Page 124 of Rise Above

“I do, but I think with the team shrink. You gave me

a good place to start, darling. So, thank you.” I sat on my couch wishing she was there with me. “How are you feeling?”

“That’s actually a good idea. I don’t have any

experience with sports injuries. I’m a little tired. Thank you for asking.” She smiled softly at me through the Facetime she’d started.

“It feels weird not having you next to me.” Silence came from her end of the line. “I missed

you today.”

“Really?” My heart pounded in my chest. I grinned,

unable to stop myself. “Fuck, I missed you too. You really and truly are my best friend, but I’m hopeful we can be something more.”

“Talon…”

“Perhaps this is more of an in-person conversation,”

I said and licked my suddenly dry lips.

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“If that’s okay.” I could hear a slight tremor in her

voice.

“Yeah, of course.”

Silence. It was never awkward for the two of us;

most of our silences were comfortable. We didn’t have to fill the quiet. Sometimes, we just liked being around each other and doing nothing.

“Do you worry that us being together will ruin our

friendship?” There was trepidation in her voice and she wore a deep frown.

“I don’t think we’d let it.” I replied. “We care about

each other far too much.”

“Well, I can’t argue with that. Bedtime for me.

Sleep well, Talon.”

“You too, darling.”

Davis stared me down over the rim of his coffee

mug. Zeke’s eyes moved between us like it was a tennis match. I knew my best friend was about to berate me; he just needed to gather his thoughts first. He had warned me when I first met Aife to stay away from her. My biggest flaw was that I rarely listened.

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“Okay, fucker. Time to talk.” Davis took a long sip