“No. Not at all. That was a nice thing to do. How old are Tommy and Annabelle?”
“Tommy is nine. I think Annabelle is twenty-one. I appreciate it, Cooper.”
“Damn. Twenty-one and she lost her parents and is now parenting her special-needs brother? That’s rough.”
Leaning down, I kiss the top of his head, then turn to head upstairs. “Be good tonight, Coop.”
“I’m always good, Nat. Just ask Tiff.”
33
Brady
I grab my keys, wallet, and phone off of my dresser. Look in the mirror to make sure I look okay and close my bedroom door behind me. I can hear music coming from Chloe’s room, so I knock. “Chloe, you still home?”
“Come in, dumb ass.”
Scowling, I open the door. “Dumb ass?”
She’s sitting crossed legged non her bed, with her red Beats around her neck and her lap top sitting on her legs. “Do you think there would be music playing in my room if I wasn’t home? Don’t ask stupid questions if you don’t want to be called a dumb ass.”
“Well, you seem to be in a great mood. Everything okay?”
“Yeah. Just trying to finish my trig homework before I go over Sabrina’s house. We’re having a movie night. I’m crashing there, so don’t wait up.”
“Are Mom and Dad home tonight?”
“Nope. I saw Mom this morning, and she said they were going to the shore house this afternoon. There is some golf tournament, Dad’s company is sponsoring it, and I think he is playing tomorrow. Pretty sure tonight was the dinner for attendees. She told me they should be home Sunday night and that we would be on our own for dinners this weekend. Like that’s something new.” Pushing the laptop aside, Chloe walks over to the door.
Getting comfortable, I lean a shoulder against the door frame, and put my hands in my pockets. “You gonna watch the Kings game at Cooper and Nat’s tomorrow?”
“Sure. Is everybody going?”
“I think so; everyone but Bash.”
“Alright. Have fun tonight. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. See you tomorrow.” Chloe shuts the door behind me.
“See ya.” Pulling my keys out of my car, I’m ready to go get my girl.
Pulling my Range Rover into Natalie’s driveway, I park and shut off the SUV. I knock on the door just as Cooper is opening it to leave.
“Hey, man. She’s still upstairs.” Coop stops walking and grabs my shoulder. “Remember what I said. Treat her right, man. Catch you later.” He skips down the steps to his jeep.
“Later.” Shutting the door behind me, I wander over to the bottom of the stairs. Not wanting to scare her if she thinks she’s alone. “Nat, can I come up?”
“Brady?”
“Yeah, it’s me.”
“Sure. Come on up.”
Taking the steps two at a time, I knock once on her door before she opens it.
“Hey, handsome.” She leans up to kiss me like it’s the most natural thing in the world. Pulling back, Nat graces me with a shy smile. “What shoes should I wear? Ballet flats or wedges?”
Stepping into her room, the scent of oranges mixed with cake invades my nose. Her room is clean and organized. She has a candle burning on her vanity. There isn’t a piece of clothing on the floor, or a pillow out of place. Her closet door is open, and two pairs of shoes are sitting side by side, next to it. “What’s a wedge?”
She holds up a sandal-ly looking thing.
“Go with the flats. There is a food truck festival in Manayunk tonight. They’ve got food trucks and live music out on the streets. I thought it sounded like fun.”
“That sounds perfect.” Nat throws her sandals back in her closet and slips on her shoes. She has on a white sundress with skinny little straps and grabs a pale blue sweater off a hanger. Slipping her arms through, she wraps the sweater around her and ties it right under her breasts, leaving a bit of the white showing underneath.
“You look incredible.”
She spins in a circle.
“I’m glad you think so.” She blows out the candle and turns off the lights. Lacing our fingers, my girl guides us out of her room.
Nat grabs a small purse off the kitchen counter, makes sure her phone and keys are in there, loops it over her wrist, and is ready to go. “So how far away is the festival?”
We lock up and head for my SUV.
“About twenty minutes.” I hold the door open for her while she gets in. Rounding the SUV, I see her lean across and try to open my door from the inside. As I slide in, she laughs.
“You know they make the whole unlock the car door for your date look a lot easier in the movies. I’m so short I can barely reach your door.”
I love this girl’s laugh and the way it echoes throughout my car. Sliding my hands into her hair, I bring her face to mine and kiss her lips. It would be so easy to ditch the rest of the night and head right back inside, but Natalie deserves more than that.
She deserves to be different.
To be more.
So, I pull back and start the car.
The Weekend is blasting through my speakers, but I turn it off. With the radio off, we talk the entire drive to the festival. That’s how we spend the entire night—walking through the streets, navigating between different food trucks, trying to decide what to try. Laughing. Getting to know everything we can about each other.
Finally, finding an open picnic table, we sit while I eat a pizza cone.
“Okay, QB. Favorite movie?”
“That’s easy, Rocky.”
Nat wrinkles her nose like she smells something bad. “The boxer movie?”
“You’re killing me, Nattie. Yes, the boxer movie. You cannot live in Philadelphia and not love Rocky. They’ll kick you out. His statue is at the top of the Art Museum steps.” Crumpling my napkin in a ball, I shoot it into the trash can across from us. “It’s one of those movies that I remember watching with my dad as a kid. We spent a snowy weekend marathoning them all. I still stop and leave it on, if I find it when I’m scrolling the channels. Rocky’s a classic. Please tell me you’ve seen it?”
“Nope. Can’t say I have.”
“As soon as football season is over, we have a date. You, me, and all eight Rocky movies.”
“All eight?” She gulps. “Seriously? There’s eight of them?”
“Including the two Creed movies, yup there are eight. Our first weekend without football. Don’t make plans.”
“So, you’re saying December? After you win State?”
Leaning in, I grab her face and kiss her lips. “God, I love the way you think.”
“Aww. Isn’t this so sweet? The frigid bitch and the man whore quarterback. Aren’t you two just so cute together.” Fucking fantastic.
Aria has walked up, with Darby not far behind. “Has he told you half the senior girls have sucked his dick? How about that once you spread your legs for him, you might as well be damaged goods? Has he told you, Natalie? Brady doesn’t do repeats. His precious football team is the only thing he commits to, and it will always come first. Don’t get attached. Get everything you want out of him tonight, because tomorrow you’ll be thrown out like the trash you are.” Aria pushes forward, but I move to stand in front of Natalie.
“What the fuck is wrong with you, Aria? Get your shit together and get the fuck away from us.”
“Oh, don’t you worry, Brady. I’ve got my shit together” She smiles over at Darby like he’s a prize. “I know where I stand and where you stand. One of us refuses to let anybody close, because he doesn’t have the first clue how to be in a relationship or how to love someone back.
“Poor little rich boy with mommy and daddy issues. It’s old now, Brady. Time to grow up. Let me tell you; one of us should be watching our back, and it’s not me. Have fun riding his dick tonight, princess. Just remember you are one of many. Bye-ee.” She shakes her fingers in a mocking wave, then Aria walks away, pulling Darby behind.
Meanwhile, I am so angry that I want to hi
t something, but I have no one to be pissed at but myself, for hooking up with that train wreck in the first place. Turning around, I look at Nat, not sure what I’m expecting. “Jesus. Natalie. I don’t even know what to say.”
She reaches for my hand and intertwines our fingers. “It’s not your fault that Aria is a nasty person. Let’s get out of here before she comes back.” She’s not looking at me, and I don’t blame her. Walking back to the car in silence, I hate that a stupid decision I made last year just ruined this night, almost as much as I hate the idea that that bitch Aria may be right.
I don’t have issues, I just don’t have any clue if my parents love each other for more than what they can do for each other.
I always told myself I wouldn’t settle for that kind of relationship.
When I finally let myself have one, it was going to be with someone special.
Someone worth it.
The problem is, Natalie’s worth everything, and she deserves so much more than me.
34
Natalie
Nothing like a jilted ex to ruin an evening.
Well, try to ruin an evening, and maybe an ex?
I don’t even know what the hell happened back there. Tonight was perfect. Everything about it was perfect, until it just wasn’t. The inside of the SUV is quiet. The radio is off, but in stark contrast to the ride up to the festival, where we couldn’t stop talking, neither of us has spoken a word since we started driving home.
I have a feeling that if I don’t come up with a way to salvage this night in the next few minutes, our first date is going to be our only date, and I refuse to accept that.
When we pull up to the stop sign at the end of my street, I decide enough is enough.
Turning in my seat, I study Brady’s clenched jaw.
He looks like he is carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. He’s tense, and gripping the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles are white. It’s more than evident that my night is about to be over if I don’t do something now.
“Brady, are you taking me home?” I’m hoping that he can hear the disappointment in my voice, but he doesn’t acknowledge it if he does.
“That was my plan.”
“You know you don’t have to, right? What happened back there wasn’t your fault.”
“It kinda was. Aria thinks I screwed her over last year, and this was her way of screwing with me. I don’t want that touching you. That’s not fair.”
“What’s not fair, QB, is you deciding what’s best for me. I get enough of that from everyone else in my life. I was hoping you wouldn’t be another person that puts me in that box. I don’t want to go home yet, Brady. I’m not ready for the night to end yet.”
He doesn’t answer me but drives past my house, taking the first right then left. “Oh, my God. Is this street named Kroydon Hill Lane? Like Kroydon Hills Prep and the town of Kroydon Hills?”
“Yeah, it is. My mom is a Kroydon. Her family founded the town. Our house is at the top of the hill. It’s the original Kroydon Manor house.”
“Wait. So, am I like dating a local celebrity?”
He finally cracks a smile at that. “Says the daughter of a Super Bowl-winning, pro football coach.”
“At least it lightened you up a little, QB.” I try smiling at him, but he doesn’t look at me. We make our way up a winding, tree-lined driveway to a gorgeous nineteenth-century farmhouse. It appears to have been impeccably restored. It’s done in old flagstone in greys and creams. You can tell that additions have been added over the years, but they blend into the original house beautifully.
It has to be 6,000 square feet. The floor to ceiling windows all have black shutters. Both the four-car detached garage as well as the driveway are done in similar stone. “Wow. Brady. Your home is amazing. It looks like it should be in Architectural Digest or something.”
“It’s my mom’s pride and joy.” He parks the car and gets out, starting to walk to the front door, but I refuse to get out of the vehicle. Once Brady realizes I am not following him, he comes back and opens my door, then turns and starts to walk away.
“What happened to the guy that held my hand and my doors all night, QB?”
Brady stops but doesn’t turn around. “He was reminded tonight of all of the reasons that this probably wasn’t a good idea. All of the reasons that you deserve more than me. Aria wasn’t completely wrong tonight. My parents are dysfunctional assholes most of the time. My team means everything to me, and I will probably hurt you.” He stomps off ahead of me into the house.
Following him in, I see Brady go directly to the kitchen and grab a Gatorade. “Do you want anything to drink?”
Shaking my head no, I walk past him toward the French doors leading to the backyard. There are three sets of double glass panel French doors, all opening to a paver patio. The Ryans’ backyard is laid out similarly to mine but on a larger scale.
The covered patio has a high ceiling, set off by tall black columns covered in green ivy. The surrounding terrace is done in warm teak wood, with chaise lounges lining the pavers next to the pool and a lounge area with an expansive outdoor sectional sofa that is easily as big as the furniture for giants that my dad has in our family room.
The pool is surrounded by tall, narrow evergreens. In the distance, the property appears to be surrounded by fatter, wider, more towering evergreens, with what looks like maple trees behind them. It is a secluded paradise.
“Your yard is huge.” Brady flicks a switch, and twinkle lights light up the trees and patio. “Wow. It’s so pretty.”
He walks through the door and out to the patio without ever sparing a glance in my direction. That’s when I know I’ve hit my limit. “Brady Ryan, twelve hours ago, you were making me promise if something was bothering me that I would come to you. Well, you are bothering me right now. So, a nasty piece of trash said some shitty things.”
Brady sits down on the outdoor sofa and hangs his head in his hands.
Sitting across from him on the teak coffee table, I grab his wrists. “Please look at me.”
Lifting his head, his eyes lock on mine and look tortured. “Natalie, I don’t want you to ever see me the way Aria described me tonight, but I can see why she said it. Not that she was right. That’s not how I view women, but I never wanted more than a night before you. Where she was wrong was that I always made sure we were on the same page. I never lied to anyone and acted like it was more than it was. I guess I did use them, though.”
He looks away momentarily, as if to gather his thoughts. Then, Brady pushes forward to the edge of the couch, so our knees are touching. “But I never wanted more. Until you. One night, Nat. You showed up, and in one night, you changed everything.”
He switches the grip I have on his wrists and pulls me until I am straddling his lap. “It may have taken me a minute to accept that I wanted more with you, but once I did, you were all I could see. All I could think about since the night you walked into your kitchen and told Cooper you were home.
“I wanted you the minute I saw you. I think I fell for you when you couldn’t sleep that night. I never knew how strong I was until I had to force myself away from you in that kitchen. It only took me one week to realize I didn’t just like you, didn’t just want you. You’re it for me, Natalie.”
I place my palms on both sides of his face. “Brady, I need you to look at me. I know what Aria said was all bullshit. I didn’t doubt it at all while she was spewing her nasty venom, and I don’t doubt it now. I know you. I don’t know why I feel so sure about you, about us, after only a few weeks, but I do. I don’t doubt you. This is where I am supposed to be.
“I have no idea how this happened, but I’m completely positive that you won’t treat me like that, because I have to believe that you feel the same way that I do. I know it’s too early to be in love, Brady, and just uttering that word probably scares you, but I feel like my soul knows yours. It recognizes you. I could feel you watching me the night we met. I know t
hat you’ve walked into a room before I ever set my eyes on you.”
“Nat, when I saw you at the game last night, saw my jersey on you, I pictured you wearing my jersey years from now. It didn’t scare me. I never thought I would feel like this now. Maybe ten years from now, but not senior year. It doesn’t matter, though, because you’re here. I found you, but as much as I don’t want to let you go, I also don’t want to hurt you.”
I lean in and kiss his lips. With my hands on his face, he wraps his strong arms around my back, so every inch of me is flush against him. He makes me feel safe and delicate and sexy, all wrapped up. “Please don’t break my heart, Brady. I’m pretty sure I’m falling in love with you.”
“I’m pretty sure I’m already there, Sweetheart.” His hands go to my sweater. Untying it and pushing it off my shoulders, he licks his lips. “Nattie, I feel like I am unwrapping the best present ever.”
“Oh, yeah? How unwrapped should this present get outside?”
“Our house sits on five acres, Nat. It’s pretty safe to say we can unwrap outside if we want to.”
Leaning in, I kiss him again. “I want it all, Brady. I want everything.”
“I want to give you everything, Nat. Today, tomorrow, next year. I want to give you the world, Sweetheart.”
35
Natalie
“God, Brady. I want you.” Without overthinking it, I move off of his lap and drop to my knees. My sweater is off, and the straps of my dress are falling down my shoulders. My hands go to work on his belt before he even realizes what’s happening.
“Natalie, what are you doing?” His voice sounds strained.
All In (The Kings of Kroydon Hills Book 1) Page 17