Page 40 of Tutored By the Smart Girl

"Then I guess I should give you what I drove three hours for."

Adison

Rush pulls a package from inside his leather coat and hands it to me. It’s a beautiful package wrapped in shiny gold paper with a big red bow.

“It's too beautiful to open,” I insist.

“Come on, open it. I didn’t come all this way for you to not open this.”

I gently remove the foil paper and lift the lid on the box.

I gasp. “Oh, my goodness. You didn’t. How?”

I pull out the hardback book and the sweet aroma of an old bookstore fills me.

“The Velveteen Rabbit. How did you find this?”

“Luck.”

I thumb through the pages gently. “It’s beautiful. It’s the best gift I’ve ever received. I think even better than the original one.”

Rush sets the book aside and kisses me. When we both gasp for a breath, Rush holds my face in his hands and his eyes look into mine. “I love you, Adison. I want to be with you. Always. I don’t want anyone else because you make me a better man. You make me take chances, believe in fairytales, and I want to spend the rest of my life proving to you that you’re the only one for me.”

“I want that, Rush. I do.”

“Kiss me again.”

My lips meet his. On my couch. In the house that I grew up in with my mom. I kiss the man who loves me— the one who makes me feel safe. The one who I will love for the rest of my life.

epilogue

Three years later

John

Adison is just putting Maisy in her crib when I enter the nursery.

“Did you miss me?” I ask and admire my beautiful two-month-old baby as she sleeps.

“You’re home early,” Adison whispers.

Adison leans the velvet rabbit against the foot of the crib.

“Couldn’t leave my two girls home alone too long.” I give her a wink.

“How was practice?”

I nod. “Good.”

After we both graduated from college, we got engaged and six months later, we got married. Adison wanted a small intimate wedding, but when you’re the son of James “Rip” Radcliffe, nothing is small.

We ended up getting married in a small chapel with only our closest family and friends. My parents threw a huge reception for us at their country club and practically invited the whole town. Adison wasn’t thrilled about the fuss, as she called it, but she helped my mother plan everything.

I had a heart-to-heart talk with my dad when I started my senior year in college. I expressed my apprehension about going pro and my need to do it myself— without him interfering with the college coaches. He agreed and we shook hands on it. My senior year with the Rebels was a phenomenal year for the team and for me as well. I felt free and more relaxed on the field. I still had my dad’s support, and our relationship grew closer that final year at Tennessee.

I did end up going pro and was selected in the fifth round of the draft to play for the Silver Hawks so we reside in Colorado in a large cabin-style home on a huge piece of ground. It’s private and Adison loves the house.

Baby Maisy came along shortly after we were married, and I got situated in the league.

Pro football is day and night compared to college ball, but I plan to retire early and spend time with my family. We’re already talking about having more kids.

Who would have ever dreamed that my tutor would turn out to be the love of my life?

Maybe being a dumb jock paid off in the end for me. I got lucky when I got tutored by the smart girl.