Page 75 of Tangled Vows

“You went to his game?” she asked, a note of surprise in her voice.

“Yes, but—shit!” I screeched to a halt when I noticed all the cars were gone. “He’s already left.”

“Don’t worry. I can find him. Just give me a second.” A moment later, she came back on, rattling off the name of a popular sports bar only minutes from the arena.

“I know where that is.”

“Go to him,” she pleaded. “He’s miserable without you. I’ve never seen him like this before.” Guilt twisted in my gut, and my heart raced as I tore out of the lot.

“I’m sorry,” I said on a sob.

“I’m not the one you should be apologizing to.”

“You’re right. I gotta go.” I didn’t wait for her reply. I hung up and pulled onto the busy city street. Five minutes later, I was parked down the street from Goalkeepers Bar & Grille.

Grabbing my phone and keys, I hustled down the sidewalk until I reached the bar. I rushed inside and searched the space for Easton. Within seconds, I spotted his tall, broad frame. He sat at a table with Weiss, Tillman, and Kent, a bottle of beer clutched in his hands. He slouched in his chair, studying the label as he slowly peeled it off. He looked so morose, a pang of guilt hit me square in the chest. I’d caused this, but I was about to fix it.

I started toward him, then drew up short when a stunning brunette approached him. My hackles rose, and the possessive urge to walk over there, shove her out of my way, and claim my spot on his lap nearly took over. Instead, I drew a deep breath in through my nose and released it slowly. I needed to keep my composure if I was going to handle this like a reasonable adult.

Easton turned to her and listened as she spoke and flirtatiously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. He responded to whatever she said, but I was too far away to hear anything. They went back and forth a couple times, then to my surprise, he shook his head and lifted his left hand, pointing to his ring finger. She pouted and walked away dejected.

Hope swelled inside my chest, and my knees nearly buckled. There was still a chance to make this right. Nervously, I walked toward his table. Easton was partially turned away from me, watching a football game on one of the TVs above the bar, sohe didn’t see me approach. None of the guys noticed me when I stepped up to the table.

“Easton,” I said, and four heads whipped around at the sound of my voice. Easton sat on the other side of Kent, who drew out a long, slow curse.

“Shit.”

“Shayla.” Easton stood from his chair so fast, the legs scraped against the floor.

“Can we talk?” I asked, hesitantly. I could feel the other’s eyes on me, but I kept my gaze locked on my husband.

“Of course.” Easton pulled out his wallet and hastily threw a couple bills on the table. Grabbing his jacket off the back of his chair, he rounded the table and reached for my hand, entwining his fingers with mine. That familiar zing raced up my arm, and my pulse thundered in response. He led me toward the back of the building and pushed through the exit. We spilled out onto the small private patio that appeared to only be used during the warmer months. It was private and secluded. We probably weren’t supposed to be out here, but I didn’t care. I couldn’t wait any longer to say what I needed to say.

Easton released my hand and walked a few feet away before turning to face me. He ran a hand through his hair nervously and gripped the back of his neck as though trying to hold himself back from me. The short distance felt like miles between us. I missed his touch. I missed the warmth of his skin, the hard planes of his torso, and the feel of his soft lips on mine. My chest ached with longing, and I blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

“I want to come home,” I announced shakily, and his eyes flared. He took a tentative step toward me.

“You do?” he asked, his voice thick with emotion. I nodded, tears welling in my eyes.

“I’m so sorry I didn’t believe you.” Guilt clawed at my insides, and I drew my arms around my middle to ease the pain. “I never should’ve doubted you.” He drew closer, eating up the space between us.

“Wh-what changed your mind?”

“Roni,” I admitted with a wince, and his brow knitted with confusion. “She showed me the security footage from the hotel.” His eyes lit with recognition, and surprise washed over his features.

“I didn’t realize she had it. She’s been working on that for days.” She told me before she told him? She must’ve really wanted me to fix this.

“I’m sorry I didn’t trust you. I should’ve listened to your side of the story instead of assuming the worst.” Sobs wracked my body, and Easton pulled me into his arms. I cried into his chest, soaking his shirt. He held me close, one arm wrapped tightly around my waist while his other hand cradled the back of my head. I clung to him desperately, hoping he could forgive me for the hell I’d put him through this past week.

“Shh,” he whispered into my hair, then pressed a kiss to my temple. “It’s okay. That’s all over now.”

“I don’t want to live apart anymore.”

“I don’t want to either,” he replied.

I tilted my head back slightly and peered up at him. He was so beautiful beneath the soft glow of the lights overhead. He watched me like I was his entire world. I hadn’t been able to see it before, blinded as I was by fear and insecurity, but now I could see how deep his feelings went. I just needed to confirm he still felt the same after everything we’d been through the past several days.

“Did you mean what you said during that press conference?” I asked, hoping he’d been telling the truth and not merely putting on a show for the press.

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