“You know,” she says, clearing her throat. “There was something once. With Nate. Nothing ever happened, we’ve never crossed that line between friends to something more, but there was a time when I thought just maybe we might.” Her confession itself doesn’t shock me, I see how they interact, but I’m surprised she’s telling me.
“Really? Why are you telling me this?” She gets up and starts packing up the beach bag and her chair as I glance at my phone to check the time. It’s almost four so we definitely need to get going. I’m beginning to gather my things as Mia shrugs.
“Playing it safe has always been my thing.Reliable Mia.Always making the right choices. In college, Nate would’ve been a risky choice. We’ve always been friends and the thought of ruining that… Well, I’ll just say being his friend was the safer option.” She pauses before continuing, “I guess I’m telling you because it feels like I can trust you, and also sometimes, it makes me wonder if I should’ve been a little more spontaneous.”
Her words get me thinking. Does she have regrets for not trying to pursue something with Nate? It takes me back to the conversation I had with Summer when she was here… I’m someone who rarely takes chances, but maybe that’s something I should think about changing.
“Order me a bacon cheeseburger and tater tots… and a side salad.”
Nate’s in my hotel room and Chase will be over in a minute so we can hang out and eat something before calling it an early night. Our game is at one tomorrow and then we head straight back to Tampa to get ready for next week.
“This adjoining room thing is still not my favorite,” Chase says as he walks through the door that connects our two rooms. Nate is a few doors down, also on the 9thfloor.
“Think we can hear each other through the walls?” he asks.
“Fuck, let’s hope not. Last thing I need is to hear what goes on behind closed doors with you,” I sneer.
After we eat and talk a little about tomorrow’s game and what we’re expecting, Nate and Chase both head out. I’ve been fighting the urge to text Abby all day, hell all week really.
“Damnit, I’m just going to text her,” I mutter to myself and grab my phone off the nightstand and lay on the bed.
How was the beach?
Abby
You’d think being a native Floridian, I wouldn’t forget to use sunscreen on my nose.
Let me see.
A few minutes go by, and she still hasn’t replied. She probably looks so fucking cute with a little red nose now all sun kissed. Damn, I want to see her.
Come to my room.
Abby
No on both accounts.
Please.
Abby
You can’t see me in this condition. I look like a stop light.
I’d take you in any condition.
She doesn’t answer for a few more minutes, and I’m about to text her again when my phone vibrates.
Abby
Five minutes. Room?
Fuck yes. After sending her my room number, within fifteen minutes she’s at my door. Her brown hair is cascading down her back, it still looks slightly wet probably from a shower. She has on gray shorts, those soft stretchy ones along with a Tampa Knights t-shirt that swallows up her whole body. I’m assuming it’s something she grabbed from her brother’s closet. Her nose is a shiny shade of pinkish red and her cheeks also have a rosy look to them, but she still looks fucking gorgeous.
“See.” She points to her nose before she even says anything else. “I’m Rudolph.”
I can’t help but laugh at that as she pushes my chest and walks past me into the room. She notices the adjoining room door right away.
“Oh man, who’s your bedroom buddy?”
