Page 45 of Holding On

“Sounds good. Tinsley, call me after your concert, okay?” Oh, shit, I have to go on stage in fifteen minutes. I totally forgot about the concert. Fucking Rick and the PTSD he managed to program into me. I refuse to feel weak though, not because of that man, not ever again.

I clear my throat before responding to Jack, “Yeah, I will.”

He hums, as though he can assess my well-being by the three words I just said. “Thor, can I talk to you for a moment off speaker?” Thor stands and walks away to speak to Jack directly. I don’t know what it’s about, but it’s likely to do with my security. I know Jack, and I know that he will do everything he can to ensure I feel extra secure tonight after that call. Jack may not physically be here, but he is still taking care of me; he’s still showing up for me.

I’ve always wondered what it would be like to be his—and it’s even better than I ever dreamed. In less than two weeks, we can take our relationship public and stop hiding, and then I will finally be free from the secrets in my life.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Liam throws a green chip into the pot. “Raise twenty-five.” I study my brother and still can never read him when he plays poker. He should have a good poker face—his life depends on it more than I’d like to know, I’m sure—but I still want to beat my little brother. “What do you say, Jack, are you feeling lucky tonight?” He wiggles his eyebrows playfully at me. Little shit.

“Call—but I don’t trust you at the poker table for the record.” I point at him after throwing my chip in.

“You wound me,” Liam deadpans.

I roll my eyes. “The fuck I do, I bet you have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell me too.”

Liam chuckles at my teasing.

“Let’s see where it goes. Call.” Theo tosses a chip, and I tilt my head as I really study him for the first time tonight.

“Dude. You’ve got to knock it out. It’s getting creepy.” Ryan notices my studying of Theo’s goofy grin. Walker is trying to cover up a laugh as Liam’s eyes narrow at Theo.

“You haven’t stopped smiling since you got here,” I accuse him, but he still doesn’t stop smiling.

“I know. It’s great. The last nine days of my life have been just that good. What can I say? Life is too short, and I never knew being married would be so great.”

“Look, I get it, but they really don’t want to hear about that, man. Trust me.” Walker fails at trying to hold his laughter back.

I point to Walker. “What he said. Respect the fact that to us, you and our sisters never do more than hold hands.”

“Ever,” Ryan says under his breath.

Finn physically shivers before throwing his chip in. “Yuck. Can we not? Please? Call.”

Nine days ago, Theo and Savannah apparently wanted to give people something to talk about in our small town. Less than two weeks after getting engaged, we took my jet and one of Theo’s family’s jets to bring our entire family and Theo’s family to an all-inclusive resort in Jamaica. Theo’s brother Van surprised all of us when he had rented out the entire damn resort so Theo and Savannah—and I suspect the rest of their guest list—could enjoy a few days of actual privacy. I was ecstatic when Pippa had somehow coordinated with Wells to fly in, with his sister too. Tinsley’s tour schedule didn’t allow her to stay long, but she was able to come and be with me, which was everything. Getting thirty-six hours to not have to worry about paparazzi or fake dating contracts or work bullshit, and just be with my girl and family? It was even better than Christmas.

My nieces would all agree.

“Oh my lanta! You’re Tinsley Sinclair!” Savannah’s middle daughter Emily squeals so loud that I’m surprised my ears aren’t bleeding. Thor was hesitant to let Tinsley near the five screaming girls, but I insisted that Savannah’s daughters Olivia, Emily, Lucy, Theo’s daughter Gigi, and Vivian’s daughter Eloise were not a physical threat for Tinsley.

Damage to her and everyone else’s ear drums? Now that may be possible.

“You’re HERE at my mom’s wedding! Are you going to be at the wedding tonight? Are you going to sing? What’s your favorite color? Do you believe in unicorns?” Lucy doesn’t even seem to take a breath in between her never-ending list of questions.

“This is the coolest surprise ever! Mama! Look! Tinsley Sinclair is here!” Eloise screeches across the entire dining room as Vivian and Walker enter, followed by the obstetrician Walker hired for the trip. Vivian’s due in less than seven weeks, but there’s no way she was going to miss Savannah’s wedding, and there’s no way Walker wasn’t going to find a way to keep Viv happy. The doctor is never far from Viv, and so far, everything seems to be going smoothly.

“How fun! Did you happen to tuck Fiona Skye in your suitcase? Are you here to perform for the reception?” Vivian jokes as she introduces herself to Tinsley. Savannah scampers in after her going on about how much she loves her and her music. After my sisters and Tinsley shake hands, I shock everyone by grabbing Tinsley and tucking her under my arm. I then raise the stakes even more by running my hand along Tinsley’s jaw and angling her head up to me. I kiss her deep enough to answer any questions about our relationship, but appropriate enough to be in front of my nieces.

“She is not here to perform. My girlfriend is here as my date. Don’t mind her Viking bodyguard Thor over there, but please feel free to introduce yourself to her cousin and assistant, Allie. Tinsley, Allie, Thor, this is my family.” I gesture to the small group of people with visibly dropped jaws.

“And what am I chopped liver?” Wells calls out as he arrives, ever the subtle one.

“We already know who you are, Wells, but we didn’t know that your sister is dating our brother!” Vivian squeals, much like her nieces were just doing.

“Speaking of, because of a few things, we need to keep that fact under wraps for a few more weeks, okay? But once you see it on my socials, feel free to tell everyone how you know me, okay? Deal?” She grins at the girls, who all now think Tinsley is their bestie.

A part of me hopes that she does actually become best friends with my sisters—Tinsley could use a friend like Savannah and Vivian.