Page 147 of Don't Fall for the Goalie
I stare at the leaves, which are changing more by the day. I really need to start taking walks and enjoying them more. I didn’t have the luxury of witnessing the change in seasons living in Florida. But here, even the air smells different in the fall.
“Yeah, I noticed.”
I don’t elaborate. I respect his privacy and, in some ways, understand it.
I don’t talk about my parents’ death or living with my grandparents... well, except to Daltyn. But that was only because I was panicking. I just saw the wreckage that used to be my apartment, and it brought it all back.
Suddenly, I started crying and babbling, telling him how my parents died and my grandparents raised me. They passed away during my first year in college.
Leaving me with no one.
The destruction from the storm brought it all back.
Once again, I had nothing.
Even though possessions are nothing like loved ones.
I’d trade a hurricane hitting my apartment and workplace all over again if it meant I could at least have my grandparents back.
Hell, I’d sell my soul to the devil if I could have my parents and grandparents back.
Allie starts telling me about the first time she met Connor and how he nearly took her head off with a hockey stick. I knew they had an unusual meeting, but had no idea it was that chaotic.
I hold my stomach, laughing as she then tells me how she and Connor missed the flight to Vegas because of Gram’s antics (not surprising) and the pink bug Connor drove, followed by the station wagon that looked identical to the one inNational Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.
By the time she’s finished, I’m laughing so hard I’m crying, and completely relaxed for the first time in days.
“Oh my gosh. That’s hilarious.”
“We certainly had an interesting beginning,” Allie says with a smile. “I wouldn’t trade it—or him—for the world.”
A pang of envy rolls through me. You can hear the love and admiration in her voice.
It’s evident how much Connor loves her. It’s obvious in the way he looks at her. He practically worships the ground she walks on.
I turn my face away, staring at the quaint downtown shops.
Will I ever have someone who looks at me the way he does her? Someone I care about as much as Allie loves Connor?
Daltyn’s face flashes through my mind.
I push it away.
As much as I’ve enjoyed being with Daltyn, and as comfortable as I feel around him, I know this isn’t real. He was just trying to protect me and ended up in a fake relationship that he doesn’t want.
A wave of pain rolls through my chest.
Stop it.
You’ve been around this guy for months. You know how he is. Relationship avoidance.
And nothing will change that.
Not even me.
So why do I suddenly feel like crying?
I’m carryinga bag of books in one hand, breathing in the cool, afternoon air. This is exactly what I needed. Time spent with Allie talking and laughing as we browsed a bookstore, then a clothing store, and even a thrift shop.
