When we were done, the three of us walked to the lobby together, and Dad said, “I’m sure the two of you want to spend some time together. I’m not gonna lie, I do need to get some work done, but do you think we could talk some more after your game tomorrow?”
“I’d like that,” I answered honestly. We were both trying, both being honest with each other, and because of that, I had hope that we could get to a better place. There was a lot more I had to tell him about my hurt over the years, but we’d landed at a starting place, and for now, that was enough.
“It was very nice to meet you, Brax. I hope the three of us can get together again soon.”
“Just have your people call my people,” my boyfriend joked.
Dad chuckled. “He has your sense of humor, I see.”
“I’m funnier and he’s grumpier.”
“He has the second part of that right.” Brax took my hand. My dad waved at us, and then we turned around and headed for the door.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Brax
“God, this fucking collar. How in the hell do people wear this shit?” I let go of Ty’s hand the second we stepped outside and immediately started to open the top couple of buttons.
“Dude…you totally dressed up to meet my dad.”
“Shut up.”
“You also told me you love me.”
“I’m also telling you to shut up again.” I’d almost swallowed my damn tongue when I’d walked in and heard what he was saying, heard him admit he wanted to be a nurse and that he loved me. He’d had no idea I was there. Ty could have lied, could have focused on the career stuff, could have avoided mentioning me…but he’d chosen me. Stood up for me again, wasn’t ashamed to be with me like Wayne had been.
As if reading each other’s minds, we headed for the beach. The hotel—one of the nicest in San Luco, of course—was close to the ocean, but we didn’t head for the water, going instead to a bench on the sidewalk just steps away from the sand.
“I’m sorry about last night, Ty, and hell, about being late today. I knew how big of a deal this was to you. I should have been here from the start.”
“Yeah, well, I’m sorry too because I was a dick. I never should have said that stuff about Asher.”
I shrugged. “Maybe you shouldn’t have. Maybe I shouldn’t have said stuff to you either, but the truth is, we were both right. And honestly, it needed to come out. I didn’t walk away because of what you said. I walked away because of me.”
Ty frowned. “What do you mean?”
Fuck, this was hard. “Do we have to be the kind of boyfriends who talk to each other about important stuff?” I teased.
“I think so.”
“Are you sure?”
Ty leaned in and kissed me. Somehow, that helped. “I guess I didn’t feel like I deserved you. I thought it was easier to just walk away. I was scared your dad would hate me, or hell, that you’d wake up and realize you can do better.”
“Fuck that. You deserve whatever you want, Brax. No one gets me the way you do. There’s no one I like sparring verbally with more than you. Even without that, you’re the best person I know.”
“Can you say that louder? I don’t think I heard you.”
Ty laughed, and it was perfect and so us.
“I want you, Brax. You challenge me, and I know I do that for you too. We’re good together. I mean, dude, I used the L word about you, to my dad, whom I only had the balls to be honest with because of you.”
“God, this is so weird.” I rubbed a hand over my face. “I can’t believe we’re in love with each other.”
“Same.”
“But I do…love you. I went to see Grandma. She helped wake my dumb ass up. I tried to get here earlier, but I had to buy clothes and get ready, then find your friends and figure out where in the hell you were.”
“You did all that for me?” Ty asked playfully.
“I’d do more,” I admitted. “Did you look at my Instagram page?”
“What? No.” He pulled his phone out.
“I’m a way better boyfriend than you. I checked yours when you posted for me.”
“That’s because you were jealous and wanted my dick in your mouth.”
I chuckled.
He pulled up the photo of the sunrise. The caption read: Done playing games. I want you. “I…”
“Not gonna lie, I changed that caption later in the day,” I admitted.
“It’s still sweet.”
“That’s because I’m a better boyfriend than you. We’ve gone over this.”
Ty opened up the comments on my post and typed: I love you. “Beat that. I just really defined our relationship to the whole world. You didn’t even tag me.”
“No one even knows about that account.”