Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 113812 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 569(@200wpm)___ 455(@250wpm)___ 379(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113812 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 569(@200wpm)___ 455(@250wpm)___ 379(@300wpm)
“Every other week, when I don’t have Beck, I play basketball on Thursday with your brother at some courts near our buildings. He lives five blocks from me.”
My brother . . . I don’t know what to think about him. Some days, I feel abandoned. Others, I’m relieved I get the final say with Dad instead of having to run it by a committee. But I know what the issue really is. “I miss him.”
Tagger sets his bagel down and lifts me onto his lap. Hugging me, he says, “I’m sorry. Maybe we should stop by and see him while you’re here?”
I lean back. “And blow our cover by telling him I’m here to see my boyfriend? How do you think it will go over?”
His chest deflates from a heavy breath. “Not well.” His gaze lengthens in the distance. “We can’t be a secret forever.”
“You already want to blow our cover? You’re the worst secret keeper that ever existed, Grange.” I giggle because, being honest with myself, I’m not opposed to the idea. But damn, we’re weak. For each other.
Chuckling, he says, “I have no interest in hiding you away from the world.” The laughter disappears quickly, though the way he looks at me like I’m solid gold—or in his industry, my stock just took off—has me cuddling to him. “I want to show you off to everyone, Pris, and I know when they meet you, they’ll know exactly why I fell in love with you.”
My gulp is embarrassingly loud as I squeeze him tighter. The floodgates of his heart have opened, and now his emotions are on full display. I know the feeling. “We need to decide whether this is the way to continue for now or if we want to face the consequences to be together openly.”
“It’s wild that we have consequences to handle because we fell in love.”
“Really only one . . .” I let that float around in the fresh air, curious if he’ll take the bait.
His lips twitch to restrain the corners I can see want to go up. He could have scrutinized me for setting him up, but I think he’s onto my wily ways. “I see what you’re doing, but you don’t have to. I agree that I need to talk to your brother soon.” He kisses me. “Remember this kiss, though. It may be the last one you ever get from me since he’s going to kill me as soon as I mention your name.”
My thoughts are still ticking through options. “If that’s the case, maybe you tell him with me around. I can protect you.”
He laughs. “I have no doubt, but I think you need to be reconnecting with him without this baggage around.”
“There’s no rush. Let’s think about it.” I slip off his lap and lie on the grass with my arms spread. “Because right now, I don’t want to think about anything but us staring up at this stunning blue sky and the clouds.” I point. “That looks like a cactus.”
He lies beside me with our heads bumped together. “I can see that. What about that one?”
Out of the corner of my eye, I see the smile that makes me happiest—the carefree cowboy he is when he’s home on the ranch. “I’m thinking of a pagoda.”
“That’s a good one.” His hand finds mine, and our fingers weave together.
“I’ve lost hours to this game growing up. It was a big ranch with not a lot of people my age to play with.” I glance over at him. “Lauralee was my saving grace.”
“Let me be that for you now.”
The words momentarily stun me, and my stomach squeezes. “What makes you think I need saving?”
“I don’t think you do, but I do think you need someone to lean on more than you admit.” The sincerity in his eyes captivates me. “It’s okay not to be strong all the time, so let me be there for you when you need to rest.”
My heartbeats pick up their pace, and tears fill my eyes. I shouldn’t be as affected by the sentiment as I am, but it feels like I finally have a place to rest my head. I don’t need expensive dinners or beautiful clothes I’ll only wear once. This right here—Tagger. He’s all I need to be happy.
We spend the rest of the day not doing much of anything. We stroll, do a little window-shopping, and daydream of when we can see each other next. Sitting on the couch with Thai takeout and a movie that happens to be on the TV that neither of us is much interested in, I say, “Come back for the Peach Festival and Rodeo.”
“When is it?” He sets his plate on the coffee table and drinks from a bottle of beer.
I laugh, marveling that someone could forget details ingrained in us Peachtree Passers our whole lives. “Second weekend in June when the peach season is in full swing.”