Then her phone lights up on the table between us.She glances at it and her whole body shifts.“Sorry, it’s the hospital.”She presses it to her ear.“Hello… this is she.”
Her face goes more pale as she continues to listen.
“Okay, I’ll be right there.”She hangs up and reaches for her bag.“I have to go, she’s really anxious and she’ll usually calm when I’m there.”
“Of course, go.”I stand with her.
I throw my arms around her and hug her.“Tell me what I can do?”
She pulls back and holds my face in both hands the way she has since we were teenagers.When she wanted to tell me how awesome I was and not to be affected by Tyler Richards cheating on me, or when I stumbled over my essay while reading it to the English class.“You’re the most kickass woman I know, but just be careful, okay?With the baby.Make sure you know what you’re signing up for before you get too attached.”
“I’m not getting attached.”
She gives me a look that says she doesn’t believe me for one second.Then she pushes through the door and out onto the street, her phone already back at her ear.
I sit back down and stare at the coffee I’ve barely touched.
Make sure you know what you’re signing up for before you get too attached.
I’m not getting attached.
I grab my coffee, throw away the last of my croissant, and head out of the café to go back to the bookstore.This is where Honor and I are different, though.After the year, I’ll be ready for a new adventure.I always am.
My phone buzzes as I push through the door.A message from Felix with a picture of Tanner asleep against his chest, both of them surrounded by open books.
I’m smiling before I even realize it.
Not attached at all.
ChapterTwenty-Two
Easton
As I finish packing my suitcase and sit on the edge of the bed, my eyes wander to Tanner’s empty crib.I’ve had away games before, but this is the first of one of our longer stints.Six nights away.
A knock lands on the door, and I glance over.Hadley stands there with her shoulder resting against the doorway.
“I’ll send you ten videos a day, and we’ll FaceTime every night.”
“How do the other guys make this work?”I place my forearms on my thighs.
She walks across the room and sits next to me.Tanner’s napping in his pack-and-play in the family room since I had to pack.At some point, I might have to consider moving out of here.
“I’m sorry.I know it’s going to be hard for you.”
She doesn’t give me a bullshit answer or try to make me feel better that I have a job to do, which I appreciate.
“I’m sure it’s not easy for the other players either.”She gives me a sympathetic look.“There’s nothing good about having to leave your child.”
I nod and swallow, feeling my jaw tense at the thought of Tanner not seeing me for just shy of a week.It might as well be a month in baby years.
I inhale a deep breath and stand.“Nothing I can do about it.I feel like I owe you something more for leaving you alone with him for so long.”
She chuckles and falls onto her back on the bed.“I’ll take a quick orgasm if you like.”
I stare at her, the hem of her T-shirt rising, revealing a patch of her stomach.She’s wearing shorts since it’s a warm day for April.Her legs always looked so good around my waist.
We haven’t talked again about continuing the sexual part of our relationship, but there’s been more than one occasion when I’ve wanted to strip her bare and push inside her.That part of our friendship just seems different now, though.It doesn’t feel like it would be as easy to keep it casual as it once did.
