Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 103721 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 519(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103721 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 519(@200wpm)___ 415(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
All eyes are on Shea as he answers. “Hey, Dad—” When he cuts off, panic fills his face. I find myself unable to breathe as I watch his lips press to a thin line before he stands. He leaves the room, and Elli follows closely behind him. When we hear the door shut, everyone is looking around at one another. Usually, we’d joke and try to figure out what the parents are talking about, but this doesn’t seem like a laughing matter. Something is truly wrong.
When Shelli clears her throat, we all look at her. “What’s your announcement, Quinny?”
“I wanted to wait for Mom—”
“Distract us, please,” Posey says, her eyes cutting to the hall and then back to him. “You can tell them later.”
Quinn’s eyes dart to mine, and I shrug. “Up to you.”
“Well, if he knows, I want to know,” Shelli demands, and Posey looks over at their baby brother.
“Exactly. Spill the beans,” she insists, and Quinn looks to his sisters since we all know on this side of the table.
Without confirming with Ava, he clears his throat. “Um, so, ugh, Ava and I are engaged.”
“No, you’re not,” Shelli laughs. Beside her, Posey spurts with laughter, but neither Boon nor Aiden is laughing. “I don’t even think you like her.”
Yeah, Shelli doesn’t have a filter. Beside me, Cameron snickers and Callie nods.
Between her chuckles, Posey adds, “And she’s not Emery.”
“Thank you, Captain Obvious,” Quinn says somberly.
“I don’t know why you all are laughing. We’re engaged,” Ava snaps, and I press my lips together, looking down on my plate. She’s about to find out quickly who Posey and Shelli Adler are. They can change their last names, but they can’t change that fiery Adler blood.
“Excuse me?” Posey exclaims, and Shelli whips her head in Ava’s direction.
“They laugh because we’ve seen him with Emery,” Callie says, much to my surprise. “When you see a person so in love with someone move on to a girl he doesn’t even want to touch, it’s hard for us to believe.”
“I mean, look at his parents,” Cameron says, lifting her hand toward the hall. “That is what true love is. I don’t know what y’all got going on, but if I find out you’re blackmailing him, no threat in this world will live up to what I’ll do to you.”
Callie crosses her arms over her chest. “Yup.”
Posey nods. “Hell yeah.”
“I’ll strap my baby, the one who’s asleep in the other room and whom you don’t know about because you don’t know anything about us, to my chest and bring snacks to support my girls,” Shelli adds, and the silence that falls over the table is so tense, I feel like breathing isn’t an option.
“Don’t you ever utter that sentence to Mom,” Posey threatens, her gaze locking on the baby of the family. “Not until you get your shit together, kid. This isn’t funny.”
“If you’re trying to get over Emery, bruh, this isn’t how,” Aiden offers. “I love my sister, but she wouldn’t want this.”
“It’s not about Emery,” Quinn tries, but that’s hard for any of us to believe.
“He doesn’t even love her anymore,” Ava adds. “He loves me.”
I know I’m an asshole for laughing, but I can’t help it.
Quinn cuts a death look my way, and I snap my mouth shut. Before I can utter an actual apology or even a roundabout one, Elli comes into the room without Shea. I don’t have to look hard to see the tears flowing down her cheeks, and my stomach drops. No, this can’t be happening.
Instantly, I stand, as does Evan, while Elli clears her throat. “Grandma had a stroke, and it’s not good.”
As questions are fired at Elli, I stay with my hand in Cameron’s, wishing like hell that all the questions were directed at Quinn about his upcoming nuptials. Not about the health of the grandma I never knew I needed. I swallow thickly just as Cameron’s hand squeezes mine three times. I look over at her, and I have to remind myself she doesn’t know the truth of that motion, but I can’t help the way my heart swells.
Without hesitation, I whisper, “I got you.”
She shakes her head with a soft smile. “No, I got you.”
I’ve been told that many times, by family, friends, and teammates, and I’ve always questioned if they meant it.
But hearing those words from my forever?
I don’t question a thing.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Cameron
I can tell that no one wanted to leave when Elli asked for everyone to do just that. They all wanted to stay, support their parents—hell, I wanted to do the same—but Elli and Shea needed to pack to head to Boston to be with Shea’s parents. I think everyone was so worried that they all forgot about Ava and Quinn. I feel as if even Quinn didn’t care anymore; he only cared about his grandma. He had offered to fly with them, but Elli said they needed to go first to see what was truly going on. The fear in the house was palpable as I helped with the dishes, but no one spoke as we made sure the house was clean for Elli and Shea. I wanted to do more, but Elli ushered us out with a promise to call as soon as she knew something. Before today, I had only met Shea’s parents once, at Owen’s wedding, and they were so kind, so loving. Grandma Adler seemed to be in great health, and I’m floored by the fact she had a stroke.