After a day at the beach, we’d headed back to the house. The place had a grill too mammoth not to put to good use. A cloud of smoke currently drifted into the sky as Jase flipped burgers and steaks.
“Yeah, I know.” Hailee caught my eye and smiled; and fuck, if it wasn’t like a bolt of lightning to my heart.
I loved that girl. I loved her more than I had ever loved another person, and the thought of starting my life with her should have been the happiest moment of my life. Except I had a gnawing guilt over leaving Rixon, of leaving my mom and dad and my kid brother, Xander. Mom was better, she was, but it didn’t stop the trickle of fear I felt every time I imagined being a nine-hour ride away and getting a call that she was sick again, or that Xander was having bad nightmares still.
I wanted to be there for them, always. But Hailee wanted Art School, especially STAMPS at the University of Michigan, and she deserved it.
She deserved it so fucking much.
“You all set to be a Wolverine?” Asher asked.
“I guess.”
“Don’t sound too excited about it.”
“It just won’t be the same, ya know?” I took a long pull on my beer.
“Yeah, being a Raider was something special, a once in a lifetime experience. But college will be good, you’ll see.”
I wished I could be as laidback as Asher. Even after everything he and Mya had been through with her ex, and with his mom getting shot, he still managed to paste on a trademark Bennet smile.
I envied him. His ability to dust himself off and embrace everything life had to offer.
I wanted it; I did. But fear held me back. Fear about the future... about everything changing.
Rixon was my home.
But Hailee was my heart and I knew I’d follow her anywhere.
“Yo,” Jase yelled over his shoulder. “Steaks are almost done.”
“And that’s our cue to get the salad,” Felicity mumbled.
“And the sauce. Don’t forget the hot sauce.” Asher smirked. “Oh and bring some pickles and some of those—”
“Babe,” Mya clipped out. “You have legs.”
“Yeah, but I’m supervising Jase.”
I snorted at that.
“It’s a good thing I love you.” She rolled her eyes playfully before taking off after the girls.
“I love her so fucking much,” he said, as if it was the simplest thing in the world.
But I got it.
We all did.
We were young. Three guys chasing their dreams of football, fame, and fortune. But we’d already found our forever girls.
And that was worth everything.
Every fucking thing.
Hailee
“I am stuffed.” Felicity sat back rubbing her swollen stomach.