Wasted Time (The Steel City #1)

69. Penny

CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE

penny

“It’s nice to have a minute of peace, isn’t it?”

I glance at Dec, who is buried underneath a blanket with me at the back of his parents’ boat. The cup is on the floor, our friends surrounding it as we drink and listen to music from a tiny little speaker. It’s like that trophy has become the newest member of the crew.

It’s early evening, but after one million conversations, Declan needed a break. He gave me that look of desperation. The one that said he wanted me to jailbreak him out of there, so I did just that. I got him out of there. We took the crew along for the ride, which is exactly what he needed.

The crew and the cup… and the guy who babysits the cup. Phil. He’s here too.

“Are you happy?” I ask.

He looks from the darkening sky to me, fingers brushing my shoulder, backward cap allowing me the pleasure of seeing his whole face. He looks at me in the way he always does. Like he’s seeing me for the first time. Like he’s falling in love with me again, the second that he looks into my eyes.

“Are you worried that I’m not?”

I shrug. “I know today was a lot.”

“Yeah, it was,” he agrees. “It was the good kind of overwhelming, though. I’m happy, baby. I’m happier than I’ve ever been.”

I slide my hand over his thigh under the blanket. “Good.”

“How about you?” he asks. He removes his hand from my shoulder and reaches in between us, winding his fingers around my chin. He guides my head toward him. “Are you happy?”

Yes.

So happy that I feel like this can’t be real. So happy that it steals my breath every time you look my way, every time I get the privilege of waking up next to you. So happy that I’m certain without you, I would have never known what real love is, what it feels like, how it has the power to change your every thought, your every wish, your every fear. How real love is peace.

I’m happier than I ever thought possible.

I brush my thumb against his thigh, cherishing the way he keeps his eyes on mine to ensure that I’m being honest. He’s checking in in that subtle way he does, making sure that even after all we’ve been through, my issues stemming from my last relationship aren’t snaking their way in.

If they are, he’ll fix it.

“Beyond,” I whisper.

He doesn’t say anything, his smile just widens. Instead, he chooses to lean down and press his lips to mine in the softest, sweetest kiss in the world. As I always do when his mouth touches mine, I melt.

“Thank you for being here today.”

“Where else would I be?” I whisper against his mouth.

He kisses me again, and I decide that I hate that our friends are surrounding us (and Phil), even if they’re paying us no mind at this very second. I can’t touch him the way I want to with an audience. I can’t say all the things that enter my mind, all of the plans that have etched themselves onto my heart.

“I love being in Pittsburgh,” I whisper when he pulls away.

It seems out of nowhere, but it isn’t. It’s been on my mind all day.

His fingers are still curled around my chin. His brows raise. “Do you?”

“I love that city,” I admit. His eyes flicker down to my mouth. “I love your friends. I love coming home to visit our friends together. I love watching you play in that arena, in that jersey. I love that you’re never too far away and that you’ve always got my back, even when you are.”

“Pen,” he whispers, his face morphing into concern.

“I love you ,” I whisper, and I can feel eyes on me. Eyes that aren’t his. I don’t know who it is, but I don’t care. Everyone here is family to me (plus Phil). “I’m so proud of you. Not just because of that cup, and I need you to know how much I love doing life with you. I want to move to Pittsburgh. Permanently.”

Declan’s whole face softens. Even his grip on my chin does. He lets out a long breath through his nose, slowly shaking his head. Without a word, he wraps me in his arms and pulls me into his chest.

I shut my eyes, snaking my arms around his neck, breathing him in. He buries his head in the crook of my neck, hiding in my hair. His lips press to my pulse point, and suddenly, we’re alone.

Nobody else matters.

“Pittsburgh didn’t feel like home until you got there,” he mutters, hands sliding down my back.

“About that. ”

My eyes snap open.

Declan whirls around to where Wyatt sits on a seat that had been vacant two seconds ago. He tugs at the neckline of his pale blue sweatshirt nervously, holding a beer in his other hand. It looks like it pains him to sit with us, and I don’t like the way that makes me feel.

“About what?” I ask.

“Pittsburgh.”

Declan cocks a brow. “Yeah?”

Wyatt’s smile that has been plastered on his face all day wavers a bit. My heart lurches. I don’t know what he’s about to say but worry plummets through my veins.

His dark eyes dart back and forth between us.

“Uh,” he starts, reaching up to rub the back of his neck. “Shit, I didn’t think this would be hard.”

“What’s going on?” Declan asks, a soft urgency in his tone. He removes his hands from my body. We both lean toward Wyatt instead, giving him every inch of our undivided attention.

“I’m taking a leave from work,” Wyatt admits.

My frown deepens. That doesn’t sound good. That doesn’t make me feel any more reassured that he’s okay.

Declan’s brows skyrocket.

Wyatt looks down at his hands. “Apparently, my job is a big trigger for me. I’m still working through why.”

We stay silent, but my mind spirals. Coaching players who used to be him, at a time when he was figuring out who he was. It’s a sport that is known to be a ‘boys club,’ but isn’t very welcoming if you don’t fit the ideal mold. Who knows the kind of pain Wyatt may have hidden from that time in his life? Who knows the turmoil he was going through? I’m no psychologist, but it isn’t surprising to hear that issues may stem from that.

Wyatt loves his job. We all know that. I can see it in the way he looks so heartbroken right now, like his mind keeps betraying him, even when his heart is certain. Sometimes love isn’t enough. If he needs a break to work through some things that may be a byproduct of his job, then that’s what he needs to do, and I’ll be right here, supporting him every step of the way.

“Shit,” he mutters.

“It’s alright,” Declan encourages him. He reaches out and takes Wyatt’s hand in his.

Wyatt’s dark eyes snap up to ours. “Would you mind if I came and stayed with you guys for a bit? Just for a couple of months? I feel like I need some new scenery or something. I know you guys just got together, so I don’t want to impose, but I just thought?—”

Declan and I whirl around to look at each other. I latch my hands around his bicep under the blanket, squeezing. Once, twice, three times. Please understand what I’m conveying to you. Please don’t give him any reason to think we’d want otherwise.

If he needs this, we need this.

It’s a two-second look, but I can instantly breathe again the moment that Dec turns away. Everything in his face was asking me the same things that I was mentally screaming at him.

“Of course you can,” Declan says.

Dec takes Wyatt’s hand, which is still in his, and yanks him forward, slapping him on the back.

Wyatt’s eyes skirt up to mine over his shoulder. “You’re sure? Don’t be afraid to say no.”

“Are you kidding?” Declan cuts in. “Having you in Pittsburgh is Penny’s dream. I’m just as stoked on the idea.”

“Yeah?” Wyatt asks wearily. “It’ll only be for a couple of months. ”

He keeps saying that like he’s putting us out. Like his presence impedes us.

“I’d prefer forever.” I shrug.

He laughs, scuffling even closer to reach across Dec and cup my face in his hand. He pulls me forward, kissing my head.

I squeeze Declan’s arm tightly, and only now notice how tense he is.

“Thank you,” Wyatt says, letting out a breath of relief. “I’ll let you guys get back to your talk. I just… wanted to ask without an audience, you know?”

“I get it, man.”

Wyatt nods and stands, shaking out his shoulders a bit, like he can breathe a bit easier now that he’s asked us for what he needs.

I’m proud of him.

I’m still clinging to Declan, watching our friend re-enter the small party at the very front of the boat. He’s at ease here, with all of us. If he wants to try his hand elsewhere, I’ll worry, but I’ll do anything to help him. Whatever he needs.

Plus, I’ll be close. Dec will be too.

“You’re okay with it?” Declan asks after a second.

“One hundred percent. You?”

Declan smiles gently, eyes locked on Wyatt, who has finally given into EJ’s attempts to get him to dance. “The idea of having him nearby is sick.”

“I agree,” I whisper with a small nod. “I’m happy he asked.”

“I love you,” Declan says suddenly, which catches me a bit off guard. My brow furrows as I look up at him, but he shakes his head like I’ve said something incredible. “I don’t think you realize how good of a friend you are. It’s one of my favourite things about you.”

“I’d do anything for them,” I whisper, looking out at our motley crew. EJ is trying to get Seth to drink out of his shoe now, but he’s still trying to twerk at the same time, spilling the beer all over Wyatt’s feet.

Phil is choosing to talk to the girls instead. Probably wise.

Declan huffs a laugh. “Me too.”

“I’m happy,” I declare, snuggling into his side.

Declan winds his arm around my shoulder and pulls me in, kissing my head as we watch our friends behave like twenty-year-old idiots who never grew old and never grew apart.

“I am too, Lucky. I am too.”