Page 82 of Second Chance Ex
I’ve been living with Prue in her tiny house whileoursis being built. It’s looking like it might be completed by Christmas, but even if it’s not, we’re surviving in Prue’s slightly dilapidated two-bedder. She caved and let me hire a contractor to do a bathroom and kitchen renovation, and only because I told her that if we kept fucking in her shower the way it was, one of us was going to slip out the tub and break our goddamn neck; and the flimsy old kitchen counter wasn’t going to support her weight much longer, and then where would I fuck her while we were in the middle of making breakfast on Sundays? Not surprisingly, she wasn’t too hard to convince.
I bought a condo in Sacramento not too far from the stadium, so I can stay there if I’m late at practice or conditioning and I don’t want to drive at night, and when the season starts and Prue and I decide to go out for drinks with the guys after a home game, we can crash there.
Prue asked me to start coming with her to counseling to talk through everything that happened with the baby and our infertility. And while I never thought I’d be the kind of guy to pay someone to talk about my feelings, I have to admit, it’s been… refreshing. Our counselor, Gary, is easy to talk to and he understands what I’m trying to say when I can’t get my words out the way I want or mean to. Gary has even helped me open up about the death of my mom, and my baby sister, and the resentment I feel towards my father. It’s helped me and my dad open up a line of communication which has made things a little easier when it comes to Jack, because I can actually stand to be around my father now. In small doses, at least.
Over the last couple of months, Prue and I have been talking more and more about our future. I know it seems premature, since we’ve only been back together for a few months, but really, Prue and I have beenPrue and Ifor almost ten years, so we’ve decided to try and move on from the past and focus on our future instead. We’re not sure what we’re going to do when the time comes to think about children. We’re lucky to have so many different options that many people in the same shitty situation as us might not have access to. We might try for surrogacy, or adoption, or maybe even both. Who knows? Babies might come later, or they might not, we’re undecided, but whatever decision we make, we’ll make it together when the time is right. Right now, we’re not too concerned about babies because for now we’re happy with it just being the two of us, which reminds me…
“Hey, I have something to show you,” I say, takingPrue’s hand and guiding her past the swimming pool and down the steps that lead to the cool white sand.
“I swear to god, Joey, if it’s one more of those beetles the size of a horse, I am going to push you in the ocean,” Prue warns.
I cast her a teasing grin over my shoulder. “I promise it’s not a beetle, baby.”
Silently, I lead her around the rocks, careful not to let her slip, and the moment we stop at the very edge, an explosion ricochets through the dusk air, startling my girl and causing her to jump into my arms right where I want her.
The dark lilac sky lights up in a kaleidoscope of colors, fireworks bursting high up above, their embers raining down and skittering across the calm crystal ocean.
Prue gasps, and I look down to see her face illuminated by the display of lights, a small smile curling her lips. The look in her eyes is one of pure wonderment, and my heart swells at the same time that my stomach dips like I’m on a roller coaster because I know I’m quickly running out of time. It’s literally now or never.
With a shaky hand, I blindly reach into the pocket of my khakis, feeling the hard metal between my fingers and grabbing it.Don’t drop it. Don’t you dare fucking drop it. Taking a deep, fortifying breath of air, I silently count to three before releasing Prue and moving to stand right in front of her, smiling down at her when her curious gaze meets mine.
“Uh, no offense, but you’re totally blocking my view, babe,” she says.
And I can’t help but laugh, because seriously, baby?
When I make my way down onto one knee, recognition slowly washes over Prue’s face, her jaw drops, her hands flying up to cover her gaping mouth.
“I love you,” I start. “And you know I’m not great with my words, and I’m not going to give you some elaborate speech because you know how I feel, baby. I’ve been in love with you since day one. And I know, without a single shred of doubt, that I will not stop loving you until I cease to exist.” I clear the emotion from the back of my throat, gripping her hand tight. “I have spent enough of my life without you, Prue, and it hurts my heart to think of the time we’ve wasted being without one another. I never want to experience that ever again.”
I bring her left hand to my mouth and press a kiss against the back of her fingers, allowing my lips to linger a little longer against her soft skin. “Prue Margaret Watson, will you make me the happiest man in the world, and be my girl, forever and always?”
A sob escapes Prue as she collapses to her knees in front of me. And she doesn’t even say yes. Just grabs my face and brings my lips to hers, kissing me over and over again, laying big old sloppy ones all over my face, I can’t help but laugh.
I pull back, steadying her with a knowing look, taking her in at this moment; tears streaming down her cheeks, face flushed, eyes wide. I take another mental photograph because I never want to forget how she looks right now.
“Baby, I need you to answer me.” I chuckle.
Prue nods. “Yes, Joey Tanner. A million times yes!”
I grin like a cocky bastard, feeling my chest swell with pride. And then I take her hand and place thediamond on her finger. It’s yellow—her favorite color—and it’s big enough to be noticed but not so big that it’s arrogant or over-the-top; it’s the perfect ring for my girl, made to fit only her finger.
She admires the gem for a long moment, looking up at me every so often with a smile that steals my breath. And then she launches herself at me, tackling me to the slightly damp sand, her mouth finding mine once again. And we kiss like it’s our first and our last all rolled into one, because in a way, it kind of is; this is the first moment of the rest of our lives, and the end of all the bullshit it took to get us here. And it’s perfect, and everything I could have ever dreamed of. My girl in my arms wearing my ring. She’s mine, forever. And I am hers for eternity, and then some. The two of us together. Forever. Always.
Our private box at Grizzlies’ stadium is alive with both anxiousness and excitement. I’m on the edge of my seat, sitting next to my father, right by the wall of glass looking down at the field, my gaze flitting to the television playing the game live, and back again. Grizzlies are ahead by five, but the game is a little too close. So far this season, we’re undefeated, so the stadium is understandably thrumming, the home crowd going wild, cheering their beloved black and gold.
My heart stammers in my chest at the sight of Joey stalking to the line. He looks like a fucking warrior, and I’m not ashamed to say that when I watch him play, all I keep thinking about is fucking him senseless after the game, preferably while he’s still wearing his jersey, all sweaty and hot and delicious. I’m forced to shift in my chair in a pathetic attempt to quell theache between my thighs.Goddammit, Prue; hardly the time or the place to get horny.
While the other team are in their huddle, I take a moment to look around and bask in the overwhelming support for Joey up here in the box.
My mom, who really couldn’t care less about football, is sitting toward the back, reading one of her spicy novels I presume, if the half-naked man on the cover is anything to go by. But bless her, she still came dressed in her Grizzlies’ jersey, sporting Joey’s number like a proud soon-to-be mother-in-law.
Next to me, on my other side is Adam, although he’s not even pretending to watch the game, blatantly staring at his phone where he’s streaming his beloved 49ers as they play the Lions, when he’s not drooling over his girl shaking her perfect ass down on the sidelines, that is.
Yep, Adam and Jessie are official. I never thought I’d see the day that Adam Hopper would commit to anyone other than his own reflection, but they’re actually perfect together. Jessie is probably the first woman in the history of females to not be swayed by Adam’s charm, and she sure as hell doesn’t take his crap. On the flipside, Adam brings out Jessie’s softer side. Seeing them together is both hilarious and adorable, and Joey and I actually love double-dating with them because although their bickering is clearly nothing more than foreplay, and it’s pure entertainment.
In the row behind me is Ryan and Heath cheering on their boy, and on the end, heavily pregnant and hating life because her feet are so swollen she no longer fits into her favorite Louboutin boots, is my bestie,Madison. I keep glancing back at her to make sure she’s okay, and she responds with a nonchalant wave of her hand, but I know the truth she won’t tell me. She’s been having a really shitty time during her third trimester; gestational diabetes and high blood pressure. Madison officially hates being pregnant. And that’s okay. And totally understandable. But she won’t talk to me about the bad days though, which I can only assume is because she’s scared of sounding ungrateful. Thankfully Ryan tells me everything, so I know when I need to be there for her, and when I need to give her some space. I also know that Madison is so ready to get that baby out, and I can’t wait for cuddles and that newborn baby smell.
Across the aisle, Jack is sitting, dressed head-to-toe in his Grizzlies merch, cheering on his big brother, right next to his father. Not surprisingly, Joey’s dad is in the midst of finalizing divorce number two. What is surprising, however, is that Joey and his father have managed to somehow break down the wall that has stood between them all these years, and form some semblance of a relationship. It’s tentative at best, and they’re definitely not winning the father-son sack race at the fathers’ day picnic any time soon, but seeing Joey’s dad here, supporting his son for the first time, makes my heart swell, because all Joey has ever wanted is a family. He’s always had my parents, of course, but it’s something else having his own parent on his side for the first time in his life.
