Page 5 of Out of the Shadows
Being in her presence, basking in her light, seemed to spark my confidence. It felt like we were the only two people in the room. Hailey had this way of making me feel …normal. Her almond-vanilla scent hit me, and I stifled a groan.
“What’s the best part of your day?” The question came out of nowhere, and the very tips of her fingers plucked at the hem of her dress. It wasn’t the first time I’d seen her tugging on it. Did she always do that, or did she not like the dress?
I considered her question, tilting my head.
What was the best part of my day … Today?Her.
On a normal day? “Training, for sure.”
Her eyebrows rose. “Why’s that?”
“Because it’s theone thingI’m one hundred percent comfortable with, and I don’t think about anything else. When I’m on the field, I’m not just Colt, I’m number thirteen, Michaels, defensive end. Nobody cares what’s under the jersey and helmet as long as I perform.”
For a long moment, she didn’t reply, and I cursed myself inmy head for blurting that shit out without thinking.
“I get it. Sucks when you don’t fit the role society assigns you.”
I nodded. This whole interaction was intoxicating. Did other guys experience this all the time? Or was it just her? TheHailey effect? With this realization, a single thought circled in my head.If she were yours, you’d feel this way all the time.
Which was ridiculous — Hailey Brentwood would never be mine, and it was best to squash this fantasy right away. For both of our sakes, I needed to stay away.
“What about you? What’s the best part of your day?”
“Honestly? There’s not really much good about my days at the moment, pretty slim pickings. I have to go with the sunrise.”
“Why not sunset?” I shot back, eager for her answer and a glimpse into her mind.
“Because sunrise is like a new beginning. Every morning, without fail, it reappears. As if nature is giving you another shot. Sunsets are dramatic and stunning, sure, but sunrises are full of promise, and just about anything seems possible. Like a reminder that no matter how dark the night was, there will always be light again.”
Right here.This, right here, was the moment I started falling in love with Hailey Brentwood. And I never stopped.
Three
Colt
18 years old
When her parents signaled it was time to leave, she slowly rose from her seat, and as if connected by an invisible thread, I found myself standing as well. She recoiled, and I mentally cursed myself. With my eyes fixed on the ground, I hunched my shoulders, attempting to appear smaller. A futile effort, but I tried, nonetheless.
“Don’t do that,” she said softly.
“Don’t do what?” I glanced at her, slightly embarrassed at being caught.
“Hide.” I averted my gaze again, feeling exposed.
“People around me feel better when I do.”
“Fuck them.”
“Easy for you to say, Princess.” The nickname slipped off my lips without permission. How fitting. The princess andthe frog, only this frog would never turn into a prince.
“Princess?”
“Suits you,” I said casually, though there was nothing casual about any of the feelings swirling around in me like a merry-go-round out of control.
“Colt.” Hailey’s soft small hand touched my forearm, and my stomach clenched as my balls pulled up tight. I gritted my teeth so hard I wouldn’t be surprised if they turned into mere dust in my mouth. Her touch, combined with the words she uttered, were slowly undoing me. “I’m serious. Fuck them. They’re all blind.” For a long moment, I stared at her in silence, then she released her grip.
She smiled, and without another word, I accompanied her to the door where her parents were waiting. Her dad would have collected her himself by now, but her mom seemed to have held him back.
