“Weird?” I say. “I’m not weird.”
Jett studies me while he sips his coffee. “No, Aiden’s right. You do look weird. You sick or something?”
I shake my head. “I’m fine.”
“He’s weird,” Aiden says.
“Definitely weird,” Jett agrees.
I finish my food and get the hell out of there. I have no real family, and these guys are as close as it gets. The fact that they can see through me is really pissing me off. I don’t need anyone to know that I’m weird today. And weird is the perfect word for it.
Ever since I overheard the girls’ conversation at the pool, I’ve been thinking about her. I know I shouldn’t, and I wish I wasn’t, but there it is. Avery thinks I’m hot but she doesn’t like me. Well, I think she’s hot, but I don’t like her.
So… perfect.
We don’t like each other. Which is exactly how it should be.
I wear my earbuds in public so that people don’t bother me. I wear them at the airport so I can feel alone because being surrounded by hundreds of people annoys me. I wear them at motocross events so the fans will stay away from me because they think I’m busy. Last night, however, I was just wearing them so I could listen to music while I soaked in the hotel’s hot tub. I didn’t know the girls were there, and I hadn’t turned on my music yet when I’d walked into the room.
I heard everything.
But I was saved by the earbuds.
I fish them out of my pocket as I walk back to the terminal, placing them one by one into my ears. Avery is curled up in one of the hard plastic airport chairs, reading a paperback book. She seems totally engrossed in the book judging by the way her teeth dig into her bottom lip while she reads. I can’t see the cover of it from here. I wonder what kind of books she’s into.
But then I shove the thought away. I don’t care about her reading preferences.
I choose a seat as far away as I can get from her while still being close to the boarding line. I scroll through my phone trying to find something to listen to, but nothing sounds good. I keep glancing up at her for no good reason. Why is my brain doing this to me? She’s just a coworker. Hell, she’s not even a coworker – she’s an intern. I should treat her the way I treat Marcus, and I definitely don’t daydream about Marcus.
When it’s time to board the plane, I’m finally listening to music that makes me chill. I step in line behind the guys, while Avery boards the plane chatting with Keanna. She hasn’t looked at me, not once, since we got to the airport. I don’t know why I even notice that. Once again, I remind myself to stop thinking about her. But there’s something that happens when you discover that a beautiful girl thinks you’re hot. It takes over your brain and it’s suddenly all you can think about. Even if you’re single on purpose, even if your job is more important, even if she’s just an intern you’ll probably never see again in a few months.
It changes you.
We’re set free once we land in Tallahassee, Florida. The training camp is tomorrow morning, so we have this day to relax. I tell the guys I need to sleep, which I do, and I head off to my hotel room to crash and try to catch up on all the sleep I missed last night. Really though, I just need to get away from Avery.
The moment my head hits the pillow I’m wide awake again. She’s filling my thoughts, no matter how much I try to stop it.
She ended up sitting in an aisle by herself just a few rows up from me on the flight here. She was still engrossed in her book, and she never looked up from it. But I couldn’t stop watching her. It’s like I’ve become a different person in the last twenty four hours. Clearly this is verging into crush territory.
And I haven’t had a true crush on a girl in forever.
I learned from an early age that I’m better off alone. I was better without my pathetic excuse of a mother. I was fine without my grandfather. I was better off every time the girls I dated ended up leaving me because I cared about motocross more than them.
I was fine living in my studio apartment with only the ocean as a friend. My job with Team Loco is enough social interaction to keep me from becoming some weirdo hermit. So why? Why now? Why is my brain suddenly latched onto this girl and trying to come up with ways to see her again?
Even if I tried to date her, she would realize that I’m a shit boyfriend who cares more about my dirt bike than a girl. She’d leave me, just like the others. Only we’d still have to work together.
I sit up and look around the hotel room. Different city, same room. Same crappy TV and corporate furniture and ugly artwork on the wall. I need to get out of here and clear my mind. I throw on a hoodie since it’s a little cold outside and I make my way down to the lobby. The hotel is on a busy street and there are shopping centers and stuff within walking distance. Maybe I’ll grab a coffee or something –I don’t care what I do, I just need to get out and stop thinking about her.
I head over to a small coffee shop across the street and get a coffee to help keep me warm. The barista tells me about a park that’s just a few blocks down, Cascades Park. The whole area is lit up for Christmas, and people are out enjoying the beautiful night.
I put my earbuds in and let myself get lost in the park. There’s sculptures, manmade lakes, and a nice walking trail. The air smells crisp and cold and the spirit of Christmas has definitely hit this town. I never really got Christmas – it’s a pointless holiday if you’re not a kid, and even when I was a kid, I rarely got presents. But I can appreciate the good mood everyone seems to be in.
And then I see her. Standing at the edge of one of the lakes, watching a cascade of water fountains shoot up and dance around in the water, is Avery. She’s gripping a steaming cup from the same coffee place I went to, holding it up to her face. She’s wearing jeans and a long sleeve shirt, and even from several feet away I can tell she’s shivering.
I should keep walking. Everything in me tells me to keep walking, to pretend I never saw her and go about my day. But my legs carry me over there against my will. I shrug out of my hoodie and drape it over her shoulders.
She nearly bolts out of her skin. “Oh, my god!” she says, her hand flying to her chest. “You scared me!”
