Page 227 of Waiting Game

My smile is small but there nonetheless. “Probably because of his bubble butt.”

“You really had to squeeze him through?”

“Yeah. He got lodged in. I was so fucking scared, Gracie. It was…”

When my cell buzzes, I drag it out of my pants in case it’s the cops or an insurance adjuster. My brows lift at the message from Camille at the stables.

Camille: I heard about the fire at your bar. Are you okay?

Me: How do you know about Chuck’s?

Camille: Cole talks about you. A LOT.

Me: Ugh, sorry about that.

Camille: Don’t be. I’m glad you’re safe. You are, right?

Me: We are. Cole was with me. We inhaled some smoke but the EMTs sent us home and told us to get checked out if we had any breathing issues.

Me: He’ll need a physical. I doubt his GM would let him play without one.

“Damn straight.”

Unsurprisingly, Gracie’s reading the chat over my shoulder.

Camille: If you guys need anything, then I’m only a call away.

Me: Thanks, Camille. I never expected you to reach out so I appreciate that.

Camille: Hope to see you around the stables!

“Who’s this Camille chick? What stables?”

I don’t tell her that she’s nosy—I already knew that.

“Cole rides at the ones she owns. The Camille O’Donnelly Foundation.”

She blinks then repeats, “Camille O’Donnelly?”

I shrug.

“Small world. The O’Donnellys are Liam’s cousins.”

Shrugging that aside, I fidget with my phone. “We were waiting. We gave each other eight weeks?—”

“Eight weeks?”

“To make sure we wanted to date one another before he confessed to you who I was.” Though her eyes widen, I continue, “You matter to him, Gracie. Please, don’t punish him for wanting to be with me.”

“What week is this?”

“The last day of the sixth one. I knew I wasn’t going anywhere by the fourth week. I-I didn't think love could be like this but... he makes me happy. Whether I deserve that or not, he does.”

“Everyone deserves to be happy.”

“Even traitors?”

Her sigh is long-suffering. “Even traitors.”

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