15. Leni
Chapter 15
Leni
“Morning, Sunny Leni.” Talon grins as I open my eyes.
“Hey,” I say, momentarily confused. I glance around the space of this dated, but clean, bedroom and the events of the night before come rushing back.
Toby and the boat.
Marlowe’s concerns.
Keller holding her up.
Toby’s hateful, hurtful words.
His fist cocking back.
The scent of scotch.
And Talon.
Talon eating up the space, putting Toby in his place, and getting me out of there.
Taking me here. Helping me shower. Holding me throughout the night.
I’m here. You’re safe. I got you.
Talon held me together.
I blink a few times and tuck my hair behind my ears.
I glance at him, and he stares back, his expression expectant, as he perches on the edge of the bed.
“I’m sorry about last night,” I manage, my throat scratchy.
He shakes his head, something I can’t read flashing in his gray eyes. They’re stormy today and yet, his tone is gentle when he adds, “You have nothing to apologize for, babe. Absolutely nothing.”
I tilt my head to the side, knowing that’s not entirely true. My stomach rumbles loudly and Talon smirks.
“You hungry?”
“Yeah,” I admit as my stomach grumbles again. “Starving, actually.”
“Come on, let’s head into town and get breakfast. Then, we can decide what we’re going to do today.”
I lift my eyebrows in surprise. “You don’t want to head home? Marlowe’s birthday bash is a bust.” I sigh. “I need to check in with her. And”—I gesture toward him—“it is your day off. You can do whatever you want. You don’t have to spend it?—”
“There’s no one I’d rather spend today with than you,” he interjects. “But…” He stands from the bed and grabs a Coyotes Football cap that he drops backwards on his head. “I’d like to spend it doing something fun. So, let’s grab a bite and make a game plan.”
“A game plan,” I repeat. No other words come since I’m too busy ogling Talon. Between the backwards hat, the stubble coating his jaw, and his bunching muscles in the casual tank top he’s wearing, my mind blanks. My body stirs to life.
And last night seems like another life entirely. Instead, I want to stay in this one—where I feel safe and at ease in the presence of the sexiest man I’ve ever spent time with.
Talon grins. “You checking me out, Len?”
I blush but hold his eyes as I admit, “It’s kind of hard not to, Talon.” I gesture toward him. “I mean, look at you.”
“I’d rather look at you,” he says smoothly.
I snort and he grins.
“I’m going to grab us some coffees. Give you a chance to dress and do…whatever it is girls do.”
I laugh. “Same thing as guys, I’d imagine. But coffee sounds good.”
Talon nods and swipes up his keys and phone. “Be back in fifteen.”
“Okay. Thanks.” I stretch my arms overhead. I remain in bed until the hotel room door closes.
Then, I lean over and grab my phone from the center console. My sister’s message makes me smile and for the first time in weeks, I tap out a reply.
Me: I miss you too, Lincoln. We have a lot to catch up on. I’m sorry I’ve been such a shitty sister, but I love you for being you and not giving up on me. I’ll call you this week. I promise. XO
I pull in a breath after I send it. I owe my sister much more than a phone call but…baby steps.
I read Keller’s message next, knowing he’s probably still asleep and will give me a ring once he and Marlowe have some answers.
Still, I shoot Marlowe a text letting her know that I love her. I text Mom that I’m doing okay and will be home tomorrow, just so she doesn’t worry.
Then, I see Craig’s texts and the blood drains from my face.
Why the hell won’t he let go? Is he coming here?
I pull in a deep breath and close my eyes. I hate that my intuition for not blocking his number proved true—I need to know if he’s going to show up in Knoxville. And right now, I feel like that scenario is more plausible.
I exhale shakily and open my eyes. The swirl of panic doesn’t come. The blurry vision and racing heart and inability to drag in oxygen don’t occur.
I feel…angry. Frustrated. Exhausted.
But I also feel safe, and I know I have Talon to thank for that. Not that he knows it. Not that he’ll ever know it.
Flipping off the duvet, I stand from the bed and stretch again. The least I can do is make sure he enjoys his day off. Talon’s been nothing but good to me, and last night he went above and beyond, showing up for me and my friend. Today, I’m game for whatever he wants to get into, and I’ll make sure we have a great time.
Maybe I’m just distracting myself from my reality but right now, I want the distraction. I want a break from the tumultuous feelings of the past twenty-four hours. I want to have some fun with Talon and live in that reality for a minute.
My mind made up, I stride to my weekender bag, dig out my toiletries, and enter the bathroom. Then, I fix my hair, apply some makeup, and dress for the day.
By the time Talon returns with our coffees, I’m ready to go. And I love the double take he does when he sees me.
Today is going to be better than good. It’s going to be the day I start taking back pieces of my life. Of myself. And I’m not sure if I’d have the courage to do so without Talon by my side.
“Do you have an idea what you want to do on your day off?” I ask as I shovel a forkful of scrambled eggs into my mouth.
His eyes brighten and he nods, polishing off his second pancake. “I do.”
I lean forward, lifting an eyebrow.
“There’s a water park ten minutes from here,” he announces, sounding like a teenager on the first day of summer vacation.
A bubble of laughter erupts. “Seriously?”
Talon nods, the grin never falling from his face.
“Wow, I haven’t been to a water park in…years.” My forehead crumples as I try to recall how many years it’s been. “Since high school with Lincoln,” I decide.
“Well, I haven’t been since last summer, but water parks are my favorite so…” Talon trails off.
“I’d love to go to a water park.”
“Good,” he says, starting in on his third pancake. “They’re kind of my thing.”
I snort. “You’re thing?”
He nods, his eyes dancing. “I went once as a kid. I must have been in fifth or sixth grade. My foster parents—Allen and Kim, probably the best I ever had—had a biological son, Frankie. It was Frankie’s birthday, and he invited a handful of friends and me. It was one of the best days of my life.” Talon’s eyes take on a faraway look, as if recalling that day. His smile never slips. “I loved every ride I went on—but the free fall. Man, that was wild.” He chuckles. “Ever since then, I’ve made it a point to hit as many water parks as I can.”
“How many have you been to?” I wonder.
He snorts. “At least three hundred.”
“Three hundred!” I narrow my eyes. Is he fibbing?
Talon nods enthusiastically. “That’s one of my bucket list items.”
“Go to as many water parks as possible?”
“Go to a major water park in every state. A few years ago, when I was in college, one of my teammates invited me to his hometown in Wisconsin. It was close to Noah’s Ark water park. That was sick. The town is even called the Water Park Capital of the World.”
“Stop it!” I laugh, loving this side of Talon. The amused, playful guy with more personal insights than he usually offers. It’s like peeking behind a curtain I’ve been wondering about for ages.
And I am thrilled by everything he shares with me.
“What else is on your bucket list?” I wonder.
He shakes his head and takes a bite of bacon. “It’s not as elaborate as yours. But maybe it should be. Spending time with you, Leni, has got me thinking.”
“About what?”
“Just, life. I’ve never really traveled, you know? I’ve never thought about places to see or things to experience. For so long, it was all about football. Get a scholarship, keep the scholarship, then get drafted. Earn a good deal. Keep my position on the roster. I don’t know anything but hustling to stay in the game. The only time I ever really took off was when my mom passed and to be honest, if it wasn’t for your dad stepping in, I don’t know if I would have had as much time with her as I did.”
“My dad really helped you with all that?”
“He did,” Talon confirms.
“I’m not surprised,” I offer. “It’s just that, he’s never said anything.”
“He’s a stand-up guy.”
“Yeah,” I agree. “It’s funny, you know, for years, I never really thought of my parents as having big identities, relationships and lives, outside of being Lincoln’s and my mom and dad.”
Talon eyes me curiously. “I don’t know about that.” His response is honest, his tone thoughtful. “But I imagine you and Lincoln don’t share everything with your parents either. And I’m sure they know your lives are fuller than only being their children.”
“Yeah,” I say softly, wondering again if I should have confided in them sooner. What would I say? What would they do?
“You’re lucky, Leni. I don’t know many men who love their kids the way your dad loves you and Lincoln.” He eyes me again, this time more seriously. As if he’s trying to relay more than he’s letting on.
I frown and Talon clears this throat.
“You know,” he continues, gesturing for me to keep eating. I manage another two bites. “When my mom was in the hospital, Coach came and sat with me a lot of nights. That’s when he talked about your family, shared stories about you and your sister.” He grins wickedly and I groan.
“What did he say?”
Talon snorts. “I’m not gonna betray the man’s trust, Len.”
“Oh, God. Embarrassing stories, weren’t they?”
“Adorable,” Talon replies. “I loved hearing everything he shared about you. It was during that time—one of the darkest of my life—that I started to think of you as pure sunshine.”
His admission pulls me up short and I place down my fork. “You mean…?”
“Meeting you was a long time coming,” he says by way of explanation. “But you helped me through a rough time in my life. And you don’t even know it.” He sighs, wiping his mouth with a napkin. Then, he fixes me with a steely gaze. “If there’s anything I can ever help you with…” A raised eyebrow. “I’m here, Len.”
Another cryptic message. Is this about last night? About Toby and Marlowe?
Or, my heart begins to race, did he see Craig’s text messages? Does Talon know?
I mumble my thanks, and he resumes eating as if he hasn’t just made me question things.
Am I reading into things?
Shaking my head, I take a sip of coffee.
“Tell me more about the debutante ball. When’s the big day?” Talon asks. His expression is open and eager, throwing me for another loop.
I must be reading into things. That’s it. My nerves haven’t fully settled after the past twenty-four hours.
“Well, it’s the twenty-first of September. It’s usually held in June but the regular head organizer, Mrs. Tipton, is pregnant. Due to the complications she faced and the need to reshuffle the committee to various tasks, the committee decided to delay the ball. But it’s coming along. I’m excited about it and to be involved in it. Marlowe’s sister Adi is one of the participants.”
“Really?” Talon seems genuinely curious, so I continue to fill him in on plans for the event—the menu, the first waltz, the signature drink.
By the time I finish talking, he’s flagging the server down for the check. And then, we head to the water park for a carefree, fun afternoon.
Another thing I haven’t experienced in ages. Another thing I wouldn’t want to share with anyone more than Talon Miller.