Forever Blake (Once Upon a Player Book 3) by Elena Matthews (free books to read .TXT) 📗

let out a breath of relief. She’s smiling, so I might have a chance at winning her back.

The smile quickly disappears though, and I realize it’s going to take more than three coffees and a rose to truly win her back.

“Should you really be here? I mean, isn’t this against Daddy’s rules?” she bites out, shifting off the bed to stand up.

“I’m sorry I allowed your father to come between us. I should have fought harder for you. I was weak, and I’ll never forgive myself for that.”

“Yes, you should have. But you’re a week too late. I’ve moved on,” she says defiantly with her head held high.

My eyes drift to the TV hanging on the wall, to Harvey Specter alerting us of his presence. “So, why are you watching Suits?”

That rattles her, and she quickly grabs the remote control before switching the television off. “It was the only thing that was on,” she snaps.

“Yeah, it was the only thing playing on my television all week too,” I deadpan.

Her eyes soften a little at that, and I take advantage of that small ounce of vulnerability.

“I’ve been a wreck since you walked out of my apartment, Ever. I was drinking myself into an oblivion while watching Suits, just so I could feel close to you—even though it really is the most inaccurate legal show I have ever watched. Though you were right about me being like Harvey. It’s like we’re brothers.” I chuckle.

Her face remains stoic, yet her eyes continue to warm to me.

“I didn’t realize how much of a vital part you were to me until I couldn’t see you every single day. I miss you, Ever, more than I’ve ever missed anyone. You’re my soul, and I feel so empty without it, without you.”

“I miss you too, but you really hurt me, Blake,” she says, placing her fist over her heart. “One minute, you were ready to risk it all for me, and the next, you were doing anything you could to sabotage us.”

“I know, and I was an idiot to let your dad get inside my head like that.”

“At least we agree on one thing.”

“Just so you know, if it wasn’t for your dad turning up today, I still would have come here, on my hands and knees, begging for your forgiveness. I don’t care who I have to fight to be with you.”

“You saw my dad?” she asks, her voice laced with shock and anger.

“Yeah, it was a surprise to me too. He apologized for his behavior and said something I never thought I’d hear him say.”

“What did he say?”

“He gave me his blessing to be with you.”

“He did?” she asks with surprise.

“Yeah. You not talking to him and threatening not to go to Harvard really put things into perspective. He’d thought he was protecting you, but he realized he was only hurting you.”

“That’s nice, but I’d prefer for him to tell me that himself.”

“I’m sure he will, but he didn’t just give his blessing. He reinstated me.”

“And you’re just going to go back, even after how he treated you?” she asks, appalled at the idea.

“I wasn’t going to since I’d already accepted a job at a new law firm, but he kind of made an offer I couldn’t resist.”

“What offer?”

“You’re looking at the new senior partner of Sullivan-Gould…in Boston.”

“But there isn’t a Sullivan-Gould in Boston.”

“There is now.”

“What?!” she exclaims, shocked. “Why?”

“Isn’t it obvious? He loves you so much that he happily set up a new division in the city you’ll be living in for the next three years, so you can be with the man you love—aka me.”

“Holy shit. I have to lie down.”

I quickly set the lattes down on a chest of drawers behind me and swoop in to grab her as she gets a little weak in the knees. She sits on the edge of the bed as I kneel in front of her. She takes several long inhales and exhales.

“You okay?” I ask while stroking a piece of hair behind her ear.

“Yeah, I’m just…shocked. So, are you moving to Boston?”

“Well, that all depends.”

“On what?”

“If you’re still planning on heading to Boston for Harvard. I will follow you to the ends of the earth to be with you. Just say the word, and I am there.”

“You’d move to Boston for me?”

“In a minute.”

“What about your family?”

“I’ll still see them all the time, and there is also a great little gadget called an iPad, where you can do all sorts of things, such as FaceTime and Skype.”

She rolls her eyes. “But it’s such a big move, and we haven’t been together long. What if you move to Boston and hate it?”

She’s freaking out, and I find it adorable.

“What could I hate about Boston when you’re there? Plus, my sister used to make me watch Dawson’s Creek when we were younger, and, well, Boston didn’t seem too bad in seasons five and six.”

“Wow, when you say stuff like that, it makes you sound really old,” she says with a smile, a little calmer.

I chuckle. “That’s because I am old.”

“You’ll never be old to me, old man.”

She snorts, and I lean up to her level and cage her in with my arms.

“So, are you still planning on going to Harvard Law?”

She nods, tears welling in her eyes. “Yes, of course.”

“Good. Now, I can ask my next question.”

I shift back and raise one leg, so I’m just down on one knee. Her brows shoot up with shock, and her tears begin falling down her cheeks. I grab her hand in mine and gaze into her eyes.

“Oh my God,” she whimpers, and I realize how very misleading this is, but right now, she deserves a big, grand gesture…even if there isn’t a ring.

But there will be a ring one day. I promise.

“Reagan Everly Sullivan”—I pause for dramatic effect, and an unsteady breath catches in her throat—“will you… move to Boston with me?”

“Jesus, Blake!” She lets out a whoosh of air. “You were about to give me a heart attack.