“Hey, man,” Anderson said. “I had a break and thought I’d check in—see how you’re doing.”
Yeah no, he didn’t know. Talk about coincidences.
“Everything’s good here. Busy. The industry is strong here and we’re picking up clients left and right.”
“That’s awesome.”
“How’s the training?”
“Same,” he replied. Anderson had been committed to an Olympic swim career since he was eight years old. During the last Games, that dream came to fruition. The next one was only a summer away. “Qualifiers are coming up. You wouldn’t believe the amount of food I’m eating right now just to keep my strength and energy up.”
“God, I’m jealous,” I laughed. “I’ve been on this low-carb, cutting diet. It sucks.”
“Sounds awful. I’ll eat some pasta for you.”
“Do that.” I spotted a figure walking down the street, the gait quick and familiar. I knew the swing of those hips. Fuck. I ducked deeper into the shadows. “Have you heard from Hayden?”
“Yeah, his tournament starts in two weeks. He said things look good for them to make a run at the championship this year.”
“Awesome.” Hayden’s skills only amplified when he got out of college. If he was a beast then, he was more like a dragon now. “We’ll catch the game this weekend.”
“Good, I’ll call then and we can watch together.”
My eyes were still trained on the woman walking across the street. She stopped and climbed the stairs toward the lofts. Did she live there? The instant she hit the top step I found myself avoiding traffic and crossing the street, following her up the cement staircase. What the hell was I doing?
“Oliver?”
“Yeah?” I realized he’d still been talking about the game. “Sorry, I ran out for a bit and was just dodging cars.”
“Huh, you have a date?” he asked, surprisingly.
Surprising that he asked and surprising that in theory, I did. “Uh, no. How about you? What’s going on with Caitlin James?”
“Nothing’s going on with Caitlin.” His voice was hard. “We’re just both repped by the same aquatic group. We have to travel a lot together.”
“Okay, got it.” The implication was clear. Anderson didn’t date any more than me or Jackson. Heaven entered the front door of the building by pressing a code. Against all instincts of self-preservation, I dashed behind her and caught the door before it swung shut. “Yeah, uh,” I said quietly, “I should probably go.” I heard her footsteps a floor up. Maybe two. I’d lost my damn mind.
“Yeah, I need to go eat. Talk to you Saturday?”
“Yep.”
“Love you, man.”
“You too, bro,” I replied softly and shut off my phone.
I was breaking a million rules right now, I thought, following Heaven up the stairs, arriving on the second floor just in time to see her apartment door close.
I had no idea how long I stood there; minutes? An hour?
But there was no way I was leaving without talking to her. Alone. Just this once. Heaven Reeves had always drawn me in, like a moth to a flame, and like a stupid, fucking moth, I was willing to get burned.
4
Heaven
Jackson and Oliver.
Oliver and Jackson.