Zak
ZAK
Swiping my phone open, I scroll to Jaime’s message thread and stare at the last text she sent me until it’s freshly burned into my retinas. She says she’s mine, but it’s been three days since I saw her. Three days since she sent that message and I stared at it the whole flight back to Portland, hoping it was true.
But I wasn’t kidding when I said she’d broken my trust. As much as I want to believe it, I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“Seriously, you need to make a decision.” Alex groans from where he’s sitting with his laptop on his usual chair by the unlit fire. “Either call her or go see her.”
I only got back from our away game late Sunday night, and I had a lecture this morning, so I haven’t had to face that choice yet.
“No.” I shake my head. “I’m not doing that again. If I show up there and she’s changed her mind . . .”
Alex’s jaw sets and I know he’s biting back a thousand comments I don’t want to hear. I confessed what had been going on to Sol and Alex on Saturday morning. They were both hurt that I hadn’t confided in them sooner, but they understood. Kind of.
Tipping my head back, I toss a red peanut M&M into the air and catch it in my mouth.
“What will you do if she doesn’t come to you?” Alex asks.
I sigh, crunching down on the candy and sitting up. “I don’t know, man. Drink myself into a stupor? Start an OnlyFans? Fuck knows.”
Alex stares at me until I look at him. “Just don’t go bottling everything up, okay? Sol and I are here for you. Whatever you need.”
“I know.” I push to my feet, tossing a yellow candy into my mouth. “I’m going to go do some studying.”
Alex grunts in acknowledgement, already refocused on his laptop, and I smile at the fact that my twenty-two-year-old friend has already nailed the demeanor of a grumpy CEO.
Jogging up the stairs, I try to shove aside the worry that ebbs and flows in my gut. I’m the one who pushed Jaime away—told her to leave me out of her decision making. Now, I have to deal with the consequences.
Stepping into my room, I glance at the economics text books on my desk and proceed to collapse onto my bed. There’s no way I can concentrate on studying until I know. Closing my eyes with a sigh, I consider asking Alex to find out from Sasha whether Jaime’s on campus. Not that the knowledge would help. If she’s over in the Hive and hasn’t come to see me . . .
Rolling onto my front, I pull my phone from my jeans pocket and pull up my emails. Over the last couple of months, I’ve been researching lacrosse coaching, and I even visited a couple of schools in Portland to check out some programs. I’ve decided it’s something I’d like to try, and I want to work with middle and high school kids, not college. The idea sparks an excitement in me that I haven’t felt with anything else.
Besides Jaime, of course.
A knocking sounds at my window and I roll, sitting up in surprise. My surprise grows as I find Jaime’s head peering over the window ledge. What the actual fuck?
Jumping to my feet, I motion for her to duck as I open the window outwards. It’s then, I see she’s got a ladder propped against the side of the Den.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” I laugh. “We have a door.”
She frowns up at me. “It’s symbolic, you asshole.”
Still chuckling, I help her up and into my room, trying not to let my attention linger on the little denim shorts she’s wearing.
“Hey,” she says, straightening her ponytail and yellow sweatshirt.
I lean against my desk to stop myself from reaching for her. “Hey.”
“I messaged you,” she says, glancing at where my phone is laying on my bed.
I frown. “When?”
“Three days ago.”
“Oh. Yeah. I got it.”
Her eyebrows rise. “And you didn’t want to reply?”
Scrubbing my fingers through my hair, I let out a breath. “I wanted to, but I was afraid you’d change your mind.”
Jaime stares at me for a minute and I wonder whether the truth is too much. But then, she steps forward and places her hands on my chest, her fingers stroking over the material of my black t-shirt.
“I haven’t changed my mind, ,” she says softly. “The wedding is off. And it’s staying that way. When I said I’m yours, I meant it.”
I nod, swallowing hard. It still feels too good to be true. “So, what now?”
“Now,” Jaime says, smoothing her palms over my chest. “It’s up to you.”
“Up to me?”
“I mean, if you want to start over, we can. Go for coffee. Date. Let me try to build up the trust I broke. I also understand if you want to walk away. I thought that might be why you hadn’t replied.” She lets her hands drop, but I catch them, gathering her fingers in mine.
“I don’t want to walk away,” I say, squeezing her hands and smiling as she visibly relaxes at my words. “I didn’t reply because I didn’t want to push you. This was something you needed to do on your own.”
“And you’re right. I did.”
“Did the world end?” I ask. “How are things with your parents?”
She grimaces. “Mom took it hard, but Dad was surprisingly okay about it all. From what I can tell, he’s moving forward with combining with the Chevaliers. He’s been working with Louis for years, and he’s apparently kind of like the son he never had.”
I frown. “How do you feel about that?”
“I honestly don’t care. I’ve never cared about the family business. Maybe that makes me a bad daughter, but I haven’t.”
Stroking my thumbs over the backs of her hands, I gather her fingers to my chest. “I’m glad things are okay.”
“Me, too.”
“I also don’t want to start over.”
Jaime’s eyes narrow as she stares up at me. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, I know things are a mess between us, but they always have been. Ever since that kiss freshman year, we’ve been anything but conventional.” Dropping her hands, I cup her face, my eyes dropping to her perfect lips. “Let’s pick up where we left off. I’m done wasting time.”
Jaime trembles and I dip my head, pressing my lips to hers. She melts against me, and I gather her in my arms, a satisfied moan rumbling in my chest as she opens for me.
All too soon she pulls away, grinning up at me. “It’s a good thing I’m not allergic to peanuts, isn’t it?”
It takes me a second to figure out what she’s talking about, and then I laugh. “Kitty Cat, I’d give up peanut M&Ms for you in a heartbeat.”
Her lips twitch as she looks up at me. “Really?”
I shrug. “Sure. Or maybe I’d just brush my teeth twenty times a day and eat them in secret.”
She laughs, shoving my chest, and it’s the best sound I’ve heard all year. Sliding my hands down her body, I grip her thighs, pulling her up into my arms. She wraps her legs around my waist and I stand there for a moment, just enjoying her closeness.
“Thank you,” she whispers against my lips.
“For what?”
“For fighting for me.” She presses a kiss to my cheek. “For not giving up.” She presses a kiss to my nose. “For making me rescue myself.”
Her lips meet mine and I kiss her softly before pulling back and looking into the depths of her rich brown eyes.
“I’ll never stop fighting for you, Kitty Cat. It might have taken you a minute to realize, but you’re in my blood. You’re the rhythm my heart beats to. And I have no plans to ever let you go.”
“Good.” Jaime smiles. “Because I have no plans to leave.”