Page 75 of Mr. Broody

“Then why are both of your lips so swollen?” Owen asks.

I point at the stairs. “Just go in the house. And here.” I reach into my pocket, and shit, I forgot a key too. “Damn it.” I look at Henry, cringing.

Waylon throws his hands in the air. “We can’t get caught. Mom will kill us.”

“Mom? What about Dad?” Owen says.

I gotta admit I’m not so sure I want my mom to find me with Henry either.

“Relax, everyone.” Henry digs into his pocket and pulls out a key ring, then jogs up the stairs, inserts the key, and slowly turns the knob to open the door.

“You have a key to my house?” I ask him.

He turns around and nods.

“Thank God. See ya.” Waylon runs up the stairs, but Henry stops him with his hand on his chest.

“This stays here. We don’t say anything about you guys being out, and you don’t tattle on us. Got it?”

Oh, I like this new Henry.

Waylon looks at Owen, and they both nod and say in unison, “Okay.” Then they tiptoe into the house and leave the door open a crack for me.

Henry walks back down the stairs, meeting me at the bottom. “I should go. I’ll see you tomorrow. Come with Kyleigh after the game to get to me.”

I nod, and he places a chaste kiss on my lips, probably scared we’ll get carried away again.

“Good night, Jade.”

“Good night, Henry.”

I walk up the stairs when I really want to follow him. When the door shuts behind me, I wonder what it will feel like to date the love of my life all over again.

Thirty-Two

Jade

I walk down the stairs of the arena, following the usher who insisted on helping me find my seat. Most of the Falcons’ fans are decked out in jerseys, and it’s odd to see Henry’s last name splashed across their backs. Odd in a really good way.

The usher stops us at the first row. I’m not sure why I didn’t assume I would be front and center, but it still surprises me.

“Miss Jade!” Bodhi shouts, and heads turn in my direction before he runs toward me, wrapping his arms around my legs. Just like at his birthday party, he squeezes them tightly.

I place my hand on his back. “Hey, Bodhi.”

He places his hand in mine, tugging me down the aisle.

I mumble apologies to the other fans who are very interested in who I am—probably because they know who Bodhi is. He’s wearing a sweatshirt with Hensley on the back and Henry’s number twenty-three.

“Hi, Jade.” Kyleigh stands and hugs me. “Just relax.” She runs her hands down my back. “I can feel your heart beating. But I must warn you that Henry has stopped his warm-ups, and you are now his sole focus.” She giggles and releases me.

A pounding on the plexiglass grabs my attention.

“Daddy! Miss Jade is here!” Bodhi shouts and points at me.

And there’s Henry. The man I’m now dating. In secret, which doesn’t thrill me, but there’s already a lot of pressure to get this right. I don’t want outside expectations to leak into us discovering one another.

“Wave, Miss Jade,” Bodhi says.

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