15. Austin
FIFTEEN
Austin
T he afternoon sun hung high over Tampa Bay, casting sharp shadows across the practice field. I lean against the cool glass of the box, eyes locked on the action below. My old teammates move like a well-oiled machine, each cut, each route as precise as I remember. The smell of fresh-cut grass mixed with sweat hit me, and for a moment, I let it take me back. This used to be home.
“You never thought you’d be back here, did you?” Coach Donovan’s voice cuts through my thoughts, pulling me back to the present. His tone is gruff, but there is a warmth underneath it—one that has guided me through countless games.
I turn to look at him, catching the knowing look in his eyes. “Honestly? No.”
Coach Donovan nods like he understands, like he always does. “But here you are. And you’re moving like you’ve got something to prove.”
“I do,” I admit, though the words feel heavy. The excitement is there, bubbling just under the surface. The thought of putting on my pads again, feeling the adrenaline rush, hearing the crowd—it was what I’d fought for. But standing here at the stadium that made me a star, I’m starting to wonder.
“Austin.” Coach leans in, his voice dropping low, serious. “You’re ready. Your physiotherapist says you’re ready. The team doctor says you’re ready. I’ve never seen you in better shape. But if you’re going to do this, you need to commit. Come back down here full-time, get into the rhythm with the team. We could have you on the field by the end of the month.”
My heart speeds up at that. A month. That’s all it would take. But even as I feel the rush, my mind is a thousand miles away, back in Sweetkiss Creek. Back with Bex. She’s probably dealing with Mrs. Rosenblatt or another tenant right now, flashing the smile that turned my world upside down. The smile that lifts perfect pale-pink lips at the corners. Lips I finally got to kiss.
And that kiss. The kiss that opened my eyes even more to what a dolt I’ve been, sitting on the sidelines of my own world, going through the motions as I healed. The kiss that reminded me I can feel and I feel things pretty deep. The kiss that ignited a small spark.
A chance at…at what? A relationship? A good friendship? At love? The mere thought of love sends a thousand tiny goldfish swimming around my belly like they’re in a sugar frenzy.
Love. Huh. That was something I never thought I’d have again.
“You’d have to come down as soon as possible,” Coach presses, not seeing the battle going on in my head. “We need to see how you’re doing, get you back into the playbook, shake off any rust.”
I nod, but my thoughts are so far from this field I need a passport to catch up to them. This should’ve been an easy decision. I’d spent months dreaming about this moment, clawing my way back from injury, determined to prove everyone wrong. But now, when it’s all within reach, the pull isn’t as strong as it used to be.
Because back home, there is something—someone—I’m not ready to walk away from. The thought of leaving Bex, putting miles between us just when we are starting to find something real, makes my chest tighten. Which, considering it’s been one kiss, sounds crazy but it’s not. I’ve waited since I met her for her to be back in front of me. I added her to the list of people I started to push away when I thought I wasn’t good enough anymore. Then, she gets delivered to my doorstep—well, next door, but close enough.
No matter what, it’s something. It’s fate.
“Think about it, Austin,” Coach bellows, clapping a hand on my shoulder. “But don’t take too long. We need to know where you stand.”
Where do I stand? Right now, it feels like I’m stuck between two lives—one filled with the roar of the crowd and the thrill of the game, and the other with the quiet promise of something deeper, more lasting.
I’m just not sure which one I want more.
I’d gotten out of the meeting with enough time to get to the airport and run to my plane. It was good timing, really, because once I landed in Charlotte I had a few texts come in from Bex. She’d arranged for Mrs. Rosenblatt to get her new carpet today but, as the Gods of carpet-laying would have it, almost everything had gone wrong.
I scroll through texts updating me of the workmen’s arrival with the wrong carpet, to their arrival with the right carpet, only to unroll it and find out they don’t have enough. Then, apparently, there was a flat tire. It’s all too much.
I don’t bother getting in touch. Glancing at my watch, I realize if I step on the gas, I’m close enough I know I can get to the building and go see Mrs. Rosenblatt myself and smooth things over.
It’s almost five o’clock when I park my truck on the street outside of Mrs. Rosenblatt’s. When I knock on the door, I’m as surprised to find Bex there on the other side as she is to see me.
“Hey,” she says with a smile slowly creeping across her features. “Did you come straight here after you landed?”
I hold up my phone. “Seeing all these texts, you bet I did.” I squeeze her arm and slide past, walking toward Mrs. Rosenblatt. She had been one of our first tenants and one that needed a little more hand-holding than the others, but she’s always been nice to both me and to Levi.
“Austin, you didn’t need to come,” Mrs. Rosenblatt coos when she sees me. “Bex here has done her best today.”
My eyes flick to Bex, who takes a small bow. “She’s great. I bet she already has a new date on the books this week for your real carpet to be installed?”
“That’s what we were just finalizing,” Bex speaks up. She pulls out her phone, tapping a few buttons. “I included you on the calendar invite for this week. The guys will be back the day after tomorrow to install.”
“They promised if they have any other issues, you get it free,” Mrs. Rosenblatt says, wiggling her eyebrows.
“You like a bargain, don’t you?” I tease.
“Oh, you know it.” She holds up crossed fingers. “Here’s hoping they forget something else. I’ll get you a deal yet.”
Cracking up, I turn and look at Bex, who is already putting her coat on. “We’ll get out of your hair, Mrs. Rosenblatt.”
“It was nice to see you, Austin,” she says as she follows us to the door. “Thank you for having Bex here to help me today. She’s been a delight.”
My eyes lock with Bex’s and, as if it has a magnet embedded inside it, my pinky slowly reaches out and takes hers, our fingers intertwined and linked in the most subtle of ways. Right here in the open, yet we’re the only ones who know it’s happening.
“Yes,” I say without taking my eyes off Bex. “She is a surprise to me, too.”
Bex blushes as Mrs. Rosenblatt pats my butt, making me jump in surprise. “Well, go on. You two get some rest, and you,” she says, wagging a finger in Bex’s direction, “I’ll see you soon, yes?”
“You got it,” Bex acknowledges with a giggle as the door closes behind us.
Leaving us, toe to toe, facing one another alone. Under the weight of her stare, my body begins to twitch on its own. Her hand rests on my forearm, and my skin, while protected from her touch between layers of clothing, still feels electrified, as if her touch was a torch and she was setting me on fire.
I drag my eyes to hers, a sensation deep inside of me beginning to fill my belly. Excitement. Anticipation. Want.
“How was your trip—” she begins to ask, but I go blank. I thread one of my arms around her, tucking my arm in the warmth that lies between her jacket and her sweater, clutching the fabric as I bring my mouth down, slanting it across hers. She tastes like hot chocolate and blueberry muffins, both signature recipes coming from Mrs. Rosenblatt.
The kiss starts slow, almost hesitant, as if we’re both testing the waters. But then I deepen it, pulling her closer, feeling the warmth of her body against mine. Her lips are soft and sweet, and she melts into me, her hands gripping my jacket as if she’s afraid to let go. My thumb grazes her cheek, tracing the curve of her jaw as I tilt her head slightly, allowing me to explore her mouth fully.
The world around us fades away; there’s only her, her taste, her warmth mingling with mine. It’s intoxicating, a perfect blend of comfort and desire, and I never want it to end.
“What are we doing?” she asks as she pulls away suddenly, her tone hushed. She rests her head on my shoulder and sighs.
“I’m trying not to think about it,” I respond honestly.
She pushes me away, gently but a push nonetheless. “I like thinking about it because I like thinking about you, but if we’re not going anywhere, I need to know.”
“You need to know now?” Lifting her chin with my thumb and forefinger, I place a soft kiss on the tip of her nose. “Why is that?”
“To guard my heart. Do I like being with you? I do.” She stops talking as I place another soft, gentle kiss on her lips. “You challenge me in so many ways…but I’m scared. There’s a lot that comes with dating someone like you.”
“But, you’ve seen this before, right?”
Bex cocks her head and looks at me funny. “What do you mean?”
“Your former job, personal assistant. I’m sure you’ve dealt with some weird challenges.”
“As an employee, yes. But not dating someone so public.”
“You didn’t date any celebrities?”
“No way!” She chokes on her laughter. “Y’all are high maintenance to work for, not even going to try to date one.”
“But you said yes to a date with me.”
She bites her lower lip, taunting me. “I did.”
I stand up a little taller. “Guess I’m special, huh?”
“I can’t get what I want from that hedge situation unless I win you over now, can I?” she says with a wink as she starts down the steps to the sidewalk and heads to her car.
There’s no way I’m letting this woman go.
“Hold on,” I call out, racing behind her. She is my guiding warmth at this very moment, she is the sun and I’m happy to be a planet in this woman’s orbit. “Dinner. This week. What night are you free?”
She looks at me and shakes her head. “Why, Austin? Why me? Why have we gone from zero to one million in such a small amount of time? I’m not complaining because those kisses are white-hot amazing, but…why?”
“Because I spent months closing everyone out, including you. I remember seeing you at Georgie and Levi’s wedding and I kicked myself in the butt because I couldn’t get it together to come over and talk to you.”
“What?” She looks at me with sadness flickering in her eyes. “Why?”
“I was hurt, not sure what the future held. I only knew football and the farm. You’d swept in, this cool girl from LA who might be moving here…and I started to feel something.”
She waves a finger. “Wait. Remember you were dating someone named Stacey at that time. What about her?”
Ahh, Stacey. A social media influencer who showed up for her millions of followers, but couldn’t be bothered to go to the hospital with the family when I was taken off the field on a stretcher. Self-serving, selfish, and self-involved.
“Funny thing, I was going to break up with her at that game in Charlotte.” I wave my arms in the air. “When Georgie told me you were coming to that game, I’d made up my mind that I was going to ask you on a date. Then my life changed.”
I watch Bex’s face as the weight of what I’m sharing with her hits home. She snakes her hand out and wraps it around mine as she steps closer to me.
“Really?”
“Really,” I say with a nod. “That’s why I’m not going to take moments like this for granted anymore. I don’t want to ignore the little things from now on. I wasn’t seeing anything clearly until you came into focus, don’t you get that?”
Bex grins, standing on her tiptoes and throwing both of her arms around my neck. “I do now.”
“So, our date?”
“I can’t do it tomorrow, but I can the day after.”
“Friday it is,” I say as I open the car door for her and watch her climb in. “How about I pick you up at six?”
“I’ll be ready.” She turns the key in the ignition and with a final wave, closes the door and pulls away from the curb.
Leaving me alone, standing under the most beautiful autumn sky coming to terms with the fact that I am, officially and unequivocally, falling in love with her.