Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 128156 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 641(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 427(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128156 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 641(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 427(@300wpm)
“No, actually.” She takes a step toward me. “But everything we’ve gotten to see is more than I could ask for.”
My features soften as I look at her, and I smile to myself.
“I could take you guys for a quick tour if you have a few more minutes?” he offers.
Her face lights up, but I’m not sure what she sees when she looks at me because the smile grows a little tense. “Oh, actually—”
“Go.” I cut off the excuse she was going to make on my behalf, even if I did catch how he said, “you guys,” and not just her, but we both know that’s what he meant. “I’ll go find the others, and we’ll wait for you in the lounge.”
She’s already shaking her head, but I reach out, taking her hand, giving it a little squeeze.
“Go.” My smile is forced. “I know you’re dying to see what goes on backstage.”
Her lips pinch.
“You’re welcome to come along,” the man offers, and I’ve got to give it to him. When I look up over at him, his invitation appears genuine.
I kind of hate that. “Nah, you two go ahead.” I wave them off, turning and hopping off the stage before she can protest, because something tells me she would have tried at least one more time, and I might have just let her.
But that’s the selfish part of me, the part I’m trying to break away from. Be better than.
I walk through the massive theater room, if that’s what you call this, each step up the stairs a little heavier than the last, but just before I make it out the doors, his voice catches my ears.
“Is that guy a linebacker or something? He’s buff. Tall.”
I smirk to myself, and then I hear her answer: “No, but he’s the best wide receiver I’ve ever seen.”
Pride, warm and swift, washes over me, and as I step out of the auditorium, my head is a little higher.
“What the fuck?” Cameron whispers, and then she slaps me upside the head.
I jerk, glaring at her. “What the hell?”
“What the hell is right!” she hisses. “What the ever-loving hell were you thinking letting her walk away alone with…that?”
I follow her gaze, and my brows yank together when I spot Paige and Prescott standing at the entrance of the lounge.
Brady clears his throat, raising a brow at his women.
“Big Guy.” She blinks at him. “Look at him.”
Brady narrows his eyes, then spins to see the pair over his shoulder. His head tugs back this way quickly, and now he and Cameron are both glaring at me. “Dude, you lost your damn mind?”
“See?!” she hisses. “You don’t send the diamond off to a dark corner with the duke. Don’t you know what happens?!”
My frown must deepen because she throws her hands up.
“Ugh! Forget it. It’s like you’ve never watched Netflix or something,” she grumbles, then jumps up and stalks that way, but he’s gone before she gets there, and even though I’m feeling the same frustration, I laugh a little when her shoulders fall.
“She was about to scare the hell out of that dude.” Brady laughs, pushing to his feet. “Come on, boys. Our chariot awaits.”
I nod, following them to the door, surprised when Noah hangs back, walking side by side with me.
He’s quiet at first, but I can see his eyes move my way a few times in my peripheral vision before he speaks.
“I’ve been watching the games,” he tells me. “You’re making waves out there.”
I give him a tight smile, wishing he wouldn’t compliment me. “I’m just trying to stay relevant.”
“You’re more than relevant, Chase. Even my teammates are talking about you.”
A spark of hope heats my chest, but I push it back. Hope is dangerous.
“Did you tell them I’m really just a dickhead with good hands?”
A surprised chuckle bursts from him, and Ari glances back, a small smile playing at her lips. “Nah.” He laughs again. “No. I told them you’re family.”
My feet stop moving, and Noah pauses with me.
We stare at each other a moment, and I shake my head, my mouth opening to say something, but he just clamps his hand on my shoulder.
“Come on. They’re loading up already.”
All I can do is nod, following and folding into the SUV in silence.
Fortunately, the girls instantly start talking about the show, so I’m not expected to say anything. Unfortunately, that means I have too much time to get lost in my head.
First, Noah’s words play on a loop, and with each repeat of the word family, the rope tightens around me. Then, it shifts to Paige, to her in my arms up on that stage.
I wanted to kiss her.
I’ve never wanted to kiss someone so bad in my life, and I think I was about to. It would have been the perfect moment in the perfect place.