Seventh Heaven (Allendale Four 4)

“I have noticed one other thing different lately.”

“What’s that?”

I wondered for a second if I should say it out loud. What if it wasn’t the same for Hayden or the others? Was it just me? But we didn’t keep secrets about things like this and if it had something to do with her mindset, I should tell him. “She’s been a little more adventurous and definitely more horny, or something.”

He nodded slowly. “Yeah same. With everything being so busy and our schedules we’d settled into once a week or so, but now it’s every few days.” He hit the ball again, this time missing. He swore and said, “Not that I’m complaining.”

I chuckled. “No.”

“But you’re right,” he said, “it’s just another change in her recently. It could be her meds or just hormonal.”

I frowned. “When did you get so good at psychology?”

“I had to after that incident in Atlanta to get back on the field.” He shrugged. “And I wanted to know how to help her the best way—keep an eye out for things.”

Hayden was quiet but thoughtful; I’m not surprised he’d taken a deeper interest in this. Heaven had been doing really well though, so we hadn’t had a reason to worry.

“Let’s just be aware, maybe tell the others.”

He nodded. “Good idea.”

I spun my stick like a baton. “Now stop distracting me so I can kick your ass.”

“Not this time, brother.”

But we both knew that threat was weak and I set up my next shot and blazed my way to a win.

/> 6

Heaven

Sadie chased the ball into the water, leaping over the cold, frothy waves. Hayden and I paused, waiting for her to find the ball, and when she emerged dripping wet, worn yellow tennis ball in her mouth, we continued our walk.

“She really loves the ocean,” Hayden said, grabbing the ball from her when she caught up. He tugged it from her teeth and threw it down the desolate beach.

“It was a good idea to come here,” I said.

Hayden had cornered me that morning just before I left for my run, and suggested we go to Oceanside and introduce Sadie to the beach. Other than barking at the waves for a few minutes, she’d taken to it instantly.

We strolled down the beach together, fingers linked, shoulders grazing.

“It’s so weird,” I said, scanning the ocean.

“What’s weird?”

“How calming I find the beach, even though it also conjures up some bad memories.”

He released my hand and wrapped his arm around my shoulder, tucking me against his solid body. “That’s the amazing thing about the ocean. It’s in a constant state of renewal. Just like we are.”

I glanced up at him. His hair was cut shorter than he used to wear it and his beard a little longer. His gray eyes still pierced into my soul every time he looked at me. We’d both gone through our struggles with loneliness and desperation, health issues, but now we were whole. At least, I thought so.

“Do you ever worry about your concussions affecting your future? Or like, the beatings your body took while playing goalie coming back to haunt you?”

“I do worry about my brain a little. Sometimes it’s hard to remember things and I get headaches more often. It’s better now that I’m not actively playing, but do I worry about the past coming back? No. Not really.” He gave me a curious look. “Do you?”

“Sometimes.”

“In what way?”