I won’t.
Though if I could, I would.
If I could make some sort of change so that Mateo could stay in Boston, I would.
Because even though Annika said that he might want to come with me… He might not.
He might look at me with bafflement, wondering at my presence. He might tell me that of course he can’t go back to Nashville, that his life is in Boston. He might look at me with pity.
He might say that he loves me, but some things are more important than love. He might say that telling me ‘I love you’ was his way of saying goodbye, like my parents say ‘I love you’ at the end of phone calls.
And though maybe he’ll say we can be friends… It is perhaps difficult to remain friends with someone one has expressed romantic affection for.
I do not know.
The guard calls someone—probably Daniela, and I pace the entrance until he waves me through.
I hurry through the arena toward the massage room, waving at my startled former colleagues. Perhaps they worry that I am going to try to speak with Coach too.
CHAPTER
FORTY-FOUR
Mateo
A knock sounds on the door, and I glance at the clock to make sure I haven’t accidentally gone overlong with Troy.
It’s only 9:20 though.Strange.
“I’m sorry. I’ll, uh…” I go to answer the door.
No one should be interrupting me during a massage session.
I open the door.
And it’s Florian.
I shut my eyes. My mind should be stronger.
I am not having visions. No. I am not.
I start to shut the door.
Not-Florian squeezes into the room, which makes sense, since Florian is an athlete with impeccable reflexes.
“Mateo,” he says. “I am disturbing your work.”
“You are,” Troy agrees from the massage table. His eyes sparkle which is also strange. What’s happening?
“Um…” My forehead creases.
Florian is here? Why is Florian here?
“You are not my best friend,” Florian blurts.
My eyes widen, I think. My jaw is definitely dropping downward.
“Dude!” Troy exclaims.
