Wondering if it was okay to be happy like this, with Reece, forever…
Wondering if it was okay to let himself care fearlessly.
Wondering if it was okay to let go of his past and just look toward the future.
Nick held onto Reece and wondered what it was about him that made Reece hold onto him just as tightly, despite everything. He wondered what he could do to deserve that, because at the moment, he knew he didn’t.
* * *
“I got you something,” Nick said the next morning, when he joined Reece at the table. Reece was just like Nick pictured him the day before. A messy head, sleepy eyes, and an adorable smile that he tried to hide behind his steaming mug of tea.
“Got me something?”
Nick grunted and set the small black box on the table in front of Reece.
When he couldn’t get Reece out of his head after he left the training camp, Declan suggested he go out and buy Reece a gift. So they went shopping together. It was eventful as hell, and Nick learned, at least according to Declan, that he was a picky shopper.
“Earrings?! Nicky?!” Reece squealed, holding the open box toward Nick as if he hadn’t seen them already. They were white gold hoops with diamonds around them from one end to the other. “Nicky got me earrings?!”
“You like them then?” Nick kept it cool, but he was damn happy about it. And proud that he picked them out himself even though Declan had made a few suggestions.
“Ilovethem! Nicky… Why? You shouldn’t have… I didn’t get you anything. Now I’m gonna cry!”
“The hell—don’t cry!”
Reece set the box down and opened his arms wide, reaching for Nick until he came closer and dipped down to hug him. “Thank you, Nicky…” Nick lifted his head from where he’d tucked it against Reece’s neck, and Reece kissed him. “Now I have to get all dressed up and take a cute pic for my Insta!”
“Cute,” Nick mused.
“Alright, kids, breakfast is ready,” Kent interrupted and Nick sat, happy to have a day at home.
Just them.
27
Chapter 27 - Reece
“It’s my birthday and it’s my gift, so…” Natalie stated matter of factly and flipped her hair over her shoulder.
“But Reece is famous now, we have to be careful about his image,” Phoebe insisted, her brow furrowed and her lips drawn in a tight line just like their mother when she was worried. “Dragging him to a club might not be the best idea.”
“Just because he’s famous doesn’t mean he can’t have fun!” Natalie wrapped her arms around Reece who had been sitting beside her silently, letting his sisters talk about him as if he wasn’t even there. “I want to take him out and let him meet some of our friends so when I brag about him they can be twice as jealous.”
They had been going back and forth for almost twenty minutes now, talking over Reece and ignoring him every time he tried to interject, so he had given up and simply surrendered. They were supposed to be having a nice lunch together, but asper usual, Natalie had ulterior motives. The nightclub was only part of it. She wanted Nick to come to her birthday party too and their bickering had started while they were waiting for Daphne and Nick to get there. He was running a little late because of some private practice with Declan, but he was on his way and hopefully would be there soon. Daphne had a problem at work she needed to handle first so it was just the three of them at the moment.
Phoebe sighed and rubbed her temple, a tell tale sign that she would give in. “Well… it is your special day and Reece might like it… I guess it’s alright,butwe can’t be careless. It’s not just about our little bro, Nick can’t afford to have a scandal either. That baby is going pro.”
“I know, I’m so proud of him and the other boys,” Natalie cooed. “They’re all grown up now… and stupidly tall,” she huffed and held onto Reece tighter. “I miss being able to squish you!”
Reece chuckled and let her have her way. “You don’t seem to be having any trouble with it,” he mused but shook her off him as soon as he saw Nick approaching. “Nicky! Hey, how was practice?”
“Good. Hey Natalie. Phoebe.” Nick smiled at both of them and took the open seat on Reece’s other side. He made himself comfortable, lounging in the seat like it was his sofa at home, legs spread so wide Reece crossed his own at the knee to give him more room.
Phoebe grinned at Nick, her expression bright and no longer stressed. “I swear, you get more handsome every time we see you! The whole family is ready for the day you make your pro debut. We’ve got plenty of merchandise and magazines with you in them, all the brand deals and special edition stuff, you know.”
“But what we need is some more clothing and shoes,” Natatlie said while waving her finger in the air. “If I’m goingto fashionably support our pro basketball boys, I need more to work with. Preferably in spring colors.”
“There’s always something new in the works,” Nick said with a shrug and Reece hummed, nodding his agreement.
