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“I can’t. Not this time.”
He stormed through the brush onto the manicured lawn at the edge of the party. No matter what I said, or did he wasn’t going to turn around.
“Don’t do this, Blake. Don’t say goodbye. Please.”
I watched as his dark silhouette disappeared. I lost him when he joined the crowd.
I stood, trying to cover up my lacy bra, and realized I was more bare than I’d even known.
I looked up at the house where I had spent part of the summer. The breeze blowing off the sound skirted through the wind chimes. Three weeks ago, I had thought I was going to hate my trip back to the island. It was only going to drudge up painful memories. And maybe for the first week that was true, but looking out across the sound to where the lighthouse stood, I knew I had grown to love this place and all its quirks all over again.
I had fallen in love a second time. I didn’t know it was possible.
I tossed my purse in the front seat. I knew I was stalling, but everything about this moment was surreal. It felt like I was walking through a fog.
I didn’t want to leave without
saying goodbye. I didn’t want to drive over that bridge a second time without saying the words. But Blake wouldn’t answer my calls. He didn’t answer the door when I knocked.
He wasn’t in the boat barn. I couldn’t find him anywhere on the island.
He was the one who had escaped this time.
I slid into the seat and turned the keys in the ignition. She rolled the window down to inhale the last whiffs of the salty air. I didn’t know when I would be back to work on the house. It would sit and wait for me. It wasn’t the first time it had been through a storm.
I exhaled and put my foot on the break. It was time.
I put the car in reverse as I pulled away from the house. Away from a place that had become home. Away from where love had found me.
29
Blake
“Get your asses out here,” I yelled at the team.
The receivers were on the sidelines like they didn’t have routes to run and two of the tight ends were sitting on the bench.
“What the fuck is going on around here?” I looked at Coach. He shrugged.
He was worried about the personnel issues he had with the new coaching staff. We had too many new hires. Not enough seasoned talent.
This was how the first part of the season always started. A complete cluster fuck. But I needed it to go smoother than this. I needed to control it.
The season opener was in two days. Camp was over. The pre-season kicked our asses royally. No one had any faith in the Thrashers. They didn’t think we could pull off a winning season. Looking at this group of lazy ass grown men, I knew why. No one gave a shit. No one had an ounce of passion. An ounce of drive.
But I did.
I shouted at the linemen. “Are you ready?”
They nodded.
“Good. Then let’s go.”
If the guys on the sidelines didn’t want to practice, I was sure some of the rookies did. And if they could catch the ball, I’d request they start on Sundays. All I cared about was getting the W.
I heard the receivers grumble on the field. “Thought he went to some fishing hole. He is not relaxed.”
“What the fuck are you saying over there?”
