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That seems to stump her for a moment. “Excuse me?”
I fling my arm around Ellie’s shoulder and draw her close. I feel how tense she is, and I know I’ll help release that stress later, but for now, I have a statement to make. A very public one. “If you could tell him thank you for me, I’d appreciate it.”
“Thank you?” she asks, her eyes narrowing into little slits once more.
“Absolutely. Since he was stupid enough to walk away from Ellie all those years ago when she needed him the most and tell vicious lies about her, I watched her bring this remarkable boy into the world and raise him in a loving, supportive home. I got to see every birthday and teach him to ride his bike and throw a football. Because your son was so fucking stupid, I found exactly what I was looking for in both Ellie and Brody.” I turn and hold Ellie’s gaze as I add, “I fell in love with them, and someday, if I’m lucky, I’ll get to spend the rest of my life showing them just how amazing they are and how much they mean to me.”
I hear Ellie gasp, watch as her mouth falls open.
“My son is a dentist in Milwaukee. He’s married to a former model and has two beautiful children, created out of love,” the woman retorts. “She’s just a waitress,” she adds with a smirk.
“Yeah, she is, and a damn good one,” I reply proudly, smiling down at her as I catch her gaze once more. Turning back to Helena, I continue, “So, please tell him thank you for me. His loss was my gain, and I’m not about to let something this precious ever slip through my fingers.”
Now, I turn to Brody, holding his smiling green eyes. “I know I’m not the man who helped create you, but you’re my son, Brode. You’ve always been my boy. If you need a father in your life, let it be me. I promise I’ll always be there, ready to support and love you.”
Brody grins that crooked smile. “You already are that man. That’s why I never sought out the Davidsons when I learned who my father really is.”
A strangled noise comes from Ellie’s throat again. “You knew?” she asks, glancing his way.
Brody shrugs and gives her a sheepish look. “Yeah, well, it’s a small town.”
“Oh my God,” Ellie whispers, closing her eyes as her cheeks turn a delectable shade of pink.
“I’m not going to stand here and listen to this any longer. Come on, Allen,” Helena demands, turning her back to us and starting to walk away, her husband tucking tail and following behind her without saying a word. Her friends seem shocked and just stand there, not knowing what to do or say.
I hold up my hand and wave. “Have fun spending the rest of your life knowing deep down, your asshole of a child lied to you and refused to take care of his responsibilities. Oh, and by the way, your precious son has been having an affair with his dental hygienist for years and has at least two other kids he’s secretly supporting. Enjoy your night!”
They both seem to pause, but only for a brief moment. They continue walking away, Helena yelling at Allen the second they’re out of earshot, and I’m not sure if I’m more relieved or ashamed of them. They are truly despicable people who have no idea what they’re missing.
The rest of the audience who gathered around slowly starts to dissipate, but my attention is solely on Ellie. “Hi,” I whisper, reaching down and linking our fingers together. Those green eyes I absolutely love fill with tears once more. “Don’t cry, El. I can’t handle tears,” I add, reaching up with my thumb and wiping away droplets.
She sniffles, her nose pink and cold from the temperature. “I can’t help it,” she mutters, making me chuckle.
“I know. Your soft, kind heart is one of the things I love most about you.”
Her eyes widen, almost comically, as she looks up at me. My fingers slip beneath her stocking cap and into her hair, those soft strands like silk against my skin. “You said it again.”
The corners of my mouth curl upward and the urge to kiss her silly is so strong, I have to fight not to do it, but first, there’s something I need to make sure she knows. “I did, because it’s true. I love you,” I declare, chuckling when realization hits me upside the head like a two-by-four. “I’m pretty sure I’ve always loved you, since we were dumb kids in high school.”
Ellie closes her eyes for a moment, the faintest grin on her lips. When she reopens them, there’s a fierceness revving to life, a fire dancing in those green orbs that makes my heart want to burst from my chest. Her cheeks are red, and not just from the cold. “I love you too, Thomas Dexter.”
A small growl erupts from my throat at her use of my given name as I draw her closer to my chest. The sound of her laughter is the balm I didn’t even realize my soul needed. “You’ll pay for that later.”
She giggles the sweetest sound. “I hope so.”
After holding her to my chest for a minute, I pull back. “I want to be your everything, sweetheart. I want to be the person you talk to about life, the one you share all your hopes and dreams with, the one you depend on to help you through the good days and the bad. I want it all. With you.”
She blushes once more. “You are pretty dependable.”
“Fuck yes I am, El. If you ever need me, I’m right here. Always.”
“I know you are. When I look back at my past, I realize you’ve always been there. For me, and for Brody. I just wish we wouldn’t have wasted so many years when we could have been together.”
I shrug and angle my mouth toward hers. “We can’t change that, but we can make up for it now.”
When my lips brush hers, there’s an electrical charge that races through my veins. Her mouth opens for mine, granting my tongue entrance to savor and taste.
A throat clears loudly behind me. “Uhh, guys? I can no longer feel my toes or fingers. Mind making out later?”
