Page 24 of Convergence

Nate: My pleasure. I had a great time with you.

Me:kiss emoji

Nate: Yeah that was the best part. See you in the morning.

Me: Goodnight

Nate:eggplant emoji

I laughed and put my phone on the charger and settled into bed.

9

Iwoke to my alarm the next morning and sat up with renewed energy, remembering the concert and kiss with Nate. I dressed in a black sports bra, black running leggings, and a white zip up hoodie. Downstairs, Everett was already tying his shoes and dressed in his gray sweatpants and blue college sweatshirt. “Good morning,” he greeted me with his rumbly sleepy voice.

I smiled in return and grabbed us waters and bananas, listening as Nate’s alarm blared loudly. Everett slid my pink knit headband that covers my ears, the matching scarf, and a pair of black gloves to me on the kitchen island. “One man in his house won’t let you freeze to death,” he said with a smirk.

“She warmed up pretty quickly last night,” Nate said casually as he bounded down the last of the steps and rounded into the kitchen. He was wearing black sweatpants and a gray hoodie, his hair looking wild and sleep tousled.

I blushed and Ev clenched his jaw and grabbed his keys off the counter before leading us out to his truck.

We did our normal run, but the cold air was especially painful in our lungs now. We entered ‌the fieldhouse where maintenance had yet to notice the lock on the door was broken but had been in and replaced a few lightbulbs. I sat on the floor in front of the big windows and watched the stillness of a winter morning. Nobody spoke, the only sounds being the slight hum of the heating, and our combined heavy breathing. The guys sat on either side of me and looked outside.

Nate, of course, was the first to break the silence. “How is Daisy doing?”

Everett shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“Oh, I thought you were with her last night,” Nate explained and drank from his water.

“I wasn’t.”

Silence.

“Is she your girlfriend?” Nate asked.

“No.” Was Ev’s curt, deep voiced reply.

“Do you have another girlfriend? Back home, maybe?” Nate asked.

“I do not,” Everett replied, and took a deep drink of his water.

“A boyfriend then?” Nate pushed.

Ev sighed through his nose. “No, there isn’t someone back home. Not in… awhile.”

“But, like, was there someone?” Nate asked, leaning around me to look at Ev. I elbowed Nate in his side. Nate wasn’t being rude intentionally; it was his genuine curiosity and enthusiasm for other people.

“I had a girlfriend of five years ‌until a year ago,” Everett answered in his quiet, deep voice.

“Did she leave you for a more rootin’ tootin’ cowboy?” Nate asked, his voice serious, but his mouth curling up into a smile.

Ev shot him a sardonic look and shook his head. “No, her parents wanted her and I to get married and take over their farm so they could retire. She was in law school and I was still in school and the pressure got to us, so we ended it.”

“Were your parents on board with hers?” Nate asked.

“They liked her and her family well enough, but they thought two farms would be too much for us to handle when I eventually take over my family’s farm,” Everett explained, his tone lighter now as he realized we were listening to him attentively. “They weren’t heartbroken when we broke it off. I still see her sometimes when we’re both back home. There are no hard feelings.”

“Huh, no fighting with your ex? I wouldn’t know that life,” Nate laughed.

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