“Hi, Mom,” I answer the phone with a sigh, because as much as I love talking to my mother I really don’t have time for this right now. It’s the busiest Monday afternoon we’ve ever had and of course it happens on the day I need to get home and straighten up before Ford comes over tonight.
“Hey, baby girl. When are you coming home next? Your grandmother misses you,” she chides and I roll my eyes, happy she can’t see me.
“I told you Mom, I can’t just up and close shop. Maybe over the holidays, maybe, but that’s a pretty busy time for us here.”
“Well you can’t just ignore your family. We’ll pay for your airplane ticket back home. We barely know you anymore, Mackenzie. We miss you.”
I press my hand to my eyes and take a deep breath. When I moved here I had plenty of fights with my parents about this being the right move. About me doing the best thing for myself; for my life. Now, all I have going for me is the shop.
“I’ll plan some time Mom,” I mutter, handing the customer in front of me the bag of cookies he ordered. “Thank you, have a great day,” I tell him, then nod to Jules to man the counter while I finish this phone call.
Shutting the office door, I fall into my chair, exhausted.
“Bring Eric with you, will you? You two are family, you know.”
I cringe and realize I haven’t even told my mom about him. It’s been long enough that I should have but I didn’t want to give her any more ammo to try to get me home. Sadly, I feel more at home here in the middle of Illinois than I ever did in Florida.
“Uh… We broke up, mom,” I mutter. I’m met with silence and pray the phone disconnected but I know that’s not the case.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” she whispers and my heart breaks. Not because we’re broken up. I’m well over that. But because of the guilt I feel for not telling my mom. When I lived in Florida my mom and I were really close. We had a falling out when I decided to move away, but I think that’s only because I’m an only child and she didn’t want her only kid living so far away. So obviously, since I’ve been here our relationship has been strained to say the least.
My parents are awesome, really. I’m a lucky girl to have parents still married and still in love with each other. I’m lucky to have them support me in everything I do. When I opened the bakery in Florida my dad was there every single day helping with the construction. My mom helped spread the word about it. When I won Cake Wars, they were right there in the studio with me, celebrated with me, bragged about me to everyone they could. When I moved, my mom and my relationship was strained and my dad…well we text daily but nothing of importance. I can tell he wants me to come home but he’ll never tell me outright. Especially since he’s the one out of the two of them who knows how hard I’ve worked to make something of the bakery here.
“I’ve been busy,” I say. “You want to hear something crazy about it?”
“Yes,” she blurts, and I grin. My mom and I used to gossip all the time. This will give her something to gossip to her friends about.
“He’s married. And has two very cute kids.”
“What! Mackenzie Nichole Mueller you were dating a married man?” She screams and I laugh, realizing this is the first time since it’s happened that I’ve laughed about it and not turned into a raging hulk mess.
“Yeah. That’s why he was always traveling. Why he moved me here. I had no fucking clue, Mom. No clue. His family’s house is a couple blocks from mine.”
“Oh my God, did his wife find out? Does everyone there hate you now? Do you need to come home? You should move home. Away from all that.”
“Mom, no,” I laugh. “His wife never found out about it. I broke it off the minute I realized the truth about him. Randomly, we ran into each other at the mall. He was there with his whole family. I had no clue whatsoever, so I broke it off and now he’s dating someone new.”
“Good Lord,” mom whispers in shock. “Are you okay?”
I smile.
“I’m more than okay mom. I’ve met someone actually.”
“Already?” she blurts and I laugh.
“Eric and I broke up a while ago. And this kind of happened out of nowhere.” I bite my lip.
“I just don’t know about you anymore, Mackenzie. You don’t think it’s too soon?” Her words bring back what Ford said to me yesterday. A smile curves my lips because no, I don’t think it’s too soon, but before I can respond I hear a commotion at the front of the store.
“Mom Jules needs me, I gotta go. I’ll call you later, okay?” I blurt, ending the call before she can respond. I storm to the front of the bakery to see Eric standing there, red faced.
“You will let me back there!” he blurts. “I could own this place!” He’s screaming at Jules who’s standing there with her arms crossed, eyes narrowed, and a scattering of patrons watching with wide eyes.
“Eric,” I snap. “What the hell’s going on?”
“I need to talk to you.” His eyes are bloodshot and he looks like he hasn’t slept in weeks.
“You need to calm down.” I look around the room and realize I need to get him out of here before he says or does something stupid in front of these people.
“I just need to talk to you and she’s not letting me back there. That’s all. I just want to talk to you, Mackenzie,” he says, his tone lowering and his eyes softening. I can’t believe I used to fall for this. He’s good looking, yeah, but the devil comes in all shapes and sizes.
I puff and throw my hands to my hips. “You have two minutes then I need to leave. Two minutes. That’s it.” I walk back to the office and he’s on my tail.
When we’re in the office, I turn around to him slamming the door and he’s on me. His hands grip my hips and his mouth slams into mine and after the shock of what he’s doing wears off I have just enough strength in me to shove his face away but it doesn’t stop him.
“What the fuck, Eric!” I shriek, pushing him away but he doesn’t stop and he smells like alcohol.
“Just once more, Zie,” he murmurs, his hands gripping onto my arms to stop my assault. I use every muscle in my body to try to shove him off me. He’s got me pressed against the wall, the strength in his body too much for me to wrestle out from, and when his lips slam into mine again the only thing I can do is bite. Hard.
He bellows, rearing his head back but not letting go of my hips.
“Get the fuck off me!” I scream, hoping someone out front hears me though I doubt it.
Eric’s eyes shine in anger I’ve never seen before, and when he grips my cheeks in his hand, hard, pitching my face up to his, my office door flies open and slams into the wall.
“Mackenzie!” Ford screams and Eric drops his weight off me, stepping back and grinning at me before turning to face Ford.
“Ah. The knight in shining armor has arrived. So nice of you to save this girl. You couldn’t last time, could ya?”
I’m trying to even out my heavy breathing and barely registering his words but from the pained look on Ford’s face, Eric knows what he’s talking about. What the hell does that mean?
“You need to get the fuck out of here and not worry about coming back,” Ford growls, his hands tight in fists and tension lacing every muscle in that glorious body. He’s not supposed to be done with work for a couple more hours, and I have no clue why he’s here, but here he is and my God did he show up at a good time. Who knows what Eric would’ve done had Ford not shown up.
“What’re you gonna do, party boy?” Eric’s menacing tone is one I haven’t heard ever before.
“Eric, just leave,” I whisper, standing up straight and crossing my arms in front of me. “You’re drunk, Eric. Go home. To your wife.”
He glares back at me and for a moment I think that he’s going to attack, but he lets out a puff of air then storms out, pushing past Ford on the way.
I stand there, staring at Ford who’s staring back at me with worry traced across his face now that the anger is slowly subsiding.
“You ok?” He asks, walking towards me and I nod furiously, pissed at the knot in my throat. He wraps his arms around me gently pressing his lips to my head. “What was that all about?” he whispers.
“I don’t know.” I clear my throat, determined not to spill any more tears over that asshole. “He just stormed in after throwing a fit out there. I thought he wanted to talk. The minute he shut the door…” I shiver, remembering how weak I felt against him.
“Mack, did he do anything to you?” Ford takes a step back, his hands on my elbows still but his eyes burning into mine.
“Just kiss. That’s all he had time for.” I shake my head when Ford growls. “It’s fine. I’m fine.”
“It’s not fine what he did. What the hell is he doing here anyway?”
“No clue,” I mutter. “He was drunk. And he keeps asking for one more time with me and I keep telling him no. He’s fucked in the head, Ford.”
“He needs to keep his hands off you,” he whispers, then wraps his arms around me again. “That was so fuckin’ scary, babe. When you texted early that you rode your bike to work I figured I’d get off a little early and surprise you. I rode in today too so I thought we’d take the long way home tonight. But walking in here, hearing you screaming,” he says, then pauses and curses. “I never want that panic again.”
“I don’t either,” I whisper, breathing in his scent and squeezing my eyes closed, pushing into his arms more.
“Uh… You guys okay?” Jules asks from the doorway and I pull back a quarter of an inch, seriously just enough to turn and glance at her.
“Yeah. Thanks,” I mutter, nodding. “Eric can’t come in here anymore.”
“You’re fuckin’ telling me,” she scoffs. “I tried keeping him out but he lost his shit.”
“I’ll make a call to the police chief,” Ford mumbles and I step back.
“You can’t do that,” I blurt and his eyebrows furrow. “I’m serious. The only reason he was like that today is because I broke up with him and he’s horny and drunk. That’s all. He’ll find another tail to chase soon enough. If we involve the police, there’s a chance his wife will find out and I’m not going to be the home wrecker. I’ll let him do that all on his own.”
“Mackenzie, the man’s unstable. If I wouldn’t have walked in when I did, what do you think would’ve happened?” His eyebrows rise in question and I shake my head.
“He didn’t have it in him,” I whisper.
“Bullshit!” Ford bellows, pacing the room.
“She’s right, you know. About the cops. They get involved and everyone’s names get tarnished over this,” Jules states from the doorway and I nod. Ford clenches his fists then relaxes them and slides his hands through his hair, growling in frustration.
“I don’t trust him,” he finally says, his eyes pinning on mine. “And I won’t hesitate to kick his ass next time.”
“There won’t be a next time. Trust me.” I watch him, and my mind wanders to all the clues Eric’s given me about Ford’s past…then to how weird he was being on the phone last night. Something’s not right. He’s not telling me something. “Hey Jules, you care if I head out a little early?”
“Please, go ahead. I got this. I’ll see you at home?”
“Yeah,” I say, watching Ford stare at the ground.
She walks away and leaves the two of us. Alone. All I want to do is curl into him and regain my sense of safety, but I need to know what Eric was talking about. An innocent person doesn’t get that look on their face. Not the look Ford was wearing. I feel like I’ve opened up too much to him. I’m about to meet his family. It’s time he opens up to me.
“You wanna follow me?” I ask, pasting a smile on.
“Can I stare at your ass on that bike the whole time?” He smirks, his dimple making an appearance. “Seriously, Mack. It’s hot as fuck you’ve got a bike, and even hotter that it’s not a goddamned crotch rocket.”
I boast out a laugh. “I’ve been riding since I was fifteen, Ford. I think I know a good bike when I see one.” I wink at him and walk out of my office, grabbing my bag on the way.
“Your place or mine?” I ask behind me as we head out to the parking lot.
“Mine,” he blurts.
Ford’s bike rumbles to life as I hop on mine and just the deep rumble brings tingles to parts of my body a bike engine shouldn’t. But seeing him on it, grinning at me, is hot as hell and something I’ll never tire of. I start mine up and rev the engine louder, grinning at him before pulling out of the parking lot. It’s cool today. My leather jacket breaking some of the crisp wind as we whip around the corners on some of the back roads. The ride is smooth and relaxes me the slightest, but the impending conversation, something that I can tell he’s nervous about, has me more on edge than usual, making it harder to enjoy the ride.
By the time we pull into his driveway the sun is setting and my stomach’s turning knots. I park my bike and he pulls in right next to me, flipping up his visor and grinning over at me as I hang my helmet on the handlebar.
He steps off his bike, moving towards me and taking my face in his hands.
“You’re fucking perfect,” he whispers, then presses his lips to mine.
I kiss him back, because even worried and nervous about what he’s about to tell me, his lips on mine still can calm me.
When we make it inside I grab a seat on the couch and wait for him to let Yellow outside before he joins me.
“Beer?” he asks before he takes a seat.
“Will I need one?” I raise an eyebrow at him and he grins, laughing lightly.
“I’ll grab us both one.”
He walks away and I sigh, resting my head on the back of the couch. I’m so worried and I don’t know why. I really like Ford. Really. But we’ve only been on a few dates and technically I’ve only known him a couple weeks. To have feelings like this for someone like him this early on is scary, especially when you don’t know that person as well as you’d like.
He walks in and hands me a beer then takes a seat on the couch next to me.
“So…” I drawl out. “Yesterday you said we needed to talk?” The anticipation to this conversation has almost killed me, and add in the drama with Eric today I really need this beer.
He nods, taking a long swig of beer then sighing. His knee’s bouncing and his hands are tight on the bottle. Everything he could possibly be doing to be giving away how nervous he is, he’s doing and then some. I give him time to open up, mainly because I want him to be comfortable with whatever he’s about to tell me and obviously it’s something big.
“I was nineteen,” he says, then clears his throat. “And it’s been a while since I’ve said these words out loud, so please bear with me,” he says, then chuckles.
“I’m listening, Ford.” I manage to say without the shake in my voice I know is there.
“She was the love of my life. We’d been together for years. We had our entire future planned out. Everything,” he whispers then turns his gaze to mine. “At the time I knew she was the love of my life.” My heart sinks at the hollowness of his words.
“What happened to her?”
“We were driving home from a party. I wasn’t drunk, I swear. But… I don’t know.” He shrugs, pain lacing his tone. “They said I ran the stop sign, but I don’t remember running it. I don’t even remember there being a fucking stop sign there.” He huffs and runs a hand down the back of his neck. “The truck hit her side of the car. Mangled it. She didn’t have a fucking chance.” I rest my hand on his knee, silently reassuring him I’m there for him, and he looks over at me. “Weeks. I sat in that hospital room for weeks, pained myself from the accident, broken and bruised but not leaving her bedside. Just waiting for her to wake up.” He shakes his head. “She never did,” he chokes out and my heart tears in two for this man.
“Never?” I whisper, knowing how stupid my question is but this explains so much. The way Eric always talked about him killing her. The words he muttered at Ford today. The haunting look in Fords face sometimes when he doesn’t know I’m looking. He’s hurting.
He shakes his head and clears his throat, taking another long swig of his beer. The room’s gone silent, save for the ticking clock and Yellow’s barking at the back door to get in but neither of us make a move to let him in.
“Ford,” I manage, before he shakes his head and I see the glimmer of a tear in his eye. Immediately I move to set my beer bottle down and straddle his lap, wrapping my arms around him tightly, just hugging him. That’s all. It’s all I can do for this broken man.
“Years, Mack. It’s been almost six years and to this day I still feel haunted by that accident.”
“That’s all it was you know. An accident,” I whisper. “It’s not your fault, Ford.” He nods, gripping me as close as he can but he doesn’t say anything. He holds me there for what feels like a lifetime. His arms tight around me, and my heart tearing apart for him and the pain he’s had to live through. I can’t imagine losing someone you’re that in love with. “You’ve been hurting so long,” I whisper, my hands caressing his hairline and trailing down his neck repeatedly, trying to soothe him.
“I didn’t think I deserved happiness like everyone else. I thought I’d ruined that chance. I’ve spent the last six years dancing through life, not giving two shits about what happened to me. I figured I deserved it.” He pulls back and cups his hands around my face, locking those beautifully dark eyes on mine. “I don’t know what you’re doing to me, but you’re taking away the pain, Mack,” he whispers, making me smile. “I’m serious. Before you, I needed the alcohol to help ease the pain. All day, every day. Now all it takes is your voice and I feel the edge of that knife receding. It’s like you’re my glue, piecing me back together. ”
I blink a few times, taking in his words and all the pain on his face and trying to take it all away. I want to make it all go away. I want to be that person.
“You can’t drink your life away,” I whisper.
He nods. “I know. It’s so hard, though.” His eyes are searching mine and as much as I want to press my lips to his, we still have plenty of conversation to get through before that’s even an option.
“I’m serious, Ford.” I raise an eyebrow and he mocks me, doing the same.
“Well when we’re together I don’t feel like I need to. So you just can never leave me. Done and done.” He grins.
“Ford, seriously. We can’t spend every waking moment together.” As much as I’d like to.
“I’ll be fine, Mackenzie.” He presses his lips gently to mine but I pull back before he can deepen it.
“How about this. Every time you feel like you need a drink to calm yourself, text me. Any time. I don’t care if it’s midnight, four am…whenever you feel the need to pick up and drink until you forget, text me. I’ll be your fix.”
He grins and runs his hands down my arms, his grin turning into a full blown smile.
“I like that plan,” he whispers.
“Me too.” I smile and bite my lip.
“Why are you so good to me?” he whispers.
“I like you.” I take a deep, cleansing, breath. I more than like him. I really like him. I really want to be with him.
“I like you, too. A lot.” His eyes search mine. “I feel like I should feel guilty for how much I like you.”
“Why?” I furrow my brows, uncertain if I can take that as a compliment or not. He shrugs and sighs.
“I haven’t had feelings for a girl like this since… her…”
“What was her name?”
“Caroline,” he whispers, his eyes not leaving mine. I smile and rest my hand on his cheek.
“Don’t you think she’d want you happy?” My eyes flick back and forth between his and he slowly starts to nod.
“I think so. I just don’t want to forget her. Doesn’t moving on mean forgetting?” His eyebrows pull together. “But I have you…and you’re so perfect,” he chuckles.
“I’m not perfect,” I chide, letting out a harsh laugh. “Not at all.” Has he forgotten I was ‘engaged’ to a married man?
“To me you are. And I worry the more I fall for you, the less I’ll remember her. And that scares me.”
“We never forget our first loves, Ford,” I whisper. “But I’m a firm believer our hearts are made big enough for both our first loves and our last.” I smile and his face brightens.
“I like the sound of that,” he says, nodding. “I like that a lot.”
“Well I like you a lot,” I blurt, not really realizing what I just said until a full blown smile bursts onto his face, dimple and all. His eyebrows are high on his forehead and his hands have found their way to my thighs, gripping them tight.
“You do, huh?”
I nod slowly, letting out a laugh. “I guess so.”
“Was it the coffee mugs? It was the coffee mugs, wasn’t it?” He smirks, his eyes shining brightly as he looks into mine.
“Oh definitely. That, and the shower curtain. And that kickass shirt I stole from you.” I wink and his hands go to my sides and he starts to tickle me. I scream out in laughter and try to wriggle free but he’s much stronger than I gave him credit for. I laugh so hard it hurts and when I beg him to stop he pulls me to him, his breath hot on my ear.
“Are you going to make fun of my style again, Mackenzie?” he whispers, nipping my ear and heat instantly rushes between my legs. I grind forward out of instinct and a low grumble comes from deep inside him. “Mack?”
“I probably will, yes,” I pant, still laughing. He growls and flips me on the couch and suddenly I’m not laughing anymore. I’m kissing him, heavy and deep. My legs wrap around him and all the stress from the day melts off as his hands pull my shirt over my head and touch every part of my torso in soft strokes.
“At least you’re honest,” he whispers before pulling my tits over the cups of my bra, forcing them to perk up. He smirks at me, then dips his head and his lips latch around my nipple and I gasp, pushing up into him.
“Ford,” I whisper, sliding my fingers through his hair. He pops up and grins at me.
“Yes?” His eyebrows are perched and he’s grinning at me, letting his fingers dance around my nipples.
I bite my lip, words on my tongue I don’t even understand yet. So instead, I smile and whisper, “You’re a good person.”
He blinks a few times, then moves up and presses his lips softly to mine.
“Let’s move this to the bedroom,” he murmurs on my lips, standing and helping me up. His hand doesn’t leave mine as we walk back to his room and when he turns to face me, I see a softness in his eyes that wasn’t there before. “No one’s ever told me that before,” he whispers, unbuttoning my jeans and sliding them down my legs, pressing his lips to my hips on his way back up, then hooking his fingers in my panties and sliding those down until they pool at my feet.
“It’s the truth,” I manage to say through all these emotions. Emotions that I almost blurt words I don’t even know are true to a man I just met. Emotions that he’s hurting and I can’t help him, but I want to give him all my happy, and take all his pain. I push his shirt over his head and help him out of his pants and when we fall to the bed, his lips find mine and he kisses me with more than need. With more than lust. He kisses me like he’s afraid to lose me. Like he doesn’t want it to end, and he wants to remember every second of this.
When he slides into me, his eyes lock on to mine and he rocks his hips gently, resting his forehead on mine. I moan and arch into him, my hands gripping onto his arms braced around me. His hips dip again and I feel him as deep as he can hit. Each thrust hitting the exact spot to send me closer to release.
He pushes his lips to mine, huffing, then dipping his lips to my neck as he pumps into me. Every thrust is perfection and his lips on my skin send jolts of pleasure straight to my core. His soft touches tonight have me more wound up than usual, and I feel my release coming way too soon.
With his body pressing tightly against mine, he dips his hips slowly and methodically, almost to the point of torture, and when we come together everything in the room, everything in the world, seems to stop. Time stops. I moan out my release, right along with him and he collapses to the bed, wrapping his arms tight around me, pressing his lips to my forehead and tangling his legs in mine.
Being this close to him, feeling this close to him emotionally…this wasn’t supposed to happen. I wasn’t supposed to fall this hard for Ford West, but I have, and I still am, and I don’t want it to end.
“Oh my goodness, get in here you two,” an old lady I can only assume is Ford’s grandma, chides, slapping his arm as we duck inside the house and out of the rain. “Makin’ out on the front porch in the rain. Shame on you, Ford West,” she grumbles and my cheeks burn in embarrassment. I’ve missed him this week. After I spent the night at his place Monday night we’ve both been so busy we’ve barely had time for a passing kiss, let alone anything more. “At least take the girl inside and to one of the spare bedrooms. She’s going to get sick out there!”
“Chill old lady. She had something in her eye. I had to get it out.” He throws a wink my way and his grams scoffs. “Gram, we weren’t goin’ at it. Never on my parents’ front porch. Ever,” he says, rolling his eyes dramatically.
“Please. Don’t call me stupid. I was young and good looking once. I know what it’s like.” She grins over at me and holds her arms out. “Mackenzie,” she croons, shuffling over and wrapping her arms around me. “My youngest grandson finally got his head out of his ass. So happy to finally meet you. I’ve heard so much about you.”
“Nice to meet you, too.” I smile and shrug off my jacket for Ford to hang up.
“Well come on. Let’s get you two some drinks.” She shuffles to the kitchen and I glance over at Ford and he smiles at me. I love his grandma already and am kind of jealous he gets to have someone that cool in his life.
“Right this way,” he says, resting his hand on my lower back and walking me through the massive brick house with pristine living quarters. His parents’ house. I couldn’t imagine growing up in a place like this. We weren’t poor by any means, but this is a huge, beautiful house.
“This place is amazing,” I whisper, walking into the kitchen with him.
“Thank you, Mackenzie,” a woman says and I snap my eyes over to where the voice came from. Standing there, apron on and a counter full of food in front of her, a dark haired woman with the same dimple as Ford is smiling at me.
“Uh…Mom.” Ford smiles and I can tell he’s nervous because his hand is still on my back as his mom walks around the island, smiling.
“He’s not brought home a girl since—” she stops herself and her eyes go wide and I turn to look at Ford whose color is slowly draining from his face.
“I’m thrilled to be here,” I blurt, holding out my hand to shake hers and she ignores it and wraps her arms around me.
“Beer? Whiskey? What’ll it be, folks?” Gran says, walking in with both fists full of alcohol and I look at Ford. He glances at me, his jaw twitching, and his eyes slightly narrow.
“Water for me,” he says, nodding at me. “You want something?” He’s watching me and I take his hand in mine and give it a squeeze, smiling.
“Water’s perfect,” I say. I don’t know why it makes me so happy to be here tonight, but Ford’s family has a way of making everyone feel at home.
His parents are the most welcoming parents I’ve ever met. His big brother and family are too sweet, and his sister…well I already knew I liked her.
“Ford wet the bed till he was ten,” Reagan blurts after dinner’s over and we’re all sitting in the family room, watching Carter and Ford play some game on TV. The kid’s beating his uncle’s ass, and my heart swells each time Ford loses. He’s so good with Carter. Too good. I wouldn’t expect someone like him to be good with kids…he’s wild. He’s carefree. He’s also the best uncle I’ve ever seen.
“Did not. She’s lying. She’s just jealous I got the cooler bed sheets.” He rolls his eyes and I laugh.
“She’s not lying,” Lincoln says from across the room where he’s been planted by Wren since we came in here, silently watching this showdown of Ford and Carter on the TV. “I remember nights he’d end up in the bathtub, not wanting to wake mom or dad that he pissed himself,” Lincoln says, laughing.
“Oh my God,” Ford blurts, standing. “Enough you two.” He points at his siblings and Lincoln laughs.
“Hey, baby brother. Karma’s a bitch. I’ve been waiting for this moment for years.” Lincoln takes a drink of his lemonade and sets his glass back down but Ford’s just staring at him and from the look on his face, he’s playing through the reasons Lincoln’s been waiting that long and it only lands on one thing.
The girl. Caroline.
The room’s silent as he stands there, probably because everyone’s thinking the same thing. I don’t know Wren all that well so I don’t know if she was around when Caroline died, but from the looks on the siblings’ faces they both know that wasn’t the direction they wanted things to go tonight.
“Ford, how about we grab some dessert?” I say, trying to change his train of thought. He looks at me, the gleam in his eyes slowly coming back, and he smiles softly.
“I’d love that.” He takes my hand and pulls me up. “And for the record,” he yells back. “Lincoln shit his pants when he was seventeen!” He pulls me out of the room before a fight between the brothers erupts, laughing the entire way to the kitchen.
“You’re insane,” I laugh, leaning against the island. He’s standing in the doorway still, looking at me like he looked at me that night in the restaurant. “What?”
“Thank you,” he whispers.
“Why?”
“I knew you were my glue.”
I walk over to him and wrap my arms around him. There are no words for what I feel for him. At least not words I’m ready to say now.