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His face drops as he takes in my bloodshot eyes, and my crumpled expression and rushes toward me. “Hey, what’s wrong?” He sets the coffee down on my desk, then his hands come up to cup my face. “Who did this to you?”

A strangled sob escapes my throat. I was up most of the night, fretting that something might be wrong. Or that he went home with those women, and here he is… well rested and perfectly pressed, asking who did this. “I called you thirty times.”

He drops his hands from my face and wraps me in his arms. It feels so good, comforting and warm. “Angel, I’m fine. I’m right here. My phone got smashed at the bar.”

Remembering the photo, I pull away from him, walking to my desk to retrieve my phone. He appears confused and worried as I hold the screen up.

“What the hell,” he says. “Noel. This is not what it looks like.”

My hand is trembling, and dread fills my stomach. Those are the exact words Travis said when I saw the video of him with those girls all those years ago, but I remember confronting him like it was yesterday. “Okay,” I say calmly. “Please explain then.”

He swallows, looking nervous, or maybe scared. “We were done eating, and the couples went off to dance and Bruce was flirting with some girl at the bar. I was just watching everyone when these two women waved at me. I looked away so they wouldn’t think I was flirting. Then I texted you, and I was smiling at the text. And while I was distracted by the text, these girls came over and sat on my lap. It was entirely unwelcome. Someone must have taken this photo in the split second between me being startled, and then standing up and stepping away from them.”

His explanation makes sense. A quick rush of relief washes over me before that sick feeling hits me again. Because I want to trust him, but my head and my heart are telling me two different things. My heart tells me to forgive him, to throw my arms around him. But my head tells me to protect myself, to not give him the power to hurt me. To never put myself in the position to get crushed again.

As I stand there, staring at him and trying to think. Trying to make sense of this, his concerned expression grows frantic.

He pulls his phone out of his back pocket and holds it up, shiny and new. “Look. I already got a new phone first thing this morning. I would’ve messaged you last night from Facebook or something if I’d known you were worried. I thought you’d be asleep already. Please, Noel. I need you to believe me.” His eyes are pleading, and his hands reach out and grasp mine.

I can’t speak. My brain is too overwhelmed for words. Colby squeezes my hands, his eyes wide. “Noel, I have to leave soon. I was just stopping to kiss you goodbye and bring you some coffee. Please tell me everything is okay, that we’re okay.”

“But,” I croak out. “I’m not okay, Colby.”

He pulls one hand away and glances at his fancy, gold wristwatch, then closes his eyes and exhales deeply. “I don’t want to leave things like this.”

“I think we rushed into this. I think we need some time to cool off and think.”

He shakes his head. “No. I don’t need time to think.”

“Well, I do.” I almost flinch when I see the hurt in his eyes. But I can’t think clearly. I need a minute to catch my breath.

He looks at his watch again. “Damn it. Noel, I have to go, or I’ll miss my flight. If this is going to work between us, you have to trust me. I know it won’t always be easy, but we have to trust each other. I’ll give you time to think, but when I’m back from this trip, your time is up and we’re talking this out.”

I nod, feeling wobbly on my own legs. “Okay. Have a safe trip.”

He kisses me once on the cheek before striding out of my classroom. And possibly out of my life. Because I need to either make the choice to trust him with my heart… or let him go.

CHAPTER 38

COLBY

I barely make the flight in time, earning myself a lecture from Coach Young. I’ve been getting a lot of those lately.

How I’m going to put aside my emotions and play three games, I have no idea. It feels like my head is detached from the rest of my body; I’m simply going through the motions. I don’t even remember the drive here, but I remember trying not to cry. My heart is tight inside my chest, like it’s literally breaking. This feeling is horrible, and I hate that this is how Noel was probably feeling all night, worrying about me. All because of a stupid picture. I want to make this right, turn around and run to her. I don’t want to travel for six days knowing things are weird between us. And knowing Noel is struggling too. I want to fix it.

When I finally slump down in my seat beside West and across from Remy and Mitch, they’re all staring at me.

“Dude, you look like death,” Mitch says bluntly.

“Did Noel ever get ahold of you last night?” West angles himself to look at me.

“You knew she was trying to call me?” My voice sounds angry, surprising them all. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“When you left the bar, you were smiling and nothing was amiss. I figured your phone died, and it wasn’t a big deal. Sorry, man.”

I run a hand through my already tousled hair and tell them about the girls at the bar and the photo. Then about my phone, and how Noel is freaking out and wanting time alone. My heart sinks again just recounting the whole ordeal. I’ve been fighting for this girl for over a year. I had her for… what, a week? And I already lost her again. But she’s about to find out just how stubborn I am, because I’m not giving up that easily.

Remy blows out a long breath. “Okay, it sounds pretty bad. But it’s salvageable.”