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“Nick Lattimore punched me.” “What? Why on earth would he do that?” “He thought I invited his girlfriend over for sex.” “Do I even want to ask?” Ryder shrugs. “Darby came over because I needed advice on how to make you not hate me.” I know I shouldn’t laugh, but I do. His gruff, sheepish admission instantly warms me over. God, this man.
“He shot my mother in the head and killed her.” Shock slams into me.
“Why didn’t she just lie? This guy’s pointing a fucking gun at her head. I get it, people aren’t always thinking clearly in scary situations, but…Christ. Tell the man with the gun you love him. But she didn’t, and it got her killed.
they didn’t think he was a danger to society. Just a crime of passion unlikely to be repeated.” Ryder laughs bitterly. “Until he gets into another relationship and decides to blow her brains out too.”
“Besides, if he hadn’t cheated, you and I wouldn’t be here right now. So in a way, he…” He led me to you.
I’m all in on Luke Ryder, of all people. Who would have thought?
But we’re not together anymore, and eventually Ryder will be the one attending my family events. At least, I hope.
I’m not a petty person—I honestly don’t think too hard about what I do next. I’m just tired. Tired of watching Ryder from across the room all night and not being able to talk to him. Tired of having to send sly texts about how much we want to bang each other. Tired of not being able to hold his hand. Tired of not being able to throw my arms around him, like the night he protected me from the creepy elevator guy. I should have hugged him then, but I didn’t. All because I was trying to be respectful of my ex-boyfriend’s feelings.
Case’s eyes narrow as Gigi takes my hand. She tugs on it, and I follow her instinctively. I’m so crazy gone for this woman that not following her isn’t even an option.
She peers up at me with the most beautiful smile, and I’m dumbstruck again because she’s so gorgeous I don’t even know how to function in the face of that smile.
Gigi tips her head back to look at me. “This was my parents’ wedding song.” That startles me. “Really?” “Yeah. It’s the first song they ever danced to.” She moistens her lips, blushing before averting her eyes. “I heard it just now and…I don’t know. I knew I wanted to dance to it with you.” That does something to my heart. I don’t know what. I don’t understand half of the emotions she elicits in me. Whatever this one is, it just feels right.
And I’m momentarily floored myself because I can’t believe it’s been three months. It simultaneously feels like I just met her yesterday and like I’ve known her forever.
“You told me you made out with her when she fucking gave you a blowjob.” Oh, Colson. You stupid bastard. Case freezes. “That’s not…” “Not what? Not true?” Gigi snaps. “Can you look me in the eye and tell me it’s not true?”
“What about this invitation—do you want to come home with me?” “Home,” I echo. “Yes.” “With your parents.” “Yep, that’s what home means.” “Will your father be there?” “He lives there, so yes.” “Your father, Garrett Graham.” “Okay, you know what? I revoke the invitation.”
But if you’re good, I’ll let you sneak into my room after everyone is asleep.” “Hard pass.” “Seriously?” “Seriously. I don’t want to get murdered by Garrett Graham.”
“You two do it. We’re going to hang out with Mom, a.k.a. a normal person.”
Garrett snickers. “Ungrateful little shit. I give you all my talent, and what do you do with it? You sing songs.” “Hey, that’s my talent,” Hannah says. He’s quickly shamefaced. “Sorry, Wellsy. Your talent is way better than mine. Hands down.” I think he truly means that. And the sheer love in his eyes almost has me feeling like a voyeur. I never saw my parents look at each other like that. I’ve never seen anyone look at each other like that.
He still calls her Wellsy!!!!!!
“What is your obsession with me?” I drawl. “Do I need Jensen to send you his PowerPoint on sex addiction?”
“You love my daughter.” My head jerks toward her in surprise. She sips her whiskey, looking amused. “You’ve figured that out, right?” I gulp my own drink. “It’s still…early.” “So? When you know, you know.” Her lips twitch as she examines my face. “Got it. We’re still fighting it. Don’t worry, Luke—we’ll save this for another time.” She laughs softly. “Give your head some time to catch up to your heart.”
“Then I’ll go.” He cocks a brow. “But I will not be dancing.” “Yes, you will.” “And I’ll also pretend I don’t know you when you ask for Vizza Billity’s autograph.”
I have successfully managed to turn Briar’s grumpy, bad boy hockey co-captain into a hold-my-purse boyfriend. I’ve won the world.
know I have my flaws. But I need to level up to be with this woman. She forces me to be better. I want to be better for her. I want to be her hero.
“I love you.”
I’ve never said those words before. But I mean them with every fiber of my being. She’s the one. She’s the only one. “Say it again.” “I love you, Gigi.” A brilliant smile fills her face. “I love you too, Luke.”
“Bring your girlfriend.” He winks. “You really like saying that word.” “Yeah, ’cause it’s you and you don’t do girlfriends. I’m gonna keep saying it forever just ’cause I know it makes you uncomfortable.”
“And no, Ryder. Just to answer that question again. When I look at you, I don’t see him—I see you. You’re my little brother. I love you.” “I love you too.”
“You should be prepared,” Owen eventually says, glancing over to grin at me. “For what?” “You’re gonna marry that girl.”
He was the one who told me he loved me. He said it first. He wasn’t scared to, and he didn’t run screaming when I returned the sentiment.
“Come on. Ryder’s great,” I assure him. He’s more than great. He’s everything. That hard exterior hides the kind of man I’m honored to be with. A man I trust enough to show every ounce of vulnerability to. A man who hears me when I gently point out a flaw and tries to alter his behavior. A man who makes me desperately happy even when I’m feeling sad.
I’m so goddamn in love with this woman. Seeing her cry makes me want to find the person who did this to her and slam his head through a wall.
“Nothing about you is lacking. Ever. You’re perfect, exactly the way you are. Even with all your flaws. Like needing to be the best. And your taste in music.”
“Yes, and right now, in this moment, you’re down. But that’s okay because I’m here to lift you up.” “Always?” she whispers, peering at me with those big gray eyes. “Always. You fall, I pick you up. Always.”
“This is it, Luke. I think we both know that.” Yes, I think we do.
“Why do you always have to ruin my jokes by digging too deep into them?” “Tell better jokes,” she advises.
I suspect Garrett just didn’t want me as his chauffeur because he hates me. But there’s nothing I can do about it now, nothing to change the way I feel about his daughter and the way she feels about me. She’s mine and I’m hers, and he’ll have to deal with it eventually.
“Garrett, sit down. I didn’t bring your fake beard and glasses.”
A fucking stampede wouldn’t be able to stop me from getting to Gigi.
“Like hell I can’t,” I growl. And then I give him another firm shove, forcibly moving him out of my way. “That’s my wife out there.”
“So. Um. Yeah. We got married.”
“G, I love you. You’re my sister. But that’s the most cliché thing I’ve ever heard in my life. I got married in Vegas. That’s so generic I wouldn’t even write a song about it.” “Wyatt,” Mom warns.
the moment my fingers connect with his skin, the anxiety leaves his eyes. I have that power over him, and he has the same power over me.
Ryder made it better that night. He makes it better every night. And day. And minute. We make each other better.
I’ve made my choice. He’s it.
“This is, truly, the stupidest thing you’ve ever done.” I flinch as if I’ve been struck. “And I’ve never been more disappointed in you.”
So Garrett you’re telling me you also wouldn’t have married in second like they did if you could? Huh, keep telling yourself that
“I know you think we’re crazy,” I say, shrugging. “Actually, no. I don’t. I know my daughter. She doesn’t enter into things lightly. And I think I’m starting to know you too. You’re not impulsive.”
“And that’s why I came over. I wanted you to know that I’m here for you. I mean it, Luke. I have no doubt you’ll be in our lives for a long time to come, and I’m not at all bothered by that.”
Gigi actually isn’t “some girl” but my entire life.
Before I can stop her, Gigi’s mom pulls me in for a tight hug and now I’m crying in her arms like a little kid. This is so fucking embarrassing. She reaches up and smooths a lock of hair away from my forehead, unfazed by my tears. “All I was trying to say is, you’re family now. I know I’m not your real mom, but I think I did pretty well with my own kids.” “You did,” I say thickly. “So if you ever need anything, I’m a call or text away. I’ll always be here for you.”
But…she’s my wife. Wife. It still feels surreal to say that. My whole life, nothing has ever felt entirely right aside from hockey. When I’m out there on the ice, chasing a puck, slapping a shot at net, that’s when I’ve always felt most like myself. A sense of belonging, like I was exactly where I was supposed to be. I’ve only felt that way one other time in my life. When I said “I do” to Gigi in the courthouse. We’ve chosen each other. And she’s right—I
“Quit looking at me like that,” I grumble. “I know it’s stupid.” He just sighs, shaking his head to himself. “You really love her.” “Till the day I die,” I say simply.
