“I’m sorry, Finley,” Matt says, taking a step toward me. “I screwed up. I was too tough on you, too strict, and more like your chaperone than your brother. I want to change that. What do you think?”
“It sounds nice,” I say. “But what does it mean?”
Matt shifts his weight from one foot to the other. “We start over. If you want to come back and live with me this semester, I’d love it. But if it’s too much, we can find an apartment so you can live on your own.”
I tilt my head. “What if I want an apartment in the same complex as Zach? Would that be okay?”
“Not going to make this easy, huh?” Matt blows out a breath. “But if it’s what you want, I can do that.”
“Dr. Warren really is a miracle worker,” I quip, letting out a nervous laugh. “What I want is to come home to your absurdly gigantic house. It’s the first place in a long time I’ve felt less alone. But I’ll only come back if my boyfriend has a permanent invitation.” My eyes begin to burn, and I swallow hard to keep my emotions at bay. “I love Zach. We’re a package deal.”
Matt groans, his head falling back as he looks at the ceiling. “I’m never going to get rid of that kid, huh?”
I punch his arm, and he shoots both hands up like stop signs.
“Kidding. I know he’s a good guy, and I like that he puts you first. You deserve it, Finley.”
I glance at Zach, whose gaze darts down like I’ve caught him cheating on a test. I love him so damn much.
“So are you going to tell me what the coach said?” Matt asks.
“I made the team. No promises about how much I’ll compete, but I’ll have a chance to fight for it.”
Matt spreads his arms wide, taking another step forward before pausing. He opens his mouth to say something, but I meet him halfway, accepting a hug from my brother. The goldenboy who humbled himself to examine his behavior, to show up here and apologize, who wants what’s best for me.
“I’m proud of you, sis,” he says as he pulls away. “I’ll see you tonight at the house?”
“Tomorrow,” I answer, testing the boundaries of this new relationship. “There’s someone I want to celebrate with tonight.”
“Tomorrow then,” he agrees before pitching his voice louder to shout over to Zach. “Be good to her, Briggsy!” He reaches the door and turns back around to add, “Or else.”
I sprint to the alcove as soon as Matt leaves and jump into Zach’s arms. He swings me in a circle, clutching me tightly to his body. The movement forces a laugh to whoosh from my lungs.
“You fucking did it, High-flyer,” he whispers as he eases me to my feet, his arms still tight against my lower back. “Just like I knew you would.”
Like I knew I would too.
I nailed my routines, the ones I’d spent hours practicing in this gym. I’d fallen off the beam, missed the bar, and landed short on my vault countless times, but each time I got up and did it again. It’s something people don’t understand about successful athletes. The falls and the getting back up time and time again are what allow me to stick my landing when it counts. Like anything else in life, it takes screwing up and fumbling through the dark to find our way.
And it’s better when you’re not alone, when there’s someone by your side on the hard days, encouraging you to keep going.
“Thank you for believing in me.” I push onto my tiptoes and press my lips to Zach’s mouth, communicating what words are inadequate for conveying.
Because no word in the English language is strong enough to capture how much Zach Briggs means to me, or to properly describe the way my body and mind react to him. The way I covet his presence. But that’s okay, because I plan to show him every damn day how much he matters to me.
I’ll always fight for him.
As his fingers thread through mine, I don’t have a single doubt he’ll do the same. We’ll face every obstacle together, side by side. When I need someone, he’ll be there, and I’ll show up every time for him too.
Even when he sets fire to a house and runs away.
Or when I don’t want to leave my bed.
And especially moments filled with joy, when we have something to celebrate. Like this one.
For the first time in a long time, I believe these happy moments will exist for me, and there’s no one else in the entire world who I’d rather share them with.
38
