Page 90 of Rebound

“He’s wonderful to me. I think he models Aiden and Colt, but he’s a great husband.”

“So, why don’t you tell him you love him?”

“Love was not one of our conditions. This was for Jasmine and my grandma. It will make things weird, especially since he doesn’t feel the same way.”

Jeannie puts the dress over my head, careful that it doesn’t touch my face. Once it’s on, she goes behind me and zips it. It’s a perfect fit, and never did I imagine I would wear a dress like this. Especially after seeing the price tag.

“Are you sure he doesn’t feel the same way?” she asks gently.

My head snaps up and our eyes lock through the mirror. Sure, the sex is incredible, and he always holds me at night. He’s gentle. He gets me flowers and has given me access to everything in his life, including his deepest secrets. He also trusts me with his money, and I’m in the process of getting repairs done on my mom’s house. He’s talked about his childhood and upbringing. He takes care of my grandma and me. But the thing that sticks out the most in my head is how he held me in his arms the other night when I was upset about my grandmother’s condition.

“He doesn’t,” I say.

“Really.” She takes her phone and hands it to me. “Look through those pictures.”

I snatch the phone from her. There are several photos, and in most of them, Seth is looking at me. Even when I’m not next to him, he’s looking at me from across the room. In one of the pictures, he’s talking to Coach and I’m talking to Vickie, but we’re holding hands. There’s one of me holding Jasmine, and I can see how emotional he is as he watches us.

“Those looks say otherwise. Tell him.”

Chapter 57

Seth

I hand Layla my phone so she can talk to my dad. I’ve had enough of him congratulating me and crying, but he says these are tears of joy today after he apologized for not being able to be here. He assured me he was working on it, and his next milestone would be coming to visit me in the big city.

Normally, I would have rolled my eyes and said I’m used to him not being there for me, but not today. I’m too happy today. Instead, I told him that I would be here waiting for him. Thatwewould be here. He was satisfied with that and seemed to sigh in relief.

Once Layla’s done talking, I take her to the corner of the room. The things Coach said to me stick out in my mind. Could he be right? Am I on the cusp of having it all?

“Do you know when dinner is?” she whispers. “I’m hungry, and all I’ve seen so far has been appetizers.” Just as the words leave her mouth, a server walks by, and I take a plate off his tray. It’s a fruit plate, and I feed Layla a piece of cantaloupe.

“Why are you blushing? I’ve put bigger things in your mouth,” I whisper. She gasps at my words and playfully punches me. “So,” I say, after I nervously clear my throat, “Coach showed me some pictures on his phone. In all of them, you arelooking at me like you want to have me for dessert. You looked like you wanted to gobble me up like this cantaloupe.”

Her eyes widen at my words then she starts to cough on her fruit. I whack her on the back until she regains control of herself. She stands and grins.

“Huh,” she says. “That’s funny because Jeannie showed me some pictures and in all of them you looked like you have it bad forme.”

I offer her another piece of fruit. A strawberry this time. When she inches closer to get it, I move it out of her reach. “Not so fast,” I throw in. “I think you have something you want to say to me. Say it, and you can have this.”

“Excuse me, but I think it’s you who has something to say tome.” She points at herself and reaches for the strawberry again, but I take a step away. She moves closer.

“Just say them. Three little words. Three syllables, and you can have this and we can go. Jasmine’s staying with the Chastains, and I get to do you every which way at the Plaza.”

“The only thing you’ll be doing tonight is yourself. Come on Seth Herman Wakowski. Confess.”

I look around, shocked that she would use that middle name in public where other people might hear. “Don’tevercall me the H word,” I hiss. “I hate that name.”

“Say it,” she taunts. “Or I’ll tell everyone your middle name is Herman.”

“You say it,” I say back, “and I’ll deny that’s my name.”

“Nope.” She crosses her arms and looks away. I put the plate on a nearby bookshelf and put my hands on her shoulders.

“Have I told you how beautiful you look today?”

She looks up and bats her long eyelashes at me. “You have,” she says, smiling so wide she shows off all herteeth.

“I never realized how big your teeth were before today,” I say as I pretend to study them. She closes her mouth and pinches my arm. “Just say it, and I’ll give you the name of a good dentist.” I start to laugh, and so does she. She laughs so hard she snorts.

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