“Here, give them to me.”
“No, thanks,” she huffs, clearly irritated by my presence. Usually, this kind of ire is reserved solely for Beck.
“Come on, Mia. Don’t be stubborn. Let me help.”
She shoots me another steely-eyed glare. “I suppose giving in is the quickest way to get rid of you.”
“There you go.” I flash her a grin. “Just focus on the positives.”
She snorts before rising to her tiptoes and stacking the containers on top of the one I’m already holding. Then she slides the key from her pocket before shoving it in the lock and turning the handle.
With her back propping open the door, she stretches out her arms. “I’ll take it from here.”
“I got it. Just tell me where you want them.” Feeling nosy as fuck, I saunter into the apartment.
She points to the living room/dining room combination. “Set them down anywhere over there.”
I do as she asks before straightening to my full height and glancing around. There are boxes stacked everywhere. I’m overwhelmed just looking at the place. It will take weeks to put away all this stuff. Even though I know she’ll turn me down flat, I can’t resist throwing out the offer. “You want some help with all of this? I’ve got a few hours to kill before I need to head back to the stadium.”
She releases a long breath, all the while surveying the cardboard shantytown that has sprung up on the outskirts of the living room. For a moment, I almost wonder if she’s actually considering the question. But then she shakes her head. “No, it’s fine. I’ll just take it a little bit at a time.”
I shift my weight from one foot to the other. “You sure? I’m willing to lend a hand.”
Her voice softens, losing some of its rigidity. “I appreciate the offer, but no.”
Since I wasn’t expecting a different outcome, I shrug. Hell, I’m kind of surprised she didn’t toss me out on my ear as soon as I set the boxes on the floor. “All right then.” I meander to the door. “Guess now that you live here, I’ll see you around.”
As I cross over the threshold, Mia’s voice stops me in my tracks. “Colton?”
I turn and meet her steady gaze. “You should know that Alyssa has moved on.”
And just like that, I’m shoved beneath the glassy surface of the water again and can’t breathe. Mia’s words shouldn’t cause me a moment of heartache. If anything, relief should be pumping through my body.
That’s the outcome I was hoping for, right?
It’s the reason I pushed her away in the first place.
But...that’s not the way I feel.
Unable to utter a sound, I jerk my head into a tight nod before slipping from the apartment and into the hallway.
Chapter Fourteen
Colton
“We’re late,” Beck mutters, hastening his step as we move through the lobby of our apartment building before pushing through the glass doors and into the sunshine, “and I’m in no mood to run suicides.”
That makes two of us. We’ve done more than enough of that this summer. My body already feels battered and bruised, and it’s only August. Coach came back in July when training camp started up with all these new workout regimes. I’m not sure if he’s trying to intimidate the freshman, but I don’t like it.
Not one damn bit.
Added to that, it’s hot as hades out here. And it will feel a thousand degrees hotter when we’re running plays on the turf. There are times when the field actually looks hazy in the afternoon sun. A few of the guys have already passed out. That’s Division I football for you. Pussies need not apply.
I’ll tell you this, deciding not to enter the draft was the right decision. As much as I love football, and I’ll miss the sport, I’m ready to move on to the next phase of my life. I glance at Beck, knowing he doesn’t feel the same way. He’ll enter the NFL draft this year and, more than likely, be a first-round pick. I can’t wait to see what team he signs with. I’m stoked for the guy.
I’m knocked out of those thoughts when a female voice catches my attention. My head whips up, knowing exactly who it belongs to.
Alyssa.
My footsteps falter as my gaze locks on her. That’s all it takes for the air to get clogged in my lungs. I don’t know how it’s possible, but she’s even more beautiful than I remember. My gaze roves over every part of her. From the top of her blond head to the tips of her toes, I catalog all the little details that have changed. The sleeker haircut that frames her face. The willowy form that somehow looks longer and leaner. She doesn’t resemble the same girl who carved out a place in my heart. The one who chased after me throughout high school and the first couple of years of college. There’s something different about her. An air of sophistication that wasn’t there to begin with.