She takes, then releases, a deep breath. “One day babe. I promise.”
I know Shelby well enough to know that I can keep prodding, but that’s only going to make her tell me less. “Are you going to tell me why you’re moving here at least?”
The fact that Shelby’s been so cagey with this reason has been driving me bonkers. I didn’t press it before when it was still only a maybe that she was leaving Las Vegas, but now that she’s bought a house on the grounds of a premiere country club—and coincidently next door to my brother, though I don’t know if she knows that yet—I need to know.
“Let’s just say that me moving here can be classified under the category of desperate times calling for desperate measures.”
“That’s not cryptic at all.”
She shakes her head as she turns down my street. “The longer I don’t have to say it out loud, the longer I can pretend this isn’t my life.”
I drop the subject and Shelby and I sit in silence for the last few minutes of the drive. I wish she’d confide in me—lord knows I’ve trauma dumped on her plenty of times over the years—but I know how she gets. She’s guarded. Always has been. And rightfully so. Her mom died when she was a baby and her father was a piece of work, and that’s the nicest way to describe him. I know she’ll tell me when she’s ready. Whenever that may be.
Shelby turns the corner into my apartment building—the one that isn’t going to be mine after next week—when I notice something, or should I say, someone, standing in front of my car.
“What the…”
I sit up on the edge of my seat, the seatbelt struggling to keep me back, as I stare at Maddox, leaning against my car, holding a teddy bear and a dozen roses in his hand and wearing the biggest, and sexiest, smile I’ve ever seen.
“He wanted to surprise you,” Shelby says as she turns into a spot next to Maddox.
“Wait! You were in on this?”
“Of course,” she says with a soft smile. “You think I wanted to go shopping? When was the last time that ever happened?”
I unbuckle my seat belt so I can better wrap my best friend in a hug. “I know you aren’t happy about it, but I’m so glad you’re here now.”
“Yeah, yeah,” she says, patting my back. “Now get out of here. Go get your man.”
I kiss her cheek, which makes her roll her eyes, before I grab my bags and start to open my door. But before I can, Maddox is opening it for me.
“Hey gorgeous. Miss me?”
I don’t say a word, instead I launch myself into him. How he catches me—belly and all—I’ll never know. All I know is the last thing I hear from Shelby is her laughter, the door shutting, before I kiss Maddox to make up for thirty days of not kissing him.
As he sets me to the ground, and our kiss that probably should’ve been saved for the privacy of my apartment, ends, all I can do is smile. Because I’m happy. So fucking happy.
I have Maddox and the baby.
I have my brother who gave me my dream.
I’m going to have my best friend with me for the first time in our adult lives.
I have everything I could ever want.
CHAPTER 28
MADDOX
“I’m back! Did you guys miss me? Because I missed all of you.”
I’m not saying that I expected to walk into Sugar and Sweets tonight to a full-on party. We have enough to clean up every time we meet before adding in streamers and balloons. But I thought maybe a little fanfare. Instead, I’m greeted by my three newest friends looking at me like I grew a second head while I was away at training camp.
“No party?” I ask, making sure I’m not missing something. “Nothing?”
“Sorry to disappoint you Gallagher," Beau says. “Being away for training camp—a.k.a. your job—doesn't warrant a welcome back party.”
“That sucks,” I say as I take the apron that Theo is holding up for me. “Did you guys miss me at all?”
