It was a mess. And our whole team knew, any day, we’d wake up to see the fiasco all over the headlines.
"But, you were really hurt, and that's?—"
"IED," I said with a loud breath. My fingers found the scar—I stopped, and moved my hand, lacing it with the other one; I tucked them behind my head. "Everything after's a nonevent."
She moved pieces of her wet hair from her cheek and scowled at me. "I don't like thinking about that either. We could have never met."
That warmth flickered and my heart skipped a step."Like you said before, I'm here now."
"But still…you shouldn't have to deal with all that. The fact that you could hurt them far worse than anything they could do?—"
"Is why you like me?" I couldn't help but grin.
She huffed and crossed her arms over her towel. "Maddox.”
"I could've walked away." I shook my head. "I got caught up in the competition."The pipe dream promises. The desire to prove I could be good enough for a pro career. Like him.
"But, it'snot ok.That’s not what we're supposed to stand for as athletes. And I could have really damagedAsh'sreputation, maybe even his draft opportunity, if I’d wanted."
"You should have. Too many guys like him get away with that shit." I rubbed a hand over my face. "His deeper issues won't magically get better without help."
"I calledhis dad." She nodded her head slowly. "Told him about Ash's drinking, and that he got rough," she said in a low voice. "I spoke to my coach too. In case Ash tried to make any trouble for the school."
Of course she did."You never told me."
"He wasmy problemto handle," she frowned up at me. "You shouldn't have been involved."
I consider myself lucky—to have been there. That I was someone you could rely on.
"But now…” She shifted again. Her fingers picked at the edge of her towel again.
"Something else is bothering you."
"It's just…" She raised one shoulder. "It seems pretty impossible, doesn’t it? This. Us."
I sucked in a breath as a cold pit opened in my stomach. "We'll figure it out."
"But it feels like one of us would have to sacrifice something. Which is kinda more serious”—she spoke to the towel in her lap—"than where we are after a random, steamy, semi-public shower romp."
"Wasn’t random."
Her eyes flicked up to meet mine.
"Be honest." I held her gaze. "This isn't about opposite schedules. You're acting like you're worried I'll leave. Or cheat, maybe?" I swallowed as a tight, suffocating feeling burned across my chest.I have something left I need to say.“But, you already have your happy ending."
One eyebrow lifted. "I don't think what we did in the shower is?—"
"You told the flowers that night, you have the self-respect to walk away. I'm the one who'd get left behind."
"Ah, that’s,” she said as she tipped her head to the side, “true, but, I?—"
"I'd never do something like that. Mostly because…"I took a deep breath and willed the words out of my mouth. The ones I'd been trying to find a way to tell her for months.
"I'm in love with you."
Chapter Sixteen
ELLA
