Total pages in book: 102
Estimated words: 98487 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 492(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98487 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 492(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
He looks up to Shelli. “Satine?”
Her eyes widen as she asks, “Really?”
“Really,” he says with a nod, and I look at Boon, my information source.
“Moulin Rouge,” Boon supplies, and I nod, looking back just as Evan starts to sing.
And boy, can he sing.
I’ve heard him before, but maybe with the piano it’s different. His voice is strong, so smooth, leaving me breathless. He looks lost in the words, in the keys, as Shelli makes her way to the piano. As his voice carries through the room, Shelli rocks back and forth with Fitz still on her boob. My breathing is labored, and I’m in awe of him. I’m blown away.
And then Shelli starts to sing,
I mean, fuck, give that girl a Tony or nine! Her voice is classic, gorgeous, and so complementary to Evan’s. Together, they give me chills.
“This is Aiden and Shelli’s wedding song,” Boon says beside me, but I can’t even acknowledge him, I’m so floored. Shelli hits a note that shakes me to my core and obviously scares Fitz, so she pulls him off her chest, rearranging her shirt, not missing a beat as Aiden comes over. He takes Fitz before kissing her temple, and then together, Evan and Shelli sing with all their might. I hold my breath, wide-eyed as I listen, completely swept away by the performance. Shelli hits the high notes, but Evan is right there, singing with her like he could be onstage too. When his eyes fall in line with mine, he sings the three words that rattle my soul. I don’t know if he is only singing or saying them, but they leave me quivering everywhere.
And I know I’ll never forget this moment for the rest of my life.
Because it’s in this moment that I know for sure, I’m in love with Evan Adler.
thirty
Evan
I need to pick up a few things from my parents’ house that I forgot the night before. Callie is going to pick me up from here once she’s done showering. She trained this morning, so I decided to drive my car back to my parents’ house so it wouldn’t be on campus during break. I know it’s safe there, but why leave it?
After I get the stuff that Owen had asked me to, a couple shirts and a face care set he left here when he came to check on me, I grab some of my own stuff that I wanted to take to South Carolina. After stuffing everything into my bag, I head toward the living room to wait. I don’t like being in my room that much, not with the constant reminders of how I’m no longer playing the sport I loved for so long.
When I reach the living room, I find my dad set up on the couch watching SportsCenter. He nods up at me as I drop my bag beside the couch and then throw myself onto it.
“Don’t let your mom see you do that,” he warns playfully, and I smirk at him as I check my phone.
“Since she’s not here, I’m good to Free Willy it onto the couch,” I joke. I said bye to my mom before she left for a meeting. She was sad I was going but glad I would be spending time with Owen. “As long as you don’t tell on me.”
He laughs. “Lips are sealed. Owen is leading in goals right now.”
I glance at the TV to see my brother scoring against the Bruins, and I nod before looking back at my phone when Callie texts to tell me she’s on the way. I send her the address once more, just to be sure she doesn’t get lost. “Not surprised. He said Dart has been feeding him some bangers.”
“Yeah, that kid has a wicked pass. Almost as good as yours.”
My jaw goes tight as I nod, unsure what to say to that. I set down my phone to look at my dad’s profile. I know my dad has aged; I can see it.
It takes a moment before he looks at me. “What?”
“You know I have no intention of going back,” I say, holding his gaze.
To my surprise, he nods. “I know.”
Um. Okay.
“I know you, Evan, better than you know yourself most of the time. You were done a long time ago but stuck with it for the wrong reasons. Now, though, you’re finally where you need to be.”
I swallow past the emotion that is suddenly suffocating me. “I thought you’d be mad.”
He shakes his head, still holding my gaze. “Never. I want nothing more in this world than for the people I love and care for to do what makes them happy.” My lips quirk a bit, and he sends me a grin. “Don’t stress,” he says, tapping the top of my head. “I love you.”
That simple. He loves me. “I love you too, Dad.” I keep looking at him, and he looks back. “You put a lot of time and money into me, though.”