Page 107 of Crossed Signals

It doesn’t matter that all he did was come out here with us tonight. He made Aubrey happy by showing up, and seeing herlike that is all that matters to me. I know she’s already thinking of how much harder she’s going to try and convince him to join the group of us more often. He’s become a friend to her, and there’s no chance of shaking her off now.

That’s Aubrey for you.

I bring my lips to her temple and rest them against her hair, smelling her shampoo. The group manages to find a safer topic to talk about, and I let their conversation slip past me, not joining in just yet.

Keeping my voice low for Aubrey’s ears only, I ask, “Are you having a good night?”

“The best. This is exactly what I’ve been needing.”

“You deserve it.”

She turns her head into my neck, kissing my throat just once. “I’m excited to go to your game tomorrow. I feel like I’ve missed so many.”

“Which jersey are you going to wear?”

“I was thinking Jett’s, but maybe if Wes asks nicely enough, I’ll wear his,” she murmurs, smiling so wide against my skin that I can hear it.

“If you want to leave already, you can just ask me, sweetheart. There’s no need to provoke me.”

“But it’s more fun this way.”

“Brat,” I groan, reaching down to cup her thigh and haul her higher up my lap. “You’re not wearing anyone’s jersey but mine.”

“I never have, Finn. I wasn’t planning on starting now, as fun as it would be to have you punish me for it.”

Leaning back, she lets me see her eyes. The happiness in them ruins me. It cracks my chest wide open and makes more room for her to crawl inside of it.

“I love you,” I murmur, unable to hold it back.

She palms my jaw, her words a promise that I want to hear for the rest of my life.

“I love you, too.”