Page 31 of Searching for Sadie (Mystic Falls #5)

"Oh, this isn't my first rodeo. I'm not really here for social media, but it is a necessity in this day and age. I private all my pages, but I had to open them and be tagged in show stuff as per my contract, but I am most definitely staying away from any comment sections."

"Good," he said, picking up a piece of pizza before settling back on the couch and popping the top of a beer before handing it to her.

"It's the group chat for all the girls on the show."

Her brow furrowed as she took a long pull from the beer while he opened his own.

"I like almost all the girls I met on the show, and I know they’re just trying to watch out for me, but they keep texting me to check in and telling me they're sorry and not to listen to people online.

.. like duh! That's what I'm doing, but it's hard to ignore them when you all tell me a million times a day to ignore them. "

"Yeah, that seems a little counterproductive."

"Right! I know to stay away from the comments. I'm aware people are saying horrible things about me. I know I look like a complete sucker for falling for that douche." Before he knew what was happening, she was collapsing into herself holding her face.

"Hey," he said quickly, setting down his plate and rubbing her back.

"I'm sorry, I'm a mess. I'm a fucking rollercoaster of emotions. You're being so nice to me and I'm laughing one minute and crying the next."

"You're going through a lot right now. You're allowed to feel however you're feeling. I'm just glad to spend time with you no matter what you’re feeling. Be as messy as you need to be."

She gave a huff of laughter as she wiped her tears away. "How are you this blue-collar sports guy, but are somehow more in touch with your emotions than half the artists I know?"

"You've met my mother. We talked about feelings in my house."

"Wow... how healthy. We all pretended not to have them in my house. Now I have no relationship with my sister because I can't articulate just how much she hurt me, and my mom is just hoping we'll all come to Christmas and pretend like nothing ever happened."

"Well, that all sounds... awful."

"Yeah, and I just can't seem to make myself pretend to be okay anymore."

"Good."

She turned to him with a questioning expression.

"I mean, it's not good that you're hurting, but it's good you aren't pretending."

She nodded and turned away. "I think they're about ready for the reveal," she said, turning the show back on.

They settled into the couch and ate pizza and enjoyed each other's company. Before long they'd been watching TV for long enough streamflix asked if they were still watching.

"I hate when they do that, let me binge my show judgement free. I mean damn."

He laughed as he slid his arm even more around her, pulling her close. "Damn," he said.

"What?" she asked, turning her head.

Oops, he had not intended that to be out loud. So, he did all he knew how to do, he kissed her again.

"Do you want to stay the night? I have to be at Liam's in the morning to install some electric to a garden shed, so I should probably get to bed?—"

"I appreciate it, I do, but I'm just not up to sex tonight."

"Hey," he said again, pushing that lock of hair behind her ear that kept falling across her face. "We don't have to do anything you don't want to do. I just want to hold you, but if you want to go home that's of course fine too."

"How on earth did I get the best neighbor on the planet?" she asked before giving him a sweet kiss.

"I think a little beyond the grave matching making may have been at play. Your aunt was always telling me about her amazingly talented niece."

"She was not."

"Oh no, Songbird. She was. All the time."

A genuine smile spread across her face. He wasn't sure he'd seen a smile that big since they were on the Ferris wheel. "Did she really?"

"She showed me all kinds of pictures and told me all about her niece who was a songwriter in Nashville. She always said we'd make a cute couple... and well, I have to agree with her."

"Even though I'm a mess crying one minute laughing the next?"

"Even then," he said, kissing her forehead.

"What do I say when they ask if I'm seeing anyone?" she asked with her eyes scrunched shut.

"What do you mean?"

She opened her eyes, but they were still filled with trepidation. "It's just I'm going to have to go film the reunion show in two weeks. I know they are going to ask me if I'm seeing anyone and I'm just not sure what to tell them."

"Well, you can tell them whatever you want. We are seeing each other, but if you would rather not disclose that it doesn't bother me."

"What if I want to tell them?" she asked barely above a whisper.

"Then tell them. Scream it from the rooftop for all I care, I’ll yell it with you."

Her eyes lit up as she beamed at him.

"So, if they ask me if I have a boyfriend and I say yes, you'd be okay with that."

"Of course, especially if you tell them I'm way better in bed than what's his nuts over there," he said, shooting her a cocky grin.

"So... does that mean you're my boyfriend?"

The way his heart leapt in his chest made him feel like he was in high school again. He didn't remember ever feeling like this about a woman before, but he was done fighting it. "Yeah, Songbird. It means I'm your boyfriend."

She bit her lip and smiled at him, and he knew then he would do anything to make her smile at him like that for his entire life.

She was his and all he had to do was make her happy.

He was a simple man. He had a job he didn't hate, a supportive family, and an amazing woman to spoil and make happy. Yeah, life was good.

Her phone vibrated on the table, the wince that fleeted across her face wasn't lost on him. But when she picked up her phone a grin spread across her face.

"You're going to Lexi and Liam's tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah, I have a job out there tomorrow. Apparently, there was a miscommunication. When I talked to Lexi, she said the shed out back didn’t need electricity, but it is turning into more of a small residence, so I have to go wire it."

"That was Liam, he asked if I wanted to come over tomorrow and play some music with him. Maybe we could go over there together?"

“Yeah, that works.”

He loved the idea of sleeping with her, waking up, and heading into work with her. Who was he kidding, he loved just about anything if she was by his side.

"Well, let's get some sleep and we can head over in the morning."

Sadie stood up from the couch and bent over to start consolidating the pizza.

The sight of her full round ass bent over right in front of him was a delicious test. She'd said she didn't want to have sex tonight, so he would be respectful.

But damn, he couldn't decide if he wanted to kiss, spank it, or take a bite out of it.

Maybe all of the above, but another night.

"You still have two full pizzas left," she said.

"Breakfast, lunch and dinner," he said with a grin.

Next thing he knew he was in his bed setting his alarm before sinking in and pulling Sadie into his arms, he was ready for every night to be like this.

Hopefully when the show was done wreaking havoc on her, they could talk about it, but for now he would hold her and be her for her in any way she needed.

He snuggled in behind her holding her back to chest smelling her coconut shampoo as they drifted off to sleep.