‘Tell me why I have to come to this?’ I ask, watching in awe as Gracie flips her curly hair behind her shoulder and shifts to give me a pointed look.
‘Because I need to be there, and seeing as how you’re my boyfriend now, it’s also important that you’re there.’ Her cheeky grin almost makes me forget about that damn label. Boyfriend. I’m sure it’s pretty clear that I have no fucking clue what I’m doing here. Having to care about someone else’s feelings is so out of my comfort zone. Sure, I’m used to caring for my mom, but this is not the same thing. No amount of practice could have ever taught me how to handle the blue-eyed demon in front of me.
‘I’m sure Oakley would be fine without me there.’
‘Who cares? I wouldn’t be fine without you.’ The statement was meant to be simple, but it hits me low in the gut and stays there, curling around my insides.
‘It’ll be nice to see Ava. It’s been a few” I trail off, my eyes getting stuck on Gracie’s round ass as it dares to rip through the too-tight material of her pants when she bends over to tie her shoes. Blood rushes to my groin immediately, a full-grown hard-on ready to make its appearance as she rolls her body back up, teasing me. A knowing smirk rests on her lips when she turns around to face me again, seconds before her eyes flicker to my crotch. She knew I was watching. The little minx.
‘Do you want to take care of that before we go? You wouldn’t want my family seeing that you have a hard time controlling yourself,’ she teases, taking slow steps towards me.
I swallow greedily and grab hold of her hips, pulling her into me abruptly. A quiet moan slips from her lips and she looks up at me with wide, hungry eyes.
‘You should know better than to tease me by now, baby.” I nip at her ear before capturing her lips in a fleeting kiss. ‘We better be going, don’t wanna be late, do we?’ I taunt as I drop my hands from her waist. I’m heading out of the bedroom when I hear her grunt her displeasure. I slip my shoes on with a quick laugh and lean against the front door to wait for her. Seconds later, she’s walking towards me like a woman on a mission.
‘You can’t beat the master at his own game, Gray.’ I open the door for her and step into the hallway. She swats me across the back with what feels like a purse full of rocks. ‘Shit!’
‘Just wait. One of these days, I’m going to have you eating your words.’
I roll my eyes and shove open the exit door. She intertwines our fingers as we walk in step to my truck. I don’t doubt that you will, Gracie. In fact, I count on it.
‘Oh, how I missed you, Gracie baby!’ Anne Hutton squeals once we step foot inside the Hutton family home.
‘I missed you too, Mom.’ Gracie’s sporting a massive grin as she lets Anne wrap her up in a tight hug. I spot Oakley and Ava sitting on the love seat, arms around each other and a large notebook between them.
‘Don’t think I forgot about you, Tyler,’ Anne says, snapping my attention back to the two girls that stare at me expectantly.
‘How could you? We all know I’m your favourite, Anne.’ I grin at her and my chest swells when her cheeks darken in colour. They’re thinner than they used to be, but I assume that’s because of her past stint in the hospital when she had pneumonia. She was there for a couple of months, but as far as I know she’s made a full recovery since then.
It’s been a while since I’ve been in this house, but every time I have been, I’ve left wishing I grew up with the kind of love that flows through every room. The Hutton’s are the family that all families want to be: kind, caring, generous, and most importantly, loving, to everyone, regardless of who they are. It’s why I admire Oakley so much. He has a heart the size of a mountain.
‘Give me a hug, sweetheart,’ Anne demands before I feel her pull me into her warm embrace.
‘Share him with the rest of us, Anne,’ Ava teases, and starts to make her way over. A soft chuckle shakes through Anne when she releases me and moves back so Ava can all but throw herself around me.
‘Hey, Ava.’ I return the hug comfortably and almost laugh at myself. A few years ago, I wouldn’t have let a single one of these people touch me, let alone hug me.
‘Holy crap, did I ever miss you,’ she sighs into my shoulder.
‘I missed you, too.’ Holy shit, did I ever. I haven’t seen Ava since the engagement disaster–which really wasn’t all that long ago–but I can’t count the number of times I’ve wanted to call and get her advice since then. We’ve always been really close. With our similar childhoods and lack of decent parental figures, she was always someone I felt comfortable talking to about my shitty problems. We both pull away a few seconds later andI’m grateful that my mind feels more lucid than it has been the past few days.
‘Are you really not going to come hug me, Oakley?’ Gracie chides from beside me, her eyes narrowed at her brother when he remains seated in the living room.
‘Well, I’m going to check on supper,’ Anne says before hightailing her way into the kitchen, obviously not wanting to witness the wrath of her daughter. I can practically see the steam shooting from Gracie’s ears as she places her hands on her hips and stalks over to her brother. My gaze flickers to Ava as she continues to stand mute, lip pulled between her teeth.
‘What’s going on?’ I cock a brow.
She swallows nervously. ‘I’m not supposed to say anything.’
I lean back against the front door with a snort. ‘Out with it.’
‘Oakley won’t be playing in Seattle next season,’ she gushes, now staring back at me with a bright grin that takes up half her face. It’s funny that she thinks I didn’t already figure that out myself. I mean, come on? He had Vancouver eating out of the palm of his hand. He wasn’t going to turn them down regardless of what they decided to offer him. He was never going to stay in Seattle.
I shake my head, laughing. ‘That’s amazing, Ava. I’m guessing he’s telling Gracie today?’
‘Are you kidding me?’ Gracie squeals and captures the attention of everyone in the room. I guess that answers my question. ‘So you’re coming home then?’
‘Yes, you weirdo. Now stop screaming.’
Oakley stands up from the couch and grabs his sister, pulling her into his chest as she starts to shake with sobs. I’m suddenly fully aware that I’m standing in front of them. My heart lurches as I back up and sit on the opposite couch. I want to be the one comforting her right now. Fuck, what is happening to me? Get a fucking grip.
‘Why are you crying? This is good news, Gray,’ Oakley mumbles in her ear as his hand rubs slow circles on her back.
‘Because I’m happy, you dumb ass!’ she croaks.
‘Then stop crying. You’re freaking me out.’
The cushion beside me sinks as Ava sits down beside me, mumbling, ‘You really like her.’
Turning my head, I search for any sign of judgment. Unsurprisingly, I come up short of anything but pure happiness and a thick sense of approval.
‘I do,’ I admit, knowing there’s no point in trying to deny it anymore, especially when it comes to Ava. No matter how hard I try to pretend Gracie hasn’t swung a sledgehammer at my defences, I always find myself helping her brush away the smashed pieces.
I look at Gracie when she pulls away from her brother and wipes a hand across her tear-stained cheeks and let myself stare at her without the fear of being caught.
‘Good.’
‘Good?’
‘Yes, good. Gracie might be the only girl on this planet that can put up with all of your bullshit. She’s good for you.’
I find myself nodding at her words, although my eyes are still locked on Gracie. My girl turns to me now, eyes red and starting to become swollen, but still somehow just as beautiful as she always is. The wide grin on her lips tugs at my heart, bringing a wave of foreign feelings to the surface. She flops down on my lap and wraps her arms around my neck, sticking her face in my neck. A soft kiss is placed on my exposed skin as she lets out a content sigh, blocking out the glare Oakley is currently hurling my way.
Ava stands up from beside me and moves quickly over to her fiance before pulling him up by his arm. She sends me a wink and leads Oakley into the kitchen so that Gracie and I are alone.
‘I guess this means that the gang will finally be back together,’ Gracie whispers against my neck, sending an electric zap down my spine.
‘Back and better than ever, Gray.’
‘So, are we the first ones that know about your new team?’ Gracie asks excitedly, using my lap as her own personal stool like she has been for the past half-hour. Not that I mind. I’m more comfortable now than I think I have been in a long time. Maybe ever. But I would never admit that to anyone, especially not her. I would never hear the end of it.
Her left cheek is moulded to my chest and a slim arm is wrapped around my side. Gracie’s fingernails are trailing along my rib cage as she keeps herself busy talking to her brother, seemingly oblivious to the fact that he hasn’t taken his narrowed eyes off of me since she plopped down on my lap.
Long strands of blonde hair rub against my chin when she lifts her head, connecting our eyes just long enough for me to notice the annoyance in hers. I raise my brows and get ready to ask what crushed her mood when she glares at Oakley, snapping, ‘Oakley, for Pete’s sake, what do you think he’s going to do to me in front of everyone? Slip a hand up my shirt? Cool it and answer my question.’
Oakley flinches, his eyes widening to resemble saucers as he fumbles with a response, finally choking a few words. ‘No. We told Adam about the move yesterday.’
‘Wow. Fuck you too, then.’
‘Gracie Rose! Watch your language,’ Anne scolds her in a way that I could imagine her doing quite a few times in Gracie’s teenage years before returning to us with her hands on her hips. All eyes fall on her intimidating posture—a sight that looks weird on someone so lighthearted and sweet.
‘Sorry,’ Gracie mutters under her breath like a kid caught with their hand in the cookie jar. I drop my head and place a kiss on her shoulder, laughing lightly.
‘Who wants to watch a movie?’ Ava asks, bouncing off the couch and moving towards the wide assortment of DVDs resting on the shelves under the T.V.
‘Sure, baby. Something good this time, though.” Oakley pokes fun at her with adoration beaming across his face.
‘I would rather go upstairs and make our own,’ I whisper in Gracie’s ear, nipping at the sensitive, smooth skin and loving the shiver that runs down her spine as she moves further into my body. ‘I vote for something scary.’ I address the entire room now while Gracie attempts to reel back in her scattered breaths.
‘Scary works for me,’ Ava says while shuffling through the seemingly endless piles of movies. I had no clue the Hutton’s were such movie fanatics. That’s because you never asked, I scold myself and tighten my grip on Gracie’s waist.
‘I hate you,’ Gracie mutters under her breath, wriggling in my grasp. I laugh under my breath, knowing full well the last thing she wants to do is pull away from me. I move my open palm down to her thigh–bare from the shorts that have ridden up–and squeeze the area I’ve learned is more than ticklish.
‘We both know that isn’t true, baby.’
I grin when she jolts in surprise, a loud shriek flooding the room. I ignore Oakley’s curious eyes as Gracie turns around, glaring at me. I tilt my head and smile innocently.
‘You’re the worst, you know?’
‘That’s not what you were saying earlier.’
‘Can you two knock it off? I’m going to barf,’ Oakley grunts, his gaze pinballing between Gracie and me and Ava by the T.V.
‘Oh, I think it’s adorable,’ Anne gushes, sighing contently with her hands clasped in front of her. The happiness in her wrinkled, tired features makes my own chest feel all warm and fuzzy. Anne Hutton may not be my blood, but she’s been more of a mother figure to me than mine has been. Seeing her so happy is all I want for the woman who fed me on every holiday until my pants didn’t fit over my gut and washed my laundry when she noticed I was wearing the same dirty clothes for three days in a row.
‘Thank you!’ Gracie turns back around and throws her hands up in appreciation of her mom.
In her own world, Ava shouts, ‘Got it!’ while quickly slipping the disk into the player and running back towards Oakley.
‘You watching too, Ma?’ Oakley asks when the opening trailers start playing on the flat-screen hung between black-framed photos, all of which hold a picture of the Hutton family throughout the years.
‘No, no. I have a new book calling my name. You guys have fun, though. Call me if you need anything.’ All four of us nod in agreement before she leaves the room, still smiling warm enough to comfort the most broken of men.
I can’t help but grunt in disapproval when Gracie gets up from my lap and crosses the room. She stops in front of a pile of blankets shoved inside a brown wicker basket and begins digging through them.
‘Jesus, dude,’ Oakley chuckles, shaking his head. I flip him the finger, keeping my eyes on Gracie as she grabs the fluffiest blanket, grips it right in two fists, and rushes back over to me. When she stops short, mere inches from moving between my open legs, I tilt my head with a silent question.
‘Lay down,’ she orders while moving her hand in the air, down the length of the couch.
With a grin, I nod once. ‘Yes, ma’am.’
I push myself down the couch and shove a small decorative pillow behind my head and lay on my side, pushed against the back cushion. With my brows raised, I drop my eyes to the empty space in front of me. She doesn’t hesitate before joining me and throwing the beige blanket over our legs. She lays down and pushes herself back until our bodies are flush again and rests her head beside mine on the tiny throw pillow. I can smell the fruity smell of her shampoo–the same one she’s used for at least the past year–as her hair sprawls across the pillow and tickles my nose.
‘You good, princess?’
‘Will be when you wrap your arm around me,’ she mumbles, and I would bet a hundred bucks she’s grinning in the dark. The thought makes me aware of the smile I’m currently wearing, too. I’m suddenly remarkably grateful Oakley and Ava are lost in their old world again, whispering to each other under the T.V light.
I pull the blankets up to our necks, reach under with my free arm and grab her waist with a tight grip. I relax my shoulders and run my fingers along her side, loving how my touch affects her when goosebumps cover the skin. The steady rise and fall of my chest falls in sync with Gracie’s, and by the time I find myself staring at the television, the movie has already started.
The movie is long over by the time I manage to peel my eyes open again. When I look around the room, I spot Oakley and Ava curled up together, fast asleep on the long, three-seater couch across the room, making me feel less guilty about the fact I also fell asleep. Somehow they’ve maneuvered themselves so that Oakley is lying on his back, with Ava now covering his body with hers. Her leg hangs off the side of the couch andOakley’s head is hanging off the arm of the couch, neck looking like it might just snap in half. It’s quite a sight, and one that I wish I could grab my phone and snake a picture of.
Gracie’s put my arm to sleep as she continues to lay utterly dead to the world against me. She’s never been much of an active sleeper when it comes to sleeping beside me. I swear someone could shoot off fireworks standing no more than a foot from her and she wouldn’t so much as stir. But as much as I would love to sleep on the couch tonight and wake up with the same kind of pain in my neck that Oakley will, there is a perfectly comfortable bed waiting for the both of us upstairs.
After shaking Gracie a few times–only to be rewarded with nothing but a subtle snore–I throw my head back with a groan. I decide to carry her instead, and carefully move off of the couch. I tuck a hand under her thigh and upper back, and gently lift her up. She weighs nearly nothing, and I feel the urge to shove an extra-large deep-dish down her throat. Yeah, maybe not the best idea I’ve ever had. By the time I reach the carpeted staircase, she’s placed her head in the curve of my neck, giving me the feeling she’s been awake the entire time and just wanted a free ride.
‘If you wanted me to carry you, all you had to do was ask,’ I whisper, my words barely audible as I attempt to see if I’m right. I feel her body tense just as a soft giggle meets my ears. ‘You’re ridiculous.’
‘It’s about time you used these muscles for good,’ she says in a hushed tone and runs a hand slowly down my bicep, squeezing the hard-earned muscles with a content sigh.
I push her old bedroom door open with my foot. Thankfully it wasn’t fully shut. I stumble through the darkness, not wanting to bother turning the light on and blinding my eyes with the god-awful pink walls sixteen-year-old Gracie thought were the best idea ever. I gently set her on the bed and yank my shirt over my head, discarding it with my sweatpants in a pile by the door. A smirk falls on my lips as I look over to see her pull my hoodie off, exposing the solid abdominal muscles crafted beautifully from years of dancing as the material bunches up under her sports bra.
‘Want some help?’
‘No,’ she scoffs, her usual response whenever I offer to help with something she finds ridiculous, and throws the black hoodie across the room. She pushes her thin tank top down her exposed skin before settling under the blankets.
‘That’s a shame,’ I mutter as I crawl in after her, lying on my side and pulling her back against my front on instinct. When her tank top meets my chest, I simply groan, not liking the annoying barrier.
‘You have got to be the horniest guy I have ever met.’ She attempts to scold me, but the humour in her tone betrays her. I swallow my laugh and toy with the hem of her tank top before slipping my hand underneath. I’m relieved when my palm meets bare skin.
‘Like you’re any better,’ I say while tracing circles around her belly button. I pat my pillow as an invitation for her to settle herself as close to me as possible, and she does just that. In one swift, easy movement, she places her head on my pillow and floods my nose with the smell of her shampoo. She reaches for the hand I’ve got on her hip and laces our fingers together.
‘Okay, you make a good point.’
She kisses the top of my hand, over the scars I know cover my knuckles from years of fights caused by unresolved anger towards my stepdad and the life I wished I could escape.
‘That’s what I thought,’ I hum knowingly, feeling my eyes become heavy with sleep.
‘Do you remember the day that Oakley found out about us?’ she asks me a few seconds later, once I can nearly taste the sleep I crave on the tip of my tongue.
I manage to push my face into her hair and nod. ‘How could I forget?’
‘I realized something that day.’
‘Oh yeah?’ My nerves build with how vague she’s being. Gracie is never vague. Not usually, anyway.
‘I think I’m falling in love with you,’ she whispers, words so carefully mouthed and quiet—so quiet, yet so loud.
Swallowing harshly, I nod again, unable to form a coherent response. I’m surprised, undeniably nervous, and so exhausted that I’m finding it hard to stay awake with her warm body pressed up against mine. Her breathing serves as the perfect lullaby. One that only set me up for disaster. I never stood a chance.
‘I just wanted you to know. So that, you know ‘ she trails off. ‘I just wanted you to know.’
I nod again, but this time, I manage to scrape up a reply. ‘You’ve opened up a part of me that I didn’t even know existed, Gray. I know that doesn’t mean as much to you as what you said, but it does to me. It means everything.’
