“I think we should pretend a little longer,” I say finally, voice quiet but firm. “At least until after the Vegas trip is over.” She glances away for a second, stormy and conflicted. “Unless, of course, you don’t want to. I mean, hot coffee shop guy is already interested, and you don’t want to leave him hanging too long.”
She shifts her gaze back to me, and I catch that spark of mischief and vulnerability all at once. “True,” she admits. “But a girls Vegas trip sounds amazing. I’ve never done any kind of girls’ trip before.”
My chest tightens, and I want to ask if that’s the real reason, or do I dare hope that she wants to spend more time with me, because she likes me. I can’t ask. Asking might ruin the friendship and I can’t risk not having her in my life.
24
Rowyn
I loved video chatting with Jaxon the other night. We haven’t had much time to talk since. Just a few quick texts, a couple of emojis, a stray miss you tossed between practices. I get it. He’s training hard, pushing himself to stay sharp, keeping his focus exactly where it needs to be—on the game.
I should be doing the same.
Focusing on my work.
The article on city hall isn’t going to write itself, and yet the more I stare at my notes, the more my brain refuses to care. The chase—the thrill of unearthing the next big political scandal—has lost its spark. Or did I ever really have it? I don’t know, but that’s not great, considering my rent, groceries, and caffeine habit all depend on this job. If I keep slacking, there’s a good chance my editor will cut me loose.
And for some reason… that doesn’t terrify me like it used to.
It’s not like I have a husband watching my back, a man to support me and tell me to follow my dreams.
Dreams.
Right. Those elusive things.
I glance out the kitchen window, ready to wallow a little longer, when something white flickers past the glass. “What the heck?” I murmur, squinting. Was that a cat? A dog? Some mutant snowball with legs? But no, the snow is behind us now.
Padding barefoot across the cool tile, I press closer to the window. Jaxon’s house feels cavernous when it’s quiet—open spaces echoing with the faint hum of the fridge and the occasional creak of settling wood. It’s so much bigger than my apartment, so much more him—all clean lines, warm woods, and that faint cedar scent that clings to his hoodies.
Technically, I don’t have to stay here while he’s gone. It’s farther from work, inconvenient, impractical. But somehow, being in his space makes me feel closer to him. Like his presence still lingers here—in the unmade bed, the faint coffee ring on the counter, the dent in the couch cushion where he always sits.
Honestly, I’m already running late for work, but I don’t care. I like being here. Puttering around. Sneaking time to work on my project—the one I can’t tell anyone about. The one that would earn a full-on disapproving glare from my mother.
A shriek of laughter slices through the quiet. High-pitched, gleeful, unmistakably childish. I blink, then tilt my head. What on earth?
I slide open the patio door, a gust of crisp morning air hitting my bare legs. The sound is louder now, followed by the thump of small feet on grass. My confusion dissolves the second I spot Dani—one of the WAGs I met briefly at a game—standing in the yard. She’s laughing as she tries to wrangle her twins, Everly and Sidney, who are darting between Jaxon’s planters like sugar-fueled tornadoes.
For a second, I freeze. Should I even be here? Will she think it’s weird that I’m staying in Jaxon’s house while he’s away? Then I remember that everyone thinks we’re a couple. To them, it’s normal. Expected.
Dani spots me and waves, slightly breathless. “Rowyn, oh my gosh, I’m so sorry. We didn’t mean to invade your backyard!”
Technically, it’s not my backyard, but the words warm me anyway. “No worries,” I say, stepping closer to the railing, a smile tugging at my lips. “What’s going on out here?”
Dani laughs, tossing her hair out of her face as Everly chases Sidney toward the fence. “Rainy morning, trapped twins, and a pet that got away. Pretty much chaos as usual.”
I lean on the railing, watching the kids tumble over each other in the grass, and something soft settles in my chest.
“What kind of pet?” I ask, squinting at the blur of white darting between the grass and the patio chairs. Whatever it is, it’s fast as lightning.
“A bunny,” Dani says, smiling as she ducks to catch one of the twins. “The twins wanted a bunny for their birthday. Her name is Poppy.”
Poppy… The name sets off a flicker in my memory. Jaxon had mentioned her before—the girl who sometimes stops by. My stomach twists a little. Wait… could this be the Poppy he’s been talking about?
“We think she has a crush on Jaxon,” Dani adds, laughing as Everly squeals when Poppy hops near her feet.
I blink. “A crush? Are you kidding me?”
Dani shrugs, mischievous. “She sneaks over here every chance she gets.”