Play Along (Windy City, #4)

by Liz Tomforde

I want this. These simple, normal moments that couples have, but I only want them with her and I want them to be real.

“Kenny,” I whisper. “Will you still be here when I wake up?” “Of course.” Her voice is sleepy. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Isaiah has an odd affixation with feeding me and I think it might be my newly unlocked love language. Because it does things to me every time.

here I am in his car on the way to the airport, leaving what I think might be what I’ve always been looking for.

“In case you don’t already know this, I’m so fucking proud of you.”

There’s no way they’re not going to love you the way that I l—” He stops himself. My eyes go wide and his mirror them. “Llllive, laugh, love you,” he finishes. “The way I live, laugh, love you.” He says it so confidently the second time, but it still makes no fucking sense. Regardless, I can’t help but burst a laugh. “You live, laugh, love me?” “God, so fucking much.”

“Isaiah!” I call out to stop him. When he lifts to look at me, it’s with so much hope. “You know what I’ve never done before? One of those long, sweeping goodbye kisses at the airport.” He tries to hold back his smile. “Is that so?” “I’d like to knock off another one of those firsts if you don’t mind.” He tosses his head back and forth in faux contemplation. “I don’t know.” “C’mon, Rhodes.” My tone is teasing. “Play along.”

I think someone whistles next to us, but I’m not paying much mind. My main focus is on this man that I’m going to miss more than a healthy amount in the next forty-eight hours. The man I thought I couldn’t stand for most of the time I’ve known him. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

He positions his team hat on my head. “This is so you don’t forget me.” I secure it so it doesn’t fall off. “Couldn’t if I tried.”

the job I’ve spent my entire adult life working towards. Opportunities like this don’t come around often, if ever, and I’m not going to throw it away because I suddenly realized I have feelings for my husband.

Call it irrational all you want. I know it’s not logical. Anxiety doesn’t produce rational thoughts. It creates worst-case scenarios and acknowledging that still doesn’t change the fact that anxiety takes over my entire body and mind, making me unable to focus on anything else.

“I remember every single thing about you, Kenny. In case you haven’t figured it out already, you’re my favorite subject to study.”

“I love you.” The words are out of my mouth before I can overthink them, but fuck it. They’ve been true for a long time already. Her wide eyes shoot to mine, her lips slightly parting to say something in response. “You know I do, Kenny.”

Fuck, do I love that woman.

“Jesus Christ, Kenny. I swear if I wasn’t already, I’d fucking marry you.” I tuck my lip between my teeth in a smile. “That makes two of us.”

As the first female team owner, it’d be my honor to have the first female team doctor.”

“To getting it right the first time, even if it was an accident.”