Chapter 38
CHAPTER 38
JACE
“When are you getting married?”
The sip of coffee I was taking sprays everywhere as I choke. Kinsley looks at me with panic before glancing at her son. “Cooper.”
“What?”
Beckham looks at me with a raised brow. “Are you okay, Dad?”
I cough then nod my head, and Kinsley grimaces. Clearing my throat, I take a sip of water and tilt my head to Cooper. “Why are you asking that?”
He shrugs. “You’ve already been on a date. Next you’d get married, right?”
I chuckle, shaking my head. “Not quite, little man.”
“But why? Don’t you love each other?”
My eyes flash up to Kinsley’s.
With all that I am.
I open my mouth when her cheeks blush but she smiles and turns to him. “We’ve only been together for a week, sweetheart. There’s still many, many dates to be had.”
His little shoulders drop and he looks between us. “But you’ll get married someday, right? And we can be a family?”
“One day,” I say automatically, my heart stopping.
Oh look, I guess I’m eating my foot for breakfast.
Cautiously I look over at Kinsley.
Note to self, lock down on the big feelings. For me these thoughts have been brewing for years. For her? Well, we still have separate hotel rooms, so that answers that.
But she hasn’t run off yet, so I’m taking that as a good sign. And her next words have me wanting to fall at her feet right then and there.
“Yeah. One day,” she whispers.
My lips tip up and she clears her throat, nodding towards the boys. “Today however is race day and we don’t want to miss out on our track walk, do we?”
They shake their heads furiously and she smiles. “Then eat up, my little monsters.”
After breakfast, we stop by Kinsley and Cooper’s room so she can grab her camera gear. I carry it out to the car with her hand in mine while the boys walk in front of us.
The day we came back to work, we talked with HR. She was scared that by being with me, she’d lose her job and I wasn’t about to hide her from the world when I’d finally had her.
Luckily, we don’t have to do anything since she is a photographer and has no direct impact on my role. They sent us off with a ‘congratulations’ and ‘good luck’ with telling the world.
It was something I wanted to do the minute we left. I may or may not have looked for the nearest rooftop, but she talked me into letting it all happen naturally.
She did however sit back as I spoke over the intercom to announce it to our friends on the flight here. We were bombarded with cheers and hugs. Sydney even looked between us with tears streaming down her cheeks.
They knew what it meant for me in that moment.
They knew what she meant to me.
And they knew I wouldn’t take this chance for granted.
I wasn’t lying when I said that one day we’d be married. Because I have every intention of making Kinsley my wife, of making Cooper my son, and spending the rest of my life loving them both the way they deserve.
Fans are lined up along the fences as we pull into the back gate and even though they can’t see into the car, the boys wave wildly back at them.
We walk hand in hand through the gates, garnering a few looks. I squeeze her hand and she looks up at me. Her shoulders relax when I smile and she leans into my side, cuddling the arm of the hand holding hers.
I press a kiss to her hair as we round the corner, but I stumble back when someone collides with me. I choke on a wild mane of red curls as she wraps herself around me like a koala.
“Sneak attack!”
I bark out a laugh, shaking my head with a smile when she hops down and looks up at me with her bright blue eyes.
“Cassie.”
She smiles. “Golden boy.” Punching me in the arm, she pops out her hip. “Still can’t believe you made me wait to find out with the world about your girl. I thought we were closer than that.” She leans in. “We’ve cried over Free Willy together,” she not so quietly whispers.
“Hey, that is a heartfelt magical story and I’d be worried if you didn’t cry.” I point at her.
A snort sounds from the side and my eyes dart over Cassie’s head to a wide eyed Kinsley barely holding in her laughter. Cassie follows my eyes and gasps before practically tackling her.
“Oh my god, it’s so nice to meet you,” she screeches.
Kinsley’s laugh breaks free with a smile. “It’s nice to meet you too. I’ve heard a lot about you from everyone.”
“Yikes. Whatever they’ve said, I swear it wasn’t my idea.”
“Correction, it was almost always her idea,” Blake chimes as she wraps an arm over her best friend’s shoulders. “Have you been training because I swore you didn’t used to be that fast?”
Cassie shrugs. “I’ve been running a lot. I get up every morning at five for a two mile jog.”
“Dear god, why?” Sydney pops up next to Kinsley, linking their arms together.
“Because when the zombie apocalypse starts, I need to be faster than all you fuckers.”
The girls burst into laughter and I shake my head, walking over and pulling Kinsley into my side. Blake’s the only one not laughing and I don’t miss the concerned look she gives Cassie, but it quickly disappears when Ryder slips behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist.
“Aw, aren’t you two just ador—ah!” She squeals when a little body collides with her legs. Ryder reaches out, grabbing her arm so she doesn’t topple over.
“Beckham,” she cheers, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and shaking him from side to side. “How are you doing, little man? Creating havoc like I taught you?”
He nods. “Dad says it’s the CCC zone.”
She tilts her head. “CCC?”
“Channeling Cassie’s Chaos.” We all turn to see Nik stride up to the group, his eyes locked on the fiery redhead.
“Nikolai,” she whispers.
Beckham tugs on her arm and she rips her eyes away from the brooding team principal, smiling down at my boy. “Miss Cassie, I want you to meet my best friend.”
“I thought I was your best friend?” she gasps dramatically.
“You can have more than one best friend,” he muses with a giggle.
“You’re right. Okay who is this new best friend because I just so happen to have a slot open for one myself?”
He bounces over to Cooper and wraps an arm around his shoulders. “Cooper, this is my Aunt Cassie. She grew up with Aunt Blake here in America.”
Cassie laughs under her breath as she squats in front of Cooper, extending her hand. “It’s very nice to meet you, Cooper.”
“Hi,” he says shyly, shaking her hand.
She hums, tilting her head. “Marvel or DC?”
“Marvel.”
“Favorite superhero?”
“Iron Man, but Spider-Man is my other one.”
She nods, tapping her chin. “Blue or red?”
“Red.” He peeks up at me and I wink.
“Breakfast for dinner?”
“We do that all the time! My mummy makes the best pancakes with smiley faces on them.”
Cassie’s jaw drops. “Smiley face pancakes are my favorite.”
Cooper giggles and I smile as the fun little boy I love starts to break out of his shell.
“Okay. This last one is very important.”
Cooper nods.
“Coffee full of sugar or black?”
“Ew! I don’t drink coffee, I’m six!” He giggles.
She hums, a playful smirk tilting her lips. “Good answer.”
I clap my hands to get everyone’s attention. “Okay, we have a walk around the track to get to, you lot are more than welcome to?—”
“In the wise words of Shania Twain, let’s go girls,” Sydney sings, pulling Kinsley with her towards the track. Blake and Cassie each scoop up one of the boys and take off after them, leaving me and the lads standing there.
“This is a recipe for trouble,” Lawson grumbles.
I shrug. “I think it’s a recipe for an adventure.” I backhand his and Nik’s chests. “Lord knows you both could use some excitement in your lives.”
“Babe!” a voice calls from the side.
We all turn and watch a man approach the girls.
“Shit,” Ryder curses under his breath, glancing at Nik.
Lawson and I share a confused look.
“Maybe he’s talking to someone else?” I look off to the side. “Like her—” I cringe when a different guy grabs the chick I pointed to from behind. “Never mind. Uh…”
There’s two options as to what’s about to happen.
One is that this guy is talking to someone completely unrelated to the two available—not really available—ladies out here and we will move on with our day. Or…
By the sound of Nik’s leather glove squeaking as the seams threaten to break under his unforgiving fist, he’s about to walk up to the only woman who’s gotten under my dark and guarded best friend.
He thinks he’s sly, but I see the way his eyes always seem to linger or how he tunes into our conversations more when her name comes up or the slight tilt in his lips when she’s rambling.
I have a feeling it’s the latter…
I hold my breath when the guy slips past Sydney, freezing when he wraps his arm around Cassie. Slowly we all slide our weary gazes to Nik.
There’s a snapping sound and he clears his throat, his stare unwavering from where it’s glued to the tiny redhead. “I’ve got to go talk with the crew.”
He walks off without another word and I glance down at the ink trail his broken pen leaves in his wake. “Uh-oh. Code black.”
Lawson rolls his eyes and takes off after the girls. Ryder bumps my shoulder. “At least it’s not Sydney, right?”
I glance over at my sister. Her face lights up when she sees Lawson coming and she bends, whispering into my boy’s ear. They all smile before taking off and attacking him, each of the boys taking one of his legs as she jumps on his back.
“It’s never going to be her. Not with anyone else.”
Ryder sighs. “But why did it have to be Cassie? I met the guy earlier, he’s a total prick. Comes from some well off Southern family and thinks he shits gold.”
“Daddy Ryder doesn’t approve?”
He glares at me and shakes his head. “The guy rubs me the wrong way. There’s something about him that isn’t right. And you should see the way she is when he’s around. It’s like a less colorful version of the Cassie we know and love.”
“What does Blake think?”
He sighs. “She agrees, but Cassie’s also her best friend. If she’s happy then we’re happy for her.” He shrugs. “But the minute she isn’t, I’ll be on a plane myself to help her pack her bags.”
“Wait, she’s living with him already? I haven’t even met this guy yet!”
Ryder’s chuckle follows me as I stalk over to the group, inserting myself right next to Cassie and the—oh god, did he bathe in cologne before coming here? I clear my throat to try and hold in my cough at the abrasive scent and smile.
“Hiya, I’m Jace. And you are?”
Kinsley giggles, smiling at me from the side. Cassie snorts but covers it with a cough, covering her mouth with her fingers as her eyes dart to the man at her side. “Sorry. Jace, this is my boyfriend, Richard. Richard, this is Jace. He’s Beckham’s dad.”
“Is that my identifier? ‘Beckham’s dad?’ What happened to ‘the handsomest golden boy in the realm?’”
She laughs. “That title belongs to Cooper now, sorry.”
I gasp, placing a hand over my heart. “The betrayal. But, I’ll let it slide since it’s true.” Offering my hand to a slightly scowling Richard, I give him a friendly smile. “Dick was it? Nice to meet you.”
He shakes my hand, squeezing. “Richard.”
“What’s that?”
“My name. It’s Richard.”
“Ah, my bad, mate.” I internally smirk when he winces as I tighten my grip before pulling back. “Joining us for the track walk, Rich?”
“No, I have to go talk with some people.” He turns to Cassie, speaking low.
I watch her the entire time, cataloging the slight twitch in her fingers as she fumbles with the hem of her jean shorts, the small dip of her shoulders as he literally speaks down to her, and the way she stiffly nods before offering him a kiss on his cheek.
He strides off without a goodbye and Cassie claps her hands, speaking with more excitement in her voice than ever before. “So! Anyone care to make today interesting? Because all my money is on Blake.”
“Aww thank you,” Blake coos. “I’m always down for a good game.”
I shake my head. “Oh, no, no, no. Last time I made a bet with you, I wound up dancing on stage in front of strangers in only red briefs.” I lean in. “I had glitter in places no one should have glitter and it took weeks for it all to finally disappear.”
Kinsley raises her hand. “I’m sorry, but I’d love a recap on how that happened and possibly if any of you have photo evidence?”
I wrap my arm around her shoulder, leaning in to whisper in her ear. “If you’re a good girl, I’ll give you a personal performance later.”
She laughs, pushing at my chest.
The group chases after the boys, making their deals for the race as we walk behind them. Kinsley leans her chin on my arm, looking up at me as she twists her lips.
I smirk. “Yes, angel?”
“How about we make a little wager of our own? Maybe it’ll be a better incentive for you?” She pulls back, a sly smile on her lips.
I nod furiously. “You have my attention.”
She laughs. “Okay. How about if you win I’ll spend the night on my knees for you.”
I groan and she smiles.
It’s been a damn pleasure to watch her confidence grow this past week. She no longer hesitates when talking with me, whether it’s about the boys or work or something only the two of us know about in the quiet of the night.
Licking my suddenly dry lips, I shuffle closer to her and wrap my arms around her waist. “And what if I don’t win?”
She hums, looping her arms over my shoulders. “Then you have to get on yours.”
I bark a laugh. “I don’t think you understand how this works, sweetheart. I’m not supposed to be rewarded for losing.”
She smiles. “My bet, my rules.”
I huff a laugh, leaning down for a brief kiss. “Yes ma’am.”
Whatever my girl wants, she gets.
And later that night, I spend what feels like hours worshiping her from my knees, never once feeling like I lost a thing.