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My heart skipped a little. “I’m getting there, Mom. I am. With Dad, I’m getting there.”
“I know. I love you so much.” She pulled me in for a hug before I got out, and I wasn’t surprised when she stayed to watch us leave.
Scout waved as we walked down to the marina, my hand in his other one. “Your mom worried I’m trying to kidnap you or something?”
“No.” I told him about the conversation.
His hand gripped mine tight. “She’s right, though. I didn’t know I could love until I fell in love with you, and now look at me. Taking you on a fucking whale watching date. I’m cheesy as fuck. I wouldn’t recognize myself either.”
I laughed, bumping my hip into his. “We can be cheesy together. We’ve earned it.”
“I’m trying to make up for not taking you to Homecoming.”
“There’s still prom.”
He groaned, until my elbow made contact with his stomach. “I mean, yeah. Prom. Can’t wait.”
We headed over to the docks and made our way to a boat. A guy was there, moving around, throwing a line back into the boat itself. He saw us and held up a hand. “Brawler, get in here.”
I recognized him. Winslet. He was giant in person and even bigger in a coat and hat.
He tipped his chin up to us. “Nice seeing you again, Miss Scout’s woman.”
Scout snorted a laugh, holding his hand out and helping me into the boat. It wasn’t a big one, but big enough for the river. Scout kept my hand in his, motioning toward Winslet, who was now pulling away from the dock. “This is Winnie’s full-time job.”
“Yep. Boxing don’t pay the bills yet. Good old boating does.” He gestured to some seats in the back and front. “I got a nice set-up if you want some drinks, something warm. There are blankets too. Get comfortable. We have a good haul in front of us.”
He and Scout did the thing where their fists lightly touched before Scout was pulling me to the front. There was a small seating area, but he took us to the railing and put me in front of him. Both of his hands went around me, resting on the railing, as his body moved in behind me. A beat later, his chin came to my shoulder. “Cold?”
A shiver went through me. “Not from the cold.”
I felt his grin into my skin as he nuzzled me before resting his chin on my collarbone. One of his hands went to my waist, slipping under my sweatshirt, pulling me better against him. “Winslet does tourist boat rides for a living. He knows the guys who do the whale watching. Normally we’d have to share a boat with a bunch of others, but not this time. He got me a deal.”
I almost snorted. “Right. You. Like you’re using a coupon for whale watching.” After all the changes in his family, Scout admitted to me that his other uncle had shifted a bunch of the family finances. Everyone was now getting almost a fair share of everything. I didn’t know the specifics, but I was figuring that made my boyfriend one very, very wealthy billionaire. And I was being modest in that guess.
He grunted out a laugh, his teeth nipping against my shoulder. “A deal’s a deal. Don’t knock it, and my family’s finances are my family’s finances. They aren’t mine.” His hand pressed against my stomach, flattening there. “I want to fight. That’s all I want to do.”
I leaned back against him, putting all my weight into him and tipped my head up, angling so I could see him. “What about me?”
“I’ll do you all the time.”
A tingle spread through me. “You know what I mean.”
He looked down, his gaze finding mine and darkened. A whole different look came over them. A more somber one, almost endearing too. He touched the middle of my chin before letting his hand go back to the railing, holding me in place. “I want to be the best fighter I can be, and I want to be able to love you while I’m doing it.”
A thrill went through me.
He added, his voice dipping low, “How’s that for a plan for the future?”
That same thrill wrapped around my insides, warming me, sparking me. It made me feel alive. And I smiled, knowing I’d been given a gift from the universe. Or maybe my dad. Maybe it was him who brought love back into my life.
I turned around in his arms and wound my arms around his neck, my hand splaying over his neck. I pulled his mouth down and arched up to meet his lips. “That sounds amazing. That’s how it sounds.”
We saw a pod of whales, which was my newest obsession after my renewed love for Christmas.
The first glimpse of the first whale and done. My heart thudded in my heart. I was gone, totally infatuated with all things whales now.
