Chasing Home (Cherry Peak Book 3)

by Hannah Cowan

Refusing to overthink it, I turn and pull Poppy into a hug. “Thank you.” She returns the embrace and squeezes me tight. “You’re welcome. Having best friends means you’ll always have someone to help lift your tits whenever you need. I’d have walked around behind you all day, lifting them with my hands if you needed me to. Any of us would have.”

Bryce glares at her, and maybe it’s the lighting in here, but I swear her cheeks are pinking up. “Obviously. She’s a Mitchell.” “Am I missing something?” I ask. Poppy leans into Bryce. “Well, since we are in honesty hour right now, Bryce has had a crush on Daisy Mitchell for what . . . four years now?” “I don’t have a fucking crush. I’m not a teenager,” Bryce snaps. “An obsession, then.”

“Nah. It’s just a vibe I get. You’d look beautiful beside a woman. Maybe one with red hair.” Poppy pats her cheek and then swings out of the way as Bryce tries to swat at her. She laughs and starts to back away from us. “I’m going to find Garrison. I’m sure he’s sitting alone sulking in a corner right now without me.” “Yeah, you run, Pops. Go hide behind your boyfriend before I kick you in the ass,” Bryce threatens. “You two are so fuckin’ weird,” Johnny says.

“It’s nice to meet both of you,” I say. “Oh, you as well. We were starting to think you were a figment of Johnny’s imagination,” she blubbers, rubbing my back in a soothing way.

Lmao

“So she gets to take videos of them doing those stretches on the ice for a living?” Rory asks. I lean my elbow on the table and gape at her. “Is that what you’ve been doing once I fall asleep at night? Watching those videos?” She shrugs. “No. I watch them while you’re awake.”

“I like you. You’ve got that blunt honour that I think is all too refreshing.” “Some people think it’s rude,” Rory says. “That’s because some people think just about everything is rude when they lack a sense of humour.”

“He dressed up as him for like six Halloweens in a row,” Daisy adds. Aurora picks up the last grape on her plate before Daisy can get to it and lifts it in front of her smirk. “I was the same way with Lara Croft and Tomb Raider.” Fuck. Of course she was the female equivalent of Indiana Jones. And she still doesn’t believe in fate? Not a goddamn chance.

There’s always a big party for it at Peakside to celebrate our birthday,” Daisy says. Rory turns to me, surprised. “Your birthday is on Halloween?” “Yeah, darlin’.”

“The one thing I won’t give you is a clean break, Rory. You don’t get to leave and not come back. So, I’ll be here waiting for you. You go, and you learn what you need to, but when you come back, it’ll be my arms you run into. So take your time, darlin’. Get your answers and your peace because once I get you again, I’m not lettin’ you go again. Not ever.”

Bernice perks up when I step into the room and clasps her hands in her lap. “Aurora! Good morning.” “It’s Rory to everyone but Johnny,” Wade corrects her gruffly.

“She’s leavin’, yeah? Goin’ to spend time with her daddy up in Toronto?” “You’re an eavesdropper, Wade,” I note. “Eh, they were chattin’ in my house. It’s my right to listen. But that doesn’t fuckin’ matter.

Lmao

“You said when she comes back. You really think she will?” “I’d bet the entire ranch on it.” My eyes bulge. “Fuck. Really?”

Whatever it was running through Lo’s mind clears enough for him to snap back into the conversation long enough to frown. “What? Fuck off with that. I don’t want Aurora.” I believe him. “So? What was it, then?” “Wanda?” Thomas asks, a smirk slowly spreading his lips. “Ah, shit. You’re into Wanda? You’re fuckin’ with us.”

“I don’t want to go,” I admit out loud for the first time. She isn’t surprised by that. If anything, she looks relieved. “I know.”

“What is it, Wanda?” “It’s Aurora.” “Oh. Well, what is it? Is there something wrong?” I bristle at his tone. “I can’t go with you. I don’t want to leave Cherry Peak. It isn’t right.” “Leaving Cherry Peak is always right. Don’t go back on your decision now.”

Hes an asshole

“Toronto, Aurora.” Wanda rubs my arm, watching my every reaction. I offer her a weak, appreciative smile. “No.” He pauses. “No? What do you mean, no?”

“Look, Rory, I can’t stay.” “It’s Aurora to you,”

“I don’t want to find another family. You are my family. Everyone in this town is. You were right about everything. I was desperate to get to know Lee out of some fucked-up sense of blood loyalty, but that’s gone. Leaving to get to know him was not worth the risk of losing what I have here. The family I’ve found in Cherry Peak is the best one I could have ever asked for.

Brody and Anna got back to Cherry Peak yesterday for a small two-day break before the final stretch of tour. It only took Brody a few hours at home to get down on one knee and ask her to be his wife. He even used the fluffy cow he bought her when they first started dating, which, if I didn’t know that she’d have said yes regardless, is almost cheating, considering how cute Banana

“Johnny,” I gasp when I feel fingers slip between my thighs, brushing over the seam of my pussy through my shorts. “Eliza will be sad. Think of how excited she’s been to host this for you.” “You’re cruel, darlin’. Bringing up a sweet old woman when I’m touching you like this.”

Lol