Ballers: His Game (Ballers Series Book 1)(36)
“Well, I think I’d rather give Brad here a little shit. I heard that remark about getting married back there. So this is finally the one?” Tom asks with a warm smile. He has always been like another older brother to me.
“I was going to get around to that. I was thinking the same thing. Are you sure you want to go and get married? All of these women will drive you crazy. At least when you are just dating you can run,” Trevor snorts then laughs.
“I don’t know what made me say that in there, but I guess it came from the heart. Yeah, I want to marry Tam. I know we have a lot to work out and learn about each other, but I’ve wanted to be with her for so long. She just feels like home.”
“Well little brother you have my blessing. I can only hope to find that someday,” Trevor presses his lips and glares at the door that leads back to his wife.
We move on to talking about football and drinking more beer. After an hour I start watching my phone every minute to see if I missed Tam’s call or something. She should have been here by now. I am starting to get worried. Everything flashes through my mind from her being run off the road to her being lost out there somewhere.
I know she has been in Texas for five years, but these roads out here can be tricky. As the second hour approaches I am ready to come out of my skin. I have gone in to check on Ellie and make sure Tamara didn’t ring the front doorbell and I missed it or something. Being in the garage we should be the first to hear her drive up, so I am not surprised not to see her in the house.
“Brad, have you tried to call Tamara. It’s getting late and dinner is just about ready,” Mama asks as she pulls some biscuits from the oven.
“I was trying to give her time. She’s driving you know?”
Just as my mother is about to protest my phone starts to ring. I quickly pull the phone from my pocket. Gesturing to my mama that it is Tamara and I am going to take it.
“Everything okay, Sweetheart,” I say into the phone. “Where are you?”
“I’m out front,” she replies on a huff. “Can you come out?”
“Yeah, be right out.”
I rush out the side door to the garage and out the little door attached. I get halfway to the car when I stop in my tracks. Tamara is standing with the passenger side door open, but that’s not what stops me.
I’ve never seen Tamara looking like this. She’d completely changed from what she was wearing when I saw her this morning. Even her hair is different. I am used to her wearing it up or it tumbling down her back in long curls or waves. She has straightened it making it almost hit the center of her back and her bangs are sweeping across her face and feathered out. I knew her hair was pretty long but it looks amazing this way as it curls under at the tips and bounces and blows around her in the light breeze.
It doesn’t just stop with the hair. Her lips are tinted a flattering shade of pink almost plum. There is a plum colored scarf tied around her neck. The black silk button down blouse she is wearing is fitted and the top buttons are left open revealing a plum tank top. Her light blue jeans are like a second skin and just to show me she is meant for me she has on a pair of calf high, heeled black cowgirl boots.
I draw a hand down my jaw and release the breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. Tamara looks up at me through her lashes and smirks. She knows she’s killing me, doesn’t she? I close the distance between us placing my hands on her hips hoping she isn’t still too pissed to let me touch her.
“You take my breath away,” I bend to murmur against her lips. I am so relieved when she returns the kiss. I groan into her open mouth. I try to deepen the kiss tipping her head back, but she pulls away giggling up at me.
“Brad,” she breathes and peeks nervously around me at the house. “I want to see Bri. Can you carry this box in for me?”
“Sure,” I steal one more kiss before side stepping her, reaching in the truck for the box on the seat. I peek inside then turn to look at her. “What is all this?”
“My mother taught me you never show up to dinner at someone’s home empty handed,” she shrugs with a little smile.
I think she is really nervous. I have never seen her nervous. Tam is so confident all the time. I tuck the box under my arm and grab her purse off the seat turning to hand it to her. Once she takes her purse I close the door to the truck and wrap my free arm around her, kissing the top of her head.
“Relax Darlin’, they’re going to love you,” I reassure her.
“Um-hm, sure,” she murmurs under her breath. Tamara looks up at me and shakes her head as she quickly reaches to wipe her lip gloss from my lips.
Before we can make it all the way to the front door it flies open and my mama and daddy stand beaming at us. Brielle squeezes between the two of them and shoots into Tamara’s arms. I can feel some of the tension leave Tamara’s body but not all of it.
“Mommy,” Ellie squeals.
“Hey baby, I missed you today. How’s my baby?”
“Mommy, I had so much fun today. I met Grandma Gloria and Papa and Jess, Auntie Ann, Uncle Trev, Uncle Tom, Jonathan, Paige, Toby, Amy, George and Melissa. Oh and Mrs. Donna. Papa gave me a pony and said he’s going to teach me to ride it. Can I learn Mommy please,” Ellie rambles and I groan.
“Sugar, I thought we talked about that,” I sigh.
“You said we had to ask Mommy,” Ellie murmurs.