Page 36 of Unstoppable Love

Training camp kicked my ass like it always did. This year, our team had a chip on our shoulder. Yeah, we’d lost the Super Bowl last year, but that only meant this year our expectation was to win it all. To become one of those teams always in the running for it. To create a legacy.

I spent half the time worrying and thinking about Ava and the other half phoning in my play on the field that both the quarterback coach and head coach called me in to ask if there was something I needed to talk about. That wasn’t nearly as bad as the looks I was getting from some of my teammates, especially those closest to me.

Finally, I heard from Mom that Ava was back in town. “It’s so nice seeing her around again. Lovely girl.” She’d said it in passing. I’d latched onto it and called Gavin.

He knew more than anyone in my family what happened in town since he lived and worked in it.

He confirmed she was back, but that was all he knew.

First chance I got, I headed straight to town.

Now I was following her down the street, taking another left, and she was stepping up to a porch that had her silver Civic parked right in the driveway.

What the hell?

“You renting this place or something?”

It was small, but cute. Obviously recently redone with a new gray and white paint job and recently painted dark gray deck boards.

Ava didn’t answer. She dug into her tote, pulled out a set of keys, and opened the door.

Guess that answered that question, but why?

“What’s going on, Ava?” All the questions I had for her flew into the background.

No one had told me she was back in New Haven to stay. Fucking hell.

“You’ll see.”

She stepped inside, and I followed, making sure the storm door didn’t slam behind me, and then I blinked. Blinked again.

There were two chairs and a large rug on the floor. A couple of lamps and side tables, but that was it as far as furniture. Beyond the living room, there was a view straight to the back of the house where there was a round dining table and a vase filled with wildflowers taking up the space in the middle.

“What in the fuck?”

“I don’t have couches yet, but they’re ordered and should be here any day now.”

There was a thump, and I turned to her. Ava had dropped her bag on the hardwood floor and crossed her arms over her chest. “You wanted to talk?”

Talk. I did. There was a shit ton to say, but now…

“Maybe you should go first,” I said. “Explain all of this.”

I waved my hand out.

“It’s my home.”

“So you are renting it.”

“No.” She shook her head. “This is my house.”

“You bought it? You’re living here now? Staying?”

What in the holy shit was happening?

“Want something to drink?” She spun, heading straight toward the kitchen.

Hell no, I didn’t want a drink. I wanted this to make sense.

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