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Chapter forty-one

Evie

I’m nervous riding up the elevator of Rhett’s building. The door opens on his floor, and I step out slowly. Considering how impatient I felt on the ferry ride over from the island, I’m surprised I’m not sprinting down the hall to see him.

But the anticipation I felt over telling him about Dogwood Cove and the job, and about finally telling him how I truly feel about him, has faded into an anxious tension thrumming through my veins.

There’s a chance he won’t return my feelings. A good chance. He said from the beginning he wasn’t the guy for more than just some fun. Was I the one that pushed for more and he simply went along with it? I want to trust my gut that says no, Rhett’s so much more than just a man I have ridiculously good sex with. I want to trust him when he says I mean a lot to him.

But I’m still just a girl, hoping the boy she loves will love her back.

And that’s kind of scary.

I reach the apartment door, and I can hear Ruthie’s claws on the floor inside and the deep rumble of Rhett’s voice.

Somehow, those sounds, so familiar and comforting, settle me.

I insert my key and open the door to see Rhett on the floor, facing away from me.

“C’mon, girl,” he says in a frustrated huff, then his head whips around when the door closes behind me. “Evie!”

He stands up quickly, his hands behind his back. But my attention is drawn down to Ruthie who’s racing across the floor, a big red bow halfway tied around her neck.

“What’s this?” I say, bending down to love on my puppy. Her sloppy kisses make me giggle as her entire body shakes and wriggles with excitement. “Why do you look so fancy?”

I stand up and look at Rhett. He’s staring at me, a small smile curling the corners of his lips. “Hi.”

“Hey, honey.” We stay like that for a second. And then, I don’t know who moves first, but we come together in an instant, lips crashing, hands grasping.

“Fuck, I missed you,” he growls between kisses. “It was only two days, but it felt like forever.”

“You’ve been gone longer before,” I reply as his lips travel down my throat. “But I missed you, too.”

His head lifts, and all the frantic desire comes to a standstill. “I have been gone longer. But that was before.” He lifts his hands up to cup my face, their span wide enough that his thumbs can rest on my cheeks while the rest of his hands are holding my neck.

“That was before I realized I’m in love with you.”

My gasp is swallowed up by his kiss. And as my body starts to melt, he scoops me up in his arms, turns, and sets me down on the dining table. I wrap my legs around his waist and pull him in even closer.

He loves me.

He’s in love with me.

“Wait,” I try to say, pushing feebly at him. “Wait. Stop.” Rhett tears himself away, his breathing ragged, those brown eyes wild.

“I don’t care what you’re gonna say, honey. I love you. Doesn’t matter where you get a job, I’ll still love you. Even if you don’t love me back yet, that’s okay, I’m not goin’ anywhere. I’ll work hard every goddamn day to deserve you and I’ll wait for you to love me, too. Just don’t say you don’t want me —”

I cut off his frantic rambling with a soft kiss, feeling his shoulders drop away from his ears.

“Stop talking, Rhett Darlington. It’s my turn.”

His forehead lowers to meet mine as we take in a breath together.

“You are more than enough for me, and you deserve this love, this happiness. And you don’t have to do anything to make me love you. I already do. And I have for a long time.”

“Thank fuck,” he exhales just before his lips land back on mine.

I let him kiss me for a few more seconds before pushing on his chest again. “I’m not done.”

He nods, pushing his hair back. “Right. Sorry. I just… You…”

“I know. But let me finish. The interview was amazing. That town, the job, it’s perfect. I loved it.” I watch him draw in a breath and hold it. And I know he’s waiting for the hammer to fall. “But I’m not going to take it. Because it’s missing something. You. ”

His breath falls out of him in a loud groan. “No, honey, you’ve got it all wrong.”

I lean back, my brows drawing together. “What?”

“You have to take the job.” He takes my hands in his, squeezing them tightly. “You said it, it’s perfect. You loved it. And I love you. So take the job. We’ll make it work. I don’t know how, just yet, but we’ll figure it out. Because that’s what you do when you love someone. You do whatever is necessary to make them happy and help them see their dreams come true. Vancouver Island isn’t all that far. We can do this.”

“But…” I start to say, then stop, studying his earnest face. “Really? You mean it?”

He nods emphatically. “I do, honey. I’m not goin’ anywhere. Move to the island, hell, move across the country. I’ll follow you as soon as I can. But no matter where you go, I’m not losing you, Evangeline Yamaki. Not when I finally have you.” He kisses my hands that he’s still holding on to.

A smile starts to break free on my face as I let myself consider the impossible. Having both the job of my dreams and the man of my dreams.

Then an alarm goes off on Rhett’s phone.

“Fuck.” He leans in and kisses me swiftly. “I know I said I’m not going anywhere, but I actually do have to go. To the stadium. Or I’ll be late. But take the job, Evie.” He kisses me again. “And then come to the game and watch it with my mama.”

“Wait, she’s here?” I look around the apartment, but there’s no sign of his mother.

Rhett laughs. “She was. She got a room at a hotel for the rest of her surprise visit after finding your pajamas in my bedroom. ”

“Oh my God.” My face flames red as I pull my hands free to cover it. “That’s mortifying.”

Rhett gently lowers my hands. “Nah. She’s happy for us. She’s the one who got through my thick head and helped me realize just how desperately in love with you I am.”

That makes me melt.

“So come to the game and you can thank her in person.” He winks and steps away, just barely moving out of reach of my hand as I try to swat him.

He picks up his bag and moves to the door before pausing. “Oh, and Evie?”

“Yeah?” I hop off the table and move over to him, reaching up for one more kiss.

“There’s somethin’ in the bedroom for you. Wear it later, okay?”

I’m still floating on cloud nine a few hours later when I walk in the special entrance for family and friends of the players at the Tridents stadium.

Wearing a jersey, not with Yamaki on the back, but with Darlington.

“Evie!”

I turn at the sound of my name and see Willow Lawson walking toward me. Dressed in a Tridents green blouse, dress pants, and low heels, she’s the perfect balance of professional and chic. As she should be as the head of media relations. I don’t know her well, but Rhett and Kai like her .

When she pulls me in for a brief hug, I’m initially taken aback, but quickly give her a squeeze in return.

“I’m happy to run into you,” she says brightly, gesturing down the hall. I fall in step beside her as she continues. “I wanted to make sure you knew that if you need anything, just ask. Now that your relationship with Darling is out there, it’s only a matter of time before the media catches wind. If anything feels uncomfortable, just come to me and we’ll help, okay?”

All I can do is nod, my brain still processing that. Somehow, I hadn’t thought about the public side of dating a professional athlete. Being Kai’s sister has never put me in the limelight, but being Rhett’s girlfriend? That might be different.

“Thanks, Willow,” I manage to say just as someone calls her name. She glances over her shoulder in the direction of the voice and raises her finger.

“Great. And hey, you should come out for drinks with me and the girls soon. I’ll text you!”

She’s gone with a wave, and I turn to find my way to the seat marked on the ticket Rhett left for me. I know I’m about to see his mom, who I haven’t seen in a couple of years. And while he claims she’s happy for us, I’m still nervous.

But as soon as I find her, a few rows back from the dugout, that nervousness disappears.

With a wide smile so similar to her son’s, Jolene stands up and pulls me in for a tight hug. “Evie, it’s so good to see you again.” She holds me by my shoulders, looking me up and down. “Love suits you.”

I blush as we take our seats. “Thanks.” She pats my leg and leans into my side .

“Now, don’t blush on my account. I’m thrilled you and my son have found your way to each other. He needs a good woman to give all that love he has in his heart.”

I relax. “He’s a wonderful man.”

“Yes, he is.”

The top half of the first inning passes by quickly, with our opponents only getting one run in. When the teams switch over, Rhett is second up to bat. And as I watch him take some swings in the warm-up circle, my phone vibrates in my lap. I chance a quick look down and see it’s an email.

From the superintendent of the school district in Dogwood Cove.

With the subject line Formal offer of employment .

My palms instantly feel sweaty. I know what Rhett said, that we’d make it work. But that was before I even knew if I’d get an offer, no matter how confident Reid was that I would.

“Everythin’ okay, Evie?” Jolene asks. I nod without even looking her way.

“Rhett’s up to bat,” she says, and my head shoots to the big screen as I watch him walk up to the plate. He turns to look in our direction, and right there on the jumbotron, I see him smile. Then he points his bat down, resting the tip in the dirt, and slowly writes something in the middle of the box.

R+E.

It’s clear as anything on the giant screen, and the entire stadium goes wild, even more so when he looks back at me and winks.

“Oh my,” his mom murmurs as I blink back tears. “He’s got it bad. ”

Around us, people are talking excitedly. It’s not hard to figure out that the girl with tears on her face, wearing Rhett’s name, might be the girl he just dedicated his swing to.

And when the bat connects and the ball goes flying straight to center field, we all cheer on his home run.

But no one cheers as loudly as I do.