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“Afterward, Brett begged me not to go public about what happened, not for him, but for Kira and the baby. On the other hand, my father said if I did say anything about it, people would pity me. It would only serve to prove I wasn’t man enough to keep her satisfied and that’s why she chose my brother.”
“That fucker,” Millie mumbles, and I’m not sure I’ll ever get over the fact that she has always been on my side. From the moment we met, she has been in my corner, and I barely restrain myself from curling my hand around her cheek, appreciating her angry growl.
She’s so cute. I love her.
“Yeah. Exactly. So when you asked, I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to pity me. I didn’t want you to think less of me. I didn’t want any of it to be true—prove that I am the spare.”
She jerks up, angry. “You are not the—”
“I know I’m not, but you have to know that’s why I haven’t told anyone. Especially you.”
She blinks a few times, considering me. “I appreciate you finally telling me, and I’m glad you’re getting help to work through all of it. I can imagine how it’s been affecting every aspect of your life.”
I rub at my beard and ask the question that I know the answer to but need to hear it out loud anyway. “You don’t think less of me?”
She places her hand on her chest like I’ve wronged her for even asking. “Of course not. Knowing all of this, it puts you on an even higher pedestal. It’s impressive that you’re such a good person when your whole family sucks.”
I hold my hand out on the table, and when she places her palm in mine, I grip it tightly. Like a lifeline. “I’ve loved you from the first moment I saw you, and even though you are so far out of my league, I’m shooting for the moon with you. I’m doing therapy a few times a week, reaching out more to my teammates, and I’ve even become…friendly with Camden Long and Nico Tremblay. I’m making a life here in Philadelphia, and I want you in it, Millie. I want you forever, if you’ll have me.”
She lowers her gaze, thinking for a long time, but when she answers, it’s not what I expect. “I’ve been looking into school programs, and I’m going to apply.”
“That’s great, Mills. Really, I—”
“I won’t go until after Mom is… I don’t have it in me to concentrate on all of that at the same time. I know that sounds weak, but—”
“You’re not weak. You know yourself, and you know what you can handle. If you want to wait, then you wait. There is no expiration date on college.”
Always straight to the point, Millie tells me, “I wanted you to know what my plans are because I have goals I want to accomplish. I’m not going to give them up because I like your beard and you have the ability to write a big check.”
“Understood. I don’t want you to give anything up for me.”
“And if you say you want me in your life, that also means you’re getting Noah and my mom too.”
I take both of her hands in mine, kissing her fingertips. “Three-for-one deal. How can I pass that up?”
“And…” Her doe eyes turn glassy. “I’m going to need you in the next few months. It’s going to be really hard, and I need you to be the one to hold it together because I know I won’t be able to.”
“If there is one thing you’ve taught me, it’s that we need to take care of each other. Sometimes you’ll be the strong one, sometimes I’ll be the strong one, and sometimes we’ll need to lean on even more people for help. But I promise, I’m always going to hold you up. Even if I’ve got to recruit some teammates to help me. You’re never going to have to worry about carrying the load alone.”
Swiping a tear off her cheek, I lean over the table to chance a kiss on her mouth, which she accepts with gentle pulls at my lips. And when I settle back in my chair, I brush a lock of hair behind her ear. “So, what do you think? Will you let me carry some of the weight?”
CHAPTER 31
MILLIE
I’m not exactly known for making rash decisions, but when my hour for lunch came to an end, I very simply did not want to go back into the office. Especially when Austin held my hand, offering his support for whatever decision I wanted to make, so I asked him if he happened to have any Thunder merch in his car to soften the blow.
He didn’t, but when I walked into the office with The Austin Ashwood trailing behind me, my boss didn’t put up much of a fight when I told him I was quitting, effective immediately. Then Austin autographed a few pieces of paper, shook my boss’s hand, and we walked right back out.
Straight to his apartment.
“Hello, beautiful.”
I gasp in delight, running straight to Harold, who clucks and ruffles his feathers. “Treat! Millie, treat, please! Millie! Millie! Hello, beautiful!”
I open his cage to pet and kiss him and whisper words about how much I missed him, how he’s such a smart and good bird, then head to the cabinet that I dubbed Harold’s and retrieve some walnuts, which he happily takes from me.
“Mommy and Daddy are going to have a little talk in his bedroom,” I tell him. “I need you to be a good boy and keep yourself occupied for a little while, but then I’ll come play with you.”
