Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 74844 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 374(@200wpm)___ 299(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74844 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 374(@200wpm)___ 299(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
I swallow and will my heart to slow down. I feel tears itching at my eyes as I nod. “Thanks.”
“Of course. So, your place?”
“For?”
“Us to live.” Then he quickly adds, “For today.”
“Today?”
“Yup, and when we get back to Knoxville after the series, we can decide where to stay.” He cups my jaw. “But I want to be where you are, if you’ll let me.”
My heart stops once more in my chest as I gaze into his eyes, which are full of such promise and love for me. Now that I know that he loves me, it’s hard to miss the adoration in his eyes. It’s been there; I just didn’t allow myself to see it. Now, it’s all I see. My heart aches in my chest, slamming against the bars of the cage I’ve thrown it in, wanting to be out, wanting him. I want to follow my heart. I want to make memories, not dreams. But the only voices I can hear in my head say that he’ll think I’m disgusting.
But is that my mind fucking with me or the truth?
I won’t know until I’m honest with him.
I don’t have to be with him for that. I’ll deal with that thought later. “Then my place today?”
Love glitters in his eyes as he leans in, kissing my lips softly. “Sounds good, and we’ll figure everything else out later. No rush. We’ve got forever.”
The certainty in his voice has my heart soaring, but then my mind is right there, shooting it down like it’s a dove.
You don’t have forever. You only have right now.
CHAPTER 20
Alex
Elliot is waiting for me in the den where the players usually hang out, tapping on her phone. She doesn’t hear me coming toward her, so I take a moment to drink her in. I have to make up for all the months I didn’t have that chance, when all I had was her Instagram and photos I snuck. When she moves to her side, stretching out her leg, her face twists in pain before she bends over. Then she pokes at the side of her belly and glares at her stomach.
“Stop it, you.”
I grin, snapping a photo of her scolding our baby, looking too damn cute. “It giving you problems?”
She jumps a bit, her eyes looking up to meet mine. “It’s been getting in my ribs real bad.”
I hold out my hand to her, not that she needs it to get up, mostly because I want to hold her hand. She takes it as she rises, threading her fingers with mine. “I was looking in town for a place to do a 3-D ultrasound to find out what it is, if you want.” She squeezes my hand, and I add with a laugh, “I don’t like calling our baby an it.”
A smile pulls at her lips. “Yeah, but we don’t have to go in, unless you want to see it in 3-D. I even have some ultrasound photos at the apartment.”
“Oh?”
“Yup. Plus, they know the gender at the doctor.”
“Oh,” I say, giddiness warming my chest. “So, we can find out next week.”
She nods, and I can see the excitement moving across her features. Her lips turn up at the sides, her eyes widen with anticipation, and a warm blush fills her cheeks. “We can.”
I lean my shoulder into her, loving how happy she looks. I’m still worried that she’s freaking out internally. I hated the way she froze when I asked where she wanted to live. I’m glad she didn’t question my intentions, knowing that I want to be where she is. Still, though, it worries me that she is riddled with fear. That she now seems to be lacking in confidence, when my girl wasn’t that way when I left. I feel as if it has a lot to do with all the changes, but I’m here. I can help. I wish she’d just hand her burdens to me, let me take care of her the way I want to so badly, but she’s too prideful.
“That’s exciting. I told Coach I would be late to practice that day,” I tell her as the humid air hits us in the face when we walk outside. It rained all night, so the sun is unforgiving.
“Did you tell him why?”
I nod. “I did, which is crazy since I still haven’t told my mom.”
“You haven’t?”
“No. I want to tell her in person, I think. I want her to meet you first.”
“Oh,” she says warily. “Do you think she’ll hate me?”
“No. Why would she?”
“’Cause of how this all played out,” she says dryly. She acts like I should have known that, but I don’t see it her way.
“She doesn’t need to know all the details. I’m not worried.”
“I am,” she mutters and then leans her head on my shoulder. “I have to tell my peepaw, which I am dreading.”