Page 134 of The Long Game

“I did not.” Grady laughed and shook his head. “Asshole.”

“You got that right.”

“Now, if you’ll excuse me—” Before Grady could finish, Travis shoved him toward Jack.

His plan was to drag Jack into the bedroom to speak with him privately, but he changed his mind when he saw how nervous Hannah was as he approached. Sam and Colton saw him heading that way and they all ended up in one corner of the kitchen in a tight clutch.

“Hi, Hannah,” Grady said, keeping his voice gentle.

Tears welled up in her eyes. “Hi, Grady Samuel.”

“Grady, I told Hannah you’d be happy to have her here, but she still has some concerns,” Jack said.

“Jack’s right, Hannah. You are more than welcome here. We don’t have a lot of rules in this family, except that you have to respect the rest of us and who we are. Think you can do that?”

Hannah nodded.

“Great. And you don’t haveto stay. That’s not how it works, either. But you’ll always have a safe place to land if you need us.”

“Forever?”

“Forever.”

“What if I keep the baby?” She looked between him and Jack.

“Then we’ll help you raise her,” Jack assured her.

“What about school? Can I keep doing that?”

“Of course,” Grady said, though he wasn’t sure how it would work. They’d figure it out, though.

Hannah’s expression was painfully hopeful. Jack’s hand slipped into Grady’s and he held on tight, his heart pounding inhis chest. They’d never talked about babies. Hell, they’d barely had time to talk aboutteenagers. But he knew Jack wouldn’t make a promise if he didn’t intend to follow through—for all eighteen or more years.

Grady went a bit weak in the knees again. And not because of the baby. Well, notjustbecause of the baby. But mostly because he and Jack were doing everything backward and it all felt a little out of control.

“I love you, Jack,” Grady blurted, becausethatwas the first step. The foundation. And it fucking well needed to be said. Many, many times.

And maybe someday, he could do it right and say it in private with candles and flowers and soft music and not three teenagers and a horde of nosy motherfuckers pretending they weren’t avidly listening from the other side of the room.

Then again, this was verythem.

With a rueful smile, he kissed Jack sweetly.

Jack kissed Grady back,aware of their audience but leaning in anyway.

Colton opened his mouth, no doubt to make a snarky comment, but Sam clapped a hand over it, silencing him.

When the kiss ended, Jack could feel the heat of a blush on his cheeks, but he couldn’t stop grinning.

Grady grinned back. “I know it’s kind of sudden, but do you want to move in?”

Jack’s heart jerked in his chest, a laugh escaping him. “What?”

“You can say no, of course. I won’t be upset. But”—Grady looked at the boys and Hannah, still tucked close and watching them bug-eyed—“you said it yourself. This is the family we’ve built. Are still building. And it’s the family you—we—want. Butthe thing is, it’s not complete without you. You’re not just a member of all this, Jack. You said it yourself, we’re the roots. And truthfully, you’re the heart. None of it would have been possible without you.”

Jack felt awkward and embarrassed and stupidly happy. “You could have done it on your own. You would have.”

Grady grimaced. “I appreciate your faith, but I can’t fathom having accomplished anything without you holding my hand the whole way.”

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