Page 58 of Red Zone Realizations
“Probably to the X-ray room to make sure nothing’s broken.” I can’t seem to get a full breath. My eyes are on Chrissy, but all I’m seeing is Noah lying on the ground. “Do you want to go to him?” I nod, not trusting my words. I can’t find my voice. Seeing a man I thought was invincible taken down has rattled me to my core.
I have to put my hands on him and see with my own eyes that he’s okay. I have to expel the minutiae of words beating the back of my skull. I’ve had enough tiptoeing and waiting. Being afraid and not taking my life into my own hands.
I know what I want.
Everything. I’m ready to fully trust him, say everything that’s on my mind.
Chrissy grabs me by the hand, and tugs me toward the exit. The world blurs around me. It feels like it takes a million years to get down to field level. Thank God Chrissy is here; though who would have thought I’d be saying that when I first met her because Noah was just my client I was trying to tamp down feelings for, and now look where I am. I’m glad I don’t have to think. I just have to let her lead me to him. Where I need to be. “Wait, what about Nicole?”
“She’ll be fine here. I’ll make sure she gets home safe,” Chrissy says.
Chrissy stops short at the door to the training area and gestures to me that this is where I need to go. I drop her hand and take a deep breath. I was so sure two minutes ago, butnow that only this door separates me from Noah, I’m losing my resolve. Chrissy takes me by the shoulders. “You want him?”
“Yes,” I croak.
“You love him?”
I swallow hard. I wasn’t ready to admit it yet. Not until everything had been sorted out. “Yes.”
I mean, I didn’t figure out I loved him in the high times when we were laughing and joking—I found it in the worst times. Like finding out how important breathing is when it’s hard to inhale your next breath.
She shakes my shoulders once, clearing away the doubt. “Then go fucking get him.”
She kisses my cheek, turns on her towering heels, and strides back the way we came.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
AUDREY
As I walk, I go over what to say in my mind. I have to steel myself for the possibility that this is all too much for him. That he was cool with hanging around, but has decided that he doesn’t want to take it any further. That he needs to focus on football, and not getting injured again. Life is dangerous, but it’s even more dangerous when you hit and get hit for a living.
If that’s true and he wants to end things, why send gifts? Why send tickets? Why am I here?
I’m jogging now, peeking around doors, trying to figure out which of the overly lit rooms Noah is in. My heart pounds in my chest, breath coming in short bursts. I can’t see the posters on the wall or the items lined up in the hallway. Just each room and its contents. The only noise in the hall is the clack of my heels on the tiled floor. The fluorescent lights burn my retinas, but still I search.
I whip into the last door on the right and stand completely still as dark green eyes meet mine.
Time stops.
I just look at him, taking him in. Sitting up on one of thosetraining bench things, one arm around his middle holding an ice pack to his ribs. My heart hurts at the sight of him. He’s shirtless in just football pants, and the sight of that makes my lady parts ache in time with my bruised heart.
After a tense beat, we both try to speak at once, but I can’t wait another second.
The words tumble out. “I quit.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
NOAH
“You’re fired,” I say at the same time.
Audrey’s eyebrows jump toward her hairline. Her eyes are wide. When she came bulldozing in here, she looked mad, panic in her eyes. But that’s been replaced by fire. A flame I love to stoke.
“What?” Color rises in her face. “You can’t fire me, asshole. I just quit. So fuck you.” Her words are fierce, but there are tears in her eyes and her voice is watery.
She walks closer and I reach out and grab her wrists, keeping her from flailing around or storming out. I hold her still. “You can’t work for me anymore because I know it wasn’t your decision.” I keep her eyes on me. “I want to start over, Audrey. But this time I want everything to be on your terms.”
“I’m terrified.”
