Thirty-Six #3
Melinda stands up and if I’m honest, this was the moment I have been most afraid of.
Her face is still a little red from where she was crying at the start of my presentation.
“I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you. I just wanted to help at first. Then you gave me a job and I got hands-on experience of how it feels to stand side by side with these kids.
And how much you are changing their lives.
And I just fell in love with it. I wanted to do more.
” I choke out the last few words and she wraps her arms around me tightly, patting my hair as she soothes me.
“You are phenomenal, sweet girl. I am so proud of you.” She whispers while still holding me tightly.
Rory steps up and hugs me tightly. “Thank you,” he whispers in my ear. “For taking care of her.” The break in his voice is almost enough to break me. Nobody loves Melinda more than her son and I’m so thankful he isn’t mad at me keeping this all from him.
“I think you’re kind of a wizard actually.
This is so badass. Like you own this? When did you create a whole company?
You’re building a second gym? Do we get to help run it?
Dad knew? AJ too? I feel like we are on a TV show.
This is insane.” Maxwell is full on losing his mind and I am dying of laughter.
“So you weren’t actually on dates with all those guys?” Eli asks me and I shake my head.
“Dates are just a meeting, Eli. They don’t have to be romantic. Each of those guys have a purpose and I needed them. But I needed to know that they were okay with just me, and not my background.” I explain to Eli but really I’m speaking to Oliver.
“You probably feel so dumb right now.” Eli laughs, jokingly punching his brother’s arm.
“I’m actually so turned on right now.” Oliver takes a full step forward and kisses me harshly. “Prettiest and smartest girl in the room, always.” He gives me one more sweet kiss as his dad clears his throat.
“Got you something to commemorate today.” Gigi hands Eddie a small gift bag and he passes it to me. It’s way heavier than it appears.
I pull out a clear frame with a blue post-it note sealed inside.
Build a bigger corner.
“We’re always in your corner, you know that.
But this way you can be reminded.” I look up at him and he is looking at me the same way he looks at AJ, with pride and love.
Never has my own dad ever looked at me like that.
I don’t have words for how much it means to have this entire family in my corner.
To know that they are going to be the foundation of everything moving forward.
They might not know it, but they are the reason I approached my grandmother with this idea and pushed so hard to make this happen.
Nobody loves with loyalty and kindness like the West men.
And I would be lost without AJ by my side.
“I’m actually going to steal her away for a few minutes.” Oliver announces as he pulls me away and AJ has to grab the frame before it falls out of my hands.
“Where are we going?” I ask him in a fit of giggles.
“Tradition. I feel like we have to at least make out in some side room right now.” He finds an open door and pulls me through it.
“We can not have sex right now. I really do have to get back in five minutes, Oliver.” I make sure he understands how serious I am.
“Just kiss me.” He locks the door behind me and lifts me up for me to wrap my legs around him.
Giving in to Oliver is my favorite thing.
His tongue plays with mine and the sound that escapes him is a mix between a groan and whimper.
The hottest sound he makes. “You are the most breathtaking woman I’ve ever seen.
” He breathes out as he trails kisses down my neck.
I run my hands under his shirt, needing to feel his skin.
He gets lost in the movements and takes his shirt off, only breaking contact for a second.
I kiss down his chest, seeking the spot I love to mark so much.
I catch a glimpse of red on his chest and I push him away, realizing that my lipstick probably smeared.
“What?” His eyes are hungry as he is looking at me but I feel like I can’t breathe as I realize it wasn’t my lipstick that smeared on his chest. Because what is on his chest isn’t a smear. It’s a perfect lipmark. My lipmark. I run my finger over it, tracing it. “Oh.”
“Oh? You have my lips tattooed on your skin and that’s all you have to say.”
“It’s not a big deal.” He lifts a shoulder, smirking as he reaches out and runs his thumb over my bottom lip. “You’ll have to fix your lipstick.”
“No shit. But I can’t fix this.” I smack his chest. “This is permanent, Oliver.”
“That actually hurt. And it doesn’t need to be fixed. I did it on purpose.” He says as he rubs his chest.
“When did you get that?” I find a tissue on a table and start wiping what’s left of my lipstick off.
“The morning you left after we had that fight in the kitchen. I had taken a picture of it one night before washing it off. And I wanted to keep you with me if I failed at winning you over.” He speaks calmly like this is normal behavior.
“You are crazy and impulsive.”
“And you deserve a crazy kind of love to match your chaotic and loving heart.” He kisses my forehead before putting his shirt back on. “Let’s get you back so you can change lives.” He takes my hand and leads me back.