Chapter 20

CHAPTER TWENTY

Lola

“Hello,” I call, letting myself into Wade’s house, and drop my purse onto the light oak wood table I picked out for him last week. “Perfect.” I give myself a pat on the back.

“Arrived this morning.” Wade bounces down the stairs wearing only a pair of gray joggers.

He’s probably already been to the gym this morning, ran a million miles, and done sixty-five thousand upside down sit up things he does every day. He admitted to me he likes working out, whereas I, on the other hand, am not such a big fan.

“Goes great with the staircase.” I point to the solid wooden spindles.

“It really does.” He looks from the staircase to the table. “You have a great eye for detail. I love what you did in the closet.”

“It will make choosing what pair of sneakers to wear easier.” I took a Polaroid of each one and stuck it to the outside of every box. “Black ones with red bits, black ones with white bits, or black ones with yellow bits, and finally, just black. It’s a tough choice and I can see why it takes you such a long time to get ready every day,” I say, mocking him for owning so many pairs that look similar.

“Someone’s salty today.” He chuckles as he stands to his full height and folds his arms across his chest making his muscles bulge. I’m a half-pint by comparison.

A teacup, apparently,

“How are you?” Wade asks.

“Fine.”

“You’re not fine. You went out on a bender last night after the game with your friend and didn’t come home. That’s not fine.”

Home.

Which this is for now.

Little does Wade know I wasn’t out on a bender, instead, I spent all night with his best friend. I hate keeping us under wraps but it’s a necessary evil.

“I promise, I’m okay, Wade.” I walk past him, touching his arm reassuringly, and drop my overnight bag I took to Jordy’s at the foot of the stairs.

“You look like you’ve been crying.”

“I was earlier. Got it all out of my system.” Jordy held me while I cried like a big pathetic baby in his arms. Arms I could have stayed in all day.

“I bought ice cream,” Wade says abruptly. “Jordy said girls like ice cream when they are going through a breakup, which Kali confirmed.” Nibbling his bottom lip, he looks nervous.

“You bought me ice cream?” I can’t prevent the smile shaping my lips at his kind gesture.

“Caramel, coconut, strawberry, a few others.”

“Did you buy the shop?”

“Pretty much.” Red fills his cheeks with color.

“Thank you.” Built like a tank, he’s hard as nails but he’s a big softie at heart.

It’s hard to believe we share the same mom. Where he’s tall, I’m short, he’s dark haired while I am blonde, like my mom I guess, but where Wade is broad, I am half his width.

And dimples, he has none, while you can stick a pinky finger in mine and lose it.

“You know where I am if you need me, Lola.”

“Thank you.”

“Okay, sentimental shit done, I need to show you something.” Wade turns on his socked feet and leads me to the kitchen. “And remind me to hire a pool boy.”

“Already done and I hired a landscaper.”

“Hell, I knew there was a reason I liked you,” he says, walking into the kitchen which is bigger than some of the restaurants I own. “Now, you can’t say a thing to anyone.” Circling the kitchen island, he pulls open a drawer.

“My lips are sealed.” What’s another secret to add to my growing list?

I pretend to lock my lips with an invisible key as he pulls out what looks like a ring box from the drawer and places it on top of the counter.

“Is that?” My jaw drops.

“Open it. I wanted your opinion.” He slides it across the counter. “It can go back if it’s not right,” he mumbles as if not so sure he made the right choice.

Flipping the lid open reveals the biggest black diamond I have ever seen, set inside a silver, oh, I think it’s a platinum band with diamond tapered shoulders.

I look up, then back down at the ring, and back up again. “Are you going to ask Kali to marry you?” I ask, excitement making me bounce up and down.

“Yes. Christmas Day,” he says confidently, then he appears to doubt himself as he adds, “Is that too cliché?”

“It’s perfect, but when did you…”

“This morning after the gym when I was driving back, I stopped at the jeweler’s.”

“I missed out on the good spending money parts. Yesterday I bought you a new air fryer when this is what I should have been involved with buying instead.” I drop my shoulders, holding the ring box between my fingers. “I’m so happy for you, Wade.”

“Do you like it?”

“I do.” I nod, feeling myself welling up.

“Oh God, I’m sorry, this is so insensitive of me. You’ve just broken up with your fiancé and canceled your wedding.” Wade steps closer, takes the box out of my hand, and smooshes me against his chest. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”

I’m not upset about Graham, or the wedding, or any of that bullshit. I’m upset because I wish I had been a part of Wade’s life from the very beginning. We missed out on so much. Birthdays, playing together, Thanksgiving. Celebrations. Everything.

Him sharing his life-changing moment with me feels special.

“I’m sorry, Lola, I promise I will make it up to you tonight with a movie and ice cream.”

“Okay, but only if you invite Kali too.” I want to spend as much time as possible with both of them because I love them equally.

Pushing myself out of his arms, I run my finger under my bottom lashes to wipe away any of the mascara I reapplied before leaving Jordy’s.

“I have lunch plans with Piper. How do I look?”

“Fucking terrible.” He places the ring box on the counter.

“What?” I gasp, making Wade laugh out loud.

Grabbing a dish towel, I spin it to a fine point and flick it, whipping it against his bare chest. He flinches, trying to run away, but I’m too fast and get him again.

“Ouch. That fucking stings like a bitch.” He rubs the spot I whipped.

“You’re supposed to be nice to me and tell me I look fine.”

I love the relationship I have with Wade. We already act like brother and sister. If only he could see that for himself.

“I’d be lying to you if I said that. I can’t let you go out for lunch looking like you’ve been pepper sprayed.”

“Okay, fair point. I need to redo my makeup.”

“Just take it all off. You’re pretty without it.”

“Yeah?”

He nods. “Graham is fucking stupid for doing what he did to you. Kali told me everything and you shouldn’t blame yourself for any of it. You’re not alone. Kali and I are here for you. My home is yours for the foreseeable. In fact, I’m making a new rule that you stay here indefinitely. You’re safer inside the compound, where he can’t get to you.”

My throat tightens at his words. “I appreciate that more than you know.”

He waves his hand through the air to signify the conversation is over. “Enough of this sentimental shit.” Wade walks out of the kitchen, eyeing the oversized clock on the wall. “I have to get to training and I’m already running late. Enjoy lunch with Piper. I don’t care how long the list of shit you need to do for me is today, forget it. Take the afternoon off and we’ll see you later for movie night.”

“Thanks, Wade,” I whisper, and knowing he can’t hear me, I add, “You’re a top brother.”