“Speaking of pizza,” Jake interrupts, “let’s finish up. Today was exhausting, and I’m sure Natalie wants to rest.”
I do want to rest, but having my house full of people right now makes me feel whole, and I love it. There’s a knock on the door, but before I can get up, Aspen’s already rushing to answer.
“This is not your house!” one of the guys shouts from the back of the group.
“It’s okay. Let him,” I reply with a smile.
Holden walks toward me, his footsteps deliberate as he leans in close. He whispers, “Is this too much? You didn’t have to feed them. They can go. I know they can be a lot.”
I smile at his sweet concern. “They’re perfect. They can stay.”
“There’s more people here!” Aspen shouts, swinging the door open wide. “Should I let them in?”
“Get out of the way. I practically live here.” I don’t need to look to know Roe just walked in. Between her and Aspen, this could get interesting.
“Who are they?” Roe asks, eyeing the group. “Wait…I know you. You’re the coach!” She points at Liam.
“Hi, Ms. Sorelle,” he says, flashing a smile.
“Ms. Sorelle? That’s so proper!” Bella, who’s walking through to grab a slice of pizza, says with mock surprise.
“Wait! It all makes sense now!” Cara shouts from Manny’s lap. “You and you—” She points to Liam and Holden, “—coach Bella. You three are their friends, and Mateo here is part of your guy group, but also Livie’s brother!”
A laugh breaks out from everyone. Of course, it’s Cara who took a while to piece it all together.
“I’m Roe. That’s Saint, but you must call him Thiago or Santiago, not Saint,” she announces to the group.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, itching for a hug I won’t give since she hates them.
“Allie called and told me. I’m here as support.”
I smile at my prickly friend. “Thank you.”
“Now, where’s the pizza?” I point to it and laugh, because we both know she’ll pick the cheese off and leave the rest, like a picky toddler.
“Your friends aren’t any more obnoxious than mine,” I tell Holden as I get back to him.
“I see that. They seem to get along too,” he adds, pointing at Aspen, who’s basically talking to Cara’s belly as if he’s known her her whole life.
“Ha, yes!”
The chatter fades as everyone settles into their own conversations. Slowly, they leave in couples and groups until my living room is empty except for Holden. He helped clean up, but we still haven’t talked. I don’t know what to say. When I got to the store earlier, I was sure I wanted to say yes, to jump headfirst, but the more I think about it, the more it feels like the wrong choice.
I could share my life with him, move to Magnolia Springs eventually, leave everything here—the store, my friends. Or, he moves here, leaving behind his life. Either way, it would be devastating. And selfish. It would be too much for both of us.
He’s not just liked by his friends. He’s loved. The way they dropped everything to be here for him today…my friends would’ve done the same. That makes everything harder, not easier.
He really is showing me he’s all in, but I don’t know if I’m ready for that. Even in the moments when I feel peaceful, there’s still chaos. He deserves consistency, something easy and steady. He deserves a life without the constant uncertainty. He has so much going on with his dad, and he doesn’t need the added stress my life brings.
He wipes his hands on his shorts and heads toward the door when Bella pops up and asks, “See you tomorrow?”
He furrows his brows. “We don’t have a game until Friday,” he replies, voice low.
“You can just come over, no?” she says, and I see the hint of something in her tone. She’s offering him a place here, to be a part of our lives, to be more than just a hypothetical—a constant. What if it doesn’t work out?
It’s too complicated. It’s too late.
I might have fallen for him, but if something happens between us, it would break more hearts than mine. I think I need to slow things down.
