Page 34 of Your Second Chance
When we reached his car, he unlocked it and gestured to the passenger side. I pulled open the door, grabbed the extra outfit I kept in my purse, and slung it over my arm.
“How are you?” he asked, his voice soft, almost careful.
“Fine.” I bit the word off before it could linger. I wasn’t ready for this conversation. Not with him.
His brow furrowed as he leaned against the car. He didn’t press me, though, just nodded slightly, giving me space to say more if I wanted to.
I didn’t.
Ollie reached into the back seat, pulling out a towel, and with practiced ease, he draped it over the open car door, shielding me.
“Change here.”
I hesitated, glancing around. The street was quiet, no one in sight. Just me and Ollie. Alone.
Resigned, I nodded, swallowing hard. “Okay.”
I closed my eyes for a brief moment, bracing myself, and then quickly pulled off my coffee-soaked shirt. The cool air hit my skin, making me shiver as I fumbled for the fresh one in my bag.
He wasn’t saying anything, wasn’t pushing. He wasthere.
13
ollie
I must’ve done something right today because after the worst bollocking from Will for being the worst bloody assistant coach he’s ever seen, the universe decided to cut me some slack. Seeing Nova was already a win. Seeing Nova without a shirt? That had to be some kind of divine reward.
I was being a gentleman. Iwas tryingto be a gentleman. But I wasn’t blind, and I had fucking eyes—eyes that had been dying to look at her again. Hands that had been itching to touch her. And my heart? It was bloody near clawing out of my chest to check if she was okay.
So I peeked.
Go on, take me to court.
Her black lace bra clung to her perfectly, delicate and intricate against her beautiful skin. The way the lace framed her curves made it impossible to look away, even for a second longer than I should. Her hair was straight today, falling loose and soft around her shoulders.
I noticed her stomach. Slightly rounder, like she’d been eating better, taking care of herself. It suited her—made her look strong, made her glow in a way that was quietly devastating.
Christ, Nova.It wasn’t that she was beautiful—she waseverything.
She finished dressing and muttered, “Done.”
I quickly looked away, yanked the towel off the door, and tossed it in the back seat before sliding into the driver’s side. Nova hesitated for a beat, then pulled open the passenger door and climbed in beside me.
“You feeling better?”
She sighed, long and tired.
“Come on, Nova.” I glanced at her. “You’ve all but frozen me out of your life.”
“It’s for the best, Ollie.”
“It’s not,” I snapped and slammed the car door shut. “It’s fucking not because, no matter what you’ve done, you’re embedded in my goddamned brain. I can’t sleep without thinking of you. I can’t work without looking around the pitch, hoping I’ll catch a glimpse of you. And when I do, you don’t look at me. You don’t evenglanceback. Fuck.”
I closed my eyes, trying to catch my breath, and when I opened them, her jaw was hanging open, her eyes wide.
“I hate him.” My voice dropped to something quieter but sharper, angrier. “I fucking hate the man who made you think this—we—could be wrong. I hate him for hurting you. I fucking hate him.”
She blinked at me, stunned into silence, and for a moment, the air between us was thick, heavy with everything I couldn’t say and everything she wouldn’t.
