Page 43 of Give Me Forever Love

I put the bowl down, my breathing not one hundred percent as I wait for her to respond. After what feels like an eternity she says, “Okay.”

“Yeah?”

“I’ll back off, but if he hurts you, I can’t promise I won’t be the one doing something illegal.”

I chuckle. “Deal.” I know deep down she’s still not cool with Bryce and what he may or may not be involved in, but she’s giving it a chance for me and that’s all I can ask for.

She turns back to the sautéed vegetables.

“I’m going to take these out,” I say, grabbing the tongs and placing them onto our white display plates.

She nods. I grab the plates and head out, glad we cleared the air and hoping we never have to talk about this mess again.

I just want a normal life with my guy and my family.

But for some unbeknownst reason, I have a gut feeling it’s not going to be that simple.

Chapter Thirteen

Bryce

I shut the door on my new favorite ride, the Chevy truck, and walk across the street to Mugs & Books. The smell of rain on concrete has me taking in a deep breath. Steam billows up from the black pavement, a sign that the storm we just had cooled it off a bit.

I’ve spent my morning booking a private jet to take us away from here for a week. I’ve got everything set up for us to go, including Kat’s passport that we had expedited, and the ring I just bought sits in the glove box of the truck. I’m more than ready to spend the rest of my life with the woman I know is inside that building.

The place looks damn good from where I stand. K did an amazing job with the remodel. A display of books and lights are in the front windows with a bohemian feel to it. The French doors are ready to be open when the weather’s cooler, and there’s a chalkboard out that says today’s special is caramel iced macchiato.

I walk in, skimming over occupied chairs and filled tables. It smells like fresh bread and cinnamon in here and I know Claire is in the kitchen cooking up something amazing, because there’s an aroma of garlic and onions drifting from the swaying doors.

College kids have old school headphones on and there’s a study group going on over on the couches. It’s full. Everyone has coffee and small plates with leftover crumbs.

Mugs & Books is doing well.

I nod at Becca who’s in front of the computer, and then I look over and see my girl stocking a bookshelf. Tight dark jeans cover her legs and ass. She wears black Vans and a black shirt that I know has Fleetwood Mac on it.

She turns a bit, concentration on her pretty face. I smirk, remembering back when I first saw her in here behind that counter. She was nervous, and so was I, but I didn’t show it like she did.

She spilled coffee and I couldn’t help but look at her ass when she bent over to clean it up. Just like I’m doing now.

Creepy?

Nah, she’s my woman. I’m allowed to look. I turn back, seeing a boy with thick curly hair doing the same.

Now he’s not allowed to look.

His eyes jump to mine, and I tilt my head. “Like what you see?” I ask him.

“Don’t you?” he replies. “I heard she owns the place.”

I walk close to him, sitting at the iron table. I lean in so K can’t hear me. “I also heard her boyfriend is a real fucking asshole. If he sees you checking her out like that, he’d probably stop the air from going into your lungs,” I say. “Probably,” I add with a shrug.

His eyes narrow. “What about you?”

“Me?” I ask.

He nods, looking smug.

I smile. “I’m the boyfriend.”

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