Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 121764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 609(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121764 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 609(@200wpm)___ 487(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
“Except now, you don’t feel that call to roam as strongly as you did, do you?”
I stopped, pulling her down into the sand with me. “You’re far too good at this.”
“Livia has rubbed off on me. I swear, that woman is a Jedi.”
“It’s not that I don’t want to travel anymore, because I do. There’s so much I want to see and do…”
“But you also love being with Jaxson. Here. You like the idea of a home.”
My eyes welled again. “Yes.”
“It’s okay to want both. Who’s to say you can’t travel while he’s busy with the hockey season? Meet him at away games when you can, come home to Tampa when you want to. And during the off-season, you two can travel together.”
My chest expanded with that dash of hope again. “You really think it could be so simple?”
“Judging by the way that man literally risked it all for you?” Maven shook her head on a smile. “He’s down bad, sis. And you are, too. The rest?” She waved a hand in the air. “Just logistics.”
I leaned a head on her shoulder, stomach floating on the wings of a hummingbird as I thought about it all.
If my brother really was okay with it, and so were my parents — I didn’t care what the rest of the world thought. Truthfully, even if they weren’t okay with it, it wouldn’t have mattered.
I wanted a life with Jaxson Brittain — rain or shine, hail or blistering snowstorm.
In just a few hours, I’d tell him that.
And we’d face whatever came next together.
• • •
After the game — which the Ospreys won by two — my parents, Maven, and I waited up for Vince and Jaxson. The second we heard cars in the driveway, I was sprinting out the door, and I didn’t stop until I was launching myself into Jaxson’s arms.
He’d just stepped up out of his vintage Porsche, but he caught me with a spin, holding me to him and breathing in deep like I was his own personal brand of oxygen. I threaded my fingers into his hair and kissed him, all the tension in my chest instantly releasing once I did.
“Are you okay?” he asked, sweeping my hair out of my face like I was the one with the bruises.
I thumbed the one coloring his left eye. “I think I should be asking that question.”
Jaxson grinned, and as he sat me down, my brother made a loud gagging noise.
“Yeah, listen,” Vince said, slinging his bag over one shoulder and draping his other arm around Maven. “I’m going to need to never see that shit again.”
“As if I haven’t had to watch you hang all over her,” I pointed out.
Maven held up a finger. “She’s not wrong.”
“That’s different,” Vince combatted. “We’re not as gross about it.”
“I call bullshit,” Jaxson interjected. “Pretty sure you mauling her in your lap on the party bus is the whole reason your sister couldn’t even stand to sit next to you, which led you to sending her back to sit with me.”
Vince blinked. “I really did this to myself, didn’t I?” He shook his head then. “Still, it’s not the same. We don’t make out in public,” he tried, looking to Maven for backup.
She grimaced, shrugging as if to say, “Well, if I’m being honest…”
My brother continued arguing his point as Maven laughed and dragged him inside.
When they were gone, Jaxson slid his hand down to intertwine with mine, and we both slowly made our way to my parents.
My father stood tall, chest puffed, and Mom smiled sympathetically at us both.
“Mr. Tanev,” Jaxson said. “Mrs. Tanev. I just want to say—”
“I’ll tell you what I told her,” my mom interjected. “You have nothing to be sorry for. Your relationship is your business and yours alone. I’m just sorry for what happened to you. It’s a horrid thing, and I hope whoever did it gets their karma.”
I leaned into Jaxson’s arm, hiding my giggle and blush. My mom was usually so proper. I loved when she let the mama bear side out.
“I hope so, too,” Jaxson said, shaking her hand.
He reached for my father’s next, who eyed that hand like a bug before finally taking it in a firm shake. He let out a throaty exhale like he was suppressing the urge to shoot flames. “We’ll talk more later, but for now, I just need you to know that’s my little girl, and if you hurt her…”
“Dad,” I groaned.
“I will do everything in my power not to,” Jaxson promised.
Dad seemed satisfied with that, at least for now, and he hooked an arm around Mom to lead her inside, leaving me and Jaxson alone.
At last.
He let out a long breath, tucking me into his side for a hug as he bent to kiss my hair. His scent made me nostalgic — the leather and fresh-cut cedar. It brought me back to our road trip, my heart squeezing at the memories.