34. The Turnover
34
Riggs
My first day of training camp has been total shit. I lacked focus all damn day, my thoughts of Tessa and our breakup never far from my mind.
I know I decided to wait her out. I let the guys convince me she’d come around, but it’s been days of radio silence, and I’m starting to doubt my decision. What if she expected me to fight for her and keeping my distance was the worst mistake I could’ve made? What if the guys were wrong, and she really did mean it when she called our relationship a fling and ended it?
My jaw muscles tighten as I see the look of disappointment on Coach’s face as I pass by him on my way to the locker room. I know I was off my game today, and obviously, he knows it, too. But he holds his tongue, turning his attention to the tablet in his hands as I hang my head and enter the building.
Grady Hollis is the first person I see as I walk toward my locker. He must have a little more sense than I’ve ever given him credit for, because he ignores me and continues about his business without so much as a smirk in my direction. He either learned his lesson when my fist connected with his jaw at the party, or he’s planning his next move and isn’t ready to make it, yet.
Either way, I’m grateful. If he so much as looks at me right now, I’m going to lose my spot on the roster for knocking him on his ass again. It might even be worth it to relieve some of this tension and anger I’ve been harboring inside me.
I manage to strip out of my dirty sweat-soaked practice uniform, shower, and dress in clean street clothes without interruption, like everyone on the team sensed my need for solitude and decided to wait until I was done. I give Miles and a few other teammates a wave on my way out, then climb into my truck for the drive home.
Knowing an empty house and a long, lonely night await me there, the drive from the practice facility feels even longer than usual. Fuck. Maybe I should’ve made plans with Miles. We could’ve grabbed Porter and Foster and hit the bars in Branston, or something.
I consider texting him when I get home, but as I pull into my neighborhood, the exhaustion of the day takes over. I’m mentally, physically, and emotionally wrecked.
That’s probably why, when I pull up to my house, I slam on the brakes and stare, unable to make sense of what I’m seeing.
There, in my front yard, is a single white goat. It’s grazing on my too-long grass, its narrow mouth working as it chews and moves forward as far as the rope that tethers it to the ground will allow.
Shaking my head, I take my foot off the brake and coast into the driveway. After shifting the truck into park, I hop out and round the vehicle. That’s when I see it.
The goat is wearing one of the blankets I made for the first prank I played on Tessa. My own artwork stares back at me, declaring, I Love the G.O.A.T.
I spin around, searching Tessa’s porch for her familiar form when someone clears a throat behind me. Looking over my shoulder, I see her stepping off my own porch, her hands twisting together in front of her as she gives me a crooked, nervous smile. I turn to fully face her as she approaches, keeping my face blank despite the fireworks going off inside my chest.
“What is this?” I ask, nodding toward the goat.
Her chest rises as she takes a deep breath and says, “An apology.”
“An apology,” I repeat as my heart starts to pound in my ears.
“Mm-hmm,” she hums. “An apology and…a confession.”
“A confession?”
I know I sound like a parrot, repeating everything she says, but my brain is going a little haywire. Having her within reach is doing things to my body, too, and I want to make sure she’s saying what I think she’s saying before I grab her and never let her go.
“I’m so sorry, Riggs,” she says, her eyes brimming with tears. “I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought letting you go was what was best for you, and ensuring your success with the Bandits was worth the sacrifice I was making. But I didn’t realize until I said the words out loud and saw your face that I was making a huge mistake.”
I just stare at her, and her fidgeting grows even more noticeable.
“I didn’t mean it,” she goes on when I don’t respond, “when I called what we had a fling. You have to know you meant––you mean––so much more to me than that. I’ve…I’ve fallen for you, Riggs. I’m head over heels, ridiculously in love with you.”
The world stops spinning. Every molecule of oxygen in existence disappears. I stare at her, tears dripping down her cheeks as she gives me a tentative smile, her words ricocheting through my mind.
I’m in love with you.
I’m in love with you.
I’m in love with you.
When I continue to stare with my mouth hanging open, she tilts her head and crosses her arms over her chest. “Turnover on downs. The ball is yours. What are you going to do with it?”
My jaw snaps closed as my lips spread into a wide smile. Tessa yelps as I lunge toward her, wrapping my arms around her thighs and lifting her up against me. Her arms twist around my neck as I spin, her laughter ringing out until I skid to a stop and let her body slide down mine.
As her feet touch the ground, I hold her gaze and say, “I’m running with it.”
She drives her fingers into my hair, using her grip on it to yank my head down. Our lips crash together in a perfect, frenzied kiss, and all the hollow emptiness I’ve been carrying around of late dissipates. In its place is pure, unadulterated joy. Hope. Excitement. Pleasure.
And most of all…love.
Breaking off the kiss, I pull back to meet Tessa’s gaze. She smiles up at me, her eyes still glassy with emotion, and I brush her hair back from her face and tuck it behind her ear.
“I love you, too, Tessa White,” I say softly. “I always have, and I always will.”