“Put on a jacket, its freezing outside.”
He hung up without giving her a chance to answer, and she sat there dumbfounded, her mouth hanging open.
“Well...?” Abigail asked anxiously, literally sitting on the edge of her seat.
“He wants me to come out and talk to him.”
“So go!”
“I’m in my fucking PJs with no make up on!”
“Oh please, spare methe bullshitTessa.That’swhenyou’rethe prettiest even though youdon’tbelieve me.It’sactually veryannoying. Here,” Abigail got up and tossed her one of her oversized sweaters that was hanging up on their coat hooks. “Put this on and get your ass out there.”
Tristan waited anxiously in his truck, watching his windshield as light sprinkles landed. He cracked his knuckles nervously and tried to regulate his breathing. Hedidn’teven get this nervous before games, but gamesdidn’trequire him to be emotionally vulnerable. All he had to do during games was lock in mentally, turn up his levels of aggression, and show the other team absolutely no mercy. It was the opposite of emotionalvulnerability, actually. And rightnow,he was aboutto try to lay his heart out for Tessa, again, but much more than he did after the party. It was ironic that she was worried about him breakingherheart, whenhe felt like she had the potential to completely crushhis.
His breathcaught inhis chestwhen he saw heremergefrom the house. Her tiny figure was completelyengulfedin an oversizedsweatshirtand her long legs were covered in grey pajamas bottoms that looked likea silkmaterial. Her hair was straight but pulled back behind her shoulders and her face was bare, making herlook easily5 years younger. Hestifleda groan at how adorably beautiful she was, although hewasn’tpleased to see that she was barefoot.
She opened the door and hopped into the truck just as the drizzle was starting to pick up. She looked at him tentatively,attemptingto give him a shy smile.
“Tess why aren’t you wearing shoes?”
“Huh?” She asked, looking down at her pink toes peeking out of her long silk pants.
“It’s cold and raining outside.”
“Idon’tknow. I gotkind of flusteredthat you showed up here unexpectedly, I guess.” She gave him a teasing smile but could clearly see the turmoil behind his eyes.
“YeahI just, really needed to see you and talk to you.”
There was a thick silence between them while he contemplated his next words.
Shewatchedhis handsome face, seeingall ofthe different emotions as he raced throughthe thoughts in his head. It amazed her how someone so large and masculine could look so vulnerable.Her delicate fingers slowly found their way to hishand,and she gave it a squeeze. This surprised him, but itimmediatelyput him at ease.
“I’m sorry if I have upset you in any way,” she said, her quiet voicejust barelyaudibleover the rain.
“It’s not your fault,” he replied. “But I’vegottabe honest with you, Tess. I like you.Like,Ihave feelings for you. And they just get moreintensethe more I spend time with you.And I guessI’ma little confused if you feel the same way or not. Because if youdon’t, then I will leave you alone and I can askcoachto find me another tutor. But Ican’thelp but feel likemaybe youfeel the same way. I see flashes of it behind your eyes or in your body language. And ifthat’sthe case, then I just would like to ask you to give me a chance.”
He stopped speaking and looked over at her. Shewasn’tlooking at him, her eyes were focused out the windshield, but she kept her hand firmly over his, which gave him a little bit of hope.
“So,I guessI’mhere because I need to know, do you feel the same way? Even just a little bit?I hate to say this because it makes me sound like a fucking middle schooler but...do you like me?”
The silence between them was heavy and filled with so much potential and unanswered emotions. He watched nervous as she bit her bottomlipand her eyes wandered over to him to see a look so close to desperation that it left her breathless. Could Abigail be right? Could Tristan reallybe thisenamored with her?
“I do feel the same, Tristan,” she finally said. Hervoice was shaking, her heart pounding wildly in her chest. She watched him as a smile started to slowlyspreadacross his face and his eyes began to sparkle.
“Really?”
“Yeah,” she chuckled, looking down at their joined hands.
“So, what are you so scared of?”
“I told you-”
“I really need more explanation than that baby,” his voice was thick and silky with emotion, the use of thepetname making her stomach drop. “You told me thatyou’rescaredI’llbreakyourheart,but I need to know why you think that. What have I ever done to show you I woulddo that?”
She looked away briefly, trying to figure out a way to putall ofher feelings into words.
“I had heard plenty about you before we even met,” she said, her voice shaking, but ready and willing to be honest with him. “I knew you were on the football team. I knew thatpretty much thewhole school knew your name. And I knew that you were a guy who had a new girlfriend every month.That’swhat everyone said anyway.”
