Chapter 37
I’m still in the game. And I’m on her team.
Gage
M y fingers drum on the steering wheel as I sit in front of Addy’s house. She hasn’t been responding to my texts or calls. And it’s been nearly a week since I texted her to say I was staying in Smuggler’s Hideaway for my week off. To spend time with her.
I thought she’d jump for joy. I thought she’d rush to find me. I thought she’d at least text me back.
I can’t wait any longer to see her. I want to show her what I’ve done. The plans I made. I didn’t solve the problem of us living several states away from each other, but I think she’ll be happy with my ideas.
I hope at least.
The passenger door opens and Addy slips inside. I glance around. I didn’t see her exit the house.
“Where did you come from?”
“I thought a yard-getter like yourself would understand where babies come from.” She shakes her head. “Disappointing. ”
Hope slams into me. She’s teasing me. Maybe she’s not ready to say goodbye to me after all.
“Why did you sneak into my car? I was planning to come inside.”
“You were?” She snorts. “When? This century?”
“I was preparing my plan of attack.”
“Your plan of attack? Are you invading the house?”
I grasp her hand. “I didn’t want to say the wrong thing. I don’t want to upset you again.” I swallow the lump in my throat. “I can’t handle it when you cry.”
“You’re not afraid of a fourth down, but you’re afraid of my tears?”
“Your tears slayed me.”
“Sorry, Run It Gage, you’re going to have to develop some thick skin because I cry sometimes.”
“But I…” I trail off when the reality of her words hits me. “Does this mean you want to see me again?”
“Do you want to see me again?”
“Why do you think I cancelled the photoshoot? If I have to choose between a photoshoot and spending time with you, I choose you.”
Her nose wrinkles. “Maybe you won’t have to cancel the next photoshoot.”
My stomach drops. “What? You don’t want me to choose you? You don’t want to spend time with me?”
She holds up a hand. “Slow down, Run It Gage. I merely meant that if the photoshoots are in Steel City, you won’t have to cancel them to see me. ”
My hands shake as excitement rushes through me. “You’re coming to Steel City? You’ll move in with me?”
“Whoa. Slow down, yard-getter. We are not moving in together.”
“But you’re coming to Steel City? What happened to change your mind?”
Her gorgeous light brown eyes fill with pain and I almost backtrack. But I can’t. I need to know why she changed her mind. I need to make sure I don’t hurt her again. And the only way to protect her is to know the details.
“I spoke to my mom after you left.” She pauses but I don’t rush her. I have all the time in the world for her. “She told me why my dad left.”
“You didn’t know?”
“Mom never talked about my dad. She refused to answer any of my questions. At some point, I stopped asking.”
I squeeze her hand. “You don’t need to tell me.” I can’t stand causing her pain.
“Wrong, I do.” She inhales a deep breath before launching into the story. By the time she finishes explaining her dad’s illness and how her mother reacted and relied on her for years, tears are streaming down her face.
I need her in my arms. I can’t stop her tears. But I can comfort her until she finishes crying. I pick her up and settle her in my lap.
“Eek! The steering wheel is fusing to my spine.”
“Oops. Sorry.” I push the seat back as far as it will go. She wraps her arms around my shoulders and buries her face in my neck. I rub my hand up and down her back until her tears subside.
“It’s okay, songbird. I’m here. I’ll never leave you,” I murmur.
She looks up at me. “You better not, since you are currently looking at the proud renter of an apartment in Steel City.”
“You already rented an apartment?”
“Not exactly. It’s included in my contract with Juliet Ash.”
“You finally spoke to the lawyer?”
“Yep. The deal with Juliet changed. In addition to recording If I Asked, she wants to collaborate with me on more music.”
“Holy shit!” I squeeze her up tight. “I am so proud of you.”
She beams at me. “Juliet wants me in Steel City a few weeks every quarter. And, thanks to the attorney you recommended, who is a total shark by the way, an apartment is part of the deal.”
“A few weeks a quarter? You’ll be in Smuggler’s Hideaway the rest of the time?”
“Nope. Mom is kicking me out of the house. It’s time for me to ‘live my own life’.”
“I fucking love your mom.”
“Of course, you do. You’re getting exactly what you want.”
Not exactly. What I really want is for her to live with me. I want to wake up to her every morning. Fall asleep with her in my arms every night. It’ll happen. It’s where she belongs after all.
“Damn. All of those flights I booked to visit you during my off time are wasted now. ”
Her forehead wrinkles. “You bought flight tickets to visit me?”
“And reserved the resort.”
“After I walked away?”
“Songbird, I told you. I’m not letting you go. I love you. I want to spend every minute of time with you. But if I can’t, I’ll accept whatever time you have available to me.”
Her nose wrinkles. “I’m not certain how much time I’ll have. Since I’ll be writing songs for Juliet Ash.” She bites her bottom lip. “What if I’m a one-song wonder? What if I can’t write any more songs? What if I’m a failure?”
I tug her lip from her teeth. “You are the most talented woman I know. You’re going to write a million hits.” I smirk. “Especially since you’ve met the man you love and he inspires you.”
She slaps my chest. “Awfully full of yourself.”
“But you do love me, don’t you?” I push. I need to hear her say the words.
She smiles and her eyes sparkle. “I love you more than I ever thought possible.”
Her saying she loves me is the best feeling in the world. Better than getting drafted in the NFL. Better than scoring a touchdown. Better than being named the NFL Offensive Player of the Year. Nothing can beat this feeling.
“I’m the luckiest man in the world.”
She waggles her eyebrows. “And maybe you’ll get luckier later.”
My cock twitches. “Sounds like a plan. But first… ”
I meld my lips to hers. The fear and anxiety I’ve felt since the day she walked away from me slowly melts away as I sink my tongue into her mouth. Her taste reassures me. This is real. I’m not imagining her. Addy is mine. She’s moving to my town. We’re going to spend the rest of our lives together.
She clutches my shoulders and grinds down on my hard length. I moan as excitement fills my veins. I love it when she loses all control. When she begs me to make her come. When she—
“What are you doing?” Mila asks.
I wrench my lips from Addy’s to discover Mila standing next to the car, staring at us. Addy’s hair is disheveled and her mouth is swollen from my kisses but at least we’re both dressed.
Nora rushes up behind Mila. “I’m sorry. I tried to stop her.”
“They were taking too long. I want cake!”
My brow furrows. “Cake?”
Addy’s cheeks darken. “Um, well…”
“Spit it out, songbird.”
“I was planning to drive out to the resort to visit you today. I was getting in my car when I saw you sitting here.”
I palm her cheeks. “You were planning to visit the resort today?”
She shrugs. “I wanted to surprise you. It’s why I ignored your messages. I wanted to have everything arranged with the lawyers and my apartment before we spoke again.”
Those words sound better than hearing I made first string in the NFL. Addy – the woman who’s been insistent she can’t leave the island – is leaving for me. Not only leaving. She made all the arrangements – even contacted the lawyer she was nervous to speak to – to surprise me.
“Hello!” Mila pounds on the window. “What are you waiting for? There’s cake.”
I roll down the window. “Cake?”
Nora smiles. “It’s a welcome to the family cake.”
Welcome to the family? Those words are nearly as heartwarming as Addy saying she loves me. A family is what I’ve always wanted.
“We’ll be in soon.” Addy hits the bottom to raise the window. “Are you okay?” she asks, once the window is closed.
“I’m better than okay. I have everything I’ve ever wanted in the world. A woman I love and a family.”
“Don’t get too excited about the family part. Otis has a million questions about getting drafted. He also wants tickets to every home game since he can ‘stay in his big sister’s apartment for free’.”
I squeeze her hips. “He can stay with me.”
She rolls her eyes. “You’re missing the point. He’s going to drive you bonkers.”
“Let him. I’ve always wanted a brother to drive me bonkers.”
Her face softens. “He’s happy to oblige. And don’t forget two sisters who will make your hair turn grey before you’re thirty.”
“They’ll have to be quick. My thirtieth birthday is less than a month away.”
“Your birthday is coming soon! Why didn’t you tell me? I need to buy a present. And it’s your thirtieth. We definitely should have a party. I bet all the venues are already booked. How am I going to manage? And what do you buy a football player who has everything anyway?”
I pinch her chin. “You don’t need to buy me a present. You already gave me my favorite thing in the world.”
“What?”
“Your love.”
She melts against me. “You’re a big softie, aren’t you?”
“Don’t tell anyone my secret.”
She crosses her heart. “Promise.”
“Now, we have cake to eat.”
“We better hurry. Mila has a tendency to steal the frosting. She thinks no one knows. How can we not know when half the frosting is missing from the cake?”
I bark out a laugh. “Your family is a blast.”
“ Our family is a blast.”
My gut tightens. Our family. I have a family. I came to Smuggler’s Hideaway for training camp and some sun and laughs. I’m leaving with the most precious thing in the world. Belonging.
“How can I ever thank you?”
“Hmmm…” She taps her chin. “Love me for the rest of your life?”
“Done.”
She giggles.
“I love you, songbird. I’ve loved you from the moment I heard you sing the first note and I’ll love you until you’ve sung your last.”
She meets my gaze. “And I love you, sweetheart. ”
I drop my mouth onto hers and—
“They’re kissing again!”
I burst into laughter. I’m never going to be bored with this family around. My family. My Addy.
This is the start of a beautiful life. And I can’t wait for it to begin.