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“You know what? I called it. Didn’t I, Dad? I told you they would get together one day. You owe me a hundred bucks,” Jamie gloats.
The corner of my mouth twitches. “When did you place that bet? Before or after you asked me out in the tenth grade and I turned you down?”
His bright blue eyes twinkle with humour, and the look almost grounds me. Jamie has always been a joker, and I love that even after all this time, he hasn’t lost that quality.
“After. I had to shoot my shot before wishing you off to another man.”
“We all told him it was a long shot. You and Maddox have been meant to be since you were children,” Maddox’s aunt joins in, her voice watery as she and Ava close in on our position. I stare at Gracie and swallow down a wave of guilt at the pure joy in her expression. “You’re so grown up!”
I laugh weakly, fumbling with something to say, but Maddox beats me to it.
“You’re telling me. When I saw her for the first time, I nearly fell to my knees. She’s always been beautiful, but shit. She’s the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen.”
His blunt words have my pulse thumping. His thumb draws a path of fire across the top of my hand. My lungs are so constricted I fear I might pass out as I gaze up at him. At the sharp line of his jaw and side profile worthy of a magazine cover.
“Dox,” I breathe.
He ignores me, pushing on. “It’s true. One look was all it took to decide I wanted her back.”
“That’s so romantic,” Gracie says dreamily. “And your parents knew about this and didn’t tell me?”
Maddox shifts me in front of his body and moves our connected hands to rest against my soft stomach. The weight of his arm wrapped around me relaxes me. It feels so natural to be like this, and warning bells blare at that epiphany.
He presses his face to my hair, and I hear him inhale.Is he smelling me?
“We asked them to keep it to themselves until we were ready to announce it to the world. You know how it is,” he answers his aunt.
“Good call. The press can be ruthless,” Tyler adds.
Gracie turns to Ava and takes hold of her arm, pulling her close. “This is just so exciting. Maddox’s missing piece is back.”
Ava’s eyes find mine, and I blink back the burn behind my eyes. Her smile is real and raw and reassuring, but it’s her son’s words from beside me that have me struggling to keep my balance.
Three words and I’m struck down at the knees.
“Yeah, she is.”
17
MADDOX
AGE SEVENTEEN
I’m surroundedby my teammates, but my eyes are on her. Always her.
Braxton is curled up on a beanbag chair in the corner of the smoky room. Her legs are pulled up and tucked beneath her as she presses her cheek to her shoulder and smiles sweetly at one of my teammates. He grins back and says something that has her laugh ringing in my ears and wrapping around my chest.
Brody punches my arm. “You listening to me, bro?”
I tighten my grip on the dewy beer bottle in my palm. “No.”
“Fuck you, man,” he roars, words slurred.
It’s his birthday today, and here we are, drinking and watching his guests smoke up, knowing that not a single player on my team is touching that shit. Brody’s dad is our coach, and while a hard-ass most days, I know he approved this party.
I invited Braxton because Friday nights are ours, plus the thought of being here alone for hours without her seemed like a goddamn punishment. Maybe I wouldn’t have bothered showing up in the first place had I known one of my teammates was going to move in on her while I was wishing Brody a happy birthday.
They know the rules when it comes to Braxton. What happens next is on Collins.
