“Exactly.”
Doe-eyed, Cory looks up at me, the half smile on his lips unreasonably cute. “I don’t want you to regret me like you regret your past.”
“I don’t think it’s possible to regret anything when it comes to you. Actually that’s a lie.” Pausing, I take his hand in mine and press a kiss to the inside of his palm. “There is something that would ‘cause me considerable remorse … not spending every possible moment with you while I can.”
“I don’t want you to lose everything because of me.”
“And you are everything to me, so it looks like I’m set.”
There’s a lot more I’d like to say, three little words the meaning of which far outweigh their size, in particular. But perhaps that’s best left for now. Like me, Cory seems to be contemplating his next words. The wide-eyed expression lingering while he chews the lips I wouldn’t mind tasting about now.
“James, I?—”
“Yoo-hoo boys!”
The fuck!
Grumbling, I gaze around Cory and see Cory’s mom twinkling her fingers at me like I’m five. Next to her and looking decidedly less enthused, is Faith. Seeing her moody face doesn’t console me after missing the tea Cory was about to spill, but it does help.
“Why don’t you come inside and eat? I made cake.”
Unless it’s the one attached to Cory’s long legs, cake is the last thing I want right now. I’m exhausted, my head is pounding and I need to get Cory wrapped around me stat. But his mom looks so hopeful and Faith miserable, I nod and open the door. “What kind of cake are we talking?”
Not that it will be mine for much longer, but James and his sister are in my house. It’s weird.
But great.
But weird.
It’s also the longest period of time Mom has been tear-free all week, and no matter how awkward it feels to have my professor, sister of the dude I am fucking, and falling for in my kitchen, it’s worth it.
Six and a half, the half being Billie, of us are crowded around our kitchen table. Billie’s sucking Faith’s hair and Grandpa, a man who has never left the state, is currently bombarding her with questions about Australia. Drop bears in particular.
“So you’re telling me they don’t exist?”
“That’s what I’m telling you, Arthur, yes.”
“And they’re not koala bears, just koalas?”
“Correct.” Billie coughs up a chunk of blonde locks that land with a wet slap against her. She looks close to vomiting, and her brother seems delighted by that. He’s sat back and let her field the questions, enjoying every moment of her suffering. My very own bear wears a smile so sweet and pure it’s taking all my strength not to drop in his lap. I’m feeling pretty damn good about now, then something happens to take that feeling to a whole new level. As Jamie laughs, his hand slips beneath the table. Finding mine, he links our pinkies together.
It’s kind of become our thing, has me damn near purring like a kitten and I love it.
Like I love him.
It’s come in so quickly I can’t pinpoint the exact moment I went from falling to fallen, but I’ve landed on his furry chest and couldn’t be any happier. I should probably be a little more stressed about our future, because Faith did make some valid points. How things will work out when there’s a border separating us, and I’m under the NHL spotlight being the utmost. I’m oddly calm about it though.
Maybe this is what true happiness feels like.
In a desperate bid to change the subject, and de-saliva her hair Faith sips from her tea, finger raised like the Queen, eyes shifting to the moving boxes we’re surrounded by.
“How’s the packing coming along? Three adults and a baby?—”
“Oh, I love that movie! We watched it with Grampa when we were kids,” I interrupt a little too excitedly. “Come to think of it, Jamie, you’ve got that whole Tom Selleck mustache thing going on.”
“He sure does.” Mom winks, biting her lip and James’ grip on my finger turns crippling.
“And on that nauseating note, Jamie, can you and the ‘stache come help me with bringing some of my hockey gear down from the attic?”
