts Clara into his arms. He looks from his daughter to me. “I think you’re right. We need to get Livvy a picture on our wall soon. Maybe even with all of us, our family.”

This makes Clara smile. Her eyes are bright as she looks at me. “You be in our family, Livvy?”

“Yes, Clara. I’d love that.” I can’t fight the tears that stream down my cheeks. All I wanted to do was gift Dean some art pieces to hang on the wall and bring more life to the house. I didn’t realize it would turn into him and Clara making my heart burst with joy.

I attempt to wipe underneath my eyes without messing up the makeup I’d carefully applied. I’d tried curling my hair and letting it fall over my forehead where my stitches were just removed, but the scar is still noticeable. My goal was to put a little more makeup on than normal to distract from the evidence of my accident.

In Florida, I didn’t have friends to even go out with, so I’m extra excited about tonight. We’re planning on telling everyone we’re officially together. Although we both agree that with his concern about the accident, and his reaction in the weeks after, no one in his family or any of our friends will be shocked.

“Clara, should we show Livvy the surprise we got her?” Dean asks, kissing the top of his daughter’s head.

Clara excitedly claps in his arms. “Yes!”

I pull my eyebrows in on my forehead. “A gift? For me ? We’re celebrating your birthday, not mine,” I say, looking at Dean.

“I couldn’t resist.” He shrugs, already backing up toward the front door with Clara in his arms. Honey excitedly joins, circling his feet as he continues to back toward the door.

My feet stay planted for a moment as I wonder what he could’ve possibly gotten me, but curiosity gets the best of me, and I follow them out. My muscles are still a bit sore from the accident, but not as bad as I expected. Probably because from the moment I returned the other night, he’s pampered me. I can’t tell you how many warm baths I’ve taken and how many massages I’ve had. He even hired a team of professionals to come to the house yesterday and spoil me to help me feel better. I’ve told him countless times I feel fine, but he won’t listen.

I let him dote on me, knowing he needs to feel helpful and in control.

When I walk out the front door, I’m shocked to find a massive SUV parked in the driveway with a big red bow on top of it.

“Surprise!” Dean and Clara yell together, the two of them standing in front of the hood.

I stop on the front porch, my arms crossing my chest as I try to keep warm in my sweater without a coat. “What is this?” I ask slowly.

Clara laughs as if I just asked the most absurd question ever. “It’s your new car, Livvy. Daddy said this one is extra safe.”

Dean nods. “Your old car was totaled, and the accident made me realize you need the safest SUV out there money can buy.” He pats the black hood of the vehicle. “So here it is, sunshine.”

I shake my head in disbelief as I take a few steps closer to them. I know absolutely nothing about cars. I don’t know what the model is or who even makes it, but I do know the thing is massive and has tires that look like they could drive through just about anything. “You didn’t need to get me a new car. I was fine driving your extra.”

Dean shakes his head, his cheeks turning pink from the cold. “I wanted the safest option and wasn’t going to settle for anything less. If you’re going to drive, it’ll be this. I’m happy to be your taxi driver anytime you want, though.” He winks at me, and despite the chill in the December air, my cheeks heat.

I stop in front of him, lifting on my tiptoes to plant a kiss to his lips. “Thank you. This wasn’t needed at all and feels very overprotective.”

He steals an extra kiss from me before pulling the door open and gesturing for me to get in to look at it. “Nothing’s overprotective when it comes to the woman I’m madly in love with.”

I smile as I shake my head at him. I know even if I tell him the gift is too much and not necessary, he won’t listen. He’s stubborn. It’s one of the things I love most about him, so instead of arguing and telling him the gift is too much, I slide into the passenger seat and let him show me every unique feature the SUV has to offer.

After Shirley shows up to pick up Clara for their sleepover, he insists on taking the new vehicle to Slopes for his birthday celebration. We end up being fifteen minutes late because we can’t stop making out in the comfortable front seats.