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I automatically start to deny her statement, but she stops me, laying a finger on my lips. “I do my best not to let it affect me, but ever since my mom died, I’ve had no one. No family, no true ties to anyone else. And then you came along.” Her fingers brush over my cheek and tuck a lock of my hair back behind my ear where it’s fallen loose. “Trust me when I say you meaneverythingto me.”
My chest swells, my throat thick as I swallow hard. There’s so much love in her gaze, it’s a wonder I didn’t see it before.
“I love you,” she whispers, the words filling in all the cracks still left in my heart. Though she told me it earlier after Ethan’s match, it doesn’t truly hit home until now.
“I love you, too,” I reply, wrapping her in my embrace, wishing we could stay like this forever.
I bask in her presence, running light fingers over her back, enjoying her sleepy sighs. And as she drifts off in my arms, a sense of peace steals over me I’ve never quite felt. This is where I’m meant to be. With this woman.
As long as I have her, everything else will work out.
* * *
I pull into the driveway beside Dad’s truck and shut my bike off, keeping it steady as Tessa dismounts behind me. There’s a big grin on her face as she takes her helmet off and fluffs out her hair.
“Do I have you hooked?” I ask her as I take off my own helmet and lock them both up.
She laughs, coming in close to wrap her arms around my waist. “I like riding with you.”
I lean down and kiss her, unable to help myself. At what point will I stop wanting to do that every five minutes? “Should I get you your own helmet and jacket?” She can’t keep using her winter coat. It would tear too easily if something were to happen.
She skims her hands over my back, sliding along the cool leather. “I’d like that.”
Danielle’s car pulls in next to us, and as she gets out, there’s a cat who ate the canary smile on her face. “Hello, lovebirds.”
I sigh, letting go of Tessa. “Hi, Danielle.”
“Are you ready to sing my praises? I totally got the two of you together.”
Tessa laughs. “Oh, wise and noble Danielle. Your advice was amazing. I didn’t take no for an answer and pulled the truth out of him.”
“And? What was going through your thick skull?” she asks me.
I’d only texted her that we were doing dinner tonight at Dad’s house, but not any details about what had gone down.
I explain to her about the texts, her eyes widening. “Oh my God,” she exclaims, turning to Tessa. “Your lab partner did that?”
“We’re pretty sure. He’s the only person who had access to my phone that day and has a motive.”
“That’s crazy. Have you confronted him about it?”
“Not yet. I…” Tessa crosses her arms, hunching her shoulders forward. I wrap an arm around her, tugging her into my side. “I’m going to talk to him about it after the study tomorrow.”
“And then what?”
She shrugs. “Our friendship is definitely over. I can’t trust him anymore. But I don’t want this to affect our study. I really want to get it published.”
“Sounds like you’re stuck between a rock and a hard place.”
Tessa chuckles in response, a note of desperation in it. “Yeah, I am.”
I give her shoulder a squeeze. “Let’s head inside. We can worry about Joel tomorrow.”
For now, I have a bigger problem on my mind. I have to talk to Dad.
As we make our way up the driveway, I catch Danielle’s arm, pulling her aside for a moment. “Thanks for taking care of Tessa on Saturday. It means a lot to me.”
She waves me off. “Don’t get mushy. It was nothing.”
