Falling for Ezra Thomas (Life With the Thomas Brothers #4)

9. Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

Lorelai

Preparing for Vivien and Beck’s engagement party had been stressful enough the first go around, but bumping it up so Ezra could be present was a feat. Mrs. Thomas lost her composure more than once, but no one took offense. She was processing her emotions, and so were we.

But now, on the actual day of the party, it seems everyone is excited for the future. If not, they’re faking it well. I know I am. I mean, I’m excited that my sister is going to marry the man she loves, forever tying us to the Thomas clan, but on the other hand…Ezra is leaving far too soon.

Since all the brothers decided to stay in town until Ezra leaves, we have extra hands to set everything up. Everyone still questions Rafe and Luna’s breakup, especially since Luna will be at the party, but no one seems suspicious about Griffin. His girlfriend, Melody, didn’t come for Thanksgiving or Christmas, and he hasn’t said a word about her during his entire visit. Granted, their relationship of two years is significantly less than Rafe and Luna’s had been, and if you add to that the fact that no one particularly cares for Melody, I suppose it makes sense. Still, I’m curious.

Griffin passes me with a stack of chairs and smiles. “Gotta say, I never saw you with Ezra,” he teases.

“Well, neither did I but here we are. I guess stranger things have happened,” I admit.

“Yeah, like Viv and Beck.” He shakes his head and drops the chairs where his mother directs. “But I’m happy it’s working out like this. It means we get to keep you.” His heart-stopping grin is often showcased in sports magazines and front and center on the Carolina Predators website. Being a professional soccer player has its perks, I guess, but I know Griffin Thomas. And I know he’s unhappy despite that smile. The only problem is there’s no time to corner him and ask about his sullen demeanor. Still, I can’t ignore that he’s not himself.

“You okay?” I ask. “You seem a little off lately.”

He wipes a rag over his forehead and frowns but doesn’t commit to explaining his off mood. “I’m okay. Just life stuff, you know?”

Oh, do I ever. As a jobless, confused woman worried about a new relationship, I most certainly know. Ezra leaving makes it harder, but I try to control my nerves and trust what we do have. I nod and spread a tablecloth over yet another long dining table. Somehow, Mrs. Thomas has managed to turn Sweet and Salty into a banquet hall.

“I do, and that means I’m here to talk if you need to.” I glance back up at him in time to catch a deeper frown, one that seems as if he’s contemplating telling me everything, but Wilder interrupts.

“Mom said she needs two more stacks of chairs over there,” Wilder says. “Mind helping me grab those?”

“Sure,” Griffin says, immediately wiping the disappointment from his face. He nods at me then disappears back outside to help Wilder.

“What was that about?” Dominic, Mrs. Thomas’ brother, asks.

“Not sure. I think he was going to tell me something that was bothering him, but Wilder interrupted.”

Dominic chews his lip and shrugs. “He’s been off his game lately, too. Maybe he’s contemplating retirement.”

“He’s not that old yet. Is he?” I ask. “I don’t really know anything about soccer.”

“No, not too old for it, but it is rough on the body. He might be ready to move on. Or it has something to do with Melody breaking up with him.”

“Wait, what?” I ask, leaning in for the details.

Dominic scrunches his nose. “Oh, no. I didn’t mean to let that slip. I thought you already knew, but since you clearly don’t, I’m not getting into that. Get back to putting tablecloths out before my sister gives us both worse chores.” He grins and disappears before I can grill him about what he knows.

I remind myself it’s none of my business, but it sure is easier to think about their issues than mine. I head back to the kitchen to search for more tablecloths only to be caught around the waist and dragged halfway across the kitchen into a darkened corner. I laugh because there’s only one person it can be, though my heart races anyway.

“I haven’t been able to kiss you all day, and it’s driving me crazy,” Ezra says. “I didn’t think you’d ever come in here.”

“Your mother has kept us busy, and you’re going to get us in trouble.” I try to push away from him but he won’t let me. Truthfully, I don’t try that hard.

“I’m a grown up, and I don’t need my mother’s permission to take a break and kiss my… girlfriend? Did we ever decide what to call this?”

“I’m pretty sure we said we were going to date via letters.” I settle into his arms with my hands on his chest since I can’t escape. It’s better to give in and enjoy every moment I can get than to fight him, anyway.

He turns his nose up at my statement and groans. “I know we should take this slow, but I don’t want to.”

“It’s probably better to.”

“Beck and Vivien went full steam ahead and we are literally at their engagement party.”

“We’re setting up for the party, which we should get back to soon before your mother has a nervous breakdown.”

“Technicalities.” He waves his hand, dismissing my clarifying statement.

I sigh and push back a little, and because he’s perceptive enough to know I’m not playing around, he gives me wiggle room.

“Look, I want to dive right in too, but we have a lot to think about and work through. Yes to being your girlfriend, but no to flooring the gas like our siblings did, okay?”

He palms my cheeks and kisses my forehead. “Okay. I can live with that.”

“It’s not because I don’t want the same thing as my sister, Ez. It’s just that everything is changing, and I don’t want to make those big decisions while I’m so unfocused and confused about the future.”

He nods. “I know. I don’t mean to put more pressure on you.”

“I know that, too. Trust me, you’re not putting any more pressure on me than I’m putting on myself. I do want this to work, which is why I’m saying let’s slow it down. None of those spontaneous proposals two weeks after we start dating like you Thomas brothers are known for.”

“What about two months?”

I narrow my eyes and scowl at him. That kind of thing might have worked for my sister and Beck, but it just isn’t for me. I need to think through things. Plan. Figure it all out.

“Fine, three?”

I stand on my toes and kiss him, but it’s much shorter than he’d like.

“Let’s get through basic training and we’ll see where we stand after that. Now, where are the table cloths so I don’t get into trouble? Despite what you say, I am actually afraid of your mother right now.”

“Corner cabinet, top shelf, and don’t think I missed that you didn’t say no to three months.”

I throw my hands in the air and laugh. “What is it with you Thomas boys and these fast engagements?”

“Only Beck and Vivien are engaged. Unless you know something I don’t.”

“I know that the others are only waiting so my sister and your brother have a little of the spotlight on them for a while first, but as soon as the right time comes along, you know Lev and Silas will marry Emma and Ella.”

Ezra shrugs and pushes off the wall to help me get the supplies I need. “It’s not our fault. It’s how Mom and Dad raised us.”

“To date and get married in a few weeks?” I roll my eyes again, knowing full well how they were raised. It isn’t like I’ve been ignoring their parents all this time. My parents pulled a little from the Thomas playbook, too, and Vivien and I weren’t raised all that differently.

“Also, not our fault. We can’t help it that you ladies are perfect for us.” His smirk says he’s messing with me, but he might not be too far off. I pray that whatever is building between Ezra and me is equally perfect, but only time will tell.

Ezra sighs and grasps my hand. “Lore, all joking aside, I know it’s different for us. You’re not sure about your career, I just joined the military, and we aren’t going to have a traditional sort of relationship right off, but that doesn’t mean I don’t know you.”

“Right, but going from friends to more is a different thing,” I say, admitting something that is truly what scares me. “What if we’re better as friends?”

“Don’t say that. Please.” He squeezes my hand and forces me to look at him. “Lore, we’re not just friends. Maybe Viv and I have been best friends for ages, but you and me have something great, too. We always have, and downplaying our friendship because you’re afraid isn’t fair.”

I swallow my pride a little. He’s right. I act as if we have superficial friendship alone and not deep friendship. And we do. It’s that best friend label he’s always had with Vivien that differentiated our friendship, but truly, most of our childhoods were spent as a group. Beck included, so if I really think about it, Beck and Viv do make sense. Just like Mom said in the beginning. I thought she was crazy, but maybe she saw things we didn’t.

Maybe she can help me with this too.

“Lore?” he whispers, bringing me back to reality.

I inhale and try to relax. “I guess I’m still a little scared.”

“I am too, but I want you, okay? I want this to work.” He leans in and I let him kiss me again. He’s sweet and gentle and it reminds me that this is the next step, not the beginning. We have the background, and we’re building the next part of this thing between us.

“There you two are. I’ve been looking all over for you.” Mrs. Thomas’ hair flies everywhere as she works to rein in all the craziness into a proper party. “Listen, I’m glad you two are dating but if you don’t get my tables done, I’m going to—”

“Okay, okay,” Ezra says and raises his hands. “I’ll go bring in more tables even though I don’t know where you’re going to put them.”

I chuckle and watch him go before realizing he just left me alone in the kitchen with his mother. I adore Mrs. Thomas, but it’s the first time we’ve been one-on-one since she discovered Ezra is not only leaving soon, but that we’ve decided to give a more serious relationship a try.

“How are you?” she asks, her tone so motherly.

I bite my lip to try to hold back the tears, but I can’t, not with her. Everything that has been weighing on my mind comes front and center again in a great big, heaving sob. In a second, she wraps her arms around me and squeezes me tight.

“I know. Me too,” she says and sniffles. “But we have to be strong and supportive. I’m here for you, just like your parents. He’ll be back before we know it.”

I nod against her shoulder and she releases me. She wipes away my tears and smiles.

“We’re going to be okay. You’ll see. Whatever God has planned for us will surprise us every time, right?”

I laugh a little and smile. She has a way of making a person feel right as rain, even when the whole world weighs them down.

“I know, it’s the waiting part I’m really bad at,” I admit.

“Oh, honey, aren’t we all?” she says and smoothes my hair. “But we’ll get better at it. I promise.”

Someone opens the kitchen door and we separate, discreetly wiping our tears. She glances at me with a soft smile and I know we feel the same way: a little lost, sad, but also proud. She’s also right. I know we’ll figure out what comes next.