Chapter 38 #2
We come together, a perfect, beautiful fucking mess.
When she goes limp against me, I pull back just enough to look at her, my hands running through her hair, down her sides, and then I gently pull out of her.
She moans, her eyes closing, and I shift, rolling us and lying back so I’m the one on the floor, tugging her up so she’s on my chest.
I run my fingers up and down her body, and eventually she finds the strength to lift her head, blue eyes meeting mine.
“Hi.” She smiles.
I chuckle, bending a bit so I can kiss her forehead. “Hi.”
“I think you should stop by here when you get off every night.”
I smirk, tucking her hair behind her ears. “I bet you do.”
“So, it’s a date tomorrow?”
“Nope.”
Her face falls into an instant pout and I chuckle, wrapping my arms around her.
“You forget what tomorrow is?”
She tips her head and then her eyes widen, and she jumps up.
“Oh crap!” She stumbles, her limbs still loose, but catches herself, sliding her sports bra back over her breasts as she runs over to the desk, pulling her purse and keys from the drawer. She runs back, literally jumping over me in her hurry to the door. “I’m late to meet the girls!”
“What—”
“See you at home!”
My mouth opens, but then she’s gone and I drop my head back, laughing into the air.
And then I look down, only now realizing my dick is still out.
I shake my head, a smile pulling at my lips.
God, I love that fucking girl.
It’s an unusually quiet afternoon, with only the sound of the waves lapping against the shore and the occasional rustling of the guys around the house.
I just got off work a little over an hour ago, and I would have just taken the day off, but it just wasn’t possible.
I did rush straight back though, and I jumped right into the shower, determined not to be the reason why we run late if that happens.
There is no way that would happen, though. Not today.
Water is still dripping from my hair as I throw on a fresh shirt, and the second I pull the door open, Brady’s feet are stomping down the hall. He peeks his head in with a grin, but he only smacks my shoulder and takes off again.
A little chuckle leaves me, and I shake my head, moving into my room to slip into my shoes, belt in hand as I step into the living room.
The guys are buzzing with energy, rushing around, Noah and Mason especially, frantic looks on their faces, like they can’t remember what they came in here to do, but they know there was a purpose behind it.
I smirk to myself, looping the thick leather through the holes, and as I do, I find myself slowing down, absorbing the calm before the storm of the night.
This place, the beach house, has become a refuge for me.
Well, it’s always been for all of us, really, but for me, right now, it’s my saving grace, a place to live that gives me peace and doesn’t cost money, allowing me to save what I’m making.
I’ve become a bit obsessed with saving, but I mean, there are worse things to be obsessed with.
Things are good. No, better than good. They’re…right.
Mason and Brady were both drafted in April, to different teams, but that’s no matter. They’re officially in the NFL and while I might have gotten emotional when they got the calls that night, it has nothing to do with me. I was simply happy for my friends, my brothers.
My girl is here, home, having graduated alongside my best friends in May, and moved in here with me the moment she did.
Like on draft day, I thought I would feel some sense of loss when I sat in the stands to watch them walk the stage that day, that I might regress into my own mental bullshit, but I found that all I felt was gratitude. It was a nice surprise.
Being the one designated to hang on to little D didn’t hurt either. Nothing can make you smile like that kid can.
The point is, I no longer have a suffocating sense of failure. I understand now that those things weren’t a result of my own shortcomings.
I gave my all and things didn’t pan out, but that’s okay.
That’s life. The important thing is to remember what matters, and with Paige at my side, I find it’s a lot easier than I thought it would be: letting go of the past and looking forward to what the future brings, even if it will be a bit different than I thought it would be.
That’s not to say it isn’t hard, some days worse than others, but everything just feels a little calmer now. I’ve learned how to process better and I’ve opened up that part of me to my girl, so when I need to talk, she’s there. Always there.
Besides, nothing is ever truly over unless you stop working toward it, and I have no plans to do that. There are different roads to take that allow me to still be a part of the things I love and I’m taking them.
Mase comes around the corner once again, one arm in his jacket, the other sliding along the back to his neck, and I chuckle. I grip the back, holding it out so he can slide his arm in, patting his back as he turns.
He scoffs but sighs. “Thanks, man. This is wild.” He grins, picking up his keys and tossing them in the air before spinning around.
“It is, but if I don’t get you guys in the car soon, it’s going to be bad.”
Brady comes in then, a smile on his face. “Dude, Noah’s been in the car for like ten minutes.”
The three of us start laughing, Mase tosses me my jacket, and we head out the door, piling into Mason’s SUV.
Sure enough, Noah is already inside, sitting in the back seat with his hands folded, knees bouncing as he stares ahead.
Mason pulls from the drive and we’re on the road, Noah following the path all the way.
“You good?” I tease.
Noah chuckles, nodding several times before taking a deep breath and sitting back. “Yeah. Yeah. Just want to be there.”
I nod, looking out the window.
“Distract me?” he asks and I turn back with a raised brow.
“You don’t really think that’s possible, do you?”
The guy laughs. “Okay, that’s fair. Just give me something to talk about to pass the time. How’s the job going, Mr. CEO?”
I wait for the anxious feeling to come, but it doesn’t, and I nod to myself.
“Good, man. Busy. I think it’s taking off a lot quicker than anyone expected, but I mean that’s a positive thing.
We’re not sure yet if it’s because it’s July, and everyone is just trying to get in to see what it’s about before they have to take off from training camp or if it’ll stick, but Prescott seems to think it’s a good sign,” I tell him.
“I still have a shit ton to learn, but Prescott has been like a godsend, man. Patient, that dude.”
Noah nods. “You still wanting to go back to school for that final semester?”
I nod. “Yeah, there’s no point in getting ahead of myself and I put in all that work. I owe that to myself. Like I said though, we don’t know yet if this new division is going to pop off or not, but at least I’ll have my degree if it doesn’t. I’ll be good either way.”
Noah smiles in knowing. “Because you already got the most important thing, right?”
I smirk, nodding as I look down at the screensaver on my phone—a picture I took last night. I’ve gotten in the habit of taking one each day. Might be out of some sort of fear of loss, but I try not to think about it too much.
It’s not long before we’re parking and climbing out, making the short trek up to a very specific point of Sunset Cliff. The sun is just over the horizon, like it’s just been waiting for us. For them.
We’re silent as we walk, our friends and family coming into view instantly, watery smiles and proud gazes staring back.
My eyes move to Noah, to the empty seat he stops beside, gripping its back with both hands as he takes a deep breath, the seat reserved for someone special, someone who can’t be here today physically but is in spirit.
The photo of his mama sits in a pretty frame, her smile pointed right at her son as he places himself just ahead.
Mason stands beside him, then Brady, and lastly, me.
The air grows quiet, the waves softly crashing below, and soft music begins to play from speakers we can’t see.
Paige is the first person to come into view, and I watch, breathless.
She’s glowing, absolutely stunning. There’s a softness in her eyes that makes my pulse jump.
I can’t help but think about how far we’ve come, from the secrets and the hurt, to standing here today, and then she looks over, big, blue eyes locking with mine and everything feels…right.
I can feel my pulse quicken as she draws closer, smiling at me, her attention never once leaving mine, as if right here, in this crowd of thirty-plus people, I am the only one she sees.
I can’t help but get lost in her, the woman who taught me how to live without hesitation, who made me believe I was worthy of this.
As I stand there waiting, I’m not just thinking about now. I’m thinking about our future. The ring I’ll put on her finger. My name at the end of hers. Tiny little hands I’ll get to hold and baby-blue eyes that match their mama’s.
She smiles again, winking this time, and I feel it in my soul, everything that was broken, now healed.
Payton is next, followed by Cameron, and then little Deaton steals the show.
He stands at the end, pulling a pair of sunglasses from his pocket and placing them over his eyes with a wide grin as he walks this way, his focus on his dad, a little white, fluffy football in his hands—the one that Noah had made a long time ago, the words “Little Riley” stitched into the side—only there is a little addition to it.
A ribbon, with two rings hanging from it.
The music fades, everyone stands, and then Ari appears in all her bridal glory, her dad at her side, his newborn grandson tucked safely in his arms.
My eyes move to Noah, witnessing his choppy inhale and the glossiness in his eyes as he stares down at the two most important people in his life, his bride-to-be and their baby boy.
Mase reaches out, gripping Noah’s shoulders, and Brady and I share a smile.
The moment hits hard, and I’m honored to be a part of this group, of this family.
Because that is what we are—family.
The music fades, the bride stepping up to take her groom’s hands, their son placed in the little bassinet between them.
As the ceremony begins, my eyes fall back to Paige, finding hers are already on me.
I love you, I mouth.
Paige smirks, mouthing right back, I know.
My shoulders shake with a silent chuckle, and I stand tall, watching on as two of our closest friends become husband and wife.
And in that moment, I realize something.
This isn’t the end of any of our stories.
This?