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Chapter Twenty-Six

BODE

“Y ou have the blanket?”

“Yes.” The oversized blanket is laid out on the couch as I dim the living room lights. The baby monitor sits on the table with a sleeping baby filling the screen. “Popcorn done?”

“Yes. What do you want to drink?” Stevie calls out from the kitchen.

“Water is fine.”

The sounds of cabinet doors opening and closing echo around the room.

“I hope you’re ready for this.”

“I’m ready to see what you’ve been going on and on about.”

“I have not been going on and on,” Stevie tells me, walking into the living room. “If you don’t love this, I don’t want to know.”

It’s been a while since Stevie and I started this thing, and I’m finding it harder and harder to keep my feelings to myself.

Especially after inviting her to the game. It felt like a very public pronouncement of my feelings toward her. Even if it was only the guys who saw us together.

Every time I want to tell her I love her, it’s like the words get stuck in my mouth. I turn into a bumbling idiot, and I end up asking her what she wants for dinner. Even if it’s ten o’clock at night.

The smell of butter wafts through the living room as Stevie sets the bowl of popcorn on the table with two glasses of water.

“You don’t?” I ask, holding my arm out to her for her to lie next to me. I pull the soft blanket over us and let her burrow into me.

She shakes her head. “No. This is one of my favorite movies, and I will not let you ruin it for me.”

“Hey. Who says I’m going to ruin it?”

She rolls her eyes and cues the movie. “You’re a man and we’re watching a period romance film. You wouldn’t be the first.”

“We’ll see about that.”

Stevie starts the movie as I grab the popcorn bowl and take a handful. I’ll be the first to admit, this isn’t my kind of movie. But I’ll be damned if I let Stevie know that. If she asks, I love it.

When the camera pans to all the daughters, my jaw drops.

“I’m glad I only have Caleb; I couldn’t imagine that. Five daughters? Yikes.”

Stevie throws a piece of popcorn at me. “Shh!”

“What? I’m only saying I can relate to him. That’s a lot of kids.”

“It was more common then. Now shush.”

Stevie quiets me by turning the volume up. I smile as I pull the blanket over us and cozy up into the couch.

“This is my favorite part. Watch.”

Stevie turns up the volume, cuddling farther into my side. I squeeze her close, letting her sweet perfume wash over me.

“Wasn’t that great?” she sighs.

“They didn’t say anything.”

“You missed it?” She sounds affronted. “How could you miss it?”

“You can’t turn the volume up and expect me to see something. I was listening.”

“Watch,” Stevie goads me as she turns back to the TV. “Watch his hand.”

It’s a flex after he helps her into the carriage. It’s the most subtle of moves. Blink and you miss it. Stevie pauses it and turns to me.

“It’s my favorite part of the movie. He loves her so much, even the briefest of touches is too much.”

I can easily say I know the feeling—the overwhelming awareness of being so in love with someone that you have no idea how to handle it.

This movie is hitting a little too close to home for me. I can relate to everything this Darcy fellow is going through.

“So this Darcy guy…he’s already in love with her?”

Stevie nods and starts the movie again. “Yes. Can’t you tell? He conveys so much love with just one gesture.”

“Will they end up together?”

She smacks me in the chest. “I can’t tell you that. You need to watch.”

I smile at her before pulling her into my side. My fingers rub up and down her sweatshirt-clad shoulder.

As the movie goes on, I find I’m more and more invested. This poor schmuck is so in love with Elizabeth. Is he going to tell her? I don’t know if I could stand it to think of these two not being in love.

“ You have bewitched me, body and soul. ”

Damn. I guess when Darcy figures shit out, he goes for it. Maybe I could take a page from his playbook.

“Yes! C’mon. Say yes, Elizabeth.” I rub my hands together, leaning toward the screen. “How could anyone possibly say no to that confession?”

“Watch.” Stevie shushes me once again, but when they kiss, I can’t help the emotions that take over.

Tears wet my eyes as they ride off into the sunset.

“Fuck. That was good.”

Stevie shuts it off and turns to face me.

“Wait. Are you…are you crying?” Stevie leans back, locking eyes with me.

“What? No.” I grab the empty bowl of popcorn and head to the kitchen, discreetly wiping my eyes.

“You are!” Stevie follows me, hopping onto the counter next to the sink. “You loved it, didn’t you?”

“Okay, fine.” I set my hands on my hips. “What’s not to love? The poor bastard is so in love he doesn’t know what to do about it and almost loses her.”

Something I can very easily relate to.

Stevie claps her hands together, holding them over her heart. “And that confession? It gets me every time. Darcy is the perfect man.”

“Oh, he is, is he?”

Grabbing her knees, I push them apart and close the distance between the two of us.

“I mean, it’s the truth.”

I give her a devious smile. “I mean, he kind of is. He knows exactly what to say to make Elizabeth come back to him.”

Stevie links her hands behind my neck and pulls me in for a kiss. Slow. Sweet. Languid.

I’m addicted to her kisses.

“I mean, you’re also pretty great.”

“I’m no Darcy…”

“Eh, not everyone can be.”

I give her one last kiss before putting the popcorn bowl and glasses in the sink. Darkness has swallowed us. The only light is the soft glow of the living room lights, casting long shadows.

“Hey. Would you have any interest in bringing Caleb to the game next weekend? I figure an afternoon game won’t throw off his schedule,” I ask, changing the subject. I don’t need to keep thinking about Darcy and his love confessions.

That’s a problem for future Bode.

“Really?”

I sweep Stevie’s long blonde hair behind her shoulder. “Yeah. I want you to come see me play again, and I want Caleb to be there too.”

“Even though he won’t be able to remember any of it?”

I drop my hand onto the elegant column of her neck, rubbing my thumb along the vein there. “I will. I want my son at the game.”

Stevie’s smile is hesitant. “I mean, if you’re sure.”

I capture her lips in an easy kiss. “Yes. I want you there. Both of you.”

“We’ll be there.” Stevie hops off the counter and walks backward toward the stairs. “Now, care to join me upstairs?”

I nod. “Be there in a minute.”

I watch her go, eating up the view of her disappearing up the stairs. I am in over my head with this woman. I don’t know how I fell so hard, but I did.

I need to grow a pair of balls. Be like Darcy and confess to Stevie how I feel.

I mean, the guy made it look easy.

How hard can it be?