Chapter 29
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
SAVANNAH
“No, I’m telling you. That man was only an asshat on the outside, but it’s clear as day that he had a soft spot for her since the very beginning.” Mrs. Santiago gives a decisive nod.
Jessica rolls her eyes. “He was a grouch of epic proportions, you mean.”
“He wasn’t a grouch,” Mrs. Santiago protests, just as Becky refills her glass with wine. “Thanks, honey.” She offers her a smile before continuing, “He’s just dealing with a lot. They both are, really. And he was so sweet to her. Like when her car broke down, and he fixed it for her? It was such a swoony moment.”
“Not before grumbling about her driving a piece of shit car and how unsafe it was.”
“That’s true.”
My phone buzzes, drawing my attention away from the discussion at hand. I pull it out, the corner of my mouth lifting when I see the name on the screen.
Blake:
Done with the smut club?
Blondie:
In a little bit.
And it’s not a smut club. It’s a book club.
Blake:
Blondie, I’ve seen the books you’ve been reading.
And they would suggest otherwise.
“I don’t see what’s the problem.” Mrs. Tyson points her bony finger at Jessica. “I’ll let you know, young lady, the quiet, grouchy men are the best in the sack.”
Jessica’s mouth falls open, her cheeks turning pink, and I struggle to swallow back the snort at her words. Because what were the odds, really?
“Mrs. Tyson!”
The older woman harrumphs. “What? No need to act all demure now. We’ve all had sex around here.”
“Only in my dreams,” Becky mutters as she sits next to me, making the whole group chuckle, just as another message pops on my screen, and I can feel the heat rise up my neck.
Blake:
Not that I’m complaining.
As a matter of fact, I wouldn’t mind recreating a few of those scenes. Just saying. You know in case you wanna see how accurate they are and all that.
Blondie:
I’m sure that’ll be such a hardship for you.
Blake:
What can I say? It’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make for the greater good.
I can’t have you going around all needy after all.
Blondie:
Does that mean you’ll come over tonight?
I worry at my lip as I wait for his response.
I knew it was selfish of me to ask that of him because what if one of the boys woke up in the middle of the night and went to him, but he wasn’t there? And yet, the words were out before I could think them through. I couldn’t help myself. I liked spending time with Blake. And it wasn’t just the sex either. I liked the feel of his arms around my body. I liked to just talk to him as we cuddled on the couch. I liked him, plain and simple. And it scared me shitless.
“What are you reading?” Becky nudges me playfully. “It has to be good if you’re all flushed like—” I lock my phone and lift my gaze, but based on her smug smile, she’s already read my messages. “ Oh my God, finally! ”
Shit.
I shoot her a pleading look, but it’s already too late.
“What finally?” Mrs. Tyson interjects, the discussion forgotten, and now all the attention is on me.
“Umm…” I squirm in my seat, my ears buzzing as I try to come up with some answer.
“We were just talking about something,” Becky offers.
“Are you talking about the fact that the new Coach is sneaking out of Savannah’s house in the middle of the night these days?” Mrs. Miller raises her thin brows as she grabs her wine glass and nonchalantly takes a sip. “As if that’s something new.”
What the— My mouth falls open, making the older woman snort.
“What? We all knew it was just a matter of time before you two got together.” Mrs. Miller waves her hand dismissively. “The man’s had a thing for you since the first time he stepped into this town, and who could blame him? So when Charlotte told me she saw him sneaking out the other day, I can’t say I was surprised.”
“You and Coach ?” Jessica points her finger at me accusingly as she glares at me. “I knew something was going on between you two during the town fair!”
“Town fair?” Mrs. Tyson snorts. “Try football practice. I’ve never seen a man run faster in my life when that kid threw a ball and almost hit Savannah. It was quite epic, if I might say so myself.”
My ears are buzzing as they continue fighting over who was the one who figured out first there was something going on between Blake and me. My mouth feels dry, making it hard to swallow.
I hated this. I’ve been the center of gossip so many times growing up. When I was five, my teacher was giving me a pitying look when I was the last one at school because my mom couldn’t find the time to come and pick me up. Or when I was six and some of my classmates were laughing at me because I came to school in dirty clothes. At eight, when we finally moved to Bluebonnet, everywhere I went, I could hear soft whispers about that Parker girl causing trouble. And, finally, at nine, once my mom was gone, and everybody talked about how she left me behind and wondered if she would ever come back.
But Blake wasn’t my mother.
You’re mine, Savannah. I don’t want to play any more games or hide around. I want us to be together. I choose you, but I need you to choose me back.
No, Blake most definitely wasn’t my mother.
It wasn’t fair for me to expect him to put everything on the line if I wasn’t determined to do the same for him. He deserved better, and so did I.
We deserved better.
“They’re like the freaking FBI,” Becky mutters next to me.
There was no “like” about it. The two of them would give the FBI a run for their money.
“It’s true.”
The group stops their discussion, and once again, I’m the center of attention, their curious glances making my stomach roil.
You can do this, Sav. It’s not like they don’t know it. At least part of it. Might as well get it all out.
“Blake and I, we’re together. I know it’s not really professional since I’m his son’s teacher and all, but we met before…” I curl my fingers, my nails digging into my skin as I tilt my chin up, bracing myself for whatever’s coming next. “I know you all thought that my ex is my baby’s father, but that’s not true. It’s Blake. He’s the father.”
I hold my breath, my shoulders tense as I wait for their reaction for what feels like forever, and for once, they actually seem surprised.
“You’ve gotta be shitting me!” Jessica’s mouth falls open, her eyes wide.
“Oh, thank God!” Mrs. Miller raises her glass. “I was worried you’d be connected to that tool for the rest of your life. I guess that explains a lot of things.”
“That’s good, honey.” Mrs. Tyson nods and pats me on the leg. “Blake’s so good for you. I don’t think I’ve seen you smiling so much before he came here.”
“Didn’t I tell you something’s going on between them?” Mrs. Miller smirks. “I have a nose for those things. Charlotte will be so jealous when I tell her I was right. That woman has them right under her nose but is too blind to see anything.”
I blink as they shift their conversation while my heart still thunders in my chest.
Just like that, my secrets were out, and now they were already discussing Charlotte, and their upcoming town meeting and the bake sale.
“They didn’t say anything,” I whisper softly, still not quite able to wrap my mind around it.
“What would they say?” Becky shrugs and gives me a pointed look. “They already knew about your little rendezvous. But why am I only finding out about it just now? You and Blake finally get together, and you’ve been quiet this whole time? I swear these days, I’m the last one who finds out what’s going on in my own town. If Miguel weren’t home today, I’d make you go out for drinks so you can tell me everything.”
“Miguel is home? And you’re here?”
A smile spreads over my friend’s face. “He insisted he’d be with Jackson so I could go to the book club, but he’s leaving early in the morning because they’re flying out for a game, so you can bet I’ll use every second we have left since he won’t be back until Thanksgiving.”
The mention of the upcoming holiday makes my smile fall. Last year, I spent Thanksgiving with Grams, but this year it’ll be just me all alone in that house. A strong kick against my ribs makes me suck in a breath.
Okay, maybe not completely alone.
“You should come.” I look up to find Becky watching me. “The Fernandezes host the Thanksgiving party at their place. It’s family and friends. You should come.” Becky winks at me. “Bring your baby daddy with you. If you guys aren’t planning to celebrate alone?”
Alone? As in Blake, the boys, and me all together?
“No.” I shake my head. “We didn’t discuss it.”
“Think about it.”
Wasn’t it too early for something like that? Celebrating a holiday seemed so… big. That’s what families did. But we weren’t one. Not really. Right?
The image of the boys and Blake from the other day pops into my mind. All of us in PJs, cuddled in the living room, watching movies. It felt homey. It felt real.
Could this really be our life, or was I just fooling myself?
“What are we reading next?” Mrs. Miller asks suddenly, snapping me out of my thoughts. “I hope this one has more spice in it. Some of us appreciate creativity.”
Becky and I exchanged a look, and I’m not sure if we were more amused or disturbed by her comment.
After deciding on our next read, a steamy billionaire romance this time around, people start to gather their things and leave. I stay with Becky to help her clean up before closing the café.
“Do you need a ride home?” Becky asks as she locks the door.
“No, I’ll just wal?—”
The words die on my lips as I look up and see the tall figure leaning against the black truck on the other side of the street.
“Blake.” My heart is hammering against my rib cage, the loud echo dulling the noises around me.
He looks up, a big smile spreading over his face when he spots me. “Blondie.”
Fine lines crinkle around those intense gray eyes as they take me in from head to toe, making my skin burn.
“I guess not,” Becky chuckles. “I’ll talk to you later.”
Blake pushes from the truck and walks toward me, his gaze locked on mine.
“What are you doing here? Is everything okay? Are the boys?—”
Blake’s hands cup my cheeks, and his mouth lands on mine before I can finish. My fingers wrap around his wrists as his mouth sweeps over mine in gentle, teasing strokes before he breaks the kiss. I let out a soft moan in protest, not ready to let go, that has him chuckling.
“Hi.”
“Hey.”
“The boys are fine.” He skims his thumb over my lower lip, sending a shudder down my spine. “Mrs. Maxwell is with them. I saw your car in the driveway, and I didn’t want you to walk back home when it was dark. Did you have fun?”
“I—” I let out a shaky breath. “Yeah.”
“Good. Ready to leave?”
I nod silently, my tongue sliding over my lower lip. Blake lets his hand fall, those long fingers intertwining with mine as he leads me to his truck. He holds the door open for me and helps me inside before walking around and sliding into the driver’s seat.
“Tired?” Blake asks as he pulls the truck onto the road, the soft country music playing on the radio.
“A little bit.”
He glances toward me, excitement shining on his face as the corner of his mouth tips upward. “Too tired to spend some time together?”
I eye him carefully, unsure of where he’s going with this. “Not that tired.”
What was he up to?
If possible, his smile grows even bigger. “Good.”
Blake returns his attention to the road as he turns his blinker on and changes direction.
The direction that’s most definitely not going toward our neighborhood.
I expect him to elaborate, but he stays silent as he navigates the dark streets of our little town.
I turn my attention to him. “Care to share where we’re going?”
Amusement dances in his irises. “You’ll see soon enough.”
I open my mouth to protest, but his hand falls on my leg, giving me a soft squeeze. I press my thighs together, the desire pooling in my belly.
“Needy much?” Blake teases, his thumb moving in gentle strokes just above my knee.
It was strange how well he knew me. It’s like he had a radar or something that told him just what I needed. And one thing about Blake: he didn’t shy away from giving me what I wanted. No, quite the contrary, he made it his mission to do so.
“You’re not playing fair.”
“I never said I’d play fair, Blondie.” That smirk only grows bigger. “We’re here.”
Killing the engine, he opens the door. I look around, my brows pull together as I stare at the darkness.
A parking lot.
And not just any parking lot.
Blake opens my door and helps me out. “You brought me to school?”
“Yeah, I figured we could have a date.”
My brows pull together in confusion. “A date?”
At school?
My skepticism must be obvious because Blake explains, “At first, I thought we could go to dinner, but I know you don’t like to eat late because of your blood sugar, and I know you’ve been struggling with that.”
I open my mouth to protest, but he just gives me a pointed look. “That little frown appears between your brows every time you see somebody eat something you like but know you can’t have because it’ll be bad for you and our baby. And I’m not putting you through that.”
“How—” I just stare at him, dumbstruck. I didn’t realize anybody noticed. It sucked royally because I’d see something or smell something or just get a craving, but I always had to weigh my options, and more often than not, the answer was no.
The corner of Blake’s mouth lifts upward, as he moves closer. His palms gently cup my cheeks and tilt my head back. “When will you realize it? I see you, Blondie.”
His words make the warmth spread through my belly, and my heart does that little flip inside my chest.
“I see you, baby,” Blake repeats, skimming his thumb over my jaw before he lets his hand drop.
He slides his arm around my waist, his palm settling on the small of my back as he leads me toward the field.
The space is quiet, the smell of grass and the faint scent of smoke filling the air.
“This is my favorite time to be on the field.”
Surprised, I tilt my head to look at him, but his attention is fixed on the fifty-yard line. “Really? Not game day?”
“Game days are crazy, but there is something about the calm that settles over the field once the game is done, and you can drink everything in.”
I guess I could see it. There was peacefulness in the quiet like this.
“Is that why you brought me here?”
“Kind of.” Coming to a stop, Blake lets go of my hand, opens a blanket over the grass, and kneels down, extending his hand toward me. “Come ’ere.”
I bite the inside of my cheek and look around. “Should we even be here? What if somebody?—”
“Damn, woman.” Before I can finish, Blake’s hand snakes around my waist, and he tugs me to him. I let out a loud yelp in surprise as I’m pulled to the blanket, Blake’s body hovering over mine. “Blake! What are you doing?”
“Nobody will come.” He brushes my hair away and smirks. “We’re in a small town, Texas, where all the respectable people are already home and in bed.”
“I’m respectable,” I counter, jabbing my finger into his chest playfully. Blake’s fingers wrap around my wrist, and he presses them against his chest.
“Oh, I know that,” he whispers, his warm breath tickling my skin. Blake leans down; his nose traces the column of my neck. “My good girl.”
I suck in a breath, my fingers fisting his shirt. The warmth of his body seeps into my skin. His heartbeat thunders against my palm, strong and steady, just like him. “But I like getting you down and dirty.”
“That’s so cheesy.”
“I’ll give you cheesy.”
A soft chuckle turns into a moan when Blake nips at my neck playfully before kissing the sensitive skin. I slide my hand over his pecs and to the back of his neck. My fingers sink between his silky strands, and I pull him to me, those stormy eyes the last thing I see before my mouth presses against his—once, twice, three times—before my tongue slides past his lips and into his mouth. His velvet tongue tangles with mine in a sensual dance.
Blake rolls to his back, pulling me with him. My shirt skims up, the cool night air teasing my skin, a complete contrast to Blake’s burning touch.
A shudder runs through my body, making goosebumps appear on my skin.
“You’re cold,” Blake whispers, breaking the kiss.
“It’s fi?—”
Before I get to finish, Blake’s already pulling back and sliding his jacket off.
“Arms.”
I don’t protest as he helps me put the jacket on, pulling it tightly around me. The material falls over my shoulders, Blake’s spicy scent wrapping me into a cocoon of warmth. Even with my bump, the jacket swallows me whole. It almost feels as good as being wrapped in Blake’s arms. Almost.
Once he’s done, Blake lets his hands fall to my waist, resting them on my bump as he takes me in. There is undeniable heat burning in his eyes as he looks at me. Desire unlike anything I’ve experienced except with him.
“I like this.”
“What? This jacket?” I glance down, noticing the team colors. It was his coach’s jacket. “I always wondered why I never got one since I’m still part of the team, even though you stole my position.”
Blake smirks. “There was a reason for that.”
“Oh, yeah?” I quirk my brow at him. “And what’s that reason, Coach?”
“So once you’re cold, I get to give you mine. See my name on your back. Let everybody know who you belong with.”
This time when a shiver runs down my spine, it has nothing to do with the cold and everything with the possessiveness in his tone.
“That’s so high school.”
“Maybe,” he whispers, his nose tracing the column of my neck before he places a kiss to the hollow of my shoulder. “But you like it.”
Yes, I did.
I liked it a lot.