AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"I couldn't sleep in the dorms knowing someone was leaving notes on your door!"
"Why didn't you call me, or text me!"
"I wanted to, but you hung up on me when we spoke earlier, and I figured it was best to give you space and just be here if you needed me."
My chest was still heaving in fear, but I was so relieved it was my brother that I flung myself into his arms. He started rocking me in a hug, back and forth as I cried.
"Everything is a mess."
"Then why are you making it worse?"
"What?" I jerked back, looking up at him. He may have been my little brother, but he was almost as tall as Tripp, though younger and not as bulky from being an athlete.
"Don't look at me like that," he warned.
"Seeing someone else isn't making it worse on myself," I yelled. "It's making it harder for Hunter."
"Hey," he ran his hands on my arms, trying to soothe me, but as close as he and I were, my brother could never have the same effect on me as Tripp.
"Go home," I pointed toward my door. "Don't come back until you are on my side again."
"I'm always on your side. Always!"
"Then start acting like it. Instead of telling me I'm making it worse, why don't you try telling Hunter you'll beat his ass if he messes with me. Or how about just lay quietly on my couch so you know I'm safe and stop trying to do exactly what Mom and Hunter have done by trying to control me."
"You're right," he hung his head. "I guess I just didn't realize how serious you were."
"Why wouldn't I want this for myself? Why wouldn't I be serious?"
"Because of Mom," he whispered. "Fuck you've been so scared of becoming her. Almost in an obsessive way. It's all you think about."
"It's like you're still stuck on who I was a month ago," I yelled. "I'm not that girl anymore. I've become stronger, more sure of myself, more aware of what I want and need."
"How though?"
I shook my head and refused to tell him it was because of another man. How he made me feel invincible and gave me insight into myself that I hadn't had before. Being with Tripp showed me exactly what I deserved, and even if all he was in my life for was to be that lesson, I was thankful for him. Colton just wouldn't understand. He still thought the way to fix everything was to mend things with Hunter.
"I just know what I deserve, and it's not Hunter."
He nodded but didn't respond as he backed up toward the window in my living room and hung his head low between his shoulders. As upset as he was, I had nothing left in me for the day that could help ease his worries. All I could do was drop the subject and leave it for another day. Come morning, maybe we would be on the same page.
Moving into my room, I grabbed an extra pillow and threw it onto the couch to make him more comfortable. Then I shut my door and let my head hit the pillow, with only thoughts of Tripp running through my mind.
* * *
I checked in at the office the next day before driving to the stadium. There had been a lot of headway on the Inferno Soccer Camp kids campaign, and I was genuinely excited to work with the people I had been paired with.
Colton was gone when I woke up to get ready for work, but he had left a note saying he was sorry and would make sure I knew he had my back. The note reminded me of the one Hunter left on my door. I should have asked Colton for it so I could return it to Hunter if he dared to speak to me again.
So far, all he gave me was angry looks and bad vibes. On the other hand, Tripp gave me soft gazes and subtle winks. One by one, we took players off the field and asked them about the role they would want to play in the kid's camp so we had a good idea of who we could rely on.
Most of them were ready and willing to do anything we needed, especially Rhys Peyton, who I almost fangirled over because of who he was. The world's best soccer player, with a World Cup championship, and every year he was a most valuable player contender in Major League Soccer.
But somehow, I refrained from asking him for an autograph and kept the questions focused on what I needed.
"The team wants to run this camp differently than in years past, so we need to know how much time you can commit in January."
"As long as my girl doesn't mind me working, I'll be here every day."
