Page 132 of Rebel Bride
“I would do anything for you, Summer. Tell me you came to see me because you want to make it work. We can do long-distance, I’ll fly to wherever you are, I’ll fucking clone myself. Whatever it takes.”
I couldn’t help my smile. “More than one of you? Not sure the world could handle that.”
But he didn’t smile back. He was hurting. I had hurt him, and he wasn’t ready to joke about it, clone offers notwithstanding.
“Tell me why you’re here,” he whispered, his voice laced with pain.
“To see you. To talk to you. To ask you about what comes next.”
“Ball’s in your court, Sunshine. You tell me.”
I bit my lip. “I’ve found a job.”
“Already?”
“I’ve been working toward it for a while now, but I couldn’t tell anyone until some things were settled. Have you heard about Lauren’s plans?”
“She’s leaving Mallinson to create her own boutique sports management agency.” A long pause while his mind made the connections. “You’re going to work with Lauren?”
“She asked me to come on board to do research and analytics with a view to becoming an agent.”
His eyes lit up. “Based in Chicago.”
“Right. And if anything was to happen, such as my boyfriend being traded to another city, I can work from anywhere. There’ll be a lot of travel, and our schedules might be crazy but?—”
He drew me close. “Ball’s in my court now.”
And then he kissed me.
The relief at his lips touching mine flowed through me like a sensuous wave. I had missed him so much, and this closeness, in the dark where it all began, was filling my heart to overflowing.
“I can’t believe you’re here,” he murmured against my lips. “So many times over the last couple of months, I’ve looked up at that moon and wondered if you were watching it, too.”
“In all those strange countries? I want to hear everything about your travels.”
“Sad in Split, heartbroken in Helsinki, miserable in Marseille?”
“I’m so sorry.”
He shook his head. “It’s okay. I needed to be all those things. I needed to miss you like hell because while I was doing that, you were on your own journey. One I hoped would lead you back to me.”
I touched my forehead to his. “This journey of mine didn’t just start the day we said goodbye. It started the day I jumped out of that church bathroom. You broke my fall, Hatch, in more ways than one. You caught me, rescued me, held me close. I needed that. I needed you. Then I needed you to let me go.”
“Which I did. Reluctantly.”
“Yes. But you still did it. You tried to shield me and keep me safe, but ultimately you recognized that I needed to rescue myself. That I had to make my own way, at least for part of the journey.”
He released a sigh. “I get that. I do. Only you’ve been making your own way for so long, Summer. I think you thought Shelby Mae was gone, replaced by this new, improved you. But she’s still with you. She’s the one who had the guts to claw her way out. To fight. I want Shelby Mae and Summer. I want all the parts of you.”
I swiped at a tear. “Thank you.”
See? I’m not such a bad bitch to have on your side.
No, Shelby Mae, I guess you’re not.
Hatch smiled at me. “Also, I want to travel that road with you, not because I think you can’t manage by yourself, but because I think the path sometimes has potholes and rocks. I want to fill those gaps and kick those rocks out of the way for you. I also happen to think the view from the path looks better when two people are traveling it, looking out for each other.” He shook his head. “Damn, that’s one tortured analogy. What I’m trying to say is that I don’t want to be the boss of you. How could I be when you’ve owned my heart for so long?”
More tears welled. “I’ve made you suffer, haven’t I?”
