10. Noah
10
NOAH
L eaving the gym, the cool evening air hits me, refreshing after an intense workout. I spot Olivia on a bench, looking like the weight of the world is on her shoulders. It's not like her to look so... defeated. My chest tightens at the sight.
"Hey," I call out, striding over. "This bench taken?"
She glances up, and I see her eyes are red-rimmed. Not crying, but close enough to make my gut twist.
"Noah, hi," she says, her voice small. "No, it's not."
I sit beside her, our shoulders almost touching. "What's got you looking like someone kicked your puppy?"
She lets out a humorless laugh. "I would be rocking an orange jumpsuit if someone kicked Oscar, not sitting on a bench feeling sorry for myself."
"Wait, who is Oscar?" I ask genuinely curious.
I see her eyes light up and it's refreshing. "He's my dog. I found him a trashcan behind my apartment one day. We've been inseparable since."
"I love dogs," I start. "What kind is he?"
She gives me a puzzled look accompanied by a laugh. "Uhm, half vagabond, half asshole?"
I can't help but laugh. "I'll be sure to google that, so I can get a face to go with the name."
She fishes around in her purse. "Here, I'll show you." She unlocks her phone and starts scrolling through her photos. She clicks on one and turns the phone my way.
"This here is sir Oscar, the couch grouch." She says with a smile while showing me a picture of a dog so ugly it's fucking cute, laid out on what must be her couch.
"I need more Oscar footage," I say. Secretly in hopes she shows me some photos that involve her in her natural habitat.
She doesn't disappoint. I'm graced with pictures of Olivia and Oscar at a craft brewery, Olivia and Oscar on a boat, and my all time favorite, Olivia and Oscar dressed up for Halloween. Oscar looks like a generic brand dalmatian and Olivia is in the tiniest black dress, and faux fur coat looking like Cruella deVille.
For a second, I have to will my own dick to "stay down boy."
"That's settled, I have to meet him." I say with a proud smile.
"You want to meet my hobo dog?" she says. A smile laced with vulnerability laces her face.
"Hell yeah, I'm jealous of the little fucker if he gets to spend all his time with you." I say.
"Ever the charmer, Noah Kane." She says with a smile.
"But seriously, all pups aside, what's got you so upset?" I ask, returning back to the sore subject.
"Just…. life I guess…" she supplies reluctantly.
"That sounds suspiciously vague," I say, leaning back and crossing my arms. "Come on, spill. You know I'm a great listener."
I see the way her shoulders slump. She's deflecting like a pro. I need to pivot. "How about I distract you with a story instead? Ever hear about my first game as a rookie?"
She raises an eyebrow, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "You mean the one where you scored the winning goal in overtime?"
I chuckle, shaking my head. "Nah, that was the highlight reel version. The real story's a bit more... chaotic."
Her curiosity piqued, she turns slightly to face me. "Alright, you've got my attention."
I lean back, letting the memories wash over me. "So, it's my first day in the locker room, right? Fresh-faced rookie, eager to prove myself. The vets decided it was the perfect time for a little 'initiation.'"
Olivia's eyes light up with interest. "Oh, this sounds promising."
"Oh, it was something alright," I say with a smirk. "They stripped me down to my boxers and duct-taped me to one of those wheeled laundry bins."
She gasps, hand flying to her mouth. "No fucking way!"
"Way," I confirm, grinning. "Then they rolled me out into the hallway, right in front of a tour group of junior high kids."
Olivia bursts into laughter, her earlier tension melting away. "That's horrible!"
"That's not even the best part," I continue. "One of the kids looks at me and says, 'Hey mister, is this part of your training?' I had to bite my tongue so hard not to laugh."
She laughs harder, playfully shoving my shoulder. The contact sends a spark through me. Without thinking, I catch her hand, holding it between us.
Our laughter fades as we realize how close we've become. Her green eyes meet mine, and suddenly the air feels thicker.
The world narrows to just us. Her eyes flicker with something unspoken, a mix of curiosity and hesitance. Without overthinking it, I lean in and press my lips to hers. It’s soft, tentative. I feel her surprise first, then the way she melts into the kiss, responding in kind. Her hand tightens slightly in mine, and for a few precious seconds, everything else falls away.
Then reality crashes in.
We pull back, both breathing a bit heavier than before. I can see the conflict in her eyes mirroring my own.
“Wow,” she breathes out, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Yeah,” I say, my voice rougher than intended. “That was...”
“A bad idea?” she finishes for me, though there’s a hint of regret there too.
“Depends on who you ask,” I reply, trying to lighten the mood but feeling the weight of what just happened settling on my shoulders.
She laughs softly, shaking her head. “You always know how to deflect.”
“Hey, it’s a skill,” I say with a grin that doesn’t quite reach my eyes. “But seriously, we need to talk about this.”
“Yeah,” she agrees, looking down at our still-joined hands before letting go. The absence of her touch feels like a loss.
I take a deep breath, running a hand through my hair. “Look, Olivia...”
“Noah,” she interrupts gently. “I get it. We’re both professionals here. You’ve got your team; I’ve got my story.”
“Doesn’t mean we can’t...” I start but falter under her steady gaze.
“It means we shouldn’t,” she says firmly but not unkindly. “At least not right now.”
I nod slowly, feeling like I’m agreeing to something that goes against every instinct I have. “You’re right.”
“I usually am,” she quips with a small smile.
I chuckle despite myself. “So what now? Pretend it didn’t happen?”
Her eyes soften. “No. But maybe we just... take a step back? Focus on what we need to do?”
“And if what I need to do involves you?” The words slip out before I can stop them.
She gives me one last look before walking away, leaving me with an ache that has nothing to do with physical exertion and everything to do with the woman who just walked out of my reach—at least for now.