“This is another boyfriend thing, I guess. Meeting the parents?” I lifted a brow.
“They’d like to finally put the face with the name.”
“You talk about me?” I squinted at Silas.
“Of course I do. They’re thrilled I met someone I care about. They’ve been worried about me ever since my divorce. So now, I can introduce them to my beautiful girlfriend and her sister, and they can relax.”
“They know the whole story of…us?”
“I kept it mostly clean, but yes.” He wove his fingers into my hair. “They know I’m with someone I care about. A lot.” He leaned forward to peck my lips. “I’ll take you both around town. You can see where I used to play.”
“The Silas Jones tour,” I teased, my heart still fluttering at the way he’d saidcare about a lot.
“Now’s your chance to be a groupie. So, you’ll come?”
I propped my elbow on his chest and rested my chin against my hand.
“We’re in. Well, I’m in, but I think Taylor will be on board. I’m excited to meet your parents. Nervous but excited.”
“Nothing to be nervous about,” he whispered, his smile wide and gorgeous. “Who wouldn’t love you?” he whispered before bringing his mouth back to mine.
Despite having my lips fused to this man for most of the night, it was always so easy to get lost in his kiss.
Who wouldn’t love you?
It wasn’t a declaration, but close enough to make my heart race.
I’d written I love you a million times on the page, but when it came time to really pour out all I was feeling for this amazing and unexpected man, I couldn’t find the words.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
SILAS
“Doyour parents live in the country or something?”
Rachel and I shared a silent laugh at Taylor’s question. The drive was only a couple of hours, but as we made our way up the tree-lined highway, it already seemed worlds away from the city.
“Not quite,” I said with a chuckle. “They have a huge deck, and they opened the pool last week, so you ladies can just relax for the weekend.”
“I don’t know about relax,” Rachel whispered. “Are you supposed to feel clammy when you meet your boyfriend’s family for the first time?”
I caught the nervous pull at her features as she pressed the back of her hand over her forehead.
“Hey,” I whispered, grabbing one of her hands. “You have nothing to worry about.” I pressed a kiss to the top of her wrist. “They’re going to love you.”
Like I love you, I wanted to say, but her head seemed scrambled enough. That was a conversation we needed to have alone at home, even though, once we were back, I’d probably keep putting it off.
It had only taken a few months for the gorgeous woman who’d jabbed me in the stomach to become the most important person in my life.
The first thing I did after every game was call her. A win didn’t feel like one until I heard her squeal in my ear. And when the game didn’t go so well or when managing grown men on the road, plus taking on the responsibility of their season and career trajectory, became too much, her sweet voice would soothe me until I felt better.
Even when things were good with my ex-wife, I wouldn’t seek her out to tell her every single thing that went on in my life.
I was hopelessly in love with Rachel but still a little scared to rush us forward.
“The only issue you’re going to have with my parents is that they’re going to fuss over you the whole weekend. I promise to try to buffer it a little.”
“Did you have pool parties?”
