AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I’m more than happy to have my old friend back. And those feelings I couldn’t seem to squash? I think they’re officially tamped.
“Meet you there,” I type back.
Slipping into my jacket, I catch my reflection in the mirror. The woman staring back seems different—more alive, eyes brighter, cheeks flushed with the sting of the cold ... or maybe it’s the thrill of spending time with a boy who used to be her whole world.
It’s not long before I push open the door to the bar, and the warmth hits me like a welcome embrace, the murmur of conversations and the clink of glasses weaving the soundtrack of a typical night out.
But tonight’s not typical, not really, because now I’m stepping into Callum’s new world. And I’m a whole bundle of nerves about it.
When I walk in, he’s already there, in the thick of laughter and camaraderie, his teammates draped around tables like kings in their court. I’m standing near the door, and he turns, his face lighting up with a grin that’s meant just for me.
“Over here!” he calls out, and it’s like a spell being cast, drawing me in, making me forget the fluttering in my stomach.
He stands as I approach, his hand warm on my back, and soon, I’m introduced to a sea of faces, names that I’ll never remember, and the most perfect paper smiles. These new people, these bonds he’s forged, are his world now. The soccer gods and their adoring fans.
And me? I’m struggling not to feel like a footnote from his past.
But Callum’s always been good at this sort of thing. At making me feel included. He tells stories, recounts inside jokes, and weaves me into the narrative until I’m laughing along, the ice in my veins thawing.
As we settle into the booth, the warmth from Callum’s thighs seeps into mine. He leans in, his voice a hushed whisper.
“Cruz isn’t coming tonight. Just so you know.”
My head falls back against the booth. “Jesus, Cal.”
“What?”
“You realize I’ve barely thought about that guy in months, right? Other than theonetime I mentioned him to you.”
“Okay, noted.” He runs a ragged hand through his mop of brown hair. “I just, I want to make sure you’re comfortable.”
“I’m good. Don’t you worry about that.”
“Okay.” He puffs out a heavy breath, lips curving into a smile. “You, uh, you see the guy in the red beanie over there?”
He nods subtly toward a teammate. Tall, tanned skin, strikingly handsome.
“That’s my roommate, Grady. He tried to impress his date last week by cooking her dinner. Ended up setting off our alarm. Fire department showed up and everything.”
I stifle a laugh. “Seriously?”
“Yeah.” Callum chuckles, his eyes twinkling with mirth. “And it gets better. He was trying to makespaghetti. How do you fuck up spaghetti?”
“That’s true talent,” I say, joining in the laughter. It feels good, easy, like slipping into a familiar rhythm.
He grins, leaning back but not too far to lose the cozy proximity. “And then there’s Marcus,” he continues, gesturing discreetly to another teammate. Dark hair, dark complexion, extremely hot. “He’s convinced he’s a bit of a Casanova. Tries all these pickup lines he gets from Google.”
“Any of them actually work?”
“Depends on your definition of ‘work,’” he says with an arrogant smirk. “Last week, he told some guy he must be a snowflake because he’s fallen for him. Didn’t land.”
I snort a laugh. “No shit?”
“Yeah, these guys might talk a good game, but they’re all truly hopeless.”
“Hopelesscavemen, according to you?”
“You’ve got the idea.”
