“Thanks for looking out for him,” I said, looking up and smiling before training my eyes back on my boyfriend.
“Always. Looks like we both have his back.”
I nodded and moved between Shaw and Jax as my best friends stood right there beside me.
Just as it should be.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Jett
I won the fight by the skin of my teeth because seeing Adelaide there had me all kinds of distracted. I just wanted to be done with it, so I could talk to her. I’d missed the hell out of her.
When I stepped outside to find our friends all huddled in the parking lot, I asked her if she wanted to go for a ride. Everyone laughed. Hadn’t seen the girl in days, and all I wanted was to have her on the back of my bike and talk to her.
She nodded, and we said our goodbyes to everyone.
I buckled her helmet, her gaze locking with mine. Hadn’t asked her a thing yet. No words needed to be spoken.
She was mine.
Always had been.
Always would be.
I jumped on my bike and her hands came around my waist, tucking beneath my T-shirt just like they always did.
When we pulled up to the lake, I took her hand and our fingers interlaced as we walked toward the hammock.
“Sorry about distracting you at the fight,” she said, and it was the first time I’d actually heard her voice in days. I wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.
“I never mind being distracted by you, Ace.”
She leaned her head on my chest. “I’m sorry I was MIA. I listened to what you said the last time we spoke, about me needing to figure out what I wanted.”
“Yeah? Did you figure it out?”
“Yep.” She fiddled with the rope bracelet on my wrist that matched hers.
“So, what do you want?”
“Well, obviously I want you,” she said, turning to face me and meeting my gaze.
“Obviously.” I chuckled. “I mean, we have the matching bracelets and all.”
“Right. It would be silly to have to get rid of the twine.”
“Definitely,” I said, moving closer and grazing her lips with mine.
“What else did you decide? You going to stay here with Taulson?” I pulled back to look at her, because I needed to know.
“Nope. I’m going to be attending Texas University this fall. Hey, isn’t that where you’re going?”
I smiled. I was so fucking happy. “Yep. Looks like we’ll be at the same school.”
“I’m going to be there for Alec from a distance. It’s obvious that he has a problem with alcohol. I researched a few programs for him, and I think he’s going to do it and try to turn things around. Karina’s pregnant. He’s got something to work for.”
I didn’t hide my surprise. “Wow. That’s—a lot. He’s lucky to have you in his corner. But it’s not your job to fix him, you know that, right?”
“I don’t want to fix him. But he needs a friend, and I can be that for him right now.”
“Such a good person, Adelaide Edington. I knew it the day you gave me half of your PB&J.”
“Oh yeah? What did you know?”
“I knew that if I ever had a chance to make you mine, I’d take it,” I said, rubbing my nose against hers.
She laughed, and her breath tickled my cheek. “You did not. You were eight. You just wanted the sandwich.”
I chuckled, and I nipped at her bottom lip. “Fine. I wanted the sandwich. But now, now I know that if I ever had the chance to make you mine, I’d take it.”
“I’m all yours, Jett Stone.”
“Thank god. I don’t think I could function without you, Ace. I’ve missed you so fucking much.”
“Me too. Especially after that night we had right over there,” she said, wriggling her brows.
I laughed. “Oh yeah? You liked that, did you?”
“I really did.” She nodded, and her smile caused my goddamn stomach to flutter. I’d just fought a badass fighter and won, and here I was fighting off butterflies because the prettiest damn girl in the world loved me.
Weak.
And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
“You know, we could do that again any time you want. And it doesn’t even have to be in a tent.”
“Oh really? You can make that kind of magic when we aren’t in a tent?” she teased, and I tipped her back on the hammock. My hand slipped beneath her shirt, needing to feel her soft skin.
“Baby, it doesn’t matter where we are. When I’m with you, it’s all magic. Which reminds me. I got you a graduation gift.” I pushed back and yanked my T-shirt over my head and reached for my phone to turn the flashlight on my arm.
Right below Ma and Grams birthdates, I’d inked my girl’s birthdate in Roman numerals.
Her finger ran over the ink and a tear ran down her cheek. “You put my birthday on your arm? Why?”
“Turns out the day you were born is the best day of my life, Ace. I wanted to tattoo the date of the first time we had sex, but I thought that might embarrass you.”
Her mouth opened in laughter. “It’s tattooed on my heart forever.”
“Yeah? My girl is so poetic with her words. I love you,” I said, tipping her back down again.
“I love you more.”
“Not possible,” I said, covering her mouth with mine.
Because the way I loved this girl was something I couldn’t even put into words. And I knew I’d found my forever.
It didn’t matter where we were.
She had my heart.
And I had hers.
Always and forever.
EPILOGUE
I stood at the podium and stared out at all the faces of the students I’d attended school with since kindergarten. The families that had supported us and been there every step of the way. My hands shook as I settled the paper against the wood surface and my gaze locked with beautiful dark eyes that always grounded me. My nerves dissipated.
Jett.
I cleared my throat and adjusted the microphone, so it was sitting just beneath my chin.
“Good morning parents, friends, teachers, administrators, and graduates. As I look out at all of you now, I realize that I know every single student in our graduating class. I’ve spoken to each of you, laughed with you, and shared memories with you at one time or another over the past four years and beyond, as most of us have been together since kindergarten.” I paused to look out at the audience, smiling as I scanned the room to find my sister Clem beaming up at me like I hung the moon. I fought back the emotion stirring within.