Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 88041 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88041 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
I turn to walk away and Matthew yells, “Why are you wearing a Horton shirt?” He puts his hands on his hips.
“Well, considering we are here for his family, I found it fitting,” I say as Max looks down and then up, smirking.
“Whatever. I’ll let it slide for this one time, but you’re a Grant,” he says as I walk away and when it’s time to eat I make my way to the room and see that my sisters have sat down on each side of Max as he looks up and almost glares at me as I take a seat in front of him. My mother comes to the table and sits as does Cooper. We all wait at the table as the families walk in and take in their Thanksgiving feast. We get up and applaud them all as they stand there with hands over their mouths and shocked expressions. I beam with pride, smiling over at Karrie as she wipes away a tear as Matthew pulls her to him and kisses her head.
We sit down to eat as one of the fathers stands up, “We wanted to.” He dabs his eyes as tears start to form, “I think I speak for all the parents here when I say every day we walk into the hospital and our child is okay it is a thankful day. But what you guys did today,” he shakes his head, “shows us that we have so more to be thankful for.” He raises his glass and says, “Thank you.” We all raise our glasses as we sit down and eat.
As soon as everyone gets up and leaves to go to their rooms, the day no doubt exhausting everyone. We get up and start helping put things away. When everything is back to normal we all get ready to leave, stopping in to say goodbye to Denise.
Stepping out of the elevator, Cooper says to me, “You coming over to our house, baby girl?”
I shake my head. “Nope, gotta date with the BF.” I smile as I walk outside. My mother looks down and smiles.
“Well, why the fuck didn’t he come and meet us today?” Cooper hisses out then looks at Mom. “I don’t like him.”
“Honey,” she says, tapping his arm. “Let it go.”
“You know, don’t you?” He points at her as she shakes her head.
“Well, at least let us drop you off,” Cooper says as the twins run to Max and give him a hug and he awkwardly leans down, tapping their shoulders.
“Not a chance in hell, Pops,” I say, walking toward Max’s truck. “Besides, Max is driving me home and I have to get my bag.” I then turn around to walk backward. “But I’ll see you all tomorrow.”
“Max, if you see this tool, get his license plate number!” Cooper yells while Mom pulls him to their car.
I get in as soon as Max opens the door lock. I don’t even get buckled in before he is taking off, going down the street, and turning randomly into a side street. “What is—” I don’t finish because he’s over the console and his lips are on mine. My hands reach out to touch him.
“Angel,” he says quietly, dusting my lips with kisses, soft kisses, light kisses, perfect kisses. “Your sisters are fucking nuts.” He smiles as he kisses me. “I think one tried to touch my cock with their foot.”
I throw my head back, laughing.
“It’s not funny.”
“They think you’re hot.” I push him away. “Don’t let it go to your head. They are both fighting over Ryder,” I say as he starts the car, making his way to his loft. “I’m so tired I might sleep till four tomorrow.”
“The night is just beginning.”
I look at him as he winks at me.
“Besides I need to show you what I’m most thankful for.” He laughs as he takes me home, shows me exactly what he’s thankful for, and I thank him all night by yelling out his name again and again and fucking again.
When we arrive the next day, he takes off as soon as we walk into the rink. I get a text from my mother telling us they are already there in the shop, so I make my way upstairs. Zara and Zoe are wearing a Horton jersey. I put my head in my hands and laugh.
“Those two are in love.” I hear my mother from the side of me. She stands there as she watches them try on baseball hats. “I hope you know what you’re doing,” she says, still looking ahead at the twins, her voice low. “I know we don’t get to choose who we love, but I just want you to be careful.”
“Mom,” I say, “no one said anything about love.”
She cups my cheek. “My beautiful girl, you wouldn’t risk everything you know if you didn’t love him.” Her smile comes out. “His history with the family is a big hurdle that you will have to overcome. You have to just prepare yourself, whose side you will be on. Because”—she shakes her head, looking down—“if you can’t stand by his side, wholeheartedly, let him go.”