Confession: It’s weird seeing you together like that.
Confession: It’s weird for me too, but we’ve decided to work through some things. Jackson too.
Confession: I’m not sure how I feel about that.
Feel about that or feel about me?
I waited a beat. Then another. He finally replied.
Be careful. With yourself and with them.
A lump formed in my throat.
I will. I promise.
I waited for one more exchange—something else, but it never came. He was gone.
For the second time, it was hard for me to believe I was in better physical shape than one of the Allendale Four. Athletics had always been their thing and I’d done nothing more than stand on the sidelines. But with Hayden in recovery and taking tentative steps back into action, I felt like an Olympic gold medalist next to him.
“How’s the ankle?” I asked as we took a break from the jog and walked slowly down the path.
“Fine.” He flexed and stretched it out.
“Does it hurt?”
“No.”
“Swelling?”
“I don’t think so.”
I looked up at him. “Then why the hesitation? I know you can keep up with me.”
“I guess I’m worried I’m going to roll it again. Do something to set back my recovery time.”
“When are you supposed to head back to the team?”
“June first.”
Right after Amber’s wedding.
“So you have another month. That’s plenty of time to get your, uh, footing back.”
My stupid joke made him smile, even though it wasn’t the mega-watt one that made my knees shake. I was okay with that, though, Hayden had become my safe place. He was taken and that meant I didn’t have to figure out how to navigate my relationship with him the way I had to with Oliver and Jackson.
“It’ll be fine,” he said, wiping his forehead with the hem of his shirt, giving me a peek at his spectacular stomach. He raised his eyebrows and we started to jog down the path again.
“What does Sabine think?” I asked.
“She thinks I need to go back to Atlanta and train there.”
“Is she right?”
He shrugged, pumping his arms as he ran. “Like everything else, I’m not sure what’s best anymore. Being back here has been nice, but I still have my passion for the game and I can’t waste my opportunities—well, as long as I have them.”
We entered a tunnel and I stopped him by grabbing his arm. It was shady under there. Cool but also dark enough I felt like I could talk to him. “What’s going on with you? You’ve always been confident and sure. I know this injury spooked you but you’re doing great. Stop second guessing yourself.”