Page 111 of Close Knit

Hopefully, it’s enough to convince them that I’m showing up in ways that matter. It could be the start of making things right.

“Thank you, Daphne.”

“Of course.” She slinks back into the net, lies on the grass, and reaches back to loop the net through her fingers. The smell of dewy grass makes me feel at home.Shemakes me feel at home. “You can really be a total sentimental mush, you know?”

“I don’t know about that.”

“Well, you finally took me back to the stars,” she says.

“I have a lot more to show you.”

For months, she’s helped me rediscover feelings I thought I’d lost. Happiness. Genuine, unadulterated happiness. Safety, too.Trust. The most basic things—the smack of the ball against my glove, the electric thrill that zips through the locker room after a win, the taste of my morning protein shakes. Even the quiet walks to practice on crisp London mornings all feel better.

Daphne Quinn has painted my world in vibrant colors, and I’ll be damned if I let it fade again.

Chapter 30

Cameron

I gently brushthe hair away from Daphne’s face. Lying on the pillowcases of my childhood bedroom, she breathes deeply, nestling her feet between mine and clinging to my forearm. A freckle beneath her right eye catches my attention. The creases on her forehead, the dimples on her cheeks, her thick lashes, and that full lower lip…Perfect.

This is the first night I’ve been able to sleep without the tormented nightmares of the Overton game revisiting me. Sleeping next to someone is new territory for me. It’s not like those nights of rushed undressing and empty promises—nights that ended with me leaving as soon as I got what I wanted.

I’ve always played goalkeeper with my emotions—deflecting and blocking, never letting anything get past. I told myself I didn’t have the time or energy to deal with other people’s feelings, but maybe that’s not true. Maybe it’s the fact that when I finally let my guard down, it only led to betrayal.

“Cameron?” Her soft murmur nuzzles my chest.

“I’m right here, sweet girl.” I press my lips against her temple and pull her closer. “Go back to sleep.” Soon her breath deepens again, and I let my head fall back against the pillow.

Chapter 31

Daphne

December26

Daphne Quinn’s Followers Clap Back at Football Fanatics’ Cruel Comments!

December27

Will Cameron Hastings Return for the First Game of the New Year?

“Seriously?”I sputter, my eyes popping out at the Everest-like mountain of packages barricading my apartment door. It looks like a game of Tetris gone horribly wrong. Bright redForwardedstickers are slapped across them. The luggage that Cameron hauled up three flights of stairs looks like feathers in comparison to this cardboard monstrosity looming before us.

Cameron drops our bags on the floor. “This is more than I’m used to carrying up the stairs,” he says, an eyebrow cocked.

“Right?” I shake my head. “This resembles a small warehouse.” My surprise is palpable. The labels are all addressed to @wooly.duck.These are all from my followers?“We were gone a week!” I exclaim in a hushed whisper.

Together, Cameron and I start the mammoth task of shifting the packages to unearth my front door.

Suddenly, a head pops up in the hallway like a gopher in a field. “Hallo?” It’s Sven, wrapped in a fluffy baby-blue robe that swallows him whole. “Oh, Daphne, you’re back! Thought you were Ibrahim coming home from the Labyrinth concert.”

Cameron smiles at Sven, but the moment is as awkward as a sheep trying to knit its own wool. Sven avoids his gaze, and Cameron resumes clearing a path to my apartment. Guess the guys are still upset after the Overton game. I hope the knitting circle helps bind them back together.

“Hey, Sven,” I whisper across the hall, aware that most of the building is asleep. “How long have these been here?”

“Mailman dropped them off two days ago,” he says, rubbing his eyes. “Your PO box was overflowing, so we hauled it up.”

“That’s so kind. Thank you!”

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