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The bigger issue is a beautiful green-eyed woman who’s becoming increasingly important to me, and making sure she knows that is something I have to figure out.
“It’ll suck to leave all of you guys, especially mid-season.”
Today, it’s even harder to think about leaving Andie. After last night, I’m worried about her. I know she was stressed about going to the party and facing her parents, but her mom’s backhanded admittance that she was adopted tore her in two. I felt it in the way her body sagged into mine. It was as if she’d literally been punched in the gut.
I can only imagine what she’s feeling. She’s already been through so much. I don’t want her to face this alone. I want her to know she has me, but she’s not letting me in. She’s keeping me far away. I’ll let her be, but not for long.
“Yeah, well, at least Morgan has finally seemed to move on and is leaving you alone.” I ignore his comment. I don’t give a shit about Morgan and whatever the hell she’s doing now. He smiles. “Have a good week off.” Charles holds out his hand, and I extend mine.
“Thanks, man. You too.”
He moves to another area of the weight room where some other guys are working out. I grab my phone, hoping Andie responded to my texts, and quickly find she hasn’t.
I didn’t sleep much last night with flashes of the look on her face as she stood before me, completely devastated. It took everything in me not to haul her away from there, keeping her close and safe.
I wanted to wrap her up and make everything better, but she asked for time, so I’m trying to be respectful of that. The problem is I’m worried, knowing she must feel betrayed by one of the most important people in her life.
I have no doubt her heart is breaking all over again, and keeping my distance is the absolute last thing I want to do. I’m falling for this woman, and it scares the shit out of me. I want to be there for her, and I want her to know that she can count on me, but how can I do that when I’m likely moving to anotherstate and possibly to the other side of the country? I don’t want to be one more person who lets her down.
I finish up in the weight room, and on my way out of the practice facility, I send another text, hoping she’ll respond and give me a chance to show her that I’m here.
ME: Andie, please. Text me and tell me you’re ok. I’m worried about you. I’m not going to stop, so text me back.
Chapter 46
SEAN
I’ve given her two days. Two whole days, and I’m done waiting. She may think she wants to be alone. She might want to push me away, but I’m here and not going anywhere.
I don’t know what’s happening with her family or if this trade will screw everything up. I don’t know if I’m going to walk away from all of this with a broken heart of my own, but what I’ve learned these past months is that when you find something real, someone who makes you feel alive and like going on without them isn’t even a possibility, you fight.
So that’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to fight for Andie, and I’m going to show her when she’s weak, I’ll be just fine fighting alone for the both of us.
I knock on her door for the third time, listening to Sniper’s muffled growl, which lets me know she’s given him the command not to bark. I know she’s in there, and she’s about to see a whole new side of me if she doesn’t open this damn door.
I’ve given her days to call or text me back. Time’s up.
“Andie, open the door, or I’ll introduce you to my breaking and entering skills I’m not all that proud of but come in handy when necessary. You have thirty seconds. One, two, three, four…”
If that beautiful little smart ass doesn’t make me wait every one of those thirty seconds before unlocking the door and thennotopening it.
I twist the knob and push it open to find her retreating down the short hallway, her long dark curls hanging down her back. Looking around, there are dishes and bottles piled in the sink. The garbage can is overflowing, and Snipe sits at my feet, staring up at me like he’s happy to see that someone is here to help.
“Need to go out, boy?” I give his head a rub. By his wagging tail, I assume it’s a ‘hell yes, let me out of here,’ so I open the front door, and he darts out.
I stand staring down the hallway, and if this woman thinks she can hide from me in her bedroom, she has another thing coming. I would much prefer to go in there invited and under entirely different circumstances, but desperate times call for putting those thoughts and feelings aside. She will never admit it, but she needs me, and I already know I need her.
I walk down the hallway and peer into the room I assume is Ax’s. From the cracked door, I can see just enough to know that he’s asleep in his crib.
I brace myself to face Andie’s wrath as I move to her doorway. Her door is wide open, but the room is dim from the curtains being drawn closed. I can make out her form where she’s curled up under the covers. Her hair is sprawled out on the pillow, and she’s facing away from me.
I step into her room, and it smells like her. Mint and flowers. I inhale, wanting everything I own to smell just like this. Her room is tidy, which is a relief, given the state of the rest of the house. I walk to her side of the bed and sit on the edge. She doesn’t move, and I push the hair out of her face.
Her eyes are red and puffy, which confirms the past few days have been hell, but I’m here now, and she’s not going through this alone.
“I need you to get up,” I speak softly, carefully, knowing this will be a battle or more like a world war. She doesn’t move or open her eyes. “Andie, I need you to get up. I’m going to go deal with the mess in the other room, and you’re going to shower and then pack.”
That has her eyes cracking open just slightly. “Can you please just leave me alone?”
