Teasing: Chapter 21

I don’t want an ordinary love.

I want a love I’ll never forget. One stronger than the raging storm, filled with passion and joy. One that’s stronger than any disease.

I want sleepless nights with endless conversations and slow, sleepy days filled with sweet everyday moments the rest of the world takes for granted.

I don’t want ordinary. I want extraordinary. I want you.

—Emmie’s Secret Thoughts

It’s funny how many memories you can accumulate over the course of the summer. How many pictures you can take . . . I smear the glue over the back of a beautiful shot of Butters chasing Rosie by the creek. Rosie’s hair is caught in the wind, and her little laughing face is looking over her shoulder at the chubby puppy, giving me the perfect shot.

Pure happiness.

Pure innocence.

I stick that to the scrapbook page, then press a dried rose next to it and lay a piece of pink silk ribbon in the crease. We used it to tie our bouquet together that week, and Rosie was so proud because she tied the bow.

My finger runs the length of the silk, and I smile, remembering how proud she was.

“That’s a great shot,” Camden says from behind me as he points to the photo lying loose on the page. Maverick took that one with my camera when I wasn’t looking. Rosie and I were working on first position that day when Maverick got home. She and I are looking at each other, smiling. It was another good day.

It’s been a summer filled with good days.

One I didn’t think would be possible.

I’m sad to see September come but excited for what it will bring for everyone else.

I close the book and hold it to my chest and find Camden dressed for practice. “You’re heading out early, aren’t you?”

“Final walk through before the first game of the season. Can’t be late.”

“You’re going to be amazing, Camden. I brought Dad one of your jerseys this week. The nurses said they’d make sure he wore it tomorrow afternoon for the game.”

“Are you gonna be there?”

Things aren’t perfect between us, but they’re getting better. Slowly.

“With Dad? No. At the game? I’m not sure,” I admit. “I told Maverick if he decides he’s not ready for Rosie to go, I’ll stay home with her. But I’ll be wearing your jersey, screaming at the top of my lungs either way.”

Camden shakes his head and mumbles, “Love you, sis.”

“Love you too. See you tonight.”

Lenny and Bash are taking Rosie overnight tonight, so I’m not seeing Maverick until after their walk through, and I’m not sure what to do with myself. I look around at my house—the one I don’t feel like cleaning up yet—and decide to say screw it.

I pick up my phone and scroll down to the text Dillan Ryan sent me a few minutes ago.

I hadn’t answered because I wasn’t sure if it was a pity invite, but what if it’s not?

I stare at the message on the screen, torn.

I don’t remember the last time I made a new friend.

Well at least one who didn’t live next door to me.

Why is this so hard?

Maybe it’s time . . .

Umm . . . did I just make a new friend?

I run my finger over my contacts and debate whether to call Vivi or not.

She won’t answer. She never does.

After debating for far too long, I toss my phone to the table and decide today’s going to be another good day.

Maverick

Declan Sinclair waits until everyone is focused on him before he opens his mouth Saturday afternoon. Walk through is done. Practices are done. Preseason is done. We’ve worked all summer for what starts tomorrow, and there’s nothing left to do today.

“All right, guys. I don’t sequester us all to a hotel as a team for the home games. I trust you to be the professionals you are. Go home. Relax. Rest. Get your heads on straight. Take care of your body. Take care of your mind. Be back here tomorrow at ten, and be ready. They’re coming for us. First step on the ladder starts with that first snap. Now get out of here.” He walks away, as understated as he stood. And I stand ready. I want it. I want the game. I want the win. I want the fucking season.

“Hey, Mav, you got a minute?” Camden asks as he moves in next to me. They announced him as the starting quarterback at the beginning of the week, prior to the press conferences, so it’s been a big week for him.

“Yeah, man. You good?”

Jamie gets my attention and points to the locker room, and I nod. I’ll meet him in there.

“Listen, I have no clue what you’re thinking about doing with Rosie tomorrow, and I’m not about to tell you what to do. But I thought I’d let you know that I know Emmie, and she’s not going to say it to you, but she wants to go to the game.” He looks over my shoulder into the stands, and I feel like shit for not pulling the trigger on this before. “Not sure if she’s told you, but she loves football. Our dad and she always watched all the games together. I think it’d mean a lot to her to be here to watch you play . . . and maybe to watch me too.”

Fuck, I’m an asshole. It never occurred to me that her watching the games with Rosie would fuck up something she always did with her dad.

“Yeah. I think you’re right. I’ve already talked to my family about the changes that need to be made to the suite for Rosie, and they were fine with it. So I’ll talk to Emmie tonight.” I just have another stop to make before I go home.

“You know . . .” Camden hesitates, clearly thinking through his next words. “She deserves a good life, Beneventi. She deserves a better one than she’s had. You make her smile. Don’t fuck that up.”

“Not sure I’m the one who’s fucked that up, Monroe,” I toss back. I can respect a man trying to protect his sister, but everything Emmie’s told me makes me think he’s already hurt her more than I ever will.

“Never said I didn’t.” His words fucking shock me. Not many men will admit that. “But I’m her brother, and you’re her . . . Well, you’re not me. So this is me saying I don’t give a fuck that I’m the new guy on the team. Or that your family owns the team. I give a shit about Emmie. And my sister deserves better than you and me. She’s special. She looks at the world with the kind of rose-colored lens not many people ever see. Protect that for her and do a better goddamned job of it than I have.”

Well, fuck.

Fuck . . . really good answer, Em.

Even better answer, baby.

Emmie and I walk into her house in less than a straight line.

She wouldn’t be passing a sobriety test right about now, but she’s a funny little drunk.

She beelines for her kitchen and pours a tall glass of water. “I need Advil, or I’ll pay for my stupidity tomorrow.”

I reach above her head into the cabinet and grab the bottle when she looks like she might tip over trying to get it.

“Oopsie.” She rights herself and holds out her hand for me to shake out two pills. “I mean, it was a fun day, but maybe next time we order glasses of wine and not bottles.”

Emmie kicks off her sandals and almost falls over again.

“Em?” Camden walks into the kitchen and stops in his tracks as he watches his sister walking like a toddler who just figured out how to do it a few minutes ago. “What the hell?”

She manages to make her way over to him without tripping and plants a hand in the center of his chest. “I made a friend today, Camden. You should try it. It’s good for the soul, and we deserve things that are good for our souls.”

“Okay, baby, up you go.” I hoist her over my shoulder. “Let’s get you to bed before you start sounding like every Instagram meme I’ve ever seen.”

She smacks my ass and whistles. “That’s a rock-solid ass.”

Oh fuck.

“I’m standing right here, Em,” Camden warns her.

“You’re standing on your head, Cam. You should fix that,” she giggles.

Oh, it’s gonna be a long night.

“You also might want to wear your noise-canceling headphones to bed, big brother, cause it’s gonna get loud in here.” More giggling, and this time my chest shakes with laughter too, as I look at Camden and shake my head.

Camden looks like he’s gonna puke. “Dude. Em, Stop.”

“I’ve lived in this house alone for a long time. It’s not like it’s the first time I’m having sex.”

Oh hell no.

I smack her ass, and she squeaks. “Just with me from now on, baby.”

“Fucking stop,” Cam groans, and Em squirms on my shoulder like she’s trying to find relief. My naughty girl.

I carry her upstairs and sit her on the bed where she lies down immediately and passes out. How much did those girls drink? I kick off my shoes and strip down to my boxers, then wrap my arms around my little drunk girl.

I guess this is one way of taking it easy tonight.

So much for our night with no kid.