Sheila’s smile brightened. “I’ll keep that in mind.” She pointed towards the door where the GM had entered. Tilly didn’t know him well. He kept to the front offices, but there was always a buzz of energy surrounding him. Like he was thinking two steps ahead of whomever he was talking to. “I need to have a word with someone. Excuse me.”
Tilly frowned. Maybe she’d misread Sheila’s interested look. She glanced at Brayden again. This time their eyes met, and she ducked quickly away, afraid he’d see her change of heart before she had a chance to acclimate to it. In a way, the party was great because it gave her time to gather her wits about her.
Harper touched her elbow. “Congratulations on your graduation.”
Tilly grinned. “Elise was tougher than my chemistry teacher.”
They all laughed.
Harper leaned in and gave her a quick hug. “He’s a keeper,” she said, just loud enough for Tilly to hear.
Tilly nodded. “I know.” She did know. Brayden had saidno matter what happens,and it was killing her to think he was giving up on her. But then, if he was stepping aside, why throw this party? “Being in limbo is difficult.”
Harper smiled. “That’s because you’re a woman of action.” She squeezed Tilly’s hands. “Take action and you’ll feel much better.”
She planned to. But there was no harm in letting Harper think she had a hand in things. She had, in a way, by setting up that road trip. “Thanks,” Tilly said with feeling, hoping she understood it was for more than coming to the party.
Harper said goodbye to the group and then made her way to the door. Gunner and Brock had to go too. For the next ten minutes, Tilly was hugged and congratulated and made to feel like her victory was shared by those around her, that they had truly been rooting for her to make it through this hard time. She watched as several guys gathered round Brayden, thanking him for the cake and giving him a hard time before they too left.
When they were finally alone, Brayden ran his hand through his hair and blew out his lips. “I guess I’d better get this cleaned up.”
“Only if you don’t want Elise to take her anger out on you during PT,” Tilly said quietly. She meant it to come out light and teasing, but there was too much on her mind and in her heart to joke around.
Brayden must have caught on to her mood, because he dropped the plates he’d gathered and came to stand in front of her. She hesitated, and then took his hand, threading their fingers together. Once his fingers tightened, the world was suddenly right side up again.
Tilly wanted him. There was no denying it, no fighting it. She wanted the golf-course kisses, she wanted to catch him looking at her legs, and she wanted the friendship, the conversations, the life they’d shared. All of it. Every bit. Even if there were holes—like him not climbing—and even if there were challenges and he still had a long way to go, she wanted it all.
Brayden’s free hand brushed her jaw. “I’m so sorry.”
She cupped his hand to her cheek. “Me too.”
His intense brown eyes poured into her. “Please let me love you.”
She nodded.
He paused as if he was unsure she’d agreed.
She stepped closer, bringing her body flush with his. Releasing his hand, she buried her fingers in his hair.
He was right there with her, reading her movements and matching them touch for touch. “I love you, Tilly. Nothing in the world can change that.”
She melted against him. “There’s no fighting against it. Not a love this strong.”
His mouth found hers and she gave herself over to his kiss, to him, holding nothing back. There was no fear strong enough to keep them apart, no anger deep enough to stand in their way. No matter what they faced, their love would conquer all.
Chapter Forty
Brayden
“Thanks for meeting us here.” Brayden held up his glass.
He and Tilly sat at the head of the table in a swanky restaurant in Vegas. Blake and Elise—with a brand-new sparkling diamond on her finger—were at the end. Blake had proposed at the last game of the season, on top of the dugout, to a stadium full of fans. Elise’s family was all there—every last redheaded one of them—so happy to welcome Blake into the family.
But this dinner wasn’t for them.
On their right sat Dustin and Clover, and on their left were Brayden’s dad and his special lady. Juan and Gunner were at a table nearby—close enough that they could be a part of what was going on, but far enough that they could check out the ladies. He hadn’t wanted to invite Gunner at all, but Tilly insisted that Juan needed someone to hang with and she thought Gunner was a good choice. If it made her happy, it made him happy.
Dad and Rebecca had flown into Vegas the night before and spent the day with Brayden, Tilly, and Tilly’s parents. Her dad wanted to get home, and so her parents decided to head out before the celebration dinner.
