Page 117 of Chasing Forever
“You got your chance to speak, so listen to me now. I hate that you grew up in that house, and no one told you that your father’s criticisms, the words he called you, picking on you when you were young, that he was wrong and cruel and weak for doing so. I hate that you might have for one second believed any of the things he said. And I understand you wanting to protect me from that. But I have you. You don’t even have to tell me that whatever they’ll say is wrong because you counter all of that by just the way you look at me. So, Holden, your dad, your mom, they can say whatever they want about me. I don’t really care, and I sure as hell don’t believe them. You’ve taught me that. So, I’m really sorry, but we’re a team now. When you drunk-married me in Vegas, that solidified that it’s you and me. Not just you. Not just me. Us.”
He stares at me long and hard, his hand now cradling my cheek like I cradle his.
A semi barrels by and shakes the truck.
“God, you’re amazing,” he says.
“Same.”
He presses his lips to mine. There’s no urgency in it. No attempt to deepen or dominate the kiss. Just his lips, soft and steady, pressed to mine.
I feel him relax, and he ends the kiss slowly and rests his forehead against mine. “Okay.”
“I wasn’t asking your permission.”
He chuckles lightly and kisses my forehead. “I figured.”
“Come on, let’s go have some fun with our friends rather than eat here in Lincoln. Romy texted me, and they’re all watching the ballgame at The Hidden Cave. It will be good for us to be around our people tonight.” I need to escape this weight, if only just for today. We can face all the shit tomorrow.
“I really just want to take you home.”
“After we watch the Colts win.”
He sighs since he’s a Kansas City fan. “How the hell did you become a Chicago fan?”
“We all are.” He kisses me one more time and situates himself in the driver’s seat. I keep my hand on his thigh. “We’ve always been. I think our great-grandpa just wanted to be different, but sorry, the Colts are going to beat KC tonight.”
He shakes his head, and the mood lifts.
We’ll push it all aside for tonight.
Chapter Forty-Seven
Brooks
There are times I think I have this all figured out, how Lottie and I will be as a couple, and then she schools me in the front seat of my truck and surprises me all over again.
We walk into The Hidden Cave when I really just want to take her home and remind her how good a team we really are. I guide her by the hand, and she holds on tight as if she wants to make sure we don’t get separated in the crowd.
Outside on the patio, our friends and family are sprinkled among a few tables. We raise our hands in hello but stop at the bar to grab some drinks.
Melvin is having a very stern talk with someone I assume might’ve been trying to take something off The Canary Wall II. Tammy slides us our usual drinks of choice—me a beer and Lottie a margarita—then we join everyone else.
Ben shoots me a look, but I shake my head. I’m not going to ruin tonight by allowing my brother to wedge his way in.
“I brought your shirt and shorts,” Romy says, tossing Lottie her Chicago Colts shirt.
I groan. “I might have to tear that off you tonight,” I whisper in her ear.
Lottie kisses my cheek. “I’ll just buy a new one. I heard a rumor that Foster Davis might be getting traded to the team. Maybe I’ll get his jersey.” She pats my ass. “I’ll be back.”
“Oh, I’ll go with you,” Sadie volunteers, her eyes finding mine as she walks by.
I guess I’m to assume more than Ben has seen my brother around town. No doubt Sadie’s number one priority is to see how Lottie’s doing with the news. I’m glad Lottie has her as a friend.
When Lottie comes back, she’s in jean shorts and her Chicago Colts T-shirt with BAILEY on the back. Easton fucking Bailey. The best thing that’s happened to the Colts in years.
Hours later, Lottie’s in my lap, rubbing in that the Colts are beating Kansas City by three runs.
