Page 80 of Sidelined By Love

He snorts loudly. “No, I want you to go to LA.”

“How. Is. That. Not. Leaving?” I want to scream at him to start making sense. I want him to tell me what’s on his mind. I want him to want to hold me and never let me go.

His eyebrows are still pinched together as he looks up at me. “I want you to get the role.”

When I lower myself back to the cement at his side, I wince at the frozen seat then lay a hand on his forearm. The muscles there bunch and flex, and I squeeze hard to make sure I have his attention. “I didn’t get the audition. You know that.”

Suddenly his chin cocks to the side. “You don’t know.”

“Know what?”

His laugh is sweet yet throaty as he stabs his fingers through his morning hair. “Zoe, they’re going to give you an audition.”

“Knight already said no.”

“Oh, you silly girl!” He scoops me up and deposits me on his lap with a full chuckle. “I made a deal with the executive producer. I’m going to be a consultant on the movie during the off-season.”

“In exchange for what?”

“For giving you a real chance at the role. You still have to audition—to earn it. But now at least you have a shot. No tabloids or rumors or anything else in your way. Just you and your skills.”

Nothing comes out of my mouth when I open it. Which isn’t exactly surprising. Because my brain is completely blank too. I have no words, no ideas, no nothing. Just . . . just . . .

“Won’t that land you in papers you’d rather not be in?”

He shrugs. “For you. Worth it.”

Flinging my arms around him, I press my face into the spot where his neck meets his shoulder.

“Careful there. I was just on a run.”

I don’t care if he doesn’t smell like daisies. He smells likehim. Like hard work and fresh air and kindness. And Grant Reddington.

And he did that for me.

“Why? How? When? You thought I thought we were a waste of time.”

“Because I knew we weren’t.” His shoulders tense, every part of me that’s touching him suddenly on high alert. “Because I’m in love with you, Peebles.”

“No!” I push myself away just in time to catch the look in his wild eyes. “I was going to say it first.”

His silent laugh shakes his whole body. “My apologies. Please . . .”

I roll my eyes before meeting his gaze straight on. “I love you, Grant. Not because you’re in the NFL. Or because you have a beautiful home. Or because my Nan thinks you’re incredibly handsome.”

“She does?”

“Yes.”

“What about you?” That ridiculous smirk is back, and it’s knotting up my insides all over again.

“You’re . . . whatever.”

“And that’s why you love me? Because I’m whatever?”

“No. I love you because you run with shelter dogs every morning. I love you because you took in your niece when she needed a home. I love you because there’s this bedrock in you that makes me feel protected. You won’t lie to me, and you won’t use me. I love you because you make me laugh and you’re still a safe place to cry.”

His thumb swipes under my eye. “But no more tears, okay?”

---