We’re staying at a cute little inn our friend’s family owns—where the wedding will be held—and it’s out of the way with fields and trees surrounding it.
He opens the door and a burst of cold air hits me.
Still, I shuffle onto the balcony with him.
I’m six feet tall and 185, but he dwarfs me.
I think I like it.
“Okay, what are we doing out here? My nuts are going to freeze off.”
He gestures to the clear, starry sky. “Look. Breathe. Even if everything else is falling apart and the world’s about to end, we still have this. A beautiful view, a breath of fresh air, a serene moment.”
No sentence can sum Brian up more than that one. It’s not radiant positivity, but a wise, grounded calm.
This is where we are. Breathe it in.
I rest my hand on the railing and stare out at the night sky, shrouded on the edges by trees.
Brian’s hand falls to the railing, almost touching mine, and it makes my stomach clench. I subtly shift my hand closer until my pinky brushes his, the tiny touch causing relief and desperation to whirl within me.
There’s no Reddit post needed to know I’m fucked.
CHAPTER TWO
BRIAN
I’ma sucker for seeing the people I love happy.
Getting to see two of my friends get married and the rest of them so damn happy fills my heart.
It’s still a little wild to me that I didn’t know most of them until seven months ago. I met Hardy and our close friend and QB, Mark Abbott, when the Bandits drafted me a couple of years ago, and we became good friends quickly.
Then back in February, Mark went on vacation, met Frannie Baker on the flight, and since then, we’ve all been honorary members of the Baker Girls tribe. There’s Frannie, her younger sister Hallie, and their older cousin Kennedy, plus some other honorary members—Kennedy’s longtime best friend Devon and their friend Justin. Kennedy and Devon got married today, and it’s been a beautiful day of love and celebration.
I just wish the happiness in my heart didn’t come with such a deep ache.
At twenty-five, I’m probably too young to feel like I’ll never find love, but at the same time, I’ve never felt my age.
Cue up the classic small town sob story. My dad died when I was young, so after school, I did odd jobs to help make some extra money or I took care of my little sister so my mom couldwork double shifts. I took on responsibilities way above my age range simply because that’s what it seemed like I should do. I believe in past lives because I know I’m an old soul.
Through high school, I committed to football, knowing I had the potential to go far—and that it would pay for my college. I made it all the way to the pros, and I’ve never felt better than when I bought my mom a house and paid for my sister to go to college, giving them both financial stability.
I like what I do, but unlike most people in professional sports, if you took it away from me tomorrow, I wouldn’t really miss it. It’s a job to me. One I enjoy, but it doesn’t fuel me.
I’d rather be writing or reading. I’d love to have some space to create a beautiful botanical garden. A place for peace and solitude.
I spent the hour after the wedding enjoying the flower gardens and trees in the back of the building.
My energy is a mix of Gandalf and granny hobbies, and I like it that way. If the vibes I bring to the function are calm supportiveness, a listening ear, and a homemade baked good, I’m cool with that.
“Are you sad or feeling introspective?” Hallie asks, coming to sit down next to me. She’s the youngest of the Baker Girls tribe and pregnant with her first child. I’m thrilled for her. She was meant to be a mom, with her big heart and fierce personality. She also has a quieter side. It’s how we bonded.
“Introspective. Happiness and love always take me there.”
She rests one hand on her stomach, smiling brightly. “Love is kind of great.”
I chuckle at that. “Our sweet little Hallie who never thought she’d fall in love.”
