14. Cameron
Cameron
The second I step onto the field, I try to shake off the way Gabrielle’s friend practically outed the fact that she talks about me. A lot.
I shouldn’t be this smug about it, but damn, if that didn’t make me feel good.
Because if Gabrielle is talking about me, it means I’m still on her mind.
And after all these years, I want to be on her mind just as much as she’s always been on mine.
The fact that she’s standing here now, watching me, isn’t helping my focus. She has no idea what she does to me. The way my brain turns to static every time she looks at me like she used to, like I’m still hers.
I can’t get caught up in that right now, though.
I have a game to win, so I can make tomorrow worth it for her.
I feel like I have to convince her I’m not going anywhere this time and get her to trust that and trust me again after what happened.
And I plan to do just that, because there is no way I can let her slip away a second time.
I’m not afraid of keeping her like I was back then.
Fifteen minutes into the game, I’m already sweating, my muscles burning from the effort. It’s been a while since I’ve been this physical.
It might only be our first game, but I’ve got something to prove.
I glance over at the sidelines between plays, my eyes automatically finding Gabrielle. She’s talking to Kinsley, but she must feel me looking because she meets my gaze, and a small smile tugs at her lips.
I smirk back, lifting my arms in a questioning motion and mouthing, Where’s my cheer?
She just rolls her eyes.
Damn, I’ve missed that look.
Before I can revel in it too much, Wes jogs up beside me, clapping me on the shoulder. “Alright, Loverboy, focus. Try not to embarrass yourself in front of your future wife.”
I groan. “If I’d known you were this nosy, I never would’ve befriended you.”
He grins. “Yeah, but then who would be here to keep your ego in check?”
I snort, shaking my head, but before I can fire back, the next play starts, and I’m forced to focus on the game instead.
It’s a good drive. I make a solid catch, dodge a defender, and sprint forward. Just as I cross into the end zone, I feel a sudden rush of warmth in my nose.
I stop, frowning as I swipe at it.
Blood.
Did I get hit or something? I don’t remember getting hit.
I jog toward the sideline, grabbing a towel and tilting my head as I press it against my nose.
“Crap,” I mutter, keeping pressure on it. Probably just the heat and running around.
I grab some water, taking a few slow sips while I try to shake the lightheaded feeling creeping in.
Wes joins me a moment later, eyebrows raised. “Damn man, you good?”
I nod, pulling the towel away to check. The bleeding is already slowing. “Yeah, must be playing too hard out there, that’s all.”
Wes snorts. “Or maybe your body is just short-circuiting from how hard you’re trying to impress your girl.”
I shoot him a look. “She’s not my girl.”
“Uh huh, that’s why you’re playing like you’re trying out for the damn NFL?”
I smirk, shaking my head. “I don’t see you slacking. What, tryna impress Gabrielle’s little friend?” I nod toward Kinsley, who is currently laughing at something, her whole body animated.
Wes grins, eyes flicking to her. “That little one’s a firecracker man.”
“Yeah, well, be careful. I actually want Gabrielle around more, and I can’t have my best friend screwing her best friend, breaking her heart, and ruining everything.”
Wes raises a hand. “Relax, Hayes. I’m not that bad.”
I give him a pointed look.
He grins. “Okay, I’m mostly not that bad.”
I shake my head, already regretting this conversation.
“Besides,” Wes continues, stretching lazily. “If things go south, I doubt she’d be the heartbroken one. Something tells me that one would chew me up and spit me out before I even saw it coming.”
I huff out a laugh. “That’s what concerns me.”
He wiggles his eyebrows. “And that’s what intrigues me.”
Before I can respond, he nods toward my face. “Uh, dude? You’re bleeding again.”
I frown, swiping at my nose again. Sure enough, fresh blood. Weird. I shake it off. “I’m fine.”
Wes watches me for a second like he’s about to call bull, but then the ref blows the whistle, and we both head back onto the field.
I push everything else aside—Gabrielle, the nosebleed, the heat creeping through my body—and lock back in. I have a game to win.
When this is over, I get to see her.
And tomorrow, she’s mine for the whole day.
* * *
The post-game energy is high when we all step into a local bar and grill in the city by the park.
It’s the kind of place where nobody cares if you show up sweaty from a flag football game.
The place is buzzing with laughter, clinking glasses, and the occasional burst of shouting from a TV playing highlights from a real football game.
The team is still amped up from the win, and I barely make it to a table before I have a few guys patting me on the back, throwing out compliments about how I played.
“Damn, Hayes, didn’t know you had that in you,” one of the senior residents, Mike, says, shaking his head as he takes a sip of his beer.
“You were out there like your life depended on it,” another laughs.
“Maybe it did,” Wes chimes in, throwing me a knowing smirk before stretching his arms behind his head lazily. “Or maybe he just had someone he was trying to impress watching.”
I roll my eyes, shoving Wes’s shoulder. “Relax. You’re just salty that I caught more passes than you.”
Wes scoffs. “Please. You had, like, one good play. And now you’re acting like you carried the whole team.”
“You’re right,” I say, nodding. “You were the real MVP. We should build a statue in your honor.”
“Damn right you should,” Wes grins.
Before I can fire back, I spot Gabrielle and Kinsley walking back from the bar, carrying drinks.
My eyes instantly find her, the way she moves, the way she tucks her hair behind her ear, the way she’s laughing at something Kinsley is saying.
It’s embarrassing how mesmerized I am by even the most mundane things she does.
I don’t even hesitate, lifting a hand and motioning her over. “Come sit over here.”
Wes, ever the opportunist, turns to Kinsley, smirking. “And you, troublemaker. You can sit over here with me.”
Kinsley tilts her head, arching a brow. “Tempting, but I usually charge for entertainment.”
Wes grins. “Lucky for you, I pay and tip very well.”
Gabrielle shakes her head at them, clearly regretting those two hitting it off with each other, but slides into the seat next to me anyway. The second her body brushes against mine, I have to fight the urge to react. She’s warm, soft, and close—way closer than she probably realizes.
I focus on keeping my expression neutral, pretending like it isn’t all I can focus on.
As we settle in, I introduce Gabrielle and Kinsley to a few of the other doctors, making casual conversation. We talk about the game, hospital gossip, and then Wes starts up because he’s incapable of not stirring the pot.
He leans over and murmurs just loud enough for me to hear. “Did you mark this under ‘best day ever’ in your phone calendar?”
I shoot him a look. “Shut up, Wes.”
He grins, nudging my shoulder. “Or, wait, do you already have a dedicated folder of Gabrielle-related moments? Maybe a cute little scrapbook hidden under your bed?”
I roll my eyes, sipping on my drink. “You’re literally the worst.”
He just smirks, looking far too pleased with himself, and thankfully, Gabrielle is too busy talking to one of the other doctors to notice the entire exchange.
It all feels so easy with her around.
And I don’t want it to end.
After a while, I nudge Gabrielle’s knee with mine, leaning in slightly. “I’m gonna grab us another round. You want the same thing?”
She nods, smiling. “Yeah, thanks.”
I push back from the table and head towards the bar. It’s crowded now, but I manage to wave down the bartender and put in my order.
Just as I’m waiting, one of the girls who was with our group at the park slides up next to me, resting her elbow on the counter.
“Hey,” she says, smiling. “You played out there today, right?”
I nod, offering a polite smile back. “Yeah.”
“You were really good.”
I chuckle. “Appreciate it. It was just for fun, though.”
She tilts her head, clearly not deterred by my lack of interest. “Are you here with anyone?”
I hesitate, glancing over my shoulder where Gabrielle is still sitting at our table, engaged in conversation. “Yeah,” I answer honestly.
The girl either doesn’t care or doesn’t pick up on my tone because she pulls out a napkin and scribbles something down, sliding it toward me. “Well, in case you ever want to grab a drink or go somewhere that’s not in a crowded bar, here’s my number.”
I don’t know what else to do, so I just nod and take it, slipping it into my palm.
As soon as she turns to walk away, I make my way back to the table, crumpling the napkin in my hand and tossing it into the trash can without a second thought.
The second I sit down, Gabrielle raises a brow at me, finishing off her old drink. “Did I just witness you getting hit on?”
I shrug. “I don’t know. Did you?”
Kinsley grins. “Oh, we definitely did. Looked like she was ready to straddle you right on the bar stool over there, Doctor Hayes.”
I shake my head, setting Gabrielle’s drink down in front of her. “Well, that’s unfortunate for her.”
Gabrielle hums, tilting her head slightly. “Why didn’t you keep her number? She was pretty.”
I give her a confused smirk, watching her reaction a little too closely. “I didn’t notice how she looked.”
Her brow furrows slightly, and I can tell she’s not sure if she believes me. “Really?”
“Really,” I say, leaning forward. “But I am glad to know you were paying attention. Taking an interest in my love life?”
She scoffs, rolling her eyes. “I am not interested in your love life. Just making an observation.”
I grin, amused. “Uh huh.”
She lifts her glass to her lips, taking a slow sip, but there’s a slight shift in her expression. Something I can’t quite read. Jealously?
Before I can think too much about it, she clears her throat and looks at me. “So…why weren’t you interested?”
I lean back, resting my arm over the back of the seat. “Not in the market for anyone right now.”
Not anyone who isn’t you at least.
She nods once, not saying anything. Just processing that.
Something about the way her shoulders tense up confuses me.
Wanting to change the mood, I nudge her knee again. “Besides, I won our bet, remember? That means you’re stuck with me tomorrow, and that’s all I’ve got time for with my busy schedule.”
That gets her to look back at me, an amused glint plays in her eyes now. “So, what are we doing tomorrow, oh victorious one?”
I grin, resting my chin on my hand. “Now that, Gabrielle, is a surprise.”