Page 69 of Endurance
She won.
However, bringing her to my dad’s today feels like anything but ordinary. It feels important. Things with Belle and me are happening crazy fast, but it feels right. Truthfully, I’ve always been this way. Once I decide on something, I go full steam ahead and I don’t let anything get in my way. What happened to me after Manchester was a bit of temporary blindness. I thought the heart couldn’t miss what it can’t see, but that was bollocks. I missed Belle. Our time at Gareth’s was special and real and probably something I’ll never forget. So her being here today is me opening myself up to more with her. This isn’t a game anymore.
“So this is where the infamous Harris Brothers grew up?” Belle asks, taking a turn around the foyer, stopping at the large wooden staircase that leads to the bedrooms. She grins. “I bet you got up to naughty things up there, didn’t you?”
I lift my brows as a random neighbour girl pops in my brain like a camera flash. She wasn’t anyone important, but she existed.
“I’d rather not talk about it,” I mumble, grabbing Belle’s hand and pulling her away from the stairs.
“No need to be awkward, Tanner,” she states, her heels clacking along the white marble floor as I lead her down the hallway. “I know you’ve been with other women. I’ve been with other men! It’s fine. We both have a past.”
“That we don’t need to discuss,” I grumble, my face twisting in disgust as I contemplate how hard it would be to kill every other man who’s ever touched Belle Ryan.
She stops abruptly and yanks me to her. Her hands reach up to cup my jaw as she says, “We’ll just have to make some new memories. Dirty ones maybe.”
She kisses me with a nip on my lip and I exhale. Caring about someone this much is a strange, uncomfortable sort of feeling. Only a month ago, shagging women was a sport to me. It’s all my teammates and I thought about besides football. But once you have someone that you don’t want to let go, it makes you wish you never would have taken hold of anyone else.
I give her arse a cheeky squeeze and pull her the rest of the way toward the kitchen. Turning my back to the door, I cock a brow at her. “Contrary to what you might believe about how much time I spent in my bedroom, this is where we spent most of our time.”
I back up through the double doors and turn to find Dad and Booker propped at the high-top island that sits parallel to the chef-style kitchen. Vi is at the sink, her apron dangling over top of the football that’s invaded her stomach.
“Hello there,” Dad states, standing up and pushing the condiment bottles off to the side. He reaches out and shakes Belle’s hand, bowing his head awkwardly. “You must be Belle.”
“I am. It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Harris.”
“Please, call me Vaughn.”
I eye the playbook. “Going over tactics?”
He frowns and flicks his hand. “Just some manoeuvres I want Booker to be aware of for Wednesday. Middlesbrough has crazy attacking runs, so we want to be on the lookout. It’s nothing we can’t handle.” He looks at Belle and a tightness forms around his eyes. “I erm…know this whole thing between you and Tanner hasn’t been ideal these last few weeks, but I really appreciate you doing this for the team.”
Belle turns to me with a sexy glint in her eyes. “It hasn’t been so bad.”
“Hi, Belle,” Vi beams, walking over to her and giving her an awkward arse-out hug. “Welcome to the madhouse.”
Belle laughs. “I’m sure I’ll fit right in.”
“Cam and Indie are out back,” Booker says, gesturing toward the French doors that lead out to the patio. “They’re fighting about Indie’s bartop performance in front of the whole team on Friday.”
My brows lift. “Oh, shiiiiit. Is Gareth refereeing?”
“No, he’s on the road,” Booker answers. “Hayden is out there.”
“I still can’t believe Indie danced on top of a bar!” Dad cajoles with a twinkle of chagrin. “She’s so professional at practice and matches. And she’s quiet when she comes over here.”
“That’s because it’s hard to get a word in edgewise around here,” Vi interjects, striding back into the kitchen just as Hayden comes through the door laughing. He covers his mouth with his hand and Vi’s face drops. “How bad is it?”
“It’s more comical than bad.” Hayden grips his side, his eyes crinkled with amusement. “They’ve officially challenged each other to a footie match. I’m here to recruit.”
I laugh and look at Belle. “You up for it?”
“Of course!” she exclaims. “I was there to witness it after all. It was a lot more Kristen Wiig comedy than it was Coyote Ugly provocative. Camden needs to lighten up.”
Vi laughs. “Too right! God, I wish I could have seen it.”
“Trust me, you don’t,” Booker mumbles, a disturbed look on his face.
“Oh, but I’m in heels.” Belle looks down at her feet regretfully.
