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The whole night has gone like this. Mom has sweet and generous fans. All they’ve asked me for tonight are memories ofRaising Ryder. Memories of Meredith Wade. And that’s what I’ve tried to give them.
When the restaurant’s mostly empty, David finds me. Handing me an old-fashioned bottle of Coke, he straightens a tux that matches mine. “Your mom would be proud.”
I nod, even though he’s wrong. If she knew, she’d be pissed. But she doesn’t, and she won’t. I’ve tried to explain it multiple times since David hooked me up with the foundation. But in her world, IamDavid.
“You sure you don’t need a place to stay?” he asks.
He knows I don’t like to stay at the house. Even with Coley there. I’m hoping that’ll change. That the good memories will eventually outweigh those last days we spent there as a family when everything went to hell. “I’m chill. Got a room at the hotel.” I don’t tell him I’m not sleeping alone tonight, and he doesn’t tell me he’s already figured that out. Progress. Taking a drink, I search the thinning stragglers until I find my girl.
Jess smiles at me and grabs Coley. They head toward us, arm in arm. While my sister’s waist still dips in a size too small, she’s not drowning in her cocktail dress. Jess’s friendship looks good on her.
“You and Jess? Three months?” There’s a slight hint of disbelief in David’s voice.
“Almost four. Since I started filmingElven, I don’t get to see her as much as I want. I’m surprising her with an airline ticket to our shoot in Australia for spring break.” If I can get her dad onboard. Worst case, he comes too. I’m that desperate to be with her.
When the girls reach us, David put his arm around Coley. There’s something disturbingly nice about him being family. “Jessica,” he shakes my girl’s hand. “Nice to see you again.”
“You did good tonight.” My sister gives me a long hug.
“Thanks.” I squeeze her back.
“I’m riding with David.” She hugs Jess. “I’ll call you later.”
After they head to the elevator, I run my fingers across Jess’s pink lips. Touching her makes me high. My inner caveboy’s all in when it comes to the fuzzy butterfly shit. It beats the hell out of the wreck she made me when we were apart.
“You have to see this.” Oblivious to the fifty-story drop-of-death, my girl tugs me over the floor-to-ceiling windows and presses her face against the glass. “Isn’t the view perfection?”
“Total.” Her small heels show off kick-ass calves, tempting me to stare. Her sweet-and-sexy dress clings to her body, tempting me to explore. Wild brown waves fall over her shoulders, tempting me to touch. I let my gaze wander down to her—
“Gabe, I can see you in the reflection.” It sounds like she’s reining in a smile.
“Busted.” Refusing to actually look out the window, I turn her around, rest my hands on her hips, and lower my voice. “You are still staying with me tonight, right?” Vi and Jess’s dad are at some conference, but she won’t let me stay at her house. Something about marine-grade nanny cams.
“If you behave.” She winds her arms around my neck. “And if you remind me why I want you to behave in case I forget.”
“Done.” We haven’t seen each other in so long, I’ll agree to almost anything if she’ll let me wrap myself around her all night. “Good-boy Gabe is preprogrammed on autopilot.” With a drawn-out sigh, I cue up my naked-nun reel. I’m gonna need it later.
She lets loose her full smile, and shit if it isn’t the sexiest thing I’ve seen in three weeks. “And that’s why I love you.”
Her admission freestyles my heart. I wait for her to realize what she—
And there it is. In the panic filling her eyes.
“You love me?” I can’t resist the small tease.
“Um... I mean...” Her hands tighten behind my neck. Her hips shift in my hands.
“Not a hard question.” I run my nose down hers. “Yes.” I kiss one cheek. “Or no.” Then the other. “Take a risk, Escalator Girl.” I tip my forehead to hers and wait. I already know the answer, I just want to hear the words one more time.
She grips my shirt and presses her face into my chest. “Yes.”
“Yes what?” I tip up her chin so I can see those green eyes.
“I love you,” she whispers.
“I love you too.” I can feel her relief in the way she relaxes against me. “Did you really think I wasn’t going to say it back?”
She shrugs in my arms.
“You want me to show you how much I love you?” I hold up my room key with a naughty smirk.
Grinning, she bounces on her toes. “Can we go to the observation deck first?”
“Only if I can close my eyes.” I lean down and kiss her.
“Deal.” Laughing against my lips, she kisses me right back.
