“Are you okay?” I swallow, trying to catch my breath. “Did I hurt you?”
“No. It wasn’t you. Just my knee. It’s sorer than I thought, and putting all that weight on it—” He grimaces and shakes his head. “I’m fine.”
“Let’s go sit down.”
“But I didn’t get you off. You were almost there.”
“I can finish later and be perfectly happy.” I lace our hands together, winding through the dance floor crowded with bodies. “Let’s get you some water.”
“I’m not dying Hannah,” he says, stopping us in the middle of a walkway. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you like that. I just… this injury happened years ago. Why the fuck am I still having phantom pain?”
“Because you’ve been pushing yourself these last couple of weeks. Because you’re a great coach who doesn’t know how to be anything but the best, so you work your players up to that mindset as well. Because you’re a good man who goes to the club I drag him to and dances even though he’s not very good at it.” I touch his cheek when he winces again and grabs his knee. “A Tylenol and a day off your feet will do wonders.”
“No time for that when we have games to win.” Brody sighs, resting his forehead against mine. “This is embarrassing. And it’s so loud in here.”
“We can leave. Tierney is having so much fun, she won’t notice we’re gone.”
“No. She’s your best friend, and I don’t want to make you suffer with my grouchy ass.” He lets out a soft laugh. “Would you hate me if I went home?”
“Not one bit. Are you going to go to your place or mine?”
“Mine. I need to be up early for practice in the morning, and I don’t want to disturb you while you’re getting your beauty sleep.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’ll bring you a coffee when I drop Liv off for your lesson.” Brody smiles. “Go have fun, sweetheart.”
“Kiss me before you go?”
“Like you even need to ask.” Brody smiles, bumping my nose with his. He hums against my mouth, and I melt into him. “Text me when you get home.”
“I will,” I say, but as I watch him disappear out into the crowd, my heart is pounding. My palms are sweating, and being here without him isn’t nearly as fun.
FORTY-THREE
HANNAH
“You seem nervous,”Brody says. He closes his laptop and follows the path I’m pacing around the kitchen. “What are you stressed out about?”
“I’ve spent a lot of time with Liv. The three of us have spent time together, but this is the first night we’re going to hang out as a—” I clamp my mouth shut. “Never mind.”
“As a family?” he finishes for me, and I nod.
“That’s weird. I’m sorry. Liv’s not mine. I recognize that. I hope you don’t think I’m trying to wedge myself into the Saunders’ family tree or anything, but I?—”
“Hey.” He hops off the barstool and walks to me, cupping my cheeks with both hands. “I’m going to say the thing to you I know I’m never supposed to say to a woman, but I’m willing to pay the consequences.”
“What’s that?” I ask. “That I should smile more?”
“No.” The low rumble of his chuckle relieves some of my tension. “That you need to calm down.”
“I’d argue with you, but I’m pretty sure you’re right.” I stand on my toes so I can rest my forehead against his. “I’m just nervous.”
“I can ask Kali to take Liv to her place. That wouldn’t be a burden on her,” Brody says. “We’ll do this another night. I’ll pour you a glass of wine. I can run you a bath.”
“I’m okay. Really.” I give his arm a reassuring squeeze. “I want to take this next step with the two of you. I just know how much I care about you, and how much I care about Liv, and I want everything to go well.”
“We’ll treat it just like every other time we’ve been together. And if she starts asking us questions we don’t want to answer about the future, I’ll break out a water gun and cut her off.”
