I love the smile that curves her lips when she sees me. It’s the same one every time, big and bright, as if I show up to surprise her when she knew I was coming all along. I love how she is with my mom, patient and kind, but not in a way of pity, but pride. Like she knows what a good woman she is, like she understands all my mom means to me, and in turn, she means something to her too.
Ari draws thoughts out of me I never had before, about things I didn’t really know I wanted, but now feel desperate for. Deeper roots and a family.
The love of a lifetime.
I know she’s only starting out her journey here, and I graduate this year. I’m expected to go to draft, first round my coach says, being I’m ranked as both a receiver, my original position, and a quarterback, where I shined all through college. My life will be on the road, my schedule nearly full for the better part of the year, every year.
But what if it wasn’t?
What if I devoted my life to loving the girl beside me instead?
What if I found a way to do both?
Right then, buttery brown eyes shift to mine, catching mine on her, and her head falls against the headrest.
“Hey Noah?” She grins, licking the hint of salt on her lips.
My eyes follow the path of her tongue. “Yeah?”
Humor lines her voice as she says, “You might want to drive.”
My eyes jerk up, my head snapping forward, and sure enough, I miss the light, the green turning back to red before I can even take my foot off the brake.
I look her way again, and that smile appears, the soft, warm one she’s known to awards me with, her laughter light and airy, a glint of something else scripted in her eyes.
I squeeze her knee, needing to touch her, watching and loving the light pink that spreads across her silky skin. My heart beats faster, knowing something as simple as my hand on her skin earns this reaction from her.
“Come with me to the football gala.”
She smiles. “A gala? Sounds fancy.”
“It is. Black tie and ballgown. The whole bit.”
“When is it?”
“January.”
“January…” She trails off. “That’s two months from now.”
Slowly, I nod. “Yeah. It is. Tell me you’ll come, write it on that calendar of yours?”
Ari bites her lip, her voice low. “You already know the answer.”
I hope to God I do.
When the light turns green, again, I press the pedal, smiling to myself when a soft sigh slips from her.
I’m in love with her, and if I’m right, which I hope to hell I am, she’s on her way to loving me right back.
If she could, I’d need nothing else.
Just her.
Chapter 31
Arianna
* * *
“I have training in ten. Coach has some meetings, so my days all messed up. I have film after this and practice at four.”
“Sounds like a fun one for you.” I grin at the screen. “I’m on my way to a mandatory lecture about Endless possibilities here at Avix U.” I mimic the campaign speech my professor showed us today.
“Hey, you might just come out with a major,” Noah teases.
“That would be devastating, I already told you my life plan.” I laugh. “But bright side, this’ll be the easiest A I’ll ever get.”
“There you go.” He nods at someone as they walk into the locker room, facing the screen once more. “I should go before people start stripping.”
“Or you could leave me on the line.”
He shoots a little warning glare my way and I smile.
“Call me later?”
“You know I will.”
We hang up, and I push to my feet.
Heading into the lecture hall, I put my phone on silent, jumping when a hand reaches out, gripping onto my shoulders from behind.
I look up to find Chase.
“Hey.” I smile, but a frown quickly replaces it. “Don’t you have training right now?”
He shakes his head, falling in line beside me. “Nope. I have a check-in after this, to go over grades and shit, but nothing else until film.” He bumps his shoulder with mine. “Trust me, I tried to get out of this thing.”
“I bet.” I chuckle, then we’re quiet as we fall into the long line of students.
We take seats beside each other in the middle of the room, and for the next forty-five minutes, we listen to people talk about how the choices we make now will help shape our futures.
It’s kind of boring, borderline common sense, but they do introduce a ton of career options that aren’t necessarily spelled out in the course listings.