Chapter 35
True – Spandau Ballet
Tally
Stretching lazily in my old childhood bed a warmth settled in the pit of my stomach. It settled and spread like the beam of sunlight creeping through the crack in the shades. Thinking of Wilder in my bed made me smile. A smile so big that it made my cheeks ache. I wished I was with him, but I still loved the idea that he was missing me so much that he needed to sleep there.
I picked my phone up and flicked through the messages we’d exchanged the night before. They were sweet and sexy and made my heart flip like an acrobat. We’d messaged for almost an hour until I couldn’t keep my eyesopen.
Wilder
Your pillow smells of you. It’s distracting and annoying.
Me
Annoying??
Wilder
Yeah. I’m pissed that I can smell you but you’re not here. Why did no one ever tell me it would be this bad being apart?
Me
Wilder Miller the playboy cowboy getting all sweet on me. I like it xxx
Wilder
Good because from now on Brownie you’re going to be getting ALL the sweet xxx
Sighing I ran my finger over the final one he sent, late into the night.
Wilder
Go to sleep baby, if your Thanksgiving is anything like ours it’ll be full on. Sweet dreams and can’t wait until you get home xx
I wasn’t a girl who liked nicknames from guys. Declan used to call me darling, and I hated it. Brownie, though, I loved because it came from Wilder and he was the only person who used it. ‘Baby’ was new and I had to admit I loved it.
“Knock, knock.” Cole was standing in my doorway, holding a steaming mug. “Brought you coffee.”
My brother’s smile was tentative as he walked toward the bed. He was still wearing his pajamas, gray fleecy ones with pumpkins on them. They were the same as mine and Liam’s and Mom had sent them from Florida. It was our first apart from her and Dad, but she wanted to continue the tradition of matching Thanksgiving pjs.
“Whydo you look nervous?” I asked, watching as he placed the mug on my nightstand.
“We tried to start the turkey, but we have no clue what we’re doing.” At that very moment I heard a yell and cursing coming from downstairs.
“And you want me to get you both out of the shit? Despite the fact that you both insisted I should come home so you could both wait on me and give me in Liam’s words, ‘the best fucking dinner you’ve ever had.’. “
Cole chuckled. “That was a pretty good impression of him to be fair.”
Liam was not exactly sunshine, as his family we got the best of him, but some days even then his mood was grayer than freshly mixed concrete.
“I’ll cook your damn food for you.” I pushed into a sitting position and reached for my coffee. “I’ll get a quick shower.”
Cole shook his head. “No changing out of the pjs, though.”
“I can’t spend all day wearing them. I slept in them.”
Cole shook his head. “Mom made us promise.”
