Page 91 of The No Try Zone
I meet her eyes. “They’re notyou. I didn’t realize how much I needed you until you weren’t around.”
Now it’sherchin wobbling as she dabs beneath her eyes. But she gathers herself and looks hard at me, her eyes boring into mine. “Stop letting yourself be hidden. You deserve to be loved out loud. Out. Loud, Sam. And if he can’t do that, then is he even worth it?” She lets me sit with that for a moment, not letting me look away. Then her lips tip up as she says, “Anyway. That’s me talking to you as your friend.”
I sniff a laugh and hold my head high. “And as the PR manager for the Granite?”
She exhales and closes her eyes. When she opens them, I see even more determination streaking through. “The same. You deserve to be loved out loud. Wealldeserve that.”
“That…is not what I thought you’d say,” I admit.
“I know. But it’s true.” She checks her watch and steps away. “I need to go.”
I quirk a grin. “You sure you don’t want to help me clean these sweaty mats?”
“Absolutely sure,” she laughs, backing away. “I love you.”
Nodding, I grab the vinegar cleaner and a roll of paper towels. “I love you, too.”
I attack the mats with vigor, trying hard to keep my mind off what we overheard.“Screwing your player’s sister?”My chest feels hollow at the thought of being found out.
Chapter32
Sam
THE TEXT COMES later that night. I stare at it on the preview screen, biting my lip as I consider.
Will you come over?
It seems like such an easy thing to answer. Yes, I will. No, I won’t.
But there’s so much in there. The way he looked at me today, as though he hadn’t really seen me before. It was exhilarating, but also, what the hell? I’ve been on the PT team this whole season. He’s seen me work with the players. Then there’s the rumors that are clearly starting up, if what Kari and I overheard is any indication.
Please?
My resolve hardens as I remember Kari’s words from earlier.You deserve to be loved out loud.Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, I type.
You can come over here.
There. If he really wants to see me, he’ll come here. He won’t worry about Ollie seeing his car.
But aren’tIworried about Ollie seeing his car? Ugh. Having a situationship with my married-in-Vegas husband is not easy. With a sigh, I toss the phone onto the couch beside me. Knowing Colin, he’s flipping a coin to decide.
So I turn my phone off. If he shows up, he shows up. I grab a book and ignore the way my heart twinges with hope.
A knock on my door half an hour comes. I look up from my book and stare at the door. He came?
Another knock. “Sam? It’s Colin.”
Holy shit. He actually came.
I unfold myself from the couch and open the door, nearly dizzy with surprise. “Hi.”
His breath fogs in the cold air as he smiles. “Hi.”
“You came.” I sound breathless, as though I’ve sprinted a mile.
His smile deepens to reveal the dimple just above his beard. “I came.”
I step back and wave him in, the chill of the early March night sweeping in with him.
