I Choose You by Lopez, Bethany (best fiction novels to read .txt) 📗

replied as he ran his hand through his already disheveled hair. “You deserve the best.”

              “So do you, and so does she.” Roni put her arms around his waist and looked up at him. Into his eyes. “You guys deserve each other. Don’t be a horse’s ass, Kent.”

              She hugged him to try and soften her harsh words, then pulled back to look at him again.

              “What was your good news?”

              He kissed her on the top of her head, then smiled wryly down at her.

              “Now you want to hear my news? You tear me a new one and now you want to hear it?” He laughed softly as he said it, but the smile didn’t quite reach his eyes.

              “Yup,” Roni grinned back up at him.

              “Chuck offered to let me buy the paper from him. He wants to retire.”

              “That’s wonderful, Kent,” Roni broke free and did a little happy dance around the room. “You said, “Yes”, right?”

              “I did,” Kent admitted. “I think I can be happy here, and you’re here, so as long as you think this is somewhere that you would like to stay, then I think it would be good for us to have a solid home.”

              “I like it here,” Roni said with a smile. “I’m so happy for you!”

              She ran back to him and gave him a hug. He put his cheek on the top of her head and asked, “Is she okay, Roni?”

              Roni was about to answer when the doorbell rang once, then the door opened and Rich walked in.

              “Ugh,” Roni groaned when she saw him.

              “Nice to see you too, Sunshine,” Rich said with a grin and a wink as he walked in. “What’s up, Man?”

              Kent walked over and gave Rich a slap on the back, then paused when Colin walked in behind him.

              “I hope you don’t mind, I asked Colin to come with me.” Rich explained. “He called to say he was in town, and there’s something I want to talk to the both of you about.”

              “No problem,” Kent said, then walked over and held his hand out to Colin. “How’s it going, Colin? How’s Austin?”

              Colin shook Kent’s hand and said with a smile, “It’s great, Man. Nice house.”

              “Thanks.”

              “Hey, Colin,” Roni greeted her friend’s tall good-looking boyfriend. “So, if you’re here, does that mean Bree is too?”

              “Hi, Roni,” Colin responded with a flash of his dimples. “Good to see you again. Yeah, Bree was actually headed over to your apartment to see you and Nic. I think Kara’s meeting her over there too.”

              “Awesome,” Roni said as she turned to her brother. “You’re off the hook for now, but you’d better come to your senses soon. I’ll see you later. Bye, Colin. Rich,” She said dryly when Rich winked at her.

              “Your sister really likes me,” Rich grinned at her retreating back, then laughed out loud as she flipped him off before closing the door behind her.

              “How long are you both here for?” Kent asked as he walked into the kitchen. “You want a beer?”

              They nodded, then followed Kent out onto his back deck and sat down to catch up.

              “’Til Sunday after Halloween,” Colin answered first.

              “Yeah, me too,” Rich replied. “But I’ll graduate in December and be back for good. I’m so ready to be done with school.”

              “What are your plans when you get back?” Kent asked the slightly younger man.

              Rich set his beer down and looked at the two of them, his hazel eyes flashing with excitement.

              “That’s what I wanted to talk to the two of you about, actually. This may sound like it’s coming out of left field, but I have been doing my research for a little over a year now.” Rich ran his hand through his shaggy brown hair, then took a deep swig of his beer before finishing. “There’s an old warehouse over on Fifth Street, and… Well, I bought it.”

              “You did?” Colin asked. “I know the place you’re talking about. What are you going to do with it?”

              “I’m going to make it into a Rec center. For kids,” Rich began to talk more quickly. “You know how we spent all of our time shooting hoops and playing catch growing up?” This he directed at Colin.

              “Yeah.”

              “Well, I want to build a place where kids can come hang out, and be active, in a safe and controlled environment. I plan to have a baseball diamond out back, courts inside, and different areas for classes.”

              “What kind of classes?” Kent asked eagerly, getting caught up in Rich’s excitement.

              “Karate, music, dance… I don’t know everything. I haven’t worked it all out yet, but it’s going to be great.”

              “That sounds amazing, Man,” Colin said. “I would have loved a place like that growing up.”

              Kent nodded in agreement, “Me too. And I’ve noticed that there isn’t a Y or any sort of Boys and Girls club here, so that would be great.”

              Kent went in to get another round of beers. He could see the enthusiasm his friend had for this idea and agreed one hundred percent that the kids in this town needed and would utilize a Rec Center like that.

              He believed in the idea so much, that when he got back outside with the guys he said, “I want in. Not as an owner or anything, that’s your deal, Rich, but I want to help. Be a silent partner or something, and maybe offer a journalism course or something.”

              Colin looked up at him with a grin as he handed him a beer. “Dude, I was just saying the same thing. I would love to be involved, and although I’m not here full time right now, I’d love to help out when I am.”

              “You guys are awesome,” Rich said as he cleared his throat. “I’m just glad you didn’t laugh at me.”

              “Hell no. Why would we laugh, it’s a