Page 158 of Studs Up
Nolan got into the car, and soon, we were alone on the dark streets.
Waves of relief hit as he pulled out of the stadium, and I reached over to take his hand. I squeezed it gently, and he squeezed back.
“I think I broke my hand punching Marcel,” I said flexing my right hand and feeling the dull pain. I didn’t know if it was the exhaustion that dulled the pain or that’s what a broken hand felt like.
“I’ll take care of it,” he said. Of course he would.
I was confused when he pulled onto the freeway and headed south.
I had to fight passing out.
“Where are we going?”
“Home,” he said.
“But we’re on the freeway.” I didn’t sound like myself. I could barely form the words, but needed to know where we were going. “I can't go back to my place.”
“We’re not going to Portland,” he glanced over at me. “Do you trust me?”
“I’m never doubting you again,” I murmured.
“Good. Go to sleep, Holden.” His voice was gentle and smooth, and the last thing I remember was his thumb stroking my skin.
…
He woke me gently with a hand on my cheek.
“Sweetheart,” he whispered. “I would love to carry you to bed, but I don’t think that’s a good idea in the snow.”
My eyelids were so heavy, and I felt like I was wading through thick fog to wake up.
It was nearly pitch black when I did, and I wasn’t sure if I had opened my eyes except for the faint outline of his face.
“Where are we?” It was so dark I couldn’t tell where we were. He smiled and held out his hand. He had already unbuckled me. I took his hand, and he pulled me out of the car.
“Home,” he said and nodded to the cabin.
The cabin. A singular orange porch light lit up the night. But there was no mistaking it. The cabin we had spent that perfect week together.
“Home?” I looked at him.
“I bought it,” he said, sliding his arm around me and walking me to the porch. Snow crunched loudly under our feet in the dead silent night.
“You bought it?” I wasn’t awake. I was still dreaming. There was no way he had just said he bought the cabin.
“The second I had service again, I called my realtor and put in an offer. They accepted. Closed four days ago.”
“Why?” There were a lot of questions I wanted to ask, but I couldn’t think of them.
He stopped at the bottom step and slid his other arm around me, holding me to his chest.
“I am certain,” he said. “This was the only place you’ve ever felt truly safe.”
My eyes burned, and I didn’t have any fight left in me to hold them back. The tears spilled down my cheeks in rivers.
“So you bought it?” I asked with my lips quivering and my fingers fisting in his coat.
“Yeah.” He let me sob into his chest, for I don’t know how long before he guided me up the steps and unlocked the door. This man was just too much.
