Page 85 of Open To Negotiation

“If he’s in the room when I’m on the phone with Noah or Asher he’ll say hello, but he never calls me, never says more than basic pleasantries. I feared he would disappear completely when he moved to a different country. He’d never stop by when he was back in town for work. And then you know what he did a few weeks ago? He called me, all on his own.” A few tears spilled out of her eyes. “I picked up the phone in a panic, I thought something was wrong, that someone was seriously hurt. It was the only reason I could think that he would call.

“But no, he wanted to say hello and tell me about this woman he’d met. He wanted me to meet her.” I returned the smile she sent me. “I didn’t push, I didn’t know what to do. So when I hung up with him, I called Noah, who of course, gave me more information.

“They all say such lovely things about you. Those boys have always been tight. Noah, Asher and Theo were thick as thieves growing up and I had no problem bringing them into my home. And then at the first break they brought Will, Oli, and Jaxson home and suddenly they had a team.

“I was so happy because if Theo wasn’t letting me in at least he had people in his corner. They’re a tight knit group, they each have their reasons for closing off but now I hear about you in every story they share. It’s the first time they’ve let anyone in since they all became a family.”

“Sometimes their group chat is a little much. They share a lot with me, even when they shouldn’t.” She laughed like I wanted her to. “But I feel very lucky they’ve let me in and let me be a part of it.”

“Well dear, you brought him back to me. I haven’t seen him smile in a long time, but the way he smiles when he looks at you…” she shook her head, “well… I can see the love, clear as day.” I tried to hide the hope her words sparked in me. I was falling hard and I really hoped he felt the same way. “He hasn’t been this alive in a long time, the way he joked around at the table last night, I know Maria would be so happy he found you. It gives me peace that he’s found happiness with you.”

I reached out and grabbed her hand. “He’s incredibly important to me.”

What else could I say to all she just shared? She was also right, I did love him, but since I hadn’t told him how I felt, I didn’t want to tell her first.

“And I should be thanking you. I know that it may not seem like it, but he wouldn’t be the man he is today without you.”

“You’re lovely.” She waved off my compliment. “He looks at you like Henry looks at me.” She winked, giving my hand a final squeeze as we both turned to watch the sunrise over the hill in silence.

Theo was right. It was one of the most beautiful things I’d ever seen. A warmth had spread through my chest. I was incredibly happy, maybe more than I’d ever been.

Feeling like you found your place, that you were cherished and cared for, it was like nothing I’d experienced. But it scared me a little.

The voice in the back of my head kept reminding me that it meant that I had a lot to lose.

23

Theo

Iwalked in through the garage door to hear music blasting through the speakers, banging in the kitchen, and some off tune singing thrown in the mix. I loved coming home to the noise. I used to hate the idea of coming home to mess, to people and expectations, but now I knew what I was missing all those years.

Although, it’s unlikely I would feel that way about anyone else filling up my home with life.

Quinn had been here every night since we got back from London two weeks ago. She’d tried to go home but with my negotiation skills, and my tongue, I was able to convince her to come home with me after she packed a bag.

We hadn’t talked about it exactly, but her makeup littered the counter in my bathroom, her clothes were hanging in my closet and every night I came home to her.

If I had it my way, she would never leave again.

As I walked into the kitchen I leaned against a wall to watch her. It was clear she hadn’t heard me come in since she was cooking something at the stove and using the spatula as a microphone. She was singing a song I didn’t recognize, and I smiled as she shook her hips. I was tempted to take my phone out and get a video but I wanted to enjoy the moment.

The woman was stunning, even though I saw her every day, she never failed to take my breath away.

She was wearing a pair of biker shorts and one of my t-shirts that was way too big on her, her red hair was piled on top of her head. I assumed she had waited to make food until I’d called to let her know I was on my way home so we could eat together. It was one of the things she always did, she didn’t want to eat without me unless she had to. If she was hungry, she fed herself for everyone’s safety. My girl got seriously hangry.

As she sang the verse, she did a one-eighty jump and then screamed and caught the spatula she had thrown in her fright. I laughed as she stomped to her phone to turn the music down.

“What the hell, Theo! You can’t do that to me!” She put the hand holding the utensil to her chest as she walked in front of me.

“I love you.”

I didn’t second-guess it or overthink the words. I knew what the feeling was in my chest, what I felt when I looked at her. And I didn’t want to fight it, or dance around telling her anymore.

“What?” She tossed the spatula on the counter and grabbed the remote to turn off the music this time. “What did you just say?” She stood there blinking at me.

“I love you. And you don’t have to say it back, I just wanted you to know. I love everything about you. How you love mint chocolate chip ice cream even though it tastes like toothpaste and you keep forcing me to try it because you think I’ll change my mind. I love that you put up with my friends’ bullshit and don’t question our rituals. I love that you’re driven to work hard and the passion you put into everything you do. I love how you ramble. I love the way you take care of everyone in your life with everything you have.

“I love you, every piece of you, and I wanted you to know.”