Page 1 of Touchdowns and Tinsel

one

Noelle

Ithink my stepson is stalking me...

Shaking off the rush of goosebumps that surge across my skin, I roll over in bed, facing the frost-covered window. I half-expect to see him peering inside, and as I exhale slowly, I’m relieved to find nothing but heavy flurries tumbling from the overcast sky.

My gaze catches the framed picture resting on the windowsill and tears well up instantly. I thought I had shed every tear I could, yet each day dawns with the same haunting memories, and each one brings me to the same painful tears.

But can you ever truly move on from the loss of a loved one? Especially a man you believed would be by your side for all of eternity?

Sitting up, I wrap the blanket around my shoulders, as if shielding myself from the unseen eyes that I feel watching me. A dark presence lingers—I know it’s there, he's there—even if my eyes haven’t confirmed it.

Ever since his father was murdered, my stepson, Cole, has taken on an unsettling demeanor. He was never particularlyfond of me, and Nicholas's tragic death has only aggravated the tension. Cole seems to think I played a role in his father's murder, as if I orchestrated the home invasion that tore our lives apart. Even when he's home, he makes his hatred for me painfully clear.

So why would he be stalking me?

Swinging my legs off the bed, I slide my feet into my slippers and stand, letting the blanket drop back onto the bed. A shiver runs through me from the brisk air that kisses my skin, and I quickly reach for my robe draped over the chair near the window, tightening the belt around my waist.

As I walk toward the door, my eyes land on an unnerving sign that someone has been here watching me sleep—a single melting ice cube on the table by the door. My heart races as I scan the room, searching for other signs of intrusion, but the rest appears untouched. Cupping my hand, I sweep the melting ice cube into the wastebasket beneath it, wiping the table with the sleeve of my robe.

I know it’s Cole. I can’t explain it; I just do.

Craving coffee more than ever, I head to the kitchen, letting out a sigh of relief when all I hear is silence, a reassuring sign that I’m alone. I pop a caramel-flavored K-cup into the machine and retrieve the cream and sugar as I wait for it to brew. Leaning against the counter, my gaze drifts to the expansive floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the living room, and I watch, emptiness gnawing at me as the snow falls in thick sheets, quickly accumulating outside.

Ugh, I’ll need to shovel soon or risk getting snowed in.

The mere thought of braving the cold to spend hours clearing the long driveway to the massive house my husband and I bought before we married fills me with dread. It feels so much larger now that he’s gone, and I can’t help but question whether living here is the right choice for me anymore.

The gurgle of the coffee machine jolts me from my thoughts, and I turn to face it, inhaling deeply as the rich aroma of caramel coffee wafts through the air, steam curling from the cup. As I pour in a splash of cream and add a couple of spoonful's of sugar, a pair of cold hands wrap around my hips from behind, startling me and nearly making me drop the container.

"Ahh!" I shriek, my heart racing as I shut my eyes tight, bracing for another potential home invasion.

“Oops, did I scare you, Mom?” Cole’s voice drifts close to my ear, a conspiratorial whisper that sends chills down my spine, giving me goosebumps once more.

Furious, I spin around, narrowing my eyes before I even come face-to-face with him. “Cole, what the hell was that for?” I gasp, suddenly aware that he isn’t alone; several of his college football teammates stand in my kitchen, bundled up to brave the Boston chill.

“What, can’t I come home and surprise my stepmom?” He chuckles, winking at the guys huddled around the island.

“Of course, you can come home. I just wasn’t expecting you,” I reply, turning back to grab a spoon to stir my coffee, trying to steady the trembling in my hands before he notices. “Did you need something?” Clutching the warm cup, I bring it to my lips and take a deliberate sip before facing them again.

“Nah, we shoveled the driveway for you,” he says, his dark green eyes boring into mine as if he’s attempting to unearth my deepest, darkest secrets.

I stifle a shiver and force a smile, refusing to show him how uneasy his presence makes me. Glancing around the kitchen at Cole, Aiden, Ryder, and Hudson, something chilling and unspoken travels in the small space between us, and I can feel my feet moving quickly to leave the awkward situation I've suddenly found myself in.

As soon as I pass the entryway to the kitchen and round the corner to the first set of stairs to go back up to my room, I hear a throat being cleared from behind me, and I can't help the slight jolt that wracks my entire body.

"Disappearing so soon?" Cole asks as I slowly turn around, breathing a sigh of relief and noticing that it's just the two of us.

"I need to get dressed. Last minute trip to the grocery store, you know." I smile, taking another slow sip of my warm coffee, feeling the strong taste of caffeine and creamer wake me up even more.

"Good. Mind picking me up a few things?" He asks, his thick, dark brow arching as his wet lips curl unto a mischievous grin. "Me and the guys are going to crash here for a few days after the game tonight."

"Sure, Cole, just make a list and leave it on the fridge for me," I tell him, my heart sinking at his news.

He stays behind me, his back against the front door, his eyes roaming over every inch of my body, even though there's nothing to see since I'm covered. The look he gives still makes me tremble, but I refuse to let him see it.

Why am I petrified of a little twenty-one year old? I'm seventeen years older than him but afraid of what he's capable of. Does that even make sense?

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