Agony(Entangled Hearts Duet #1) - Kaylee Ryan Page 0,68

future holds. As far as my career goes, I hope to be drafted. I’ll be disappointed, but I have an education to fall back on. My degree as an athletic trainer will help keep me in the game that I love. As for Reese, that future scares me more than anything. I can’t imagine my life without her. I hope I never have to find out what that feels like.

About thirty minutes from the house, her cell phone rings. “Hello.” She pauses. “Hey, Hunter.” Another pause. “Yeah, we’re almost home.” She listens to whatever it is he’s saying. “Not tonight. I’m drained. Can I call you tomorrow?” Again, she listens.

I hate that I can’t hear what he’s saying.

“No. Coop can take me home.” She glances over at me, and I nod. “Okay. I’ll call you. Bye, Hunter.”

“Thanks for taking me home,” she says, sliding the phone back into her purse.

“You don’t have to thank me, Reese.”

“I know you’ve been driving all day.”

“Wouldn’t matter. You know that, right? That no matter what happens, if you need me, I’m there?”

“Are we there yet?” Hank asks, stretching his arms as far as they can go in the cramped space. He’s a tall guy, hence the reason I’m driving. I didn’t want to be cramped up in the back seat.

“Just about.” Reese turns to look at him.

“Reese?”

I pull up to the Stop sign and look at her. “Tell me you know that.”

“I know, Coop.” She nods, and that’s the end of it.

I wish it was just the two of us in this car so I could make her tell me like she believes it. I don’t need to air our dirty laundry in front of our friends. I need to make sure that before I leave to… wherever I’m headed, that she knows that no matter what, I’ll be there.

Chapter 20

Reese

“I wasn’t sure you were going to make it,” Cooper says when I walk into the house, dragging my suitcase behind me.

“You mean the fifteen million text messages that you sent me, and that I replied to, saying I would be here didn’t convince you?” We’re flying to Vegas today for the professional football league draft. Cooper, Trey, and Nixon are all going. All hopeful to be drafted and reach their dreams of becoming professional football players. Cooper has waited his entire life for this. Hell, I’ve waited for it as well. I’ve been there with him on every step of this journey, I’m not backing out now.

“I haven’t seen much of you lately.” He takes my bag and rolls it over next to his.

It’s his dig at Hunter. I get it. I’ve altered our pattern, but I had to. I couldn’t keep giving him all of me. It was too painful. Hunter is a nice guy and treats me right. We’ve been dating for a couple of months now. Nothing serious. Sure, neither one of us is dating anyone else, but we are a far cry from professing our love to one another. He’s easy to be around, and we enjoy our time together. For now, that’s all I have.

“You’ve been busy with the draft and graduation, as have I. Between school, my job, and the externship, it’s been hectic.” That’s all true. It’s also true that I might be studying more and making myself busier than usual. He’s leaving soon, and the distance is going to kill me. I needed to start the process of getting used to him not being there every day.

“And your boyfriend.” He says it as if the word leaves a sour taste in his mouth.

“He’s not my boyfriend.”

“No? You sure do seem to be spending a lot of time together.” His tone isn’t accusing. If anything, I can hear the undertone of hurt. I hate that. I never want to hurt Cooper. However, he hurt me, and this is the only way I know how to deal. I’m slowly picking up the shattered pieces of my heart and laying them out on the table. One by one, I’m gluing them back together.

“We’re dating, Coop.”

“What does that mean exactly?” he asks, crossing his arms over his chest.

“It means that we enjoy each other’s company. We’re taking things slow. One day at a time.”

“Is he pissed that you’re here?”

“What? No. Of course not. And if he was, I wouldn’t care. He’s not my boyfriend. He’s a guy I’ve been dating. Nothing more. You’re my best friend.” The man I love. “I wouldn’t miss this. I’ve been on this ride