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“Zach told me to take it easy with you. He knew you a little already, and I think he was protective.”
At this, she smiles at least.
“What I told him was, ‘are you kidding? A girl like that? She’ll only ever be a friend. Just look at her.’ As in, you were so far out of my league I didn’t even think I stood a chance.”
She snorts and shakes her head, but then she bites on her bottom lip. Her sharp, white teeth dig into that pink, fleshy lip, and a little spark of hope flares inside me.
“But that’s so ridiculous,” she whispers.
“Is it?” I ask, stepping closer.
She’s only up one step from me now, at the perfect height for me to bend my knees just a little bit so that she has to meet my gaze.
“A goon who hangs out in a shady parking lot outside a dive bar? Thinking he’s got a shot with the most gorgeous woman he’s ever met? And then it turns out she’s in freaking medical school and went to Stanford and is really truly going places?”
“That’s not me—”
“I know that now. I know you’re so much more than that. But that night? The fact that Zach even thought I had a shot with you? It seemed laughable. I could have only dreamed it would happen.” I squeeze the back of my neck. “God, can you imagine? If I had just asked you out that night? While you were alone and vulnerable in that parking lot?”
“You made me feel safe,” she says with a little shrug. It’s the most beautiful shrug I’ve ever seen.
“God, we’re fools,” I say.
She laughs, and it’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard.
“I uh… I went to Connecticut.”
“What?” She frowns, clearly not expecting this change in topic.
“I apologized to your parents. For causing any problems at the wedding. For hurting you. For everything.”
“It wasn’t your fault,” she says, and my heart is ready to burst. “Well, not entirely.”
“I should have never put myself in that position.”
“Liza came to see me, you know. She told me everything.”
Relief courses through my veins. But I don’t feel like I have her quite yet.
“I’m glad she did that. But I should have come to you.”
“I didn’t want to see you,” she says. “I should have answered the phone. Maybe if I’d picked up the phone or answered your texts, you wouldn’t…” Her chin wobbles and I can see this going down a path I don’t want it to.
“That fight had nothing to do with you. It had everything to do with me wanting to make up for Freddy’s injury. I let my emotions take over, and when he landed the first punch, I wondered if it would be enough to make up for ending Freddy’s career.”
“Zeke… no…”
“It would’ve happened no matter what.” I pinch the bridge of my nose, gently, as it’s still a little tender from the break. “But that’s not the point. I didn’t just see your parents in Connecticut. I also saw Alan Hendricks.”
“Rick’s friend?” Faye asks.
I nod. “Alan helped me realize that if I want to be the man you deserve, I need to leave the league.”
She gasps, her eyes wide and unblinking.
“So, with his help, I’m leaving the league, officially this weekend. If there’s any chance that playing could turn me into someone you don’t know, other than the man you need, then it’s not worth it.”
She lowers her chin and leans into me. I don’t need to be told twice. I press a kiss to her forehead. Then I lift her chin so she meets my eyes.
