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I nod, but all I’m really thinking about is how everyone in the locker room seems to be sealing their heart. First Miles. Then Noah. Fuck, even Mason Miller has lost his virginity now. He hasn’t stopped smiling ever since he hitched up with that girl from the gift shop.
“I’m working on it,” I admit, stomping past Miles towards the locker room.
I dart through the corridor, wondering whether maybe, finally, it might be my turn? I’ve waited long enough. Now almost the entire locker room has found love, I’m wearing the brunt of the jokes. I’m the lonely loser. And the fact I’ve tried so hard for so long just gives them even more fuel to pour over me.
But as I slam a fist on the big red door, steaming ahead with a desperation to get home racing through my body, I feel a smile lift my cheeks.
It’s my turn. Tonight is the night I make her mine. Forever.
“Fuck man! Slow down!” Parker Phillips shouts, quickly side-stepping me as he tries to leave.
“Good work tonight!” I shout, slapping his shoulder on the way past.
Fuck. He’s another one who’s settled down. I completely forgot about Parker and his new roommate. What the hell is with this team at the moment?
The bitter smell of the room stiffens my nose as I move across to my locker. A few shirts are tossed on the floor and empty Gatorade bottles rest on a table in the center of the room. Most of the team have left already, but as I lean back against the cold metal of the lockers, I see Noah Edwards walking backwards, talking to someone as they come back from the showers.
“Man, it sounds like a mad party,” Noah says, grinning. “I miss those days.”
I rip my practice jersey off and toss it in my sports bag.
“You should come one night,” A deeper voice says. “Bring that girl of yours… Whatever her name is.”
A nervous flutter pulls at my gut as Noah spins and glances across at me. He jerks his head up, acknowledging me as Bailey steps into view from around the corner.
“Hername is Hazel,” Noah says, rolling his eyes at me. “And you should learn some fucking manners when it comes to women, my man.”
Bailey laughs, but as he moves into the center of the room, the deep chortle stops dead in the middle of his throat.
His eyes meet mine and I swallow. Hard.
Vanessa and I managed to steer clear of him all weekend. It was my plan to keep her away from him. I didn’t want him scaring her away. She’s already apprehensive about my offer to stay here, and I get it. That’s what tonight is all about – making her mine forever.
So I wasn’t about to let him start putting her down again.
“Made it out of your bedroom then?” Bailey grunts, trudging to the opposite side of the locker room.
Noah’s shoving his training gear in his bag, humming to himself. I’m not sure if he can feel the tension, but every time I look over, his eyes are fixed firmly towards the ground and he’s dressing awfully quickly.
“Yeah,” I say.
Bailey’s eyes darken and I’m not sure how to handle this. I know we exchanged words the other night and I can’t forget the way he talked to Vanessa. We haven’t spoken since, but to be honest, I thought Bailey was so drowned in booze that he wouldn’t even remember it.
I reach down in my bag and collect the small parcel tucked in darkest corner. I picked it up on the way to training and it was probably one of the most exciting moments of my life. I peer inside the tiny gift bag and the small black box looks lonely and insignificant.
I swear I can see the shimmering diamond through the box and that’s what makes my heart jump start back into action.
She’s going to love it.
“Alright, boys,” Noah says, rising up and throwing his bag over his shoulder. “Catch you ladies later.”
He steps across the room and when I look to Bailey, I swear it’s a mirrored reflection of my own expression. His eyes are wide. His neck muscles tense.
We’re alone.
The door slams as Noah leaves and I turn to see Bailey looking across at me.
I hold his stare for a second, my fingers dragging across the top of my thigh. It’s awkward, unusually awkward. This is my roommate. My best friend. This is the guy I’ve spent so much time with over the years… I’m about to ask his sister to marry me, so is some stupid, drunken argument worth holding a grudge over?
