AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter 21
"Tell me why I have to come to this?" I ask, watching in awe as Gracie flips her curly hair behind her shoulder and shifts to give me a pointed look.
"Because I need to be there, and seeing as how you're my boyfriend now, it's also important that you're there." Her cheeky grin almost makes me forget about that damn label. Boyfriend. I'm sure it's pretty clear that I have no fucking clue what I'm doing here. Having to care about someone else's feelings is so out of my comfort zone. Sure, I'm used to caring for my mom, but this is not the same thing. No amount of practice could have ever taught me how to handle the blue-eyed demon in front of me.
"I'm sure Oakley would be fine without me there."
"Who cares? I wouldn't be fine without you." The statement was meant to be simple, but it hits me low in the gut and stays there, curling around my insides.
"It'll be nice to see Ava. It’s been a few” I trail off, my eyes getting stuck on Gracie’s round ass as it dares to rip through the too-tight material of her pants when she bends over to tie her shoes. Blood rushes to my groin immediately, a full-grown hard-on ready to make its appearance as she rolls her body back up, teasing me. A knowing smirk rests on her lips when she turns around to face me again, seconds before her eyes flicker to my crotch. She knew I was watching. The little minx.
"Do you want to take care of that before we go? You wouldn't want my family seeing that you have a hard time controlling yourself," she teases, taking slow steps towards me.
I swallow greedily and grab hold of her hips, pulling her into me abruptly. A quiet moan slips from her lips and she looks up at me with wide, hungry eyes.
"You should know better than to tease me by now, baby.” I nip at her ear before capturing her lips in a fleeting kiss. "We better be going, don't wanna be late, do we?" I taunt as I drop my hands from her waist. I'm heading out of the bedroom when I hear her grunt her displeasure. I slip my shoes on with a quick laugh and lean against the front door to wait for her. Seconds later, she’s walking towards me like a woman on a mission.
"You can't beat the master at his own game, Gray." I open the door for her and step into the hallway. She swats me across the back with what feels like a purse full of rocks. "Shit!"
"Just wait. One of these days, I'm going to have you eating your words."
I roll my eyes and shove open the exit door. She intertwines our fingers as we walk in step to my truck. I don't doubt that you will, Gracie. In fact, I count on it.
"Oh, how I missed you, Gracie baby!" Anne Hutton squeals once we step foot inside the Hutton family home.
"I missed you too, Mom." Gracie's sporting a massive grin as she lets Anne wrap her up in a tight hug. I spot Oakley and Ava sitting on the love seat, arms around each other and a large notebook between them.
"Don't think I forgot about you, Tyler," Anne says, snapping my attention back to the two girls that stare at me expectantly.
"How could you? We all know I'm your favourite, Anne." I grin at her and my chest swells when her cheeks darken in colour. They're thinner than they used to be, but I assume that's because of her past stint in the hospital when she had pneumonia. She was there for a couple of months, but as far as I know she’s made a full recovery since then.
It's been a while since I've been in this house, but every time I have been, I've left wishing I grew up with the kind of love that flows through every room. The Hutton's are the family that all families want to be: kind, caring, generous, and most importantly, loving, to everyone, regardless of who they are. It's why I admire Oakley so much. He has a heart the size of a mountain.
"Give me a hug, sweetheart," Anne demands before I feel her pull me into her warm embrace.
"Share him with the rest of us, Anne," Ava teases, and starts to make her way over. A soft chuckle shakes through Anne when she releases me and moves back so Ava can all but throw herself around me.
"Hey, Ava." I return the hug comfortably and almost laugh at myself. A few years ago, I wouldn’t have let a single one of these people touch me, let alone hug me.
"Holy crap, did I ever miss you," she sighs into my shoulder.
"I missed you, too." Holy shit, did I ever. I haven't seen Ava since the engagement disaster–which really wasn't all that long ago–but I can't count the number of times I've wanted to call and get her advice since then. We've always been really close. With our similar childhoods and lack of decent parental figures, she was always someone I felt comfortable talking to about my shitty problems. We both pull away a few seconds later andI’m grateful that my mind feels more lucid than it has been the past few days.
"Are you really not going to come hug me, Oakley?" Gracie chides from beside me, her eyes narrowed at her brother when he remains seated in the living room.
"Well, I'm going to check on supper," Anne says before hightailing her way into the kitchen, obviously not wanting to witness the wrath of her daughter. I can practically see the steam shooting from Gracie's ears as she places her hands on her hips and stalks over to her brother. My gaze flickers to Ava as she continues to stand mute, lip pulled between her teeth.
"What's going on?" I cock a brow.
She swallows nervously. "I'm not supposed to say anything."
I lean back against the front door with a snort. "Out with it."
"Oakley won't be playing in Seattle next season," she gushes, now staring back at me with a bright grin that takes up half her face. It's funny that she thinks I didn't already figure that out myself. I mean, come on? He had Vancouver eating out of the palm of his hand. He wasn't going to turn them down regardless of what they decided to offer him. He was never going to stay in Seattle.
I shake my head, laughing. "That’s amazing, Ava. I'm guessing he's telling Gracie today?"
"Are you kidding me?" Gracie squeals and captures the attention of everyone in the room. I guess that answers my question. "So you're coming home then?"
