Chapter 29

Kali

The soft thrumming rock music plays through Wade's sound system in his truck.

Driving toward Gretchen's grave, his hand has never left my thigh. Drumming his fingers on the steering wheel in time with the music, I get the sense he's nervous about me coming today.

Following a successful sixty-second quick-fire QA, where I discovered Wade's wittier than he lets on—his sense of humor is drier than a breadstick and had Lola and I in stitches—Casey, the videographer, convinced him to do the viral tortilla slap challenge with Jayden Spurr.

Watching a professional hockey and basketball player slap the hell out of each with a tortilla with their cheeks full of water while trying not to laugh was the funniest thing we've filmed in the office since I opened the doors of KRPR. Wearing ponchos to protect their clothes, neither of them held back, spraying water at each other as they struggled to contain their own laughter and it pulled the attention of everyone in the office.

Wade isn't bad, or wild like the media would have everyone believing. He's just misunderstood and in need of some guidance. Which I'm more than happy to help with.

I like every part of him, even the broken parts.

He has no one.

I want to be his someone.

Be everything he needs.

Squeezing my hand, he surprises me when he asks me out of the blue, "Did you DM Zane the other night?"

"Yes," I answer honestly. I have nothing to hide.

Jaw twitching, he looks pissed about that, which makes me smile. I put him out of his misery. "And Spike, Lucas, Jordy, pretty much the whole team. I asked them for photos of themselves in their uniforms when they played for their peewee team." I lay my head back on the headrest and twist my neck to stare at the side of his face. "It's for the now and then guess the player post for your social media. It will help connect you with your team, increase engagement. It'll be fun."

Lifting my hand to his mouth, he kisses the back of it. "You make me feel stuff." He taps another kiss on my hand.

"You'll have to explain." I don't understand.

"The idea of you with another man… I can't even say the words."

His admission makes happiness bubble in my chest. "The thought of you being with another woman makes me want to scratch their eyes out," I confess.

He lifts his chin as if he's basking in the power he has over me. I'm obsessed with him. Fuck power suits, I'd choose black skinny jeans and Converse over those, any day of the week.

My hand in his, I point to his blue and yellow G-Shock watch. "Did Gretchen buy you this?"

"She did." He nods. "How did you guess?"

"You fiddle with it often. I figured it was special to you."

Smiling, he squeezes my hand again.

We're quiet for the rest of the ride, until he announces we've arrived.

Driving gingerly across the asphalt, over to where Gretchen lays in peace, he parks next to her grave.

Out of the passenger window, I admire the heart-shaped headstone with gold gilded lettering. Much smaller than I thought, it's understated, but carved out of the finest pearlescent marble.

The way Wade loves her makes me wish she were still here for him.

When I lost my grandmother, at least my sister and I had each other. Wade is all alone in this world with no one to share his memories of her with.

My heart aches for him.

It's no wonder he lost his way.

Grabbing the pink peonies I bought for him off the back seat, I pull the handle and click open the door, signaling for him to do the same because I can feel his hesitation.

Waiting for him by Gretchen's graveside, he eventually joins me.

"I talk to her sometimes," he mumbles as if he's embarrassed, but he doesn't have to be. I just want him to feel secure enough around me to be himself.

I bend down to place the arrangement of flowers in front of the headstone and read the engraved words under her name.

Loving and so loved.

"Hi, Gretchen, I'm Kali. Wade's pub…" I start, then change my mind. "Girlfriend." I wipe a small cobweb off the marble. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you." I stand upright and step back by his side, taking his hand in mine.

"Girlfriend?"

"Publicist, girlfriend. Same difference." I keep facing forward. "Wade told me everything you did for him and how hard you loved him." I pause, emotion catching in my throat. "Not in this lifetime, but maybe one day I will meet you to thank you properly. He misses you, Gretchen. He won't admit how much, because as you probably know, your boy is super stubborn." I look over at Wade, who is staring at me, eyes roaming my face as if not knowing how to school his emotions. "Are you not going to say hello? Tell her how busy you've been and how you haven't gotten into a fight in weeks. It's kind of a miracle. He's even doing yoga."

In spite of where we are, he bursts out laughing and then looks back at the headstone. "You can see why I like her, right? She's feisty, like you." He lets go of my hand and pulls me into his arms. "Kali Roth, will you be my date tomorrow night at the gala?" His mood is suddenly buoyant, his voice filled with cheer.

I tilt my head to the side. "I may have been lying when I said I had a date."

"She's trouble, Gretch." His hypnotizing blue eyes pierce my soul.

"I'm not the one that's trouble. You're the one who only ordered coffee from Tim Hortons. Just coffee. What happened to the donuts? I'm placing our order the next time." What was he thinking? Their donuts are the best.

For the next ten minutes, we continue our bantering, tidying up any loose leaves and rogue weeds around Gretchen's sacred space, until it's time to leave. I adore how Wade waves goodbye and tells her how busy he'll be over the next few weeks and when he'll visit next.

Back in the truck, before we drive away, I say, "Thank you for sharing her with me."

He leans over the center console and pulls me in for a kiss. "Thank you for being here. She would have loved you."

Could he love me?

It's too early for that. Shut up, Kali.

He kisses the tip of my nose, and my stomach rumbles, breaking our heartfelt moment.

"I'm hungry," I announce, as if that wasn't obvious.

"Me too."

"What do you want to eat tonight?" I ask, stealing a kiss.

"You."