Page 172 of Verses

There was something about being nestled in his arms, something he offered that I’d never had before. Although Kyle had offered nonjudgmental forgiveness and survival, Wolf offered even more.

A chance to heal.

“If you’ll have me, I will spend the rest of my life earning your forgiveness.”

“You already have it.”

“You’re too good to me, little bird.” I shook my head. I’d been unreasonable not accepting his apology before—but it seemed like it was more a problem I had with myself than with him. Now I could see it clearly.We belonged together.

When he brushed back a piece of hair from my cheek, he asked, “Do you want to come home with me?” I pondered the offer, because I wasn’t sure if I was ready for that yet. “I just want to hold you close, make you feel loved.”

With his assurance, I nodded my head. I could use a little of that right now—and I felt like Wolf and I were back on the right track.Forever.“I love you, Wolf.”

“I loveyou, Hayley. I always will.”

Feeling warm and cared for like never before, I got in the passenger side of his truck as he held the door open for me. Once he joined me inside, I leaned my head on his shoulder, ready to begin a new chapter with this man.

The best chapter of all.

CHAPTER 48

Several days later on a Tuesday night, the entire band was at the Chili’s in Silver City, an area of new growth as the town spread east. The waitress had just taken our orders and we were digging into the bottomless chips and salsa that wouldn’t last for long before needing a refill.

The band members in Intent to Murder who usually worked Tuesday nights had asked for it off because we wanted to celebrate the fact that we were ready to play live in front of an audience—arealaudience. Not just people coming to watch a practice.

It was time to make plans.

Pedro said, “This shit isn’t as good as my grandma’s salsa. This is a white man’s salsa. And I hate to admit it…but it’s good.”

Adrian laughed, chomping down on a chip, looking at his friend wide-eyed.

“Yeah, I know. Grandma would be disappointed if she knew I was enjoying it.”

We all laughed. When Wolf squeezed my knee under the table, I smiled at him. I didn’t know if there was such a thing as a perfect life but, if there was, I was pretty damn close to it.

Adrian said, “I don’t care who made the salsa. It’s good—and I even like the chips, even though I know they’re not authentic.”

Pedro shook his finger at Adrian as if to sayI caught you!“Before we start talking about the band, we need to get a few personal things out of the way.”

The rest of us looked at each other as if he were crazy. What the hell kind of personal shit would we need to talk about? It was like we had all been reading out of each other’s diaries, we’d been so close over the past few months.

“I don’t like asking about your business, you guys, but here’s the thing,” he said, looking directly at Wolf and me. Unlike my usual response, I tried not to let my hackles get up. “First, you tell us you’re friends and then you’re together and then you’re broken up.”

“Did they actually tell us that?” Kyle asked. How had I ever missed what a good guy Kyle was? He’d known Wolf and I were having issues and probably suspected…but he’d kept that in confidence.

Meanwhile, my face was turning hot under Pedro’s scrutiny.

“So maybe you never actually told us that—but we could tell. You were both quiet and miserable. You looked like puppies that had been yelled at for pissing on the carpet. And you barely talked to each other. And Jesus fuck! You guys were so fucking sad all the time.”

I couldn’t deny it…nor could Wolf. But we didn’t have to confirm anything either.

Meanwhile, Pedro took a long draw off his beer before continuing. “And now it seems like you guys are all lovey dovey again. So would you mind just telling us what’s going on so we know what to expect? I mean, I don’t care either way. I know Kyle and Adrian don’t either. But I just want to know. Without details, of course.”

Maybe they hadn’t seen Wolf’s hand squeezing my knee. Since Pedro had begun addressing us directly, he’d stopped moving it, but it was still there, reassuring me that we belonged together and we’d make it through anything. Something as simple as that affirmed all I needed to know.

Turning my head slightly to gaze on Wolf’s handsome visage, I asked, “Do you want to tell him?”

He gave me the cutest shrug. “I don’t care. You can.”

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