“It’s a blessing and a curse I suppose.”
He set off down the lane.
“How come?”
“He doesn’t get that I have to give so much to the game.”
Ashley settled in her seat. “Ah.”
“Is that it? Ah?”
“I’m thinking. Give me a second.”
Impatiently, he focused on the road. After the shakedown Paloma had given him, Noah wanted to know what Ashley thought more than ever.
“I understand that this time of your life has an expiry date,” she began. “I also know that chances for happiness are bloody rare.”
He frowned. This wasn’t very decisive.
“What does that mean?”
“You need to find a way to feed both. Most of your teammates manage it.”
She did have a point there. Even Colin had a girlfriend. Why was he finding it so bloody difficult?
Then an idea struck him.
“Do you want to meet him?”
“If you want me to.”
Noah pulled over.
“What are you doing?”
“Inviting him over tonight,” Noah said, getting his phone out of his pocket.
This was the perfect gesture to show Carmine that he was serious about him. Ashley squeezed his leg.
“I know you can do this.”
He smiled.
“I think I’m beginning to believe that.”
FOURTEEN
CARMINE
Carmine was nervous. The invitation had come completely out of the blue. At first, he’d panicked and nearly declined. Thankfully, Samantha had talked him down from that ledge.
Instead, he’d hurried to his apartment to change. Now he found himself in Noah’s lounge, nervously holding a glass of wine.
“Are you okay?” Noah asked.
“Yeah.”
Carmine tried to put on a brave face but judging by Noah’s frown, he wasn’t fooling anyone.
