Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 107667 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107667 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Pride fills my daddy’s gaze, but his eyes are still sharp as they hold Dart’s. “I’m trusting you, boy.”
His words are very weighted, and I know Dart feels every single ounce of it. A lesser man would cower to my dad, but not my man. With so much confidence and assurance, he says, “I know. And I promise you, I will never hurt her or do anything to put her in a position where she is not succeeding. Trust me, I want what you do—for her to be happy and flourishing. For all of us to succeed.”
He doesn’t say it, but I know in his heart, he sees us all as a family.
And for me, we are.
I can tell my dad wants to say more, probably scare him a bit, but Mom steps between them. “Thomas, don’t be like that,” she says, patting his chest. She turns to Dart. “He was watching your game the other night and said he needed himself a Miklas jersey to support you. He knows you’ve got our baby’s back. We aren’t worried, darling.”
My face breaks into a grin as a flush moves across Dart’s face. Daddy sputters as he sets Momma with a look. “You got a big mouth, woman.”
“I do. It’s your favorite thing about me,” she says with a wink, and I promptly gag as Dart snorts with laughter. She cups Sabine’s cheeks. “Darling girl, you want some ice cream?”
Sabine nods excitedly, and together they go to the ice cream bar in the suite as Dart says, “I’ll ship that jersey, Mr. Dent.”
“Thomas,” Daddy says, meeting Dart’s gaze. “I don’t see you going anywhere, so might as well be on first-name basis with each other since apparently we’re going to be business partners.”
They shake hands, and my heart flutters in my chest. “Like I said the first time we met, my friends call me Dart.”
Dad nods, a little tip to his lips. “Sounds good to me, Dart.”
Excitement radiates through me as love shines in Dart’s eyes. He leans into me, kissing my lips as I tighten my arms around him. I still can’t believe this is my life. That I get to wake up every day, kiss this man, raise his sister, and help athletes. Dart drags his lips along mine and then kisses my nose. “You look radiantly orange today, baby doll.”
And I do. I go all out when I come to games. My orange glitter bell bottoms with my UT boots and oversize, long-sleeved UT jersey don’t leave any question as to where my loyalty lies. I am a proud UT fan and live right on up to my namesake. “Rocky Top is my home sweet home,” I say, and he grins.
“God, you’re gorgeous.”
He kisses me again as Daddy leans in. “Don’t look now, but Josie and Denis are here.”
I turn to where he is looking to see my childhood friend holding hands with my ex. Her hand is on her belly, and if I were a shitty bitch, I’d laugh at her for gaining weight, all of it in her face. But I don’t have to. Karma is a bitch, and by the look on her face, I can tell she isn’t happy. She is faking it. I would have assumed that would make me happy. But being in Dart’s arms, knowing I never have to fake this, I feel nothing but sadness for her.
She’ll never know what true love is.
“I heard a rumor,” Daddy says, waggling his brows. “Josie has already stepped out on him.”
My eyes widen. “I mean, she can’t get pregnant again,” I observe, and both the men in my life laugh at that. “It’s sad, though. For both of them.”
Daddy shrugs. “Like you said, darling, karma is a bitch.”
Dart nods as I lean into him, just as Josie’s eyes meet mine. Her face fills with a flush as I stare into her eyes, not reacting to seeing her. I’d wondered if seeing her would make me miss her, but it doesn’t. Not even a bit. I have my family and a life I love. One I had to leave home for, and I don’t regret that at all.
I look away just as Sabine comes crashing into us. “Dart, Tennie, look!” she gushes, holding up an orange violin that my parents have given her. “They said I can only play ‘Rocky Top’ on it, but it’s orange! It’s gonna go great with my blue and my black one.”
“I wanted to get her a fiddle, but Tennie said no.”
“Because it’s not the same thing as a violin, Daddy!”
He laughs as Dart shakes his head. “You guys are set on making us Vols fans, huh?”
Momma laughs at that. “Making y’all? Boy, you’ve been a Vols fan since you met her,” Mom says, hooking her thumb to me, and Dart doesn’t deny it.