“Well, like it or not, you’re part of the team too. They’re impressed. Be proud of yourself, Eli.”
“Yeah, I guess…”
The silence stretches, and even through the phone, thousands of miles away, it wraps itself around me and reaches inside my chest, drawing the words out. “I looked up the videos of your injury.”
He sucks in a breath. “Why?”
I shrug even though he can’t see, my heart battering against the wall of sadness that’s infused itself around my edges. “The announcers talked about it and I…” I tug on the ends of a curl. “I got curious. Lee never talked about it much, and I realized I never even thought about what it must have been like for you.”
He clears his throat. “It sucked.”
“Yeah.” I chew on my lip. “I’m sorry no one was with you. If I… I wish I coulda been there,” I whisper. “I wish I woulda known to make sure Lee was, too.”
“Me too, baby girl.” His voice is pinched and low. “But that was a long time ago, and you’re here now.”
I wait for him to elaborate, but he never does. Instead, he sighs. “I miss you.”
My stomach clenches at how his words strain against the things he obviously isn’t saying. But I won’t push him to talk about something if he doesn’t want to. I just needed him to know that I see him, and that I’m sorry I didn’t for so long.
“I miss you, too.” I twirl the ends of my hair. “When do you get back?”
“If I tell you, will you be waiting in my bed?”
“I think I’d need a key for that.” I choke on the words as they come out. What the hell? I don’t want a key to his place. I have no idea why I just said that.
He chuckles. “I’ll give you the code, and get you one made when I get back in town.”
I cringe. “Alright then. Great.”
It isn’t great. In fact, it makes my stomach squeeze so tight I think I may pass out. Things are perfect the way they are, there’s zero reason to change it.
Anxiety bangs against the walls of my heart, trying to break free.
As usual, I ignore it.
24
Eli
We’re headed to Atlanta for the final four games in the championship. March Madness definitely lives up to its name, and after being on the road for the past few weeks, I can’t wait to get home and relax. To be with Becca again. She traveled with us for some of the games, but one of her professors threatened to fail her if she didn’t give a presentation on Monday. Since we aren’t getting back until Tuesday, she ended up having to stay behind.
I’m sending her a text and getting comfortable in the back of the plane when a body plops in the seat next to me.
“Hi, friend.”
I glance up, pocketing my phone. My brows shoot to my hairline when I see who it is. “Sarah. What are you doing here?”
She smiles, tucking a strand of her strawberry-blonde hair behind her ears. “I was planning to give you some warning, but Connor thought I should surprise you. I was just hired on as a physical therapist for FCU, and as luck would have it, assigned to the basketball team for the last of the games.”
“Wow, what are the odds? Congratulations.” I mean what I say. From what she told me when we met, she’s been trying to get her foot in the door for a while.
A light dusting of pink coats her cheekbones. “You aren’t mad I didn’t tell you?”
“Why would I be mad? It’s not like we talk.”
Her grin drops. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
I lean my head back, closing my eyes, trying to force away the nagging feeling that’s prodding my gut. I’m a little uncomfortable with her here, sitting in the spot where I want Becca to be.