Page 130 of Cruel Steps

Holden smirked at her, lifting his bacon to his mouth. “She’s also dating Colter.”

He did not just say that!

Rose and Dad turned to me while Hope choked on the bite she’d taken. Holden slapped her back and handed her a glass of water.

I sheepishly shrugged, my face warming at their looks. “Why choose when you can have both?”

My dad cleared his throat. “Well, hmm.” He stopped and blinked, at a loss for words. Rose laid a hand on his arm.

“As long as you’re being safe, then we’re happy for you both. Colter is a lovely boy. You should have him over for dinner this week.”

“Sure, Mom.” Holden carried on eating his pancakes like he hadn’t just told the table I wanted to be spit-roasted.

“Are you sure you want to do this, Pumpkin? You just got over the… you know.”

“You can say bullying. I’m not denying what I did,” Hope said.

“Right, well, you just started to enjoy school again. People will talk.”

“I’m not letting fear stop me anymore, Dad.” I took a deep breath. “What do you think about it?”

“Me?” He looked around the table. Everyone had stopped eating to look at him. “Um, well, if you’re happy and safe, then yes, I’ll support you. I just don’t want to see you hurting anymore, Pumpkin.”

I relaxed. “I am happy, Dad. Choosing them is choosing myself. I’m prepared—we all are—to deal with whatever comes our way.”

Holden wrapped his arm around my shoulders and stared at me. The love he’d shown me yesterday poured out of him, and I got lost in his eyes for a minute.

“Together.” He kissed my forehead. Rose sighed wistfully, and Hope even looked awestruck.

“What about football?” Dad asked.

“What about it? My skills speak for themselves. If a team wants me, then they’ll get over it.” He shrugged and shoveled more food into his mouth. Seriously. The boy could eat. “I’m tired of living my life for other people. I want to play football and marry your daughter, but if I only get to do one of those things, then I choose Wildcat every time. I won’t make as much as a graphic designer, but I’ll do okay. I’ll merely be a sugar baby when she makes the big bucks choreographing music videos.”

“You want to choreograph?” Hope asked, completely bypassing Holden’s admission to wanting to marry me.

Hold. The. Freaking. Phone.

“Excuse me, but you did not just semi-propose!”

“Of course not.”

I exhaled. Okay. It’s fine.

“You’ll know when I propose, Wildcat.” He smirked at me, and I wanted to slap it off his face.

“Back to me. Choreography?” Hope blurted.

“Um, I mean, it’s something I’m interested in, but I don’t think I can make a career out of it. I plan to be an editor.” I pushed the food around my plate, avoiding eye contact.

“You should do it. You always had the best routines.”

I jerked up, my eyes connecting with Hope’s. I stared, waiting for the punchline, but it never came. “You’re serious?”

“I think it’s a great idea, Pumpkin. I always thought you should do something with dance. Your mom would want you to. And Holden,” he paused, “any man willing to put my daughter first is worthy of dating and marrying her one day. But don’t think just because you’re my stepson means you get out of asking for my permission.”

“Dad!”

“No worries, Milton. I plan to.”

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