Page 60 of Just a Football Star

We’ll worry about the future at that point, right?

I get ready and we cook and eat breakfast together—today it’s steel cut oats with berries and coconut cream on top. Yesterday, we moved some of the furniture back into place downstairs. Things are starting to feel more normal in the house since the flood.

“Did the insurance company call you back?” I ask.

He nods from the other side of the island. “It’s going to be a headache to sort everything out. But they should cover most of the damage.”

I finish a bite of food and sigh. “I’m getting used to eating real breakfasts every day,” I tell Alec. “You spoil me.”

“Good,” he says. “Oh, and I heard back from the furniture repair place. They said my bed won’t be ready for a while. Something about the stain needing to cure?”

“Hmm. Sorry you’ll have to keep sharing with me for a while longer.” I say, not meeting his gaze.

“Areyousorry? Because I’m not.” I hear him set his spoon down. I know he’s waiting for me to look at him.

I fight to gain control of the smile that’s itching across my lips. “I’m not sorry.” I finally lift my chin, locking my gaze into his own, his blue eyes a sharp contrast against his dark hair. “I mean, the sofa is back…”

He nods, his gaze never leaving mine. “Yes, it is.”

“And technically, we might be more comfortable if one of us slept there.”

“Debatable.” He juts out his chin.

I rest my spoon in the oats and jump down from the barstool. “I could have you go downstairs to the couch after we watch our sports movie for the night, but logistically speaking, I don’t know.”

I’ve reached the other side of the island, where he’s standing and he turns towards me. I drape my arms around his waist, breathing in his clean, warm scent. “It might be considered cruel of me to make you go all the way down the stairs at such a late hour.”

“True. It could be irresponsible.” He’s looking down at me now, and he smooths my hair away from my face. “I could fall down the stairs with it being so late and dark.”

“That’s a very good point, Alec. With your impressive falls lately, that is a risk I’m not willing to take.”

“So, letting me fall asleep next to you is the most charitable thing you could do, Oakley.” He drops a light kiss on my mouth, and I shiver.

My voice is thick, and I’m forced to whisper. “Yes. Charity. That’s all it is.”

We hold hands on our walk down to the resort. I could tell myself it’s because the trail is steep at times, or because Alec is a gentleman and doesn’t want me to trip again. But the truth is, it just feels like the most natural thing in the world.

We’re almost to the grounds of the resort when Alec pipes up. “Oliver and Sophie were wondering if we wanted to come over to her place tonight. She wants us to pick up some wings, watch the Rams Seahawks game, and play a board game or two.”

“Sounds fun.” I guess it would be good to get out of this cocoon we’ve wrapped around ourselves, a hibernation of sorts. Besides, I want to get to know Sophie better and hear stories from both of them about Alec as a kid. “Please tell me Sophie has some photos of you and your brothers when you were younger.”

“She might have some from when she and Oliver worked at the shake shop. If she does, you’re not going to want to see them, though. I was probably like ten years old.”

I coo, a little bit like when I’m talking to Jerry. “Alec as a preteen? Please show me now.”

He just rolls his eyes and squeezes my hand. “I have to admit, part of me just wants to stay in like we’ve been doing. Our reclusive state has been kind of fun.”

“Kind of,” I tease. It’s been more than just a fun way to pass the time. I feel myself opening up, starting to let go of the freeze hold that’s been on my heart for too long.

We arrive at the resort and begin our work. In the afternoon, Alec leaves so he can take care of Jerry while I finish up with a client.

I join him at the house around five, and as I walk in through the back door, something feels off. There’s a slant in the air, something intangible but urgent.

Alec is sitting on the sofa, an array of dog toys on the floor in front of him. He picks one up and tosses it across the room. I sink down on the far end of the sofa as I watch Jerry run for it, his tail wagging.

“Oakley, I need to tell you something,” Alec says. “I’ve been putting this off and that’s not fair to you.”

Before I can stop myself, I laugh. It’s brief and contained, but still I know it’s the coping mechanism that I’ve been leaning on. It’s probably not healthy. Still, I can’t seem to stop myself from delving into humor. “Are you actually an FBI agent? You’ve been spying on me this whole time, haven’t you?”

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