Ever After Awaits (Layla) novel Chapter 93

Chapter 93: Layla POV

🙂))

The house is quiet later that night as I sit curled up into the corner of the couch, my hoodie sleeves pulled over my hands, and a cup of chamomile tea forgotten on the side table to my left.

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Mason has been asleep for over an hour, and Tessa has retreated to her room with a book and a warning not to disturb her unless the house is on fire or a sexy cop knocks at the

door.

It was just me in that moment. No phone screens glowing in my face, music filtering from a speaker somewhere in the room, or voices to drown out the thoughts in my head.

Xavier’s key still sits in the side pocket of my messenger bag, and I keep catching myself reaching for it, running my thumb over it like some talisman that would reveal my future if I kept at it long enough. And as if it knew I didn’t want to be away from them

anymore.

Cade’s laugh is still echoing somewhere inside me. I can still feel the imprint of his hand as it was intertwined with mine, while his not–so–innocent kiss has imprinted itself onto my heart.

AJ’s kiss is still burning through my bloodstream, a steady hum that hasn’t faded since his mouth touched mine on that rooftop. His words that ‘neither of us has to leave the other again‘ are still fresh in my memory, as if they were spoken to me mere minutes

ago.

And then there is Hunter. My safe, solid Hunter. Our ‘I love you‘ filled something inside me that I didn’t even know was running on empty after this week.

They each gave me something this week.

Xavier gave me a space to start putting down roots, should I want to.

Cade’s touch was not only physical but emotional in its simplicity, confirming that I’ve already fallen in love with him, too.

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Chapter 93: Layla POV

:>))

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AJ gave me back a memory that I thought had been lost many moons ago when we were ripped from each other’s lives.

Hunter gave me a truth about his past and how it shaped him, and he showed me that he’s willing to be vulnerable with me.

And sitting here now, I’m not shattered or confused anymore. Because they aren’t asking me to give up who I am to be with them. They’re asking me to come home to them so they can hold and love me unconditionally, while allowing me to be free to do and be

whatever I need.

In that moment of quiet clarity, I realize I’m ready to say yes to them and to whatever our futures together have in store for us.

I’m on my feet before the final whistle even blows Saturday afternoon.

The crowd’s roar surges around me and Tessa, who has joined me because Mason–was having a playdate, but I don’t hear any of it. My whole focus is on the field. On my four guys, tangled in high–fives and back slaps with their teammates, lugging sweaty shoulder pads and carrying face–splitting grins, as adrenaline still burns off their skin after their glorious win.

“YES! Let’s go, Stag boys!” I shout, cupping my hands around my mouth, towards our team, the Saxonsea Stags, as they start filtering off the field via the stadium tunnel towards the locker rooms.

Tessa bumps my hip with hers from beside me, laughingly saying, “You are way too invested for someone who still doesn’t know what half the positions are called.”

With a cheeky grin, I say, “I know exactly what they are called…Mine.”

/

Cade had texted me an hour before kickoff: ‘Win or lose, wait for us after. You’re not allowed to disappear.‘

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Chapter 93: Layla POV

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So, after walking Tessa to her car so she could go pick up Mason, I sauntered back to the home team’s locker rooms. Leaning against the hallway wall, a few dozen feet from the

doors, with my arms crossed, and my heart hammering in my chest like I was the one

who had played, I was waiting like they’d asked.

I’m already smirking at them as they come off the field, sweaty, bruised, and smug as

hell.

Cade’s the one to reach me first, his helmet tucked underneath his left arm like it’s an extension of him, asking, “Did you see that touchdown?”

Tilting my head, and in a mock–scornful voice, I ask, “You mean the one you almost fumbled because you were trying to wink at the cheerleaders?”

Clutching at his chest as if offended, he says, “That wink was for you, thank you very

much.”

Before I can answer, AJ passes behind him and mutters, “If I weren’t there, you would’ve missed both,” making me giggle.

Xavier and Hunter are the last to pass me by. They’re quietly proud with victorious smiles that aren’t arrogant.

Hunter ruffles my hair playfully, making me swat his hand away, before he says, “Thank you for yelling loud enough to make half the stands turn towards you.”

“Anytime,” I say, smugly, “You wouldn’t have been able to win without it.”

/

After their showers and a parking lot argument over which pizza place is the most ‘authentic‘ in the city, we pile into Xavier’s car as they announce we’re heading to their place.

I’m sandwiched between AJ and Cade on the backseat when AJ slings his arm behind me and starts playing with my hair, saying, “It’s a victory tradition to have pizzas and a movie night at our place afterwards.”

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Chapter 93: Layla POV

Cade then adds with a playful grin, laying his hand on my thigh and squeezing it once, “Tonight, pizza’s on Hunter.”

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Hunter grunts from the front passenger seat, then says, “Only because I made the game- winning tackle.”

“Exactly,” Cade says, beaming like a loon, “Which means we should all be nice and let

you pay.”

Xavier catches my eye in the rearview mirror and winks at me, making my stomach do

all sorts of weird maneuvers in an attempt to stabilize itself from the effect that that

simple act triggered.

If this is how the guys are going to act around me, especially tonight with what I’ve got planned, things will get real interesting.

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8:16 Sun, Sep 7

Ever After Awaits

Chapter 94: Layla POV