Page 87 of Pucking Rebound

“This.” He pulls me into his arms, surrounding me with his scent and kindness. “I can’t let you leave when you’re upset. You’re fucking breaking my heart, baby. And I won’t let you push me away. When you need me, you tell me, and if I say something to upset you, you tell me. And I know you say we can’t be anything more than whatever this is, but just know that if I had it my way, we would be.” He kisses the top of my head. “Your ex cheated on you. You discovered he’s been stealing your money.You’ve had to move. You’re trying your best to run your father’s empire from afar while doing some sort of covert shit for the Eagles. You’ve been through so much trauma, you’re physically in pain. Add me into the mix, which is kind of a complication and you’re struggling, but trying your best to keep it all together.”

The way Jordy notices everything about me shows me he cares, which makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

“My life is so confusing. Everything’s a mess.”

“It won’t be like this forever.”

How can he be sure of that?

“I’m so tired,” I confess, tucking myself under his chin.

“Come back to my place and stay with me tonight.”

I must take too long to respond.

“Just to sleep, nothing else,” he adds.

“Okay.” I give in because, for some peculiar reason, I sleep better when I’m next to him. “I’m hungry.”

“I know you are. Your stomach rumbled the entire time we were making a snowman,” he says, making me chuckle.

“Your soup sounds wonderful.” The guilt from pushing him away twists in my stomach. I shouldn’t have done that.

“Well, let’s go back to my place. I’ll feed you, then tuck you into bed. Let me look after you.” His voice is full of determination.

“I might need a shower to warm up first.”

“Whatever you need, Lola.”

“I need this.” I wrap my arms around him as best as I can in the awkward space and hug him tight.

“I might not have known you for very long, but I see you spiraling, and you need me tonight. Also, for purely selfish reasons, I like having you around and need you in my bed to make sure you’re okay. I won’t sleep otherwise because I hate seeing you upset,” he admits. “And tonight might be the lastnight I see you for a while as I have a tight schedule from now until the new year.”

My feelings for him have become confusing, my head is swirling with disappointment because whatever is happening between us, I like. Love it.

“Next year has got to be better than this one, Jordy.”

“It will be.”

“You think so?”

“Great things are coming into your life, Lola. I feel it in my bones.”

They can’t get any worse, can they?

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Lola

Unknown number:

Merry Christmas xoxoxox

Me:

Leave me alone, Graham.

Unknown number:

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