Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 89503 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 448(@200wpm)___ 358(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89503 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 448(@200wpm)___ 358(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
Three years ago—hell, one year ago, I wouldn’t have been able to fathom that this picture would include me. And if someone would’ve told me that out of all the accomplishments in my life—money, championships, fame—that this would seem like a moment when I felt my life coming together, I’d have laughed in their face.
But it’s true. This is the first time I’ve felt like maybe I’m finding that “something more” that my mom has often talked about.
“One day, you’ll find it—that missing part of your life that you never knew existed. It’ll change the way you wake up in the morning and the color of the sky at dusk. Your life will be filled with something more beautiful and special than you could ever dream, and that’s what I want for you. It’s all I’ve ever wanted for you.”
The idea feels like a hurricane inside my brain, threatening to bring a ton of problems with it once it lands. That scares the fuck out of me. But imagining three months from now, when Gus goes home and I return to Nashville without either of them, also feels unnatural. Terrifying, even.
Like maybe this is the something more.
I take a breath and recenter myself.
The owner of the Royals, the rugby legend Renn Brewer’s voice comes back to me. “Control what you can control, Plath. You can’t win the whole match in one play.”
“Are you done eating?” I ask.
She nods, her eyes searching mine.
“Let’s go talk.”
She stands, placing her small palm in mine, and lets me lead her into the living room.
CHAPTER
SEVENTEEN
Markie
“So, you wanna talk, huh?” I ask Jory as he sits on the couch.
He takes both of my hands in his, pulling me in front of him. His eyes sparkle, telling me that talking isn’t at all what he wants to do. But he’s too much of a gentleman to do that.
I smirk. Don’t worry, big guy. I’ll break you of that before the night is over.
“Markie …”
He takes a breath as if he’s practiced this speech a hundred times and is gathering the courage to go for it. But before he can speak, my phone rings on the kitchen table. I have about as much interest in answering it as he has in talking to me at the moment, but he delayed my gratification last night. I’m nothing if not petty.
“Hold that thought,” I say, pulling my hands away. “I need to get that.” His eyes widen as I pivot toward the kitchen. “I’m waiting on a call from Mira, and she needs my input, or I’ll hold everything up. It’s hard being the one that everyone counts on for direction.”
I think. I’d have to ask Astrid if that’s true.
“Hey,” I say brightly after answering the call.
“Why do you sound so happy to talk to me?”
“Work with me,” I whisper before turning back to the living room. Jory’s sitting on the couch right where I left him. “Did you get with Audrey on our questions?”
Mira sighs. “I don’t want to know.”
I laugh. “You’re right. Gianna would think this is entirely more entertaining than you.”
“Oh, Markie.” She snorts. “I’m just going to say what I need to say. You can listen and respond however you want, and I’ll just assume you’ll call me after you get home and fill in the details if your answers don’t make sense.”
“That’s a great idea. I’m so glad you thought of it.”
She bursts out laughing. I hear Hartley in the background, asking what she’s laughing at. That makes me laugh again.
Jory’s brows pull together. I wink at him.
“What did Auddie say?” I ask.
When I met Mira after church to go over our part of the wedding, we came up with a list of unanswered questions for the bride and groom. Neither of them would answer their phones, probably following through on the whispered promises Brooks made to Audrey while we were waiting to exit the church, which we happened to overhear. So, we abandoned our efforts, and I went home, waiting on six thirty to roll around.
Because no matter how much I wanted to just come to Jory’s, desperation never looks good, and I got a little too close to that fire last night.
“You want to do this now?” Mira asks, surprised.
The anticipation is killing Jory. Relax. It’s only going to get so much worse.
I grin. “Of course, I have time. I’ve been waiting on your call.” I quickly look at Jory, remembering that I told him I’d be with Mira until six thirty. “You got back to me much faster than I expected since I only left your house a while ago.”
His eyes narrow, but he doesn’t say a word.
“Oh, boy,” my sister says, blowing out a breath. “Okay, then. The final head count for the wedding is thirty-two. Everyone has RSVP’d, so we’re set on that. But, because it’s such a small wedding, they’ve decided not to have bridesmaids and groomsmen because we’re essentially half of the guest list. So, that makes things simpler.”