“It’s not final?” I asked, attempting to make him feel better. “Maybe they didn’t want to come to you with something that might not happen.”
“Maybe,” he answered tightly. His entire body was tight. He was wound up, and I couldn’t blame him. He’d led his team to the playoffs, and now they couldn’t be bothered to call him. It had to be hard to ignore the insult.
“You want to go work out?” I asked, abruptly. There were many ways to work off tension, but that seemed the safest to me.
“Are you volunteering to go work out?” he asked, disbelievingly. He blinked at me in shock. “Are you feeling okay?”
“Yes!” I sighed, exasperated. I was already regretting the offer, but I could see the hopeful look in his eyes. He loved having a workout partner, and I couldn’t stand seeing him upset.
He gave me a slow grin. “You just want me to take my shirt off.”
“Uh, yeah. If I’m going to work out with you, I better get something out of this,” I muttered back.
“The satisfaction of being healthy and strong?” he said questioningly. I gave him a hard look. He shook his head, “No? Not a factor?”
“Let’s go before I change my mind,” I told him, picking up our plates. We hadn’t even left a crumb. I smiled, thinking that if I worked out, I could have another piece afterwards.
A couple days before I was scheduled to leave, I admitted to myself that I was worried. I didn’t feel comfortable leaving Colt alone when I went back home. He’d been depressed, since the call from his agent, and started working out like a madman. I was afraid without someone to temper his efforts; he could wind up causing more damage to his shoulder. I psyched myself up to mention my fears to him. There was a good chance he’d snap my head off when I brought it up, but I’d never let fear stop me before.
“What are you going to do when I’m gone?” I jumped in, because beating around the bush would only irritate him.
“What do you mean?” he asked, avoiding my gaze. I frowned at his attempt to play dumb.
“Are you gonna stay here in this house? Drive yourself an hour into town every day for rehab? Who’s going to help you with your at-home rehab? Are you planning to stay in Denver during your recovery?” I said, letting the questions fly. He needed to think about it, even if he didn’t give me an answer.
“I don’t know. What’s it matter to you anyway?” he snapped back, obviously flustered by my questions. “You’re leaving, and I can take care of myself. I don’t need you in my business.”
“Too bad. I’m here, and I care. So deal with it,” I told him, unwilling to back down now. I was frowning, so I attempted to clear my expression. “I worry about you.”
I watched him exhale at my words. “I know,” he replied quietly. “I’ve thought about it. You sure you can’t stay the rest of the summer?” he asked with a half-smile, I knew he was joking, because I’d told him earlier that I was committed to teaching the workshop. I wasn’t inclined to break my promises, not even for the gorgeous man in front of me.
“I wish,” I told him, with a reluctant smile, and waited for him to continue. He was sitting on the couch, but his thoughts were miles away, based on the faraway look in his eyes. He ran a hand through his dark wavy hair, ruffling it in the process, and leaned forward.
“I’m going home,” he stated.
I could tell he’d been thinking about this for a while. Probably, since the injury happened. Once he knew he was out for the season, I imagined the thought of going home would appeal to him. I personally thought going home and being around family would speed his recovery. He’d been talking to Ford more often, and this was the perfect opportunity for them to rebuild their relationship.
“That’s great,” I said, moving over to the couch and bouncing down beside him. “You’re going to need to work your arm out once the doctor clears you. Pretty sure Ford is willing to throw the ball with you,” I joked, giving him a happy smile.
He took a deep breath before saying, “You’re good with it?”
I gave him a puzzled look, “Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”
He looked incredibly uncomfortable, and I wondered what he was thinking. “Okay, great,” he said, forcing a smile.
“Spit it out, Colt,” I told him, my curiosity peaked now. I wouldn’t let it go till I knew. He looked away before answering.
“I’d thought about going to Georgia with you,” he answered, his voice low. I forcibly close my mouth, after it dropped open in shock. I wasn’t expecting that, and I wasn’t entirely sure what to do with the information. I knew I had feelings for Colt, but this was the first admission they might be returned.
Coming to Colorado because of his injury, I’d played off as us being friends. Admitting that we both felt more than friendship was frightening. I was guessing it scared him too, because he’d decided to go back to Texas instead.
“It was just a random thought,” Colt continued uncomfortably. He was nervous now, tugging on his shirt.
“You didn’t mention it,” I interrupted. “Why?”
He paused, and his throat worked. “I don’t know. I thought about it, but I didn’t know if we were ready for that. I don’t know how long my recovery’s going to be. It seemed like a lot of pressure,” he said, looking over at me. I nodded, thinking about what he was saying. We’d known each other for six months, but the majority of that time was over a thousand miles apart. Being here with him now, because of his injury, was an unusual leap for me. I had to think about whether I was ready to have him in my life on a more permanent basis. The thought ran through my mind, “Any time you form a relationship, you’ll either break up with them, or marry them.” I admitted the thought was terrifying. I’d avoided every attempt at being tied down or committed to any one place or person. Colt coming to Georgia with me wasn’t anywhere near a lifetime commitment, but it was the closest I’d come to contemplating the idea.
“Honestly, I wouldn’t mind if you came to Georgia,” I heard myself say, the words shocking me, but at the same time I knew they were true. I wouldn’t mind. Something about Colt made me want to take a chance. On what, I still wasn’t sure, but deep down, I knew it’d be worth it. “But I think it’s better that you’re going home,” I continued, knowing I was saying the right thing. As much as I’d like to have Colt to myself, he still had healing to do. And the only place that could happen was in Texas.
He nodded at me, his eyes quickly concealing a hint of disappointment. “I’m serious about Georgia. I’d love having you around,” I told him, my hand resting on his arm. I squeezed gently. “But you need to go home. That’s more important right now,” I told him honestly. “Healing isn’t just about your shoulder.”
“Yeah, I have a lot of time to make up for,” he said thickly. “I want to get to know Grace. Be a brother to Ford. I need to reform all the ideas about how things are, ya’ know? My mind remembers everything as it was four years ago, and that’s not right.”
I smiled, fighting the urge to cry. Colt had a way of writing all over my heart with his words. It felt like loving him was never a choice. There was no falling, just an abrupt awareness of the fact that I loved Colt Anderson.
Colt
Chapter Thirteen
I stepped off the plane, a carry-on thrown over my shoulder, the Texas heat sucking the energy right out of me. I headed across the tarmac to the gate, not really looking forward to the welcome home party I’d be greeted with. I knew they meant well, but coming home still made me uneasy.
Sophie had helped me pack the majority of my stuff, before she left to go home. We’d texted and talked every day, since she’d left, falling back into a comfortable routine. I’d told her the night before, about my uneasiness.
“It’s understandable. You haven’t been home in years. You’re not the same guy you were then,” she told me, her voice understanding. “I left for college and never looked back. I only go home on the holidays. I’d always felt trapped when I went home. Your situation is a li
ttle different though.”
“What if they don’t like me?” I asked her, feeling stupid, but the thought had been haunting me, since I’d made the decision to go back, long-term. “I’m not the same guy. We’ve all changed. What if we don’t get along?” I continued, shrugging my shoulders at the uncomfortable thoughts.
“I don’t think that’ll happen. You’re family and you’ve been through a lot, but deep down, you want the same things. You want to get to know them now, and they want to see you and know you. It’ll work out,” she said confidently.
I kept her words in the forefront of my mind, her optimism contagious. I’d never considered myself a pessimist, but my injury had rocked my world, worse than learning about Grace. I had to consider the thought, that everything I’d worked for was gone. I fought back the ever present fear that came with that thought.
I started smiling, as I remembered the video Ford sent me the day before. He’d recorded Grace when they told her I was coming home to stay, and she’d been insanely excited. She hadn’t believed them and kept asking, “Uncle ‘Olt? He’s coming here? You sure? Uncle ‘Olt? I love Uncle ‘Olt. You not fooling me?” They kept reassuring her that I was indeed coming, and she’d started dancing around singing, “Uncle ‘Olt’s coming home!”
Her excitement made me feel better, and had eased some of my anxiety. Sophie had laughed when I’d sent the video to her saying, “That’s enough reason alone to go home.”
Once I grabbed my luggage, I headed outside to meet them. I saw him immediately. He was standing by the curb waiting, his hands shoved in the pockets of his jeans. We walked up to each other awkwardly, uncertain of the protocol, after so much time.
Finally, Ford reached over and pulled me into a hug. It was quick, as we pounded on each other’s back, before stepping back from each other. He gave me a long look, his eyes settling on my shoulder briefly, before looking back at me.
“I’ve missed you,” Ford told me, his voice tight. I nodded, my eyes narrowed against the sun, and told him, “Same.”
He reached down and grabbed my bags, “Come on. Let’s go home.”
When we got in the truck, Ford started blasting the AC. Summer had arrived in Texas, and the inside of his truck had to be a hundred and ten degrees. We sat, as the truck started cooling down. This was the first time we’d been alone. When I’d come to visit, there’d always been someone around. We’d never truly gotten a chance to talk.
“I figured you wouldn’t want a big production, so I convinced them to let me come get you myself,” he said abruptly, breaking the silence that had settled over us.
“I appreciate it. I wasn’t looking forward to the attention,” I answered him, grateful.
“Couldn’t stop them from planning a huge party though,” he told me with a smile. “I’m supposed to bring you straight over to Mom’s, so she can make sure you’ve been taking care of yourself.”
I barked out a laugh at that, tugging on my baseball cap. “Some things don’t change,” I said, shaking my head lightly. “She still mad about me not staying at home?” I asked, already knowing the answer. Ford just cocked his eyebrow at me. Yep, she was mad. I knew if I was coming home I’d have to find my own place. There was no way I would survive staying at my parent’s house. It’d been too long since I’d had to answer to anyone.
“I figure we’ve got time to stop at the apartment, if you want. Hannah and Olivia have been getting it ready,” Ford told me, putting the truck in gear. I nodded appreciatively. I’d only ever rented furnished places, and this wasn’t any different. Olivia’s dad owned the apartments Ford used to live in, and I decided to rent one of the corporate ones. It came furnished with a month-to-month lease. It seemed like the best option, since I didn’t know what would happen in the future.
“That’d be great. I’d like to see it, and drop my stuff off. I know Mom’s going to try and convince me to stay with them again,” I said ruefully. Ford nodded sympathetically at me.
“I’m going to need to get a car. I turned in my lease, back in Colorado. Think you could take me tomorrow to pick up a new one?” I asked him, hesitantly. I didn’t know what Ford had going on in his life right now, but I hoped he could spare the time. Otherwise, I’d have to ask Mom and knowing her, she’d refuse, in an attempt to chauffeur me everywhere.
“Yeah, I can do that. You need wheels,” Ford replied, turning into the apartment complex. “You given any thought to the job offer?”
I sighed, thinking about the offer he was talking about. Once I’d decided to come home to recuperate, my parents had seemingly announced it to everyone in the town of Waco. Turned out, my old high school needed an assistant offensive coach for the season. They’d offered the job to me, based on my career, and not on any real coaching experience I had.
I’ve only ever been on the side of being coached. I didn’t think leading my team qualified me to be a coach, but the job was tempting. I needed something to fill my time. My shoulder was healing slowly, and I worked out, but the Broncos had benched me for the season. A part of me felt it was only a matter of time, until they released my contract. I didn’t know what would happen if I became a free agent. My agent was putting out feelers, but no one was biting, not while I was still technically under contract.
“Yeah, it’s been on my mind, actually. I think I’m going to take it,” I answered him, feeling good about the decision.
“Awesome. We’ll be back at the stadium on Friday nights,” Ford replied with a quick laugh. I smiled at the thought. I remembered all the games with them front and center screaming my name. You couldn’t find more loyal fans.
We grabbed my bags out of the back, before heading inside. Ford headed for the elevator, so I followed him. I assumed he had the keys, because they took care of everything for me.
“You’re in the penthouse,” Ford said, smirking.
“Oh, really?”
“Yep. It seems they think you deserve the best. Plus, Olivia said you could afford it,” he said, with a laugh.
“She was probably right,” I answered. “Who’s Olivia?”
“Hannah’s best friend. They spend entirely too much time together, considering they’re both busy. Olivia is why Grace dresses like a fashion model,” Ford said, glowering. “I’d like Grace to get dirty, but nope, it’s all about the clothes.”
I laughed. “It could be worse.” Ford gave me a questioning look. “You could be paying for the clothes.”
“I’d need a second job,” Ford exclaimed, as I doubled over laughing. “At least Hannah’s graduated. She’s gotten several job offers.” I heard the pride in his voice, and I felt a twinge in my chest. “She’s thought about getting her masters, but she’s ready to be done with school.”
“She’ll do fantastic, no matter what she chooses,” I managed to choke out. My mind was still trying to reconcile the girl I knew with the woman who’d accomplished all of her goals, even under difficult circumstances. I was oddly proud of her accomplishments. I’d played no part in her success, but the feeling remained. She hadn’t allowed a setback, like getting pregnant in high school, to derail her dreams, or mine.
I was smiling when I heard Ford say, “I’m not sure if the girls are still here. They might have left for our parent’s already.”
“That’s cool. You’ve got the key?” I asked. The elevator had opened to a hallway that only had one door. Apparently, I was the only one on the penthouse level.
“Yeah, gimme a sec,” he answered, digging in his pocket. The door opened at that moment, and I saw an extraordinarily beautiful woman in front of me. She had the look of a runway model, meaning she could only be the infamous Olivia.
“Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in,” she drawled, her honey voice mocking us.
“Olivia, so good of you to open the door for us. I’d tip you, but I don’t have change for a dollar,” Ford said, walking past her. “Is Hannah still here?”
“Afraid not, boo. She left me here to make sure you had
everything,” Olivia answered. Her eyes hadn’t left me, since opening the door. I’d like to say it was because she was checking me out, but the look felt more like I was a bug under a microscope.
I stepped around her into the apartment, keeping a wary eye on her. She didn't seem like someone I’d want to turn my back on. “Nice place,” I commented, taking in granite countertops and black leather furniture. Everything was modern and sleek. It looked like a stereotypical bachelor pad. I couldn’t complain. It suited me well enough. The view was easily the most impressive part of the place. Two entire walls were nothing but glass, giving an uninterrupted view of the lake.
“You’re not what I expected,” Olivia said, walking toward me. I stopped myself from backing away from her approach.
“Olivia,” Ford warned, but she ignored him.
“You were Hannah’s high school sweetheart, and technically Grace’s daddy. I guess I thought you’d be more,” she said, making a large gesture with her hands.
“Thank you?” I questioned, trying to decide if I should feel insulted. I heard Ford growl in the background. Olivia had zero tact, it seemed. What she said was a truth none of us had mentioned, since I’d extended the olive branch. None of us wanted to disturb the peace treaty in effect.
“You're welcome,” she replied, her narrow gaze still dissecting me. “What’s her name?” she threw out suddenly.
“Sophie,” I answered automatically. I realized what I did the second I said her name. Olivia had an extremely satisfied look on her face, while Ford looked shocked. I hadn’t mentioned Sophie to them. I wasn’t entirely sure why.
She nodded to herself before telling us, “I’m going on over. Y’all better not dilly dally too long, ya’ hear” She was out the door seconds later, leaving me looking awkwardly at Ford. He seemed to snap out of his daze when the door shut and gave me an out.
“Olivia needs to learn to mind her own business,” he muttered, waving at the door. I could tell he was going to let the conversation go, but I found I wanted to tell him about Sophie.
The Anderson Brothers Complete Series Page 30
