Chapter 21

Twenty-One

“W hat do you say to ordering pizza tonight?” Tori asked Emmett.

“With breadsticks?” he asked.

“Now you’re talking.” She sat next to him and pulled out her phone.

They spent a few minutes making their dinner order together. She paid and set her phone down again.

Emmett was watching some weird cartoon, and she stretched out on the sofa to wait for the pizza. It was a lazy kind of night.

No news from anyone today about Chance’s meeting. She wasn’t sure if that was good or bad, and it was tearing her stomach up just thinking about it.

She worked from home today and was in leggings and Chance’s jersey trying to send positive vibes his way. Emmett was also sporting Chance’s jersey but that was a coincidence not planning on her part.

She wanted to call Maddox but figured if there was anything to say, he would tell her. She’d given him her number when they got back Saturday, and he promised to let her know.

They could still be talking to Chance, but his meeting was three hours ago. If they were still talking, then it probably wasn’t good news. Sitting up, she grabbed her phone and searched for him on the internet again. Nothing, still.

“When this goes over, we can pick out a movie. I’ll get plates and we can eat at the coffee table picnic style,” she told Emmett.

“Cool,” he said and started pulling up their streaming service to find a movie.

“Nothing with fart jokes,” she told him and went to get the plates.

Her doorbell rang and again Emmett beat her to it. She assumed it was the pizza delivery, so hurried after him. She needed to talk to him, again, about answering the damn door.

Surprise didn’t cover it. Standing in her foyer was Chance, someone she hadn’t expected to see for a while other than from afar. In his hands was a bouquet of flowers and a wrapped box.

“This is for you,” he handed the box to Emmett. “These are for you,” he handed her the flowers.

Tori stood speechless, staring at him.

“You’re supposed to take those, mom,” Emmett told her.

She blinked a few times before reaching for them. “Thank you,” she whispered.

“They reminded me of you. Organized chaos,” he smiled.

Just behind him someone cleared their throat. Chance turned, accepting the pizza and giving the man a tip before closing the door.

“I already tipped him,” she told him.

“Then tonight was his lucky night.”

She and Chance were still standing in the foyer. Tori was afraid to move, and he disappear.

“Are you here for the pizza picnic?” Emmett asked.

Chance arched a brow at her in question.

“Emmett, did you open your gift?” she asked.

He held up a new soccer ball to her. “Yep. Thank you,” he said to Chance.

“You’re welcome, bud. Can you do me a favor and keep looking for a movie while I talk to your mom?”

She turned to see how he knew that’s what was happening, but Emmett was scrolling in the living room already. You could see it from where they were.

“Can I put these somewhere?” Chance lifted the pizza boxes.

“Oh my gosh. Yes. Sorry. Kitchen.” She carried the flowers with her and led the way. “We are having a pizza picnic in the living room.”

“That’s what he said.”

Tori set the paper plates down and looked at Chance. “What happened today?”

“That’s your question?” he asked.

“I have a lot of questions.”

“Is that my jersey?” he asked, looking down at her.

Tori blushed and nodded. “Sam gave us some gifts Saturday. I went to see him about you.”

“He told me.”

“So do you get to keep playing?” she asked.

Chance shrugged. “I dont’ know. I ran out after he told me you came. I needed to see you.”

“Chance. That was hours ago. You haven’t found out?” Tori gripped the counter.

He shook his head. “No. None of it mattered without you two. I needed to come and tell you how sorry I am for everything.”

“I’m the one that’s sorry. I should have talked to you about what I heard instead of believing them. I never meant to hurt you. I thought I was protecting me and Emmett. I’m so sorry. I miss you.” Tears fell and she did nothing to stop them.

“I don’t want to know what happens next if it doesn’t happen with you,” he told her.

Chance closed the gap between them and took her mouth in a kiss. It was deep and passionate and everything they both needed it to be, a promise of more.

“Eew,” Emmett said from the other side of the kitchen. “Can I have my pizza?”

Tori backed away from Chance with an embarrased laugh.

“I’m going to date your mom and kiss her a lot, okay?” Chance said to Emmett.

“I don’t want to see that.” Emmett’s face twisted in disgust.

“How about if I try not to kiss her too much when you’re around? Will that work?” Chance offered.

“I guess,” he groaned.

Tori grabbed a plate and opened the pizza and breadsticks to get some from Emmett when her doorbell rang again.

“Catch him,” she yelled at Chance as Emmett took off.

He did, grabbing him around the waist and carrying him sideways to the door. Tori laughed at the antics and fixed Emmett’s plate.

She and Chance had a lot to sort out and talk about but she was happy he was here. Beyond happy.

“I know you,” she heard Emmett say.

Tori set the plate down and went to the foyer to see who had arrived. Sam was standing in her foyer, her door wide open once again. Emmett was still sideways at Chance’s hip.

“You forgot my name already?” Sam teased.

“Umm, I had to make room for school stuff,” Emmett said.

Chance set him down with a laugh. “Go get your food.”

“Pizza picnic,” he yelled.

“I’ll go help him,” she tried to back out and let them talk.

“Not happening,” Chance said. “Sam, come on into the kitchen. We can talk while Emmett eats.”

“Sorry to intrude,” Sam said as he followed. “I went to your place first and then Maddox gave me Tori’s address.”

“How can we help you?” Chance asked, putting his arm around Tori and tucking her into his side.

“You ran off earlier and I didn’t get to tell you about the team.”

“I fussed at him for that,” Tori told him.

Sam smiled at her. “I can see he had more important things to do and I don’t blame him for it at all. It looks like things are working out between you two?” he asked.

Chance grinned. “I hope so.”

“Well, let me get to the point and get out of the way. We decided not to remove you from Bardley. In light of everything that we learned about the situation, we believe that you were set up to look bad.”

“That’s great,” Tori said.

“Thank you, Sam. You won’t regret this,” Chance shook Sam’s hand.

“There is one thing. The team wants you back in the game on Saturday. Think you’re up for it?”

“I know I am.” He turned his head to Tori. “As long as you’re going to be there?” he asked her.

Tori laughed. “About that?—“

Sam cut her off with his own laughter. “I invited her and Emmett to come sit in the box with me for the game when I saw them Saturday. I also gave them a few gifts.” He gestured to her shirt.

“I already told him we’d go,” Tori confirmed.

Chance wrapped both arms around her and spun her around the room. “I’d say having my girl there guarantees that I’ll be there.”

“Good. I’ll get out of your way, then.”

“Let me walk you out.” Chance set her down and led Sam to the door.

Tori made a plate for both of them and waited for Chance to return. “I promised Emmett a pizza picnic.”

“Sounds like fun. What is it?” Chance grinned.

“Just pizza in the living room with a movie. He named it tonight.”

“Can I join you?” he asked.

Tori nodded.

Chance walked to her again. “I love you. Thank you for giving me another chance.”

She put her arms around his shoulders. “I love you, too. I promise to talk to you from now on.”

“Sounds great to me.” He kissed her again. “We better get this movie started.”

They settled in the living room with Tori leaning against Chance’s side and Emmett curled up on the floor. He preferred to be there when watching movies which worked out well for her being able to stretch out on the sofa. If Chance thought it was weird, he didn’t say anything.

After the movie, Emmett got ready for bed and Chance helped her clear away the mess.

“Do you want to stay over?” she asked him.

“I never wanted anything more,” he smiled back.