CHAPTER 27 DANNY
Everything about this meal reminds me of all the good parts of my childhood.
My father might’ve chosen his other family, but he left behind my mother’s fantastic cooking—of which we are all the lucky recipients today.
I offered to order an entire Thanksgiving feast so she could kick back with her feet up, or continue her weird flirting with Alexis’s bodyguard if that’s what she wanted to do today, but she wouldn’t hear any of it.
“It’s tradition to make Thanksgiving dinner, and this year will be no different. Now where are your mixing bowls?”
Anna helped her prepare the meal, and even Alexis pitched in with the ladies while I took the boys to the backyard for catching practice. Rush showed up, too, and he played catch with Lucas while I played with Leo.
Gregory sat in a chair on the patio looking very stoic while dinner prep was happening—I think. He wears sunglasses pretty much as a rule when he’s outside, so it’s hard to tell what he’s thinking, but even when he isn’t, his expression is usually blank and quite unrevealing.
I couldn’t tell if he was watching us or sleeping.
But I also know he’s constantly surveying, constantly watching, and I actually really do love that Alexis has someone on her side like him.
He seems like a good man even though I know very little about him.
But she trusts him, so if she trusts him, I trust him.
And now we’re just about done with our meals, our stomachs full after turkey and stuffing and way too many mashed potatoes and side dishes, but I can still make room for pumpkin pie.
There’s always room for pumpkin pie. Or cherry. Or pecan.
Why am I already hungry again?
I grab one more slice of turkey for good measure. I only eat like this once a year, so I may as well go all out.
I glance over at Alexis, who’s laughing at something Anna said to the boys, and she catches my eye. Hers have a twinkle in them, and as I glance around the table, I can’t help but think this is it. This is our future.
I wasn’t expecting Rush to be in that picture, but I’m not as mad about it as I thought I’d be. In fact, when I see the way he looks at my sister, I see a lot of similarities in the way I look at Alexis.
I think this whole thing with Alexis has really forced me to mellow out more than I ever have before. A past Danny would never have thought his sister and a teammate together was a good idea, but here we are…and I don’t hate it.
The laughter. The smiles. The general volume in here as we tell stories and we laugh over a shared meal. It’s a dream, really, and one I hope I have in my future time and time again.
And even though I keep hoping this is our future, we have quite a few obstacles in the way.
Alexis’s fiancé, for one.
Her father for another.
Her rabid fanbase and the paparazzi will be looking at us under a constant microscope.
Can we get past those obstacles?
They’re not insignificant. It’s her father. Her agent. Her manager. Her fans. It’s her entire life, and I’m over here blowing it up.
Well…sort of. I’m messing with the dynamic that’s expected of her. But it’s not just me. She’s in this with me, and the fact that she’s here right now as she lies to her father about where she really is speaks volumes about where her heart lies and where she wants to be.
But that doesn’t change the fact that this all feels very temporary, and that’s more than a little scary…especially now that she’s met my family. She’s met my mother and Anna. Leo and Lucas. She’s part of us now. The boys love her. My mom and my sister love her. I love her.
It’s not just her and me anymore. This is bigger.
I’ve never introduced a woman to my family.
Ever.
I’m twenty-eight, and this is the first significant relationship I’ve ever had.
Maybe that’s kind of sad, or maybe Alexis is the one who made me see that it’s okay to step out of your comfort zone when you find the right person to step out with.
It’s not out of the zone with her by my side since she’s my constant comfort.
But it might be fleeting, and I’m not sure I fully comprehend the fear I have associated with that.
Losing her now is far scarier than committing to her ever was.
But there’s a very real chance I will.
Gregory’s phone rings as we finish eating, and he excuses himself to take the call.
“Alexis, it’s your father,” his voice says from across the room.
She glances over at me and then stands to head over to take the call.
My first thought is that he’s calling to wish her a happy Thanksgiving since she fabricated some lie about her phone.
And honestly…it’s been nice that she hasn’t been on her phone during the last twenty-four hours.
I haven’t been on mine, either, and that’s given us the time and space to have conversations and laughs and to grow our bond.
I’m sure that’s her first thought, too, which is why when she goes to take the phone from Gregory and he shakes his head, she looks confused for a beat.
“No, Alexis,” he says softly as he pulls the phone from his ear and ends the call. “Something’s happened,” he says, and his tone is maybe the gentlest I’ve ever heard out of him. “That was Brooks. Your father was just rushed to the hospital via ambulance.”
Her face turns white as silence falls over the room that was bustling with laughter just a moment ago.
“Ma’am? What would you like to do?” he asks, his voice breaking into the silence.
She glances at me before her attention turns back to Gregory. “Let’s go.”
TO BE CONTINUED IN BOOK 3, ON DECK