Rewind It Back (Windy City, #5)

by Liz Tomforde

“I pick a song when something cool or important happens so I can remember it. Then when I want to relive a moment, I rewind it back and start the song from the beginning.”

I know what I’m looking for because I had it once, and now the only girl I’ve ever loved is moving into the house next to mine.

“Lose him.”

No one knows that though I had a front-row seat to watch them all find their person over the years, I had found mine long before any of them. At least, I thought I did.

“You used to be my best friend, and yeah, we haven’t seen each other since then, but I’d rather hold on to the memory of the sweet neighbor boy I loved than replace it with this version of you.”

I’ve only ever been one way with you, and now I’m having to constantly remind myself that we aren’t those people anymore.”

“Yeah, well you’re not his, so tell him to keep his hands to himself too.” Her eyes drop to my mouth. “I’m not yours either.”

“It was real,” I quickly admit. “For me at least. It was real. That’s how I know it exists.” I watch as the words settle into him. “Yeah,” he breathes. “It was real for me too, Hal.”

“And besides, you’ve got plenty of other people wearing your jersey in here.” I hold eye contact. “Kind of only care about one.”

“You single, Hal?” I finally give him the long-awaited answer, nodding to tell him yes. “Good.” He takes a slow predatorial step towards me, tone sharp and leaving no room for question. “Because we aren’t fucking friends.”

“I thought sex was off the table?” “It is. I’m not fucking you. I’m just fucking my fist thinking of you.”

I cherished the smallest moments we had together. Even at my lowest points, I was grateful that I got to be loved like that at least once in my life. I never forgot him. I never forgot us. And apparently, neither did he.

“Thank you for being here.” He kisses me one more time. “I wouldn’t be anywhere else.”

“And you’re here? Missing a game for this and everything?” “I don’t need to know what’s going on to know that she needs someone here for her.”

“Even if I didn’t want to see it at first, you guys make a lot of sense together. And she deserves to get what she wants for once, so if she wants you, I hope you stick around this time.”

“I need you to take care of her,” he continues. “Because she’s spent so many years taking care of me, but I couldn’t do the same for her. I don’t know that I’d still be here if it weren’t for the sacrifices she made for me.”

“We don’t need to sneak across rooftops and through windows anymore. We’re adults and I’m not hiding this again. Use the front door.”

I tried to compare every single person I met to you, but there was no comparison. And I will spend the rest of my life regretting leaving you behind all those years ago.”

Getting the opportunity to fall in love with you is my best memory, and all I can do is hope that one day you’ll let me do it again.”

So, yes. I made the biggest mistake of my life, and it’s probably going to take some time to fully forgive myself for it, but I don’t want to waste that time without you.”

“It’s always been you, Hallie, and I think we both know it.”

“Rio.” Her eyes bounce between mine. “You should know. It’s always been you too.”

“Don’t tease me, DeLuca. It’s my turn. Get on your knees and get to work.”

How rare to find someone who understands and appreciates you for exactly who you are at each phase of your life. She liked me before anyone else ever did. She saw my potential when I couldn’t.

“You’re everything to me, Hallie. I’ve been addicted to you since I was a kid, and clearly nothing has changed. I don’t want to be without you again.”

“But in case it needs to be said out loud… Yes, Hallie Hart, you are my girlfriend. Though, you should know, there’s a good chance I’ll be changing both that title and that last name one day.”

But if there ever comes a time that I need to choose which relationship to keep safe, I won’t make the same mistake twice. I’ll choose Hallie every time.

“Because I should’ve been there, Hallie. I should’ve been there to take care of it then, so I’m taking care of it now. And I need you to let me.”

Six years ago, even after things fell apart between us, I bought this house for her. It’s everything she told me she wanted, and there was a part of me that hoped if both it and I were here waiting for her, she’d somehow find her way home.

“When I got to training camp in Chicago, they asked me if I wanted to keep eighty-three, but I decided it was time to change it to my actual favorite day.” My birthday. March eighth. Thirty-eight. He’s been wearing my birthdate on his jersey for six years and I had no idea.

I love you, Rio. I have loved you since we were children, and I will love you until we’re old and gray.

“What happened while you were listening to this song?” I smile at her softly. “This is the song I was listening to when I signed my contract extension with the Chicago Raptors.”

I’ve been planning to tell you like this. Listening to our important moments together. On your birthday. On the roof. Only, I didn’t know it’d work out so perfectly that we’d end up back on this roof.”

“Rio, playing for Boston is your childhood dream.” I shake my head. “You’re my childhood dream.”

“Our home?” “Our home.” Sliding my palms up her thighs, I pull her tighter against me. “I thought you would’ve realized it the first time you came over. Hallie, the irony of hiring you to design the house is that you’re the person I bought it for.”

“The house has always been yours, Hallie. Ours. It was just waiting for you to come make it a home.”

Before, when we were kids, I felt lucky. Love fell into our hands. We were neighbors turned friends who eventually fell in love. But this time, it feels like we earned it. We get to be in love because we worked for it.

I spent years complaining about being the single one of the group, the odd man out. But even though I was the last one, how lucky am I that I got a front-row seat to watch each of my best friends fall in love?