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“Who else am I taking?” She looks over at Jade for further instruction.
“The twins are staying here,” Jade tells her. “I’ve got Orrin and Archer. Ramsey has Deacon and Rushton, Kennedy has Declan and Brooks, and Alyssa has Sterling.”
“Is my wife mad at me?” Brooks asks.
“No.” Kennedy laughs. “She was on her way, but I called and told her not to bring Remi out and that I would just drop you off on my way home.”
“Thank you, sister,” Brooks slurs.
“Come on, Tank. Let’s get you home.” With her arm around my waist, Alyssa leads me toward the door.
“I’m not that drunk,” I tell her, my words only a little slurred.
“Okay.” She laughs.
“I can carry you.” I lift her into my arms bridal style and sway a little.
“Sterling Kincaid, put me back on my feet right now. You’re going to drop me.”
“No, baby,” I say. “I would never drop you. You’re too important, Tink.” Rushton opens the door for me, and I step out into the night air and walk slowly, making sure my steps are sure, well, as sure as they can be as I carry her to her car. She demands that I stop and put her down the entire way, but she’s still and not fighting me. In fact, her arms are locked around my neck. I set her on her feet, and she slaps at my chest.
“Not cool, Sterling. You’re drunk and could have dropped me. What if you would have dropped me down the stairs, huh?”
My hands cradle her cheeks, and I bend so that we’re at eye level. I’m drunk, but I know what I’m doing. I know what I’m saying, and I’m tired of holding it all in, so I say what’s on my mind. “I love you too much to ever hurt you, Alyssa.”
Her eyes bore into mine, and okay, I’m too drunk to determine her look. I stand up and stumble back.
“Shit,” Alyssa curses. “Let’s get you in the car and get you home.” With her arm around my waist, she guides me to the passenger side and helps me into her car.
Once we’re on the road, I lean over and rest my head on her shoulder. I’m big, and this car is tiny, so even with my seat belt on, it’s easy. My hand rests on her thigh. “Thanks for taking care of me.”
“I always will.”
“One of the reasons I fell in love with you,” I say before my eyes fall closed.
CHAPTEREIGHTEEN
Alyssa
“Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?” Sterling offers.
“I’m sure. It’s just Mom and me today. We’re going to grab lunch and do some shopping.”
I’m lying, and I feel like he knows that I’m lying. It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell him the truth, but I know my best friend, and he’s going to talk me out of it. I’ve been avoiding him all week. Drinks with Cassie one night, dinner with Kristy, and her parents another. He worked late three nights, so I haven’t seen him all week. After last weekend, I’ve felt charged. He told me he loved me, and they say that alcohol is a truth serum. It wasn’t just a friendly “I love you.” It was a “that’s one of the reasons I fellinlove with you.”
He loves me.
I’m smiling as I talk to him. “Sunday dinner tomorrow, right?” I ask.
“Tomorrow? You’re going to be gone that long?” he grumbles. “I don’t care what time it is when you get home. Call me, and I’ll be there. Or just pack a bag and stay here, or don’t… and wear something you already have here. It’s been too long since I’ve laid eyes on you, Alyssa.”
Alyssa, not Tink. He’s serious Sterling today. “I don’t know how long we’ll be.” That’s the truth. I have two interviews lined up for today. Luckily for me, the hiring managers understood that I was unable to miss a day’s work to come and interview, so they scheduled me for Saturday morning.
Sterling would be happy for me. The issue is that they’re both in Atlanta. An hour’s drive one way. He’s not going to like that, and I know how his mind works. He’s going to assume that I’ll move to Atlanta if I get one of the positions.
I don’t want to move… unless my gut is off, and when I tell him that I’m in love with him too, his drunken confession turns out to have been just words. Then I might be moving. It will be easier to put that distance between us after humiliating myself, but my heart tells me that’s not going to happen.
We’re going to need some time for this conversation. I wanted to have it last weekend, and I was ready, but then when he showed up, he got the call that Ryder needed him, so he left.
