My Future Husband

Chapter 100

“Shit.” He can’t look at me. Funny. “Um... Yeah... Look, about what happened with us. I mean me and her... Not that there’s a me and her! There wasn’t, ever. It wasn’t anything, I swear, we both regretted it the second we-”

“I think it’s better for our friendship and my sanity if we just pretend that never happened, otherwise I’ll have to throw you from the fucking roof.” He raises his hands in surrender. I like the guy, but that’s my Shorty. “Besides, when we were in Italy, there was that night me and Hope sneaked off to...”

“Sneaked off to what?” He steps right up to me. “I knew she fucking liked you! What did you do?!” That was too easy.

“Nothing... much. I just didn’t know ballerinas were that flexible...” The glass in his hand threatens to shatter. Serves you fucking right.

“Kage...”

“I’m fucking with you.” He falls back against the refrigerator with relief. “She’s a doll, but like in a cute kid sister way. Just see me as making up for the brother role that you should’ve had.” That’s the last one, I swear.

“This is exactly why I don’t fucking talk to people.”

“Cheer up.” I poke the dimple on his cheek, then jump far enough back he can’t hit me.

“No wonder you two fucking love each other, you’re both annoying as shit!” I’m going to take that as a compliment.

“Who you kidding, you love that girl as much as I do.” I couldn’t have pictured it back then, he really didn’t like her, but what they have now is special. They have respect for each other, and that means more to her than he knows.

“Against my better judgement.” He looks from Teal fast asleep, up to May staring at the stars, and all that tough front of his crumbles. “I hated her. For a long time I really hated her for what she did... now I couldn’t hate her if I tried.”

I take the piss, but I’m really glad he was here for her when I couldn’t be. They needed each other.

“She never thought you'd forgive her. That night when I came back for her, she’d been through hell, she’d seen things that...” Things she never should’ve seen. Lost people she never should’ve lost. “But the pain when she spoke about what happened with Hope, it almost killed her.”

“I know, I could feel it.” Craig isn’t really an emotional dude, but he’s softer than he let’s people think. “I wouldn’t let myself see it at the time, I just tried to hate her, but now I realise the sacrifice she made. Hope wouldn’t have left, she would’ve gotten herself killed before she left May there. She protected the most important person in the world to her... and it cost her them too.” I know our love story is important, I’m sure Craig and Hope’s will be one day too, but the truest bond they’ll ever have started before either of them found their way to us.

Shorty is my soulmate, but hers is up there on that roof with her. I’m okay with that.

“It changed her.”

“Not in a bad way though, I actually think the both of them needed time apart to see how special what they have is. They won’t lose it again.” They both erupt with laughter at the same moment, Hope gasping for breath at whatever May just signed. “She’s just so different now, and it’s good. Teal gave her a reason to breathe again, to find herself in something other than pain. She’s the best mother I know... being there when he was born changed me too.”

I don’t think I ever thanked him for what he did that day.

“Thank you. I wouldn’t have them without you.” His guard drops completely, smiling genuinely at the soul sisters, before he remembers I can see him and shoves it all back down.