Thick & Thin (Thin Love, #3)(40)
I looked down, biting back the other words that threatened to leave my mouth. There were so many other things I could say. I could beg. I could get on my knees and offer my blood just for another chance with her. But that’s not what she needed. Despite what was in my heart, what I really wanted, I did want her happy. “It…it won’t happen again.”
“Shoushou…” The small whisper of that name had me tightening my eyes and I could open them only when she stood next to me, close, slipping her fingers between mine.
“Before, in the past,” I started, “anytime I upset you, one dance would make things better.” Her eyes were bright, reflecting the movement of the flames in her pupils. “But I guess asking you to dance right now would be out of bounds.”
A smile like that, felt like it was reserved for only me. “Just a little.”
My hand moved on its own, coming up so I could move the hair from her shoulder, standing close enough to dance with her if she wanted. “No one moves the way you do, nani.”
She didn’t take my hand, leading me in a dance that would only complicate things further. When she spoke, those sweet words broke what was left of my heart. “No one moves the way we do.”
Just then, with those green eyes glistening and the sweet smell of her shampoo working my senses over, I wanted to hold her, kiss her so soundly that she remembered no one else owned those lips but me. It would have been easy. But she wanted Ethan. She had said that things were finished with us. As much as I hated it, I had to respect that.
On the steps leading to the patio, my father had intercepted Ethan as he had left the basketball court, and the lawyer didn’t seem too worried that Aly was standing so close to me, looking too comfortable in my presence.
“So, am I forgiven?” I asked, squeezing her fingers.
Her head moved before she answered and she repressed a chuckle. “Always.”
“Good. I’m glad.” I stepped back, hearing Ethan’s voice as he trailed after my father. “Now that means you have to text me and every once in a while, call me.” I tilted my head, nudging her arm. “That’s what friends do, right?”
“Right,” she agreed.
“So, Ransom, your dad tells me you have a Monday night game next week?” Ethan didn’t get my attention, not immediately. My eyes seemed compelled to stay on that beautiful face, but she blinked, glancing at her man and my father and took a step back before I nodded at Ethan.
“Yeah, against the Broncos. Home.” Dad seemed a little tense, but still smiled at Ethan when he looked between me and my father. “I tried to get him to come down to watch it…”
“I have a job, keika kane and other…things upcoming,” Dad interrupted me. “But I’ll be watching. Your mom invited the CPU coaches and their wives to watch.” I thought he mumbled something about Mom hating having to watch me play—she didn’t like seeing me get hurt when it happened—but Dad’s voice was too muted for me to understand.
It didn’t matter anyway. Ethan’s excited tone drew my attention away from my father. “Here?” Ethan asked, making Aly frown at him. When Dad nodded, the lawyer lost his cool a little and the fanboy showed up in full force. He didn’t bother hiding his eagerness, kept nodding at my father, grin huge and ridiculous, moving on the balls of his feet like he couldn’t contain his excitement. “I’d love to watch a game with you, Kona, if you’ve got room for one more.”
“Ethan…” Aly started, getting only the smallest glance of attention from her fiancé.
“He doesn’t mind, do you, Kona?” The man smiled between Aly, who wilted, embarrassed, and my father who looked to the side, at me and back to the patio as though he searched for someone to get him out of this awkward mess. “It’ll be fun. And, you know, I think the next time the Dolphins play the Steamers, I can get you and Keira tickets. We have a box at the stadium.”
It took effort to keep my mouth shut. Ethan wasn’t thinking, didn’t realize my folks didn’t need some lawyer working deals to get them tickets. Kona was a former Super Bowl-winning lineman, two times over. My mom was a Grammy-winning songwriter and producer. They had connections, but Ethan was a fan, an eager damn fan, and Aly’s new man. I wouldn’t embarrass him or do any correcting. Still, I can’t say I didn’t enjoy what an ass he was making of himself. Didn’t particularly like watching Aly squirm or seeing the tension work itself over my father’s face, but that little smug * inside my head was happy Ethan didn’t come off as the slick f*cker he always seemed to be.
When Dad’s eye twitched, I tried to play off the awkwardness. “It’s cool. No need to go out of your way, Ethan. Maybe…”
“Keiki kane, it’s fine,” Dad interrupted, patting the lawyer’s shoulder with a grin on his face. “You’re Aly’s man, Ethan. Of course you’re welcome to join us.”
Moving my gaze between the three of them, I kept quiet, taking in the grin Ethan shared with my father and the way Aly’s blinked, as though she couldn’t believe Kona would say that. It had been a strain, with the attitude Dad had given her after she left me and Miami, and though he was civil to her, he was also always a little cold. Recovering, Aly faced me, hugging me with her most of her body not touching mine. I didn’t like the distance.