Intercepted (Page 64)

“Stick with me after practice, he’ll be thrilled to see you.”

I came to this practice with the notion of seeing Gavin from afar. I thought maybe being in the same vicinity as him would give me the courage to call him. Under no circumstances whatsoever did I think I would talk to him today. And the thought of it happening causes my palms to sweat.

“Um. No. That’s okay. I was actually getting ready to head out. Early morning tomorrow, you know how that goes.”

“You’re leaving tomorrow and you’re not gonna say hi?” Donny sounds kind of appalled, and I wasn’t sure anything appalled Donny. But it’s not my fault he’s jumping to conclusions, and it’s also not my duty to correct him. “And you just got here. I was sitting two rows up, I watched you sit down.”

“Stalker,” I mutter under my breath, desperate for any kind of focus change.

“Cut the bullshit, Marlee. Man up and say hi. What’s the worst that could happen?”

He could act like he doesn’t know me. Worse than that, he could acknowledge that he knows me and not be happy to see me. He could have another girlfriend waiting for him. I mean, I’ve been thinking about this for the last three weeks. I have about ninety worst-case scenarios running through my head. Of course, I don’t tell Donny any of them.

“Nothing. I have to get going. I wanted to swing by since I was in town. I did, he looks like he’s doing great, I’m leaving.”

I turn back around on the bleacher to grab my bag and when I do, loudmouth number one is staring at me with an expression I know well. You’d think the smug “gotcha” look would seem different on a three-hundred-pound man than it did on Courtney and Madison, but it really doesn’t.

“So that’s why your panties were in a twist, huh, babe?”

My lip curls in disgust at hearing him call me by the same name Gavin always did.

“You’re just pissed because I was talking about your boyfriend down there.”

“Let’s get this straight, babe. I wasn’t mad. I was annoyed because I came to watch football, not listen to a no-talent loudmouth bash the players he’s going to spend every Sunday watching for the next four months. You don’t sound like a badass when you insult them. You sound like a douchebag, and you were making my head hurt.” Not waiting to hear what else he has to say or the smart-ass comment that’s inevitably coming from Donny’s mouth, I toss my purse over my shoulder and make my way off the bleachers.

“Glad to see you haven’t lost your spunk, Marlee!” Donny yells louder than I’ve ever heard him before, which is saying something because he is always loud. And because whoever is running the big show from above has an obvious bone to pick with me, he does so at the exact moment the crowd goes quiet because of an injury on the field. So everyone, fans and players alike, turn their attention to me.

Even the quarterback with the remarkable ass.

He’s wearing a red jersey so the other players know not to touch him, but it’s like I’m a bull and he’s just pulling all of my attention. His mom must have broken him down because the hair that I loved so much is gone. He’s staring at me, bronze skin glistening with sweat, mouth open. We stand frozen, looking at each other for I don’t know, ten seconds . . . an hour . . . before my brain finally signals to my feet and I get the hell out of there.

Welp, I think to myself as I sit down on the train and text Naomi only minutes later, that most definitely did not go according to plan.

Forty-four

I go straight to my apartment, fully intent on gorging for the rest of the night on wine, junk food, and reality TV.

Unfortunately for me, however, I still haven’t gone grocery shopping, and I don’t have cable.

Typical.

But I do have a cell phone to order out and internet to download movies. And while I might not have ventured to the grocery store to buy essentials like bread and milk, I most definitely hit the liquor store around the corner and stocked up on wine. It’s called priorities, people, and I’m not questioning mine.

The sweet, newlywed couple next door told me about an awesome Chinese place that delivers, and today might be the fourth time I’ve ordered in the last five days. But they’re fast, affordable, and after an afternoon like the one I just had, that’s really all I could ask for.

Only thirty minutes after I order, I hear a knock on my door. They must have had my order waiting today because this is the fastest they’ve ever gotten here.

“Hold on!” I call from my favorite spot on the couch and grab the cash from my purse. “You were fast today.”

“You really need to use your peephole,” Gavin says when I swing the door open.

What.

The.

Fuck.

“Wh-what are you doing here?” I barely manage to ask the question over the lump in my throat threatening to choke me.

“I saw you at practice today. Did you really think I wasn’t going to look for you after that? Are you going to let me in or are we going to do this in the hallway?”

I open the door wider, stepping out of the way, silently inviting Gavin in.

“Donny told me you’re flying back to Colorado tomorrow, so imagine my shock when I call Dre to find out where you’re staying and he tells me you’re living here now.”

I add Dre to #TeamTraitor and make a mental note to call Naomi later to bitch about her husband.

“Just to be clear, I never told Donny I was leaving tomorrow. You know how he is. He assumed and I didn’t correct him.”

“Why were you at practice today, Marlee?” There’s my Gavin, straight to the point.

“I wanted to see you.” I just didn’t want him to see me. But Gavin is in front of me, his large body filling my small space and if this is the result of him seeing me, I can’t pretend I’m mad he did. “I got a job in the city, and I’ve been thinking of you. Thinking about what you said when you left.”

“I didn’t leave, Marlee. You pushed me away.”

“I know I did. I was a mess.” I take a step back to prevent myself from doing something stupid, like jumping his bones. “I needed to finish what I started at HERS. I needed to know I could carry my own weight in a relationship.”

“I told you to come and find me.” He closes the space I created. “Is that what you were doing? Were you coming to find me or were you preparing to run again?”

“I . . . I . . .”

Gavin puts a finger in front of my lips.

“Take your time, Marlee. Because your answer matters.” He sounds as cool and collected as ever while I’m sweating bullets and worried I’m going to vomit all over his white sneakers.

I gather all the wits I have left, which admittedly, aren’t many, and take a deep breath before I answer.

“I was coming to find you.” I clasp my hands together. Even though he came here, I’m terrified he’s going to turn and walk away.

“Are you sure, Marlee? How do I know you’re not going to run from me again?”

“Because.” I look into his eyes. “I’m finally ready. I don’t need you, but I want you. And I love you.”

“Thank god.” His hands come around my waist as he lets out a nervous laugh. “Because I’m not sure I was going to be able to let you go knowing you live one block over from me.”

“Shut up. Again?”