“Well,I don’t think I can.” His chest puffed and deflated. It was hard to believethat he was so sick, underneath it all, when here, with me, he encompassed suchstrength and intimidation.
Itook another step. “But why?”
Theneed for distance vanished, and his arms pulled me in. I pressed my cheek tohis chest, his chin tipped to my head, and in a rumble against my ear, hemuttered, “Because you’re my best friend.”
“Andyou’re mine,” I whispered, slipping my arms around his waist. “And that’s why Iwant you to let this go, before it eats away at you.”
Chadswallowed audibly and pressed his lips to my hair. “But I love you,” heconfessed in a voice so strained, I thought it might break. “And that’s why Idon’t think I can.”
Ishut my eyes and listened to the beat of his heart. Mine had left me silentlyweeks ago, to rest comfortably within his hands. And now, the steady hammeringof the organ I knew I now possessed, residing in his chest, filled the voidleft by the absence of my own.
“Ilove you, too,” I admitted in a whisper, ensuring this wasn’t unrequited, andhe exhaled with steady relief. “And that’s why I need you to try.”
31
ToBe Loved
CHAD
“WELL,YOULOOK LIKEgarbage,” Sebastian commented frankly. “We missed you atyoga this morning.”
“Mygut had other ideas,” I grumbled exhaustedly, as I dropped on the couch besidehim. Greyson acknowledged me with a concerned glance, while Ty nudged his chinin my direction.
“Youfeelingany better?” he asked.
Icaught the look of concern in his expression. I knew what he was getting at andI nodded with reassurance. “I’m fine.”
“Yeah.We’ve heard that before,”Sebteased, jabbing anelbow into my side.
“Iknow, but this time, I mean it. I justgottagive mygut a few more minutes to settle down.”
Heclapped a hand against my knee. “Well, just let us know if you need anything,okay?” And with that, he returned his attention to the TV.
Inarrowed my eyes at the screen and asked what they were watching. “Sleepless in Seattle,” Sebastianreplied. He finished with a wistful sigh, grabbed a pillow, and wrapped hisarms around it.
Inthe months since we’d started this tour, I was convinced the three of them hadwatched nearly every chick flick ever released. Either traveling with Molly wasmaking these guys abundantly soft, or they were particularly lonely. I hadtried not to question it, but that pillow hugged toSeb’schest nudged me over the edge.
“Whatthe hell happened toy’all?”
Greysonwas the first to answer. “What are you talking about?”
Ithrust a hand toward the TV, just in time for Meg Ryan to find a teddy bear atthe top of the Empire State Building. “The last time we went on tour,y’allwere watchingTheHangoverandSuperbad. Now, wegotThe Hallmark Channelon here allthe damn time—”
“Thisisn’tThe Hallmark Channel,” Typointed out, lowering his brows defensively. “We don’t doHallmark.”
Sebastianscoffed. “I need a movie withsubstance, thank youverymuch.”
“Same,”Grey agreed. He tipped his head toSeb’sshoulder,and the father-son duo sighed in unison when Tom Hanks and his on-screen sonexited the elevator, to find Meg Ryan waiting.
“Thishas substance?” I questioned,muffling a chuckle behind a fist.
Thecredits began torolland Ty took a moment to sighdreamily before lowering the volume. He turned to me with a hint ofexasperation creasing the lines in his forehead. Then, I did laugh at theabsurdity of it all. Three grown men built like houses and inked to excess, anda punk teenager with hair longer than his father’s, sitting around the TVawaiting the next girly movie.
“Carrielikes this stuff,” Ty began, pressing his elbows to his knees. “I always makefun of her about it,‘cause, I mean, come on. It’slame and predictable as all hell. But you know what?”
“What?”
Heshrugged his burly shoulders. “Theykindamake mehappy.”
