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CHAPTER 7
CHANCE
My phone rings in my pants on the floor. I ignore it and snuggle closer to Alanis. I calm down when the ringing stops, only for it to start over again.
“Come on,” I mumble and dig around the floor for my pants and pull out my phone, answering it. “What?”
“Dude,” Matty yells in a panic, “I can’t find Alanis! She went on a date. It doesn’t look like she came home. Fuck!”
I roll over and smile at her, sound asleep. “She’s okay, Matty.”
A pause on the other line. “And how do you know that?”
Alanis rolls over to me, snuggles closer, and opens her eyes. A bright smile lights up her face.
I sigh. “Because she’s here with me.” I’ll never ever deny having her by my side. It would be like I was denying that this is forever. Fortunately, I’ve found the one person I want to spend my life with. Whether here… whether there… wherever… it’s happening.
The line goes dead. I drop the phone, kiss her lips and nuzzle her neck. “I think we should get dressed, baby. He’s probably on his way over here.”
Damn him. I wanted another repeat performance. Having her three times already isn’t enough. It won’t ever be enough.
“I can handle him.”
Shaking my head, “No, I want to do this.”
Quickly we dress and are waiting in the living room when Matty bangs on the front door. The glass rattles and we look at each other.
“Open the fucking door, Chance! Alanis? Alanis, are you really in there?”
I look over to Alanis. “You ready?”
“Can we run away?” She pouts, making me want to bite her bottom lip.
I chuckle. “No.” I get serious. “If he can’t deal with this, we’ll have to talk, but I’m here and I’m not going anywhere. Well, maybe, but we can talk about that, too.”
She nods. “I do love you, Chance.”
My heart grows bigger than my body. “Ditto, baby.”
Opening the door, Matty blasts his way in, pacing the floor and giving me the evil death glare. “What the fuck is going on? Are you kidding me? I told you. I told you to leave her alone. She’s been shit on by guys. She needs to be watched over, not seduced by you.” Matty steps into me and works at intimidating me by getting in my face. I don’t budge. I won’t. He could knock me out and I’d wake up knowing that I would fight for her.
“Hey, I’m right here, you know.” Alanis rolls her eyes, and I chuckle. She’s equally as sexy as she is cute.
And I’m not afraid of Matty. As much bark as he has, he’s like that chihuahua. Someone’s going to grab him and shut him up, too.
Matty pleads with Alanis. “Tell me it’s not true.” Then he glares at me, “And now. Now you go and take advantage?—”
Alanis stands tall and asserts herself with her brother. “No, he didn’t. I wanted this. I love him, Matty.”
Matty stops, his jaw drops, and he switches his gaze back and forth between us. “What? Love? No… what? I can’t… No…” It’s like he’s a record, glitching and skipping.
“ Yes . I’m in love with your best friend, and I think he feels the same.”
“There’s no think about it. I love her, too. Head over heels and never want to be apart from here again.”
Matty rolls his tongue in his mouth, “And you’ll take care of her?”
“Better than you ever could.” And I meant that nobody would care and love Alanis as I will. “She’s my dream. I feel like something brought us together, Matty. It’s a dream come true.”
He loosens up and paces around a bit. “I got called up to the major league last week by the Braves, but I was going to decline to stay here.”
Alanis and I are both slack-jawed.
“I guess you get to live your dream, too,” Alanis says.
Matty stands in front of his sister. “Are you sure? Like totally positive because I’ll say ‘no’ to them and you can run out of?—”
She smiles. “Matty, Chance’s interviewing in Chicago for a position at a station.”
“Man, why didn’t you tell me?” Matty shouts.
Whoa… change of subject and now he’s just as grouchy as before. This guy needs some major therapy.
“We’re telling you now. I could be covering you playing the Cubbies.”
“And you will be. I guarantee it.”
“Thanks, Matty. I appreciate all your support. You’ve always been there for me and I don’t think I would have believed in myself if I didn’t have you there believing in me.”
The honestly dissolves the tension. We do the whole bro hug that turns into a real hug.
This man could be my brother-in-law. Will be my brother-in-law.
I watch my woman as she rolls her eyes. “You two should kiss and get it over with.”
We all laugh.
I pull her in instead and kiss her. “You’re better at kissing than your brother.”
She pushes me away. “Ewww. How would you know that?”
Matty laughs, “You don’t want to know. You two want to get some brunch?” Forgetting he was about to punch me only moments ago.
You gotta love best friends. They can be as irritating as they are endearing.
“I’m starving.” I pat my stomach and look at Alanis.
She leans over and whispers in my ear, “You can eat me later, stud.”