Awful. Terrible. Horrendous.
“Good. There was a five-car pileup. That was exciting.”
His husky laugh tickled my ear. “Sometimes I think I should be worried about the weird things that excite you.”
I giggled. “What about you? How was practice?”
“It was okay. I probably won’t be able to walk tomorrow. My quads hurt so bad.”
“Mmmm, sounds like you need a good rubdown.”
“You have no idea. I would sell my soul to the devil himself to have you here with me right now.”
“Me too, Brody. This is harder than I thought it would be. How are we going to make it seven, eight months?”
“We’ll just have to make more of an effort to carve out time for each other. Maybe tomorrow, as soon as practice ends, I’ll grab D and head straight up there?”
I paused for a second, excited at the thought but not sure we had space. “I’ll have to check with Mom; I don’t know if there are any rooms available.” The girls knew that Brody and I were together now, but I still didn’t think it was appropriate for them to know we were sleeping in the same bed, so Brody still stayed in a guest room when he was here.
A suspicious laugh filled the line. “You check with her and get back to me.”
“I feel bad, though, making you drive all that way for just one night.”
“Kacie, I’d drive twenty hours for just one kiss from you.” Hearing him say that made my belly warm. How was I so lucky to snag the greatest guy in the world? “I’d expect a little tongue with that kiss, but you get my point.”
I laughed loudly. “There’s the Brody I know and love.”
“I want to see you, though. It’s only been a couple days and I already miss my girls—all three of you.”
“We miss you too. I’ll check with my mom in the morning and get back to you, okay?”
“You do that.” I could tell he was smiling.
“Okay, I’m off to bed.”
“All right, babe. Dream about me. I love you.”
“I love you, Brody.”
“Good morning!” I bounced into the kitchen.
“Hi?” Mom said, turning to face me from the stove. “What’s with you today? You’re unusually perky.”
“Nothing. Just excited to see Brody tonight.” The girls had already finished eating and were coloring at the island as I walked over and kissed them on the tops of their heads.
Mom rolled her eyes and chuckled. “It’s only been a couple days since you two have seen each other.”
“I know.” I went over to the stove and scooped up some scrambled eggs on my plate before I sat with Lucy and Piper at the island. “I’m pathetic.”
“A little, but it’s sweet.” She winked at me.
“Wait! Before I get too excited, is there a guest room available tonight?”
Mom turned back from the stove with a blank look on her face and stared at me. After a second she pulled her brows in and tilted her head to the side suspiciously. “Did he not tell you?”
I was confused. “Tell me what?”
A slow grin grew on her face and she slowly shook her head. “Oh, that boy. You better hold on to him, Kacie.”
“What are you talking about?”
“When he told me about you being uncomfortable, um…” She glanced at the girls and back at me. I could tell she was trying to speak in code because of them. “…being roommates at night, I told him that he was welcome to a guest room anytime he wanted one. I said I’d save one for him.” She walked over to the island and put her hand on her hip while I continued shoveling eggs into my mouth. “He insisted I not be out any money because of all this, so he prepaid for one guest room for an entire year. Three hundred and sixty-five nights.”
My mouth fell open as my fork dropped to the plate, making a horrible clanging noise. “He paid for a whole year?”
She nodded. “A whole year. He’s crazy about you, girl, and clearly confident in your relationship—at least for a year.”
“Be right back!” I jumped off the stool and ran to my bedroom, grabbing my phone off the nightstand.
YOU PAID FOR A WHOLE YEAR?!?!?
My foot tapped impatiently for two minutes as I waited for his response. Finally, my phone beeped.
B: YOU TALKED TO YOUR MOM, HUH?
WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME?
B: WHAT? AND MISS THIS MOMENT? ARE YOU KIDDING? SURPRISING YOU IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS IN THE WORLD, KACIE. WELL, THAT AND WATCHING THE LOOK ON YOUR FACE WHEN YOU COME.
My stomach flipped as I read his last text. That man was perfection.
B: YOU STILL THERE?
Oh, shit.
SORRY, I’M HERE. JUST THINKING ABOUT… YOU. EVERYTHING YOU’VE DONE FOR ME, THE SURPRISES, THE GESTURES. I HAVE NO WORDS. HOW CAN I EVER REPAY YOU FOR ALL YOU DO FOR ME?
B: WELL, YOU COULD REPAY ME TONIGHT BY SHOWING ME THAT LOOK I WAS TALKING ABOUT.
UH, ABSO-FREAKING-LUTELY. YOU MIGHT SEE IT MORE THAN ONCE. ;)
B: HOLY SHIT! THE WINKY FACE! I’VE BEEN WORKING FOR THAT ELUSIVE LITTLE BASTARD FOR MONTHS NOW!
What?
WHAT?