Page 156 of The Trouble With Bad Boys

AVA

Winter Break

“There’s a surprise for you outside.”

“Why? Where are you?” Colter asks. His voice is a mix of both curiosity and skepticism.

“Come outside,” I urge, bouncing on the balls of my feet. I exhale a sigh, and my breath forms a cloud and dissipates into the cold air.

The sound of a chair moving echoes through the other end of the call, and I picture him standing and heading toward the door. “Why do I feel like you’re up to something right now, Ava?”

I grin. “Will you just get your butt outside here? I miss you and didn’t just fly home to Braysen early for nothing.”

Even I don’t miss the word home, but we both know it’s not the place I’m talking about. It’s Colter. He’s my home, and he has been from the moment we first met.

I stand at the foot of his grandparents’ driveway. I didn’t even bother going into my apartment when I got home. Instead, I immediately loaded my suitcase in the back seat of my car and got here as soon as I could.

Colter comes barreling out the door and across the yard toward me. He swoops down and lifts me into his arms, and I wrap mine around his neck, holding on tight.

“What the hell are you doing? I thought you weren’t gonna be here until Wednesday. I can’t believe you’re here.” He buries his face into my neck, and I soak up the feel of being near him again. “God, I’ve missed you,” he hums, pulling away and crashing his lips on mine.

“I missed you too,” I whisper when we break the kiss.

“I didn’t think you were coming back to Braysen for a couple of days. What changed?”

I shrug. “Well, that was the plan, but Alec had to get back to Keaton. They have their bowl game this weekend. I decided to change my flight and surprise you.”

Colter’s smile grows wide, and he presses his forehead against mine and kisses me before he lowers me to the ground. With our hands linked together, he leads me to the house.

I’ve met his mom and grandparents on his dad’s side of the family already. They’ve been to every one of Colter’s football games. His younger sister, Wyatt, is usually with them too.

Before winter break, Colter brought up how he wished I could be there to celebrate the holidays with him too, without having to miss time with my family. My parents made the trip down to see us for fall break. Since Alec and I both had games the day after Thanksgiving, we couldn't leave. My mom has healed up from her surgery, and I know my parents were eager to see us. This was the longest time both of us had been away.

So, when Christmas came and we had more time to get away for the holidays, I didn’t want to miss the chance to spend it with my family, even though a part of me wanted to be in Braysen with Colter.

Wyatt steps out onto the front porch, her chocolate-brown hair whipping around her. She’s dressed in a red turtleneck and denim jeans. She’s as sweet as she is beautiful, and she’s grown to be like a sister to me.

As soon as Colter introduced us a couple of months ago and we chatted, we hit it off. She was my partner in crime, helping pull off the surprise today.

“Well, were you surprised?” Wyatt asks, her eyes bouncing between the two of us.

“Were you the one behind this with her?”

She shrugs. “Maayyybe?” We exchange a look, and I flash her a wink.

“Wyatt may have helped by giving me your grandparents’ address. Otherwise, she’s completely innocent in all of this.”

Colter wraps his sister in a quick hug and thanks her before leading me into the house. I recognize a few people—his grandparents, sitting at the dining room table—along with Colter’s aunt, his dad’s sister, and her husband, along with their two kids the same age as Colter and Wyatt.

They’re playing what looks like an intense game of spoons.

Colter told me about his relationship with his grandparents and how they played a bigger role in helping raise him after his dad passed away. I can see bits of him in both of them—the way he is quick to always look after me reminds me of his grandma. She’s on her feet, offering me a plate of food as soon as she sees me walk through the door since they had finished eating not long before I showed up.

When I take a seat next to Colter, his grandpa tries to deal me into the next game.

“I’d be careful with her if I were you. She plays it off that she’s all sweet and everything, but before you know it, she’s cleaning house on ya.” Colter narrows his eyes on me, and I roll mine.

“Ignore him,” I joke. “He’s a sore loser, is all. He’s yet to find a game he can beat me at, and I think he’s starting to take it personally.” I press my lips together, trying to smother my smile.

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