Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 73012 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73012 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
“This is Kason,” he says, coming toward me, so I stand and meet them halfway. “My…boyfriend. And this is Chelsea and Makayla.”
I hold my hand out for Chelsea. “It’s so nice to meet you both.” I shake with her, then Makayla. “Ant said I could come and hang out today if that’s okay with both of you.”
“Sure!” Makayla grins at me, then shoots a glance at Anthony and giggles.
He smirks. “Come on. Let’s get started.”
As they begin the lesson, Chelsea and I make our way to the chairs. “Are you thirsty? I can get you some water or something.”
She gives me a soft smile. “I’m all right. Thank you.” Anthony begins stretching with Makayla as Chelsea asks, “You play hockey, right?”
“I do. Yeah.”
“I don’t know how you do it.”
“I love the game,” I answer easily.
“No, not that. I mean, I don’t know how you play hockey either, but the lack of privacy. It broke my heart when photos of you and Anthony were published without your permission.”
I nod in agreement. “It does suck, but it could have been a lot worse. It’s slowing down, which is nice. It doesn’t bother me too much. I just hate it for him. I don’t want him to deal with anything that makes him uncomfortable.”
She fans herself playfully. “Swoon.”
I chuckle.
As Anthony and Makayla end their stretching session and begin dancing, I try to keep the conversation going. “She’s been going here for about two years, he said.”
“Yeah. I’m so thankful for him. Anthony has been great. He used to give her extra lessons when my husband passed. He said I could text him anytime, day or night, and if Makayla wanted to dance, he would make it happen.”
My heart thuds, and I look at him and smile. They’re working on ballet, but I know from what he’s told me, he does a mixture of ballet, hip-hop, and tap. “That sounds like him. If he said it, he meant it.”
“He’s a good man.”
“The best,” I confirm, still watching him.
“I know that look…and that tone of voice. Kenan used to watch me the same way, would talk about me the same way. I’m glad Anthony has someone. He deserves to be loved.”
He really, really does. Am I in love with Anthony? I think I probably am. He is…like no one I’ve ever been with before, and I don’t ever want this to end.
“I’m lucky to have him.” And even if I didn’t know it before talking to Chelsea, I would know it now. Hearing how she speaks about him, the things he’s done for her and her daughter, it confirms what I already knew—how special he is.
“Yes,” she replies. “But from what I’ve seen so far, he’s lucky to have you too. Hold on to it. You never know when it will slip away.”
I give her a slow, understanding nod. “I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Me too.”
We continue to watch Makayla’s dance lesson, and when it’s over, the four of us chat for a while longer.
After they leave, I tell Anthony, “I like them a lot.”
“Me too.” He glances toward the door. “Do you want them?”
It takes me a moment to understand. “Kids?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m not sure. I’m not opposed to it. I don’t know if now is the right time if you’re going to tell me we should adopt. But having kids is something I’ve considered for the future. You?”
He doesn’t answer right away, but I can tell he’s thinking, trying to be intentional with his answer. “I didn’t use to think so, but I think that’s just because I had such a bad childhood. But sometimes, I think I might want one. Not anytime soon for me either, so we don’t have to broach the adoption discussion today.”
“I’m not sure if I should make a joke about trying to get you pregnant in the meantime or bring to your attention that you didn’t discount that the person you’d be having an adoption discussion with is me.” I wrap my arms around him and pull him close. “You like me a lot. You wanna be with me forever.”
“Lies,” he says with a smile, before burying his face into my chest and saying, “Maybe.”
I grin. Maybe. “Who knew that would suddenly be my favorite word?”
“There you go again, Flirty Boy.” He steps back but takes my hand. “You are…really something special, you know that?”
“I know you are but what am I?” I tease him, same as he said to me before.
Before he can say anything else, the door opens and a teenage boy comes in with an older man…grandfather, maybe?
Anthony lets go of my hand. “Hey, Justin, Phil, this is—”
“Kason Maddox. Holy shit,” Justin exclaims.
“I’d normally tell you to watch your language, but I happen to agree with you on this one,” the older man says.
With a smile on my face, I walk over to introduce myself. We talk for a little while, then Phil and I take our seats. I chat with him, same as I did with Chelsea. Justin was taken away from Phil’s daughter, and now he and his wife are raising their grandson. I’m not surprised Anthony chose to help them, someone else he found who uses dance to get through hard times, the same way Anthony has. By the end of their session, I’ve heard even more raving about how great my boyfriend is, and got Phil’s contact information so I can get their family tickets to an upcoming Rebels game.