Page 126 of What Are the Chances
“Most,” Riley answered. “But not all of them.”
I swallowed thickly. “Are you open to potentially moving?”
Riley nodded. “I’m open to anything. I can lease out mum’s – I mean, my house if I move interstate.”
Being so close to campus, she’d easily be able to get tenants. And she could use the income from that to pay her rent elsewhere.
It was too daunting to ask her to consider Texas. It didn’t seem entirely fair either. My choices had landed me there. Riley deserved to decide her own future. But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want that future to include me.
Grace bounced down the steps, her eyes as wide as dinner plates now. She caught Riley’s gaze and subtly shook her head. I was guessing this was a no.
CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE
It’s every-fucking-thing
RILEY
“What was wrong with it?” Levi asked as he tucked into his fries.
We’d stopped for lunch before the next house.
“It was way too big,” Grace complained. “It’ll be creepy being there alone when you’re on the road.”
Levi softened. “I get that, Hughesy. But we need somewhere big enough that your brothers will be able to stay with us whenever they come over.”
Grace thoughtfully chewed on her burger. Holloway had her there. Will had mentioned Grace had two brothers who lived in Australia. In exchange for her staying in America with Levi, her brothers had agreed to make the trip out at least once a year.
I couldn’t fathom living that far from Tanner. Sometimes an hour felt like too much. There was a chance that would only get bigger after graduation as well. We could both ended up staying in Philadelphia, but if Tanner was seriously considering pursuing hockey, the chances of that reality were slim. And did I really want to stay anyway? Especially if Will was in Texas. Did I want to be closer to him? Was that way too crazy to think about?
In freshman year I hadn’t allowed myself to play out our lives after graduation. I knew his ended in the league, and I’d never pictured myself beside him. Now, while it was still hard to imagine, I couldn’t picture being without him again either. I didn’t want to be.
As though he knew I was thinking about him, Will reached under the table and rested his hand on my thigh.
“And not to freak you out,” Levi continued. “But my parents will probably stay sometimes as well. The bigger the house, the further the guest room is from our bedroom.”
Grace frowned. “Why does it need to be so far away?”
Levi raised his eyebrows. “Do you really want me to get into it in front of Riley and Will?”
“No need,” Will interjected. “We get the drift.”
Grace had introduced me to her in-laws at the game on Friday night. I’m not sure whether Will’s parents had been there too. If they had, Will hadn’t introduced me.
“What about your place, Will?” Grace said. “Will it be big enough for your parents to stay?”
Will scoffed. “That’s not something I have to worry about.”
I set down my burger. “Why?”
Will and Levi shared a look. One of their signaturewe’ve-known-each-other-forever-and-thus-know-everything-about-each-otherlooks.
“Will’s parents aren’t exactly supportive of him playing hockey,” Levi explained.
“What do you mean?” Grace pressed.
I was glad she’d asked.
Will shrugged, but there was nothing dismissive about the gesture. His hand on my leg had gone still too. “I guess they figured I’d outgrow it one day.”
