Page 31 of The Last Love Story (Baker Girls #3)

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

JUSTIN

“This is amazing!” Jade’s smile could light up the entire stadium as she looks around the home of the New York Metros.

When she told me how much she loved them, I texted the football guys to see if one of them could swing tickets for us.

I figured we had a better chance of getting good seats if I asked them.

They may be different sports, but they’re still New York sports.

Plus, it turns out Mark actually knows the Metros newest pitcher, Jamie Henderson.

I guess his cousin is one of his friends.

“Thank you for doing this.” Jade leans in and kisses my cheek.

“Of course.”

“What are we? Chopped liver?” Mark asks.

The guys are all on their off day from training camp and, along with Frannie and Hallie, met up with us for the game.

“I appreciate you getting the tickets for us. But… he knew I wanted them. ”

Mark shakes his head and sighs. “Fair. I get it. That’s what good partners do.”

“Magically know what their girls need?” A voice comes from behind us.

Mark stands up, smiling. “Hey, Mands.”

Jade and I turn in our seats and see a curvy girl with long strawberry blonde hair.

“Wait, Amanda?” Jade asks.

She turns to Jade, eyes wide. “Jade?”

Mark and I share a bewildered look as Jade stands up and they share a quick hug.

“I didn’t even think about you being here,” Jade says, glancing over at the field.

Mark waves a hand. “How do you two know each other?”

“Amanda is also from Woods Junction. We met for the first time years ago when she came to one of my signings. She’s come to almost every local one since then, even after getting all her books signed.”

Amanda shrugs. “I like to support other badass women.”

Jade smiles brightly at her. “Last year, she was wearing a jersey for the Metros triple A team, and since my dad and I used to have season tickets there when I was a teen, I asked her about it and found out her boyfriend was their pitcher. He’s on the Metros now.”

“Jamie Henderson,” I say, putting all the pieces together.

Mark holds up a hand. “Wait a sec. That means you’ve totally met my cousins too.” He looks at Amanda. “I know you’ve all gone to signings together.”

Jade’s eyes get even wider as Amanda nods.

“Yep. Rae, Sarah, and Dani.”

Jade slowly shakes her head. “It’s a small world.”

“That’s the shit I love about small towns,” I say.

Amanda smiles at me. “Yeah, me too.”

“Are you sitting with us?” Mark asks.

“Did you think I’d get you tickets and not hang out? I might need you to move so I can sit next to my author bestie and get spoilers from her.” Amanda winks at Jade and Jade laughs.

I wrap my arm around the back of her chair, happiness growing inside me.

Maybe it’s nothing. A totally stupid idea. But before I ever contacted her or knew she existed, we had this connection to each other. The romance nerd in me wants to get swept up in that and believe we’re here because we’re destined to be.

All this time, fate was weaving the threads of our lives together, so one way or another, we’d find each other.

This woman was meant to be mine, and there’s no doubt in my mind she’s the one for me.

I look around McGills Tavern. The same bar I went to with my friends for years. The same bar we sat at a little over a month ago when Jade and I had first started texting.

So much has changed in such a short time, but I wouldn’t change a second of it.

Mark and Frannie went back to their apartment after the game so they could have some time together, and after Jade traded numbers with Amanda, they promised to meet up when Amanda is back home next.

Home.

I went to the DMV a few days ago and got my New York license. Well, I renewed it. Technically, I had one from when I lived there years ago, even though I rarely drove. It has Jade’s address on it. My address.

I haven’t told Jade yet, partly because I want to surprise her, but also because I can tell a part of her is still scared to admit how real this is. Not because she doesn’t want it but because she’s afraid of getting hurt .

Which I understand. I didn’t make my intentions clear enough at the beginning because I didn’t want to scare her. Now, I’m doing everything I can to help her see she’s all I want. I can tell she wants to ask why, but I don’t even want to dignify that potential question with a response.

Those are her insecurities talking, and I refuse to let them get in the way.

She’s beautiful, brilliant, witty, playful, and the worlds she can create in her mind and the stories she can tell astound me. I’m the luckiest man alive that she wants me too.

And I just want to love her. It’s as simple as that.

As simple as love.

That word has been popping up both internally and externally a lot lately.

We’re headed there, no doubt. I’ve never been as twisted up in someone as I am in her. She doesn’t seem to see the way she supports me, cares for me, and brings me joy. Maybe because it’s often in the softest, simplest ways, but she does it all and more.

“Love is not coming for me,” Hallie says firmly.

Still my little anti-love girl.

“Baby girl, I don’t think you get to choose that,” Hardy says.

“He’s right,” Brian says, voice soft, almost haunted.

Hardy looks at him tenderly, and I elbow Jade.

She squeezes my thigh, though we try not to openly stare at them.

“You will find it when the time is right. When the person is right,” Hardy says to him.

Brian smiles, but it’s almost… bitter. Which is strange for him. He’s usually the gentlest, kindest person in the room.

He grabs his drink and downs it, and everything else disappears. The smile he gives Hardy is genuine. “Yeah. You’re right. And I don’t need to mope, so let’s go grab another drink.”

Hallie lets them out of the booth, but as she’s sitting back down, her eyes go to the door, and she watches as a tall guy with dark hair and a scruffy jaw, dressed in suit pants and a dress shirt—and looking like he’d like to rip them off—walks in.

Hallie sits down, a troublesome smile on her face. “Now that is what I want to fall into.”

I nod toward the bar. “Go make your move.”

She arches a brow. “Please. Have you forgotten how this works? I have to let him see me as I walk by first, then I’ll go get a drink, brush his arm…”

Jade laughs. “You have a system.”

“Yep.”

I glance over at Hardy and Brian at the bar.

“Random question?—”

“I don’t know what’s going on, but yes, I think there’s something,” Hallie says. “The way Brian talks sometimes… I think he has feelings for Hardy.”

“But Hardy is oblivious,” Jade says.

“Well, maybe it leads to a bi-awakening situation,” I say.

Hallie’s brow furrows. “Not everyone is a living romance trope.”

Jade laughs and shakes her head as I set my gaze on Hallie.

“People are living, breathing tropes, and romance is just a piece of that. Frannie and Mark are instant connection. Devon and Kennedy, the classic best friends to lovers?—”

“One of my favorites,” Jade says. Then she gestures between the two of us. “Marriage of convenience.”

Hallie crosses her arms over her chest, looking smug. “What’s mine then?”

Jade and I look at each other, and I gesture for her to say it.

“Afraid to love.”

Hallie squints at her, then downs the rest of her beer and climbs out of the booth, shaking her head. “Romance people,” she mutters as she walks away.

Jade and I clink our glasses together and laugh.

We wave goodbye to Hardy and Brian as they leave.

As much as they would’ve loved to hang out all night, they have to get their asses kicked for the last few days of training camp and need some rest.

I could use some rest too.

Alone in the hotel room with Jade.

I glance over at the bar, where Hallie is being touchy and flirty. She’s in the final stage of her plan, and if it works, Jade and I can go soon.

We have a strict rule that we don’t leave without having a quick meeting with any potential hookup, so we know whoever it is will be safe.

As Hallie leans away from the bar, the guy slides off his stool.

“Oh, incoming,” Jade says.

I take a sip of my drink, pretending not to watch them as they walk over to us, hand in hand and laughing.

Time for me to play my part. Standing up, I slip into my older brother role, which is always convincing since we both have a similar shade of blond hair, and I can pull off menacing.

“This is who I have to get approval from?” he asks.

“I’m Justin, the older brother. The guys who just left are the two professional football players that’ll help me hide your body if you hurt her.” I look at Hallie. “Location on?”

“Yep. Shared with you.”

“Good. Now, for posterity…” I pull out my phone and snap a picture of him. “Turn to the side.” He stares at me for a moment, then the ghost of a smile crosses his face and he does it. I snap another photo. “Thank you…”

“Deck,” he says.

I almost snort at that, then give him one more menacing look. He holds up his hands. “We’re not doing full names, but I don’t have a secret identity, I promise. With my picture, you can find me. I won’t hurt her.”

There’s something surprisingly earnest in his voice. Maybe he has a younger sister too, so he gets it.

Then he looks back at Hallie. “Ready to go, Hells Bells?”

I glance at Jade. Hells Bells ? she mouths.

Hallie just puts a finger to her lips.

“I’ll text you that I’m alive later.”

“You better,” I say, keeping my voice extra low and growly as a reminder to Deck that I’m not fucking around.

“Let’s go,” she whispers, leaning in close to him.

He wraps his hand tightly around hers, and with a wave, they leave the bar.

I turn back to Jade, who smiles up at me. “Does that mean we can go now too?”

Offering my hand, I help her out of the booth, then squeeze her ass. “It’s about damn time.”

“Yes,” Jade whines as I stroke her clit and finger her pussy.

She’s doing her nightly hand strengthening exercises. Stroking my cock.

She sucks on my neck, and my breath shudders.

“I’m close,” I groan.

“Move your fingers faster.”

I do as she asks, and a moment later, she’s pulsing around my fingers and crying out.

Shifting, I climb on top of her. This is my favorite way to finish lately.

She strokes me faster, then with her left hand, she gives my balls a little squeeze.

“Fuck,” I groan, my abs tightening .

“Come on, baby. Come all over me. Mark me. Show me who I belong to.”

“Jade… fuck…” I force my eyes open long enough to watch my cum paint her perfect tits.

She laughs as she releases me, licking the bit of my cum off her fingers.

Lying down next to her, I kiss her deeply, tasting myself on her tongue. A thrill goes through me at that. The evidence that I’ve claimed her. She’s my girl.

We break our kiss when she yawns, and with a firm slap to her ass, I send her to get cleaned up.

Quickly checking my phone, I find a text from Hallie that she’s safely back at her apartment and will message me in the morning. I have a feeling she’s not alone, but there’s security in the building there twenty-four-seven, so I’m not too worried.

Jade switches off the lamp as she climbs back into bed naked and curls her body around mine, every perfect curve molding to my hard body.

“Today was amazing. Thank you,” she murmurs, guiding me to her lips.

It would be so easy to deepen our kiss and go for round two, but she still needs to rest and heal.

“You don’t need to thank me. Seeing you happy is all I need.”

She’s quiet for a long moment as I stroke my fingers through her hair.

“Back at you,” she whispers, popping a kiss on my cheek. “Goodnight.”

“I… uh, goodnight.”

I hold her tighter, my heart slamming into my ribs. Because I almost… I wanted to say…

I love you .

The words fill my heart.

I’m not sure if I’m ready to say them yet, but I know with certainty, they’re the truth.