Page 109 of The Hearts We Fumble
As I break the kiss, a laugh bubbles out of me, partly because Colter’s grumbling is so damn predictable and partly because Ava’s right—he doesn’t have much room to talk.
Alec might be her brother, but he was also Colter’s former teammate before transferring to Keaton. I never got the full story, just the whispers about him feeling overlooked, not getting enough playing time, so he made the switch. It rubbed a lot of the guys the wrong way—Colter included. Not that they were best friends or anything, but there was a sense of loyalty among teammates, and Alec’s transfer felt like a betrayal.
Then again, considering Alec was tight with Hallyn’s ex, maybe those lines of loyalty were already blurred.
The conversation shifts as we all gather around the fire, the scent of crisp autumn air mixing with the rich aroma of frying turkey. When they first told me they were cooking two, I thought it was overkill—until I remembered we had five football players here, plus the five of us girls. Yeah, it made sense.
By the time the food is ready, we move inside to finish prepping the sides. The girls had gotten most of the dishes done earlier in the day, so it’s just a matter of putting on the finishing touches while we wait for Colter to carve the turkey.
Dinner is loud and full of laughter, the kind of easy, familiar chaos that makes it feel like home. After eating, we all migrate to the living room, the NFL game already playing in the background.
“Wyatt.” Colter’s voice carries from behind me, and when I glance at Zane, his gaze is already locked on mine.
Zane nods, silently telling me it’ll be okay. Whatever conversation he and Colter had earlier must have settled something between them because he actually looks... pleased.
“I’ll be back,” I say softly.
Zane gives me a lazy grin. “I’ll be here.”
Colter holds the door open, and I step outside, the cool night air wrapping around me. The fire is still crackling, sending sparks into the darkness. As Colter tosses a few more logs onto the flames, I grab a blanket from the back of a chair and settle into the seat beside him.
For a few seconds, he just stares into the fire, the orange glow casting sharp angles over his face. Then he exhales a quiet laugh.
“I think I always knew this day would come.”
My head jerks toward him. “What do you mean?”
His smirk is infuriatingly smug. “The day you and Zane finally pulled your heads out of your asses and realized you’ve been in love with each other for years.”
I suck in a breath—big mistake. It sends me into a coughing fit, and Colter outright laughs, his shoulders shaking as I slap a hand over my mouth, trying to catch my breath. I slug his arm, but it only makes him laugh harder.
“Give it a rest already, you asshole.”
“I mean, I think your reaction just proved my point.” He grins, shaking his head.
I narrow my eyes. “So what? You knew this whole time?”
“That you two were sneaking around?” He shrugs. “No. But I’ve known you both had feelings for each other for a long time. You think I didn’t notice the way you used to track his every move when he was at our house? Or the way he’d watch you when he thought no one else was looking?”
My stomach flips. “You caught that?”
Colter nods, his expression softer now. “Anyone who’s spent more than five minutes around you two could see it. You’ve been in love with him since we were practically kids. Although…” He tilts his head, studying me. “I don’t know if you knew it the way you feel it now.”
I let out a slow breath. “He was there for me through a lot of hard times.”
Colter nods, his gaze thoughtful. “He said the same thing. I didn’t realize just how much you two were leaning on each other. I always worried you were bottling things up, keeping everything locked away. But knowing you had someone—him—puts my mind at ease. It tells me a lot more about how deep your bond really is.”
A small smile tugs at my lips. “It wasn’t always easy. We fought plenty, but we’ve moved past those times.”
Colter watches me carefully, his expression unreadable. “Have you told him how you feel?”
My head snaps toward him, my heart kicking up speed. He smirks. “I take it that’s a no?”
I let out a shaky laugh, rubbing my hands over my thighs. “I guess I’ve been waiting for the right time. He’s had so much on his plate, and he pushed me away the last time we got close. What if…”
“I don’t think he’s going to do that again.”
I blink, my throat suddenly dry. “What makes you so sure?”
