Prologue
RYAN
In the blinding light of the summer sun, I blinked rapidly, trying to keep my traitorous tears at bay. After already saying goodbye to Amber and Gran, I’d somehow managed to keep it together, until now.
Nate didn’t even bother keeping the tears from his eyes, and when that first one slipped free, determination to keep my shit together nipped at me. I couldn’t lose it. Not now, not with Nate’s wet, sad eyes and his watery smile directed my way.
For the past five months, we’d made the most of every single moment together.
We’d got through our dreaded exams, kicked butt in our basketball season, and had probably too many nights drinking stubbies out near the lake.
It didn’t make saying goodbye any easier, though.
Looking at Nate’s trembling lip and his damp cheeks cut me to the core.
Leaving him behind was the hardest thing I’d ever done. Throw abandoning my little sister and my gran in the mix too, and every swallow I made was like sandpaper.
With emotion bubbling in my throat, I attempted a smile that I expected looked like I was holding one in.
For the life of me, I considered asking Nate’s dad to take my bag out of the boot.
So what that I was going to be playing the sport I loved like crazy?
So what I was getting a full-ride scholarship to a kick-arse school, and in the States of all places?
Did any of it really matter if I wouldn’t see my best friend every day?
“Right.” Nate huffed out a breath and rubbed his hand over his face. “Ignore me. You’re going to be late.”
I nodded silently, not sure I could speak, fearing an attempt at even a single word would break my composure.
“Dad’s waiting.”
Numbly, I nodded again. Mr. G was driving me to Brisbane airport. It was a couple of hours drive, and already I was relieved knowing Nate wouldn’t be joining us. Last week I’d asked him not to see me off at the airport for precisely this reason.
Nate stepped forward, his arms wrapping around me, his face fitting perfectly in the crook of my neck.
I inhaled deeply, not even giving a shit if he figured out what I was doing.
His stupid scent—the weird organic shower gel his mum bought him combined with his natural scent—always could calm me.
It always had, and for the past year or so especially, it did the job even better.
“I’m going to miss you so much.” Nate’s whispered words tickled my skin, and I hugged him harder.
“Be a legend out there, got it?” I nodded against him, not able to let go.
“Make sure you let me know when you’re off the plane, yeah?
” Another nod followed, but this time I managed an inhale and a grunt.
When I felt his arms shift, I considered hanging on and may have even tensed a little.
His soft chuckle brushed across my neck as he pulled away, angling up to look at me.
One of his hands freed itself from my shoulder blade and found purchase on the back of my head.
He squeezed lightly, maintaining eye contact.
“Dead set legend, yeah?”
“Yeah,” I whispered.
He shifted up to his tiptoes and pressed a kiss on my forehead. Just as I sighed into it, he was gone, out of my space, and a few steps back.
“Get your backside into gear, Broadwater.” His gaze roamed mine, some of his tears clearing as he offered me a soft smile. “You’re doing the right thing.”
I formed a half smile. “I am?”
Somehow he managed a chuckle and a shove. “Yes, you are. Stop being lame. This, everything, is incredible.”
My smile felt less like a grimace when I let his words flow over me, ease into my system with his warmth and familiar support. My heart spiked. “I’m going to play college basketball.”
Nate’s laugh was loud. “No shit. You’re just figuring that out now?”
“You know what I mean.” My throat constricted.
“I just can’t believe it’s actually happening.
” His nod, his smile, the absolute faith he directed my way as he stared at me eased the noose around my heart.
A thrill bubbled in my abdomen, growing big, separating and having a merry old time as they started popping, having a little party, reminding me this, this huge move and chance I’d earned, was fucking epic.
Excitement built, a flood of happiness crashing through me. “I’m really doing this.”
“Yeah, you are.” Exhilaration lit up his eyes as he peered back at me, a lopsided smirk quirking his lips. “Was Gran okay when you said goodbye?”
This time I laughed. Sure, we’d all shared a few tears, but my gran was almost as excited as I was, and when she’d followed up with how proud of me she was and gave me this whole speech of following my dreams and my heart, I’d almost burst right then and there.
“I expected her to pull out notes for the speech she gave me.”
Nate snorted. “I bet. You keep that speech in your head, hell, maybe get that shit written down to whip out to remind you of how—”
“—godly I am?”
With a roll of his eyes, Nate punched my arm gently. “Hardly. But you’re doing this for you—”
“And for them. If I can go all the way, just think of everything I can give them.”
Nate’s smile was soft. “I know, and they’ll be proud as hell, but you loving it is important.”
I scrunched my face and tutted at him. I’d swear Nate was ten years older than me. “Put your wise away. Yes, I love it. And I’m good at it.” His mouth twitched at that, but I ignored him and kept going. “And if I can earn a heap of money doing it after college, then double the win, right?”
“Right. And just so you can sort my private jet.”
“Private jet? You changing the goalposts there, ’cause dude, how much money do you think I’m going to be making?”
“Enough for a private plane if I want one,” he joked.
My smile wilted when I heard Mr. G close the car door. “So, this is it.”
With a tilt of his head, Nate nodded. “Make the most of a beer at the airport in Brissie before you’re underage.
” He then stepped even farther back, out of reach.
And thank Christ he did. It would have been so easy to latch back on to him and squeeze my friend to death.
I knew I’d have to cope and get on without him, but it didn’t mean it would be easy.
I shoved aside the ache in my chest, knowing I wouldn’t see his stupid face every day or hear his voice while he got up me to finish my homework or whatever I was being lazy about.
“I’ll make the toast to you,” I managed to say.
Without another word, I got into Mr. G’s car and strapped myself in, offering him a tight smile and a dip of my head.
And I didn’t look back.
Couldn’t.
If I did, I’d struggle to breathe, knowing I was leaving behind the one person who’d been my rock for the past seven years, the one person who simply got me.
As I focused ahead, I realized I hadn’t said goodbye. I huffed out a laugh. Maybe that was a good thing. I didn’t think I’d ever truly be able to say goodbye to Nate Griffin.