Page 141 of Broken Dreams
At least I won’t fuss too much.
“Good because I will go back to heaven and drag you back if you try to ever leave me.”
“Same. No being a hero and all that,” I warn him. “I need you on this Earth, not in the ground, because you’re a good man. Work on being a shittier person, would you?”
“How about I’m only the hero with you, Elodie, and Jett?”
The lie makes me smile. “I would appreciate that.”
He kisses me again, this time deeper, and I swear, I can feel his love wrapping around me and it is the best thing in the world, and now it’s mine.
* * *
Grady is sitting beside me on the couch as I dial Blakely’s number.
She answers on the second ring. “Hey. Do you have a decision?”
Leave it to Blakely to skip the small talk.
“Good morning to you too, I’m good. I slept...very little.” My cheeks burn as I look at the reason I didn’t sleep. “However, it was a good night regardless. How are you?”
“Addy, I love you, but I wasn’t up because I was being ravaged by my husband. I had a kid puke on me twice and the dog got sprayed by a skunk this morning. I’m ready to run away.”
“We can talk later,” I tell her.
“Nope. I’m not waiting. Spill it.”
“I can’t take the deal.”
She sighs and I can’t tell if it’s a good sigh or a bad one. Considering I just shit on her already terrible morning, I’m going with the second.
“Thank God,” Blakely says. “I was so worried this was what you really wanted, and we’d give up our vision because after the last call, it’s clear they want to completely reshape Run to Me into something neither of us want. I love our charity, and I want to help more people, but I really don’t want to be in a stuffy office dealing with corporate rules.”
I smile and huff out a laugh. “Are you serious?”
“Totally. I mean, it would’ve been amazing to have you back here. Everyone misses you, but Emmett even said that he hasn’t seen you so happy as you were when you came for the wedding. He likes Grady and said he was someone he wouldn’t hate having in our lives, which is high praise.”
It is. Emmett is a tough nut to crack and I’m so happy he likes Grady. “Well, Grady and I would’ve moved there, but our kids are happy here.”
“Ohhh, you both would’ve moved?” she asks and I can totally picture her shit-eating grin.
“We would.”
“I figured it was serious since you brought him here, but...this makes me so damn happy.”
I look over at him as he watches me. “I’m happy too.”
“Then this is the best choice.”
It really was. “I think so too.”
“Love you, Addy,” Blakely says with a hitch in her voice.
“Love you too.”
“Now, go kiss your man, do all the things I can’t do because I have a sick kid and Emmett is going to smell for a week as he’s bathing the dog. I’ll send an email tonight informing them that we’re going to pass and appreciate their offer.”
“Okay. Thanks, Blakely.”
