30. Zoey
CHAPTER 30
ZOEY
It’s been a few days since the game and when I spontaneously decided to surprise Cole thanks to Teddy’s help. I’m tired from studying, but winter break starts tomorrow. I’ll be staying here and Cole will be going to Michigan. I’m set to join him over New Year’s, which both excites and terrifies me. It’ll be nice to meet his parents and sisters as well as all of his nieces and nephews. Though, he did warn me to expect his mom to start asking when the wedding is.
Cole and I pull up to the apartment. It’s been dark for hours while we’ve been at work.
Tomorrow morning I’ll drive him to the airport, and I don’t want him to go, but I know I’ll see him soon enough.
I didn’t expect Cole and my heart certainly didn’t think it was ready for him, but I guess life knows better than we do. I think deep down, even on that very first day when he opened the door and I stood beside Teddy, I knew he would change my life.
He shuts the truck off and turns to me. “Meet me on the basketball court.”
“What? Why? It’s cold!” Snow flurries swirl through the air, landing on the windshield. We’re not due for more than two inches, but still, it’s cold and the last thing I want to do is stand outside in it for one more minute even if I’m layered in a sweatshirt and coat.
“Because I said so.”
I pout. “You should know by now that I’m not very good at doing what I’m told.”
He chuckles, reaching for the door handle. “I guess not. But please?”
“Fine,” I grumble.
“I’ll be right back.” He runs up to the apartment while I walk to the basketball court, my breath fogging the air as I do.
I stuff my hands in the pockets of my coat, rocking back and forth on my heels.
I don’t have to wait long for Cole to come jogging back and I laugh when I see him with the two bottles of root beer, Oreos, and a basketball. If those three things don’t sum us up, I don’t know what does. He sets the bottles and cookies on the ground and then bounces the ball over to me.
“I thought we could play a game.”
“A game, huh?” I steal the ball from him and hold it to my chest. “What kind of game? One on one? It’s kinda late, you know?”
“I made this one up.”
“Hmm,” I hum. “And what does it entail?”
“For every shot you make you have to call out a letter to a word or sentence and then the other person has to try to guess what you’re trying to spell.”
“Fine. I’m in.”
I dribble the ball, spinning so he has my back. I think about my word and shoot for the net, but it doesn’t go in.
Cole jogs around me and swipes the ball before I can get to it and tosses the ball. It sails effortlessly into the net.
“I,” he declares.
“Give it.” I try to steal the ball from him.
“Nah, you gotta come and get it.” He flicks his wrist and I grumble when he makes a basket.
“L.”
I steal the ball and shoot but since he was trying to get it back from me my aim is wrong and I don’t make it.
“Cole,” I whine, “don’t do that.”
He laughs, clearly amused by my irritation. Another score. “O. Any ideas yet?”
“Nope, but this feels like a backwards game of hangman.”
I run after him, trying to get the ball, but he’s so much bigger than me he dodges my advances easily.
Swish .
“V.”
“Cole .”
Into the net.
“E. Have a guess yet?” He grins, brown eyes reflecting the lights in the parking lot.
I spell out the letters in my head.
I.
L.
O.
V.
E.
He knows the moment it clicks in my brain.
“You,” he murmurs.
The ball drops from his hands, the bounce echoing as he closes the distance between us.
His big hands swallow my face when he cups my cold cheeks. “I love you, Zoey.”
I close my eyes, reveling in the sound of him saying those words to me. “You love me?”
“Yeah, yeah I do, crazy girl.”
“I love you, too,” I whisper back, lower lip trembling with tears.
He smiles, eyes crinkling at the corners, and then he’s kissing me and behind my closed eyes I see it all again those glimpses of the future I saw in his eyes before.
A white dress.
Babies.
Laughter.
Happiness.
Him and I against the world.
If my heart was a net, he shot the ball straight into it and won the game winning score. He won me, my love, forever.