Power Play - Brittney Mulliner Page 0,58

at least four months to get used to the quiet and not try to fill it. At first, I always had the TV on or music, anything to keep me from realizing I was alone.”

“But you did get used to it?”

He nodded. “Yeah, it’s not so bad anymore. Some of the guys live together because they don’t like being alone, but I’ve come to appreciate having a quiet place to come home to after traveling. Being with them all the time and then living with one of them would be too much.”

“I get that.” I focused on my plate. I just needed to adjust. Wasn’t that what I told myself earlier? Why did it suddenly click when he told me?

“But if you ever feel lonely, you’re always welcome here.”

I chuckled. “I’m sure your girlfriend would appreciate that.”

His lip twitched. “I don’t have a girlfriend anymore so you don’t have to worry about that.”

That shouldn’t matter to me. I shouldn’t care. I definitely shouldn’t be excited about him breaking up with the vampire. “I’m so sorry.”

“I’m not.” He smiled. “We were never serious and I actually asked her for space the week before she decided to tell the team she was my girlfriend.” He shook his head. “She stole my mom’s number from my phone and called to introduce herself and plan a dinner.”

“No way.” I cringed.

“Yeah, that was the final straw. I had to spell it out for her as plainly as I could, then I blocked her number from my phone and my mom’s.”

“That’s crazy.” I couldn’t help but laugh. The vampire was gone. That was good news, but I shouldn’t let myself get too excited about it.

“I should have done that sooner.” He leaned back and watched me. “She and I were completely different. She didn’t understand my world, and I never cared to learn about hers. She would tell me about the petty fights she got into at work and I struggled to pay attention enough to nod in the right places. I honestly have no idea why she wasted her time with me.”

I raised a brow. “Really? No idea?”

He threw up his hands. “No.”

“It couldn’t have anything to do with the fact that you’re an incredibly handsome, successful professional athlete?”

He smiled. “You think I’m incredibly handsome?”

I reached over and shoved his arm. “Don’t fish for compliments. You are well aware I’ve always been attracted to you.”

“I wasn’t aware you’ve always felt that way. I thought that would have gone away, especially when you threw your drink in my face.”

I shook my head. “Even when I called you every name in the book, I could never deny how hot you are.”

He put a hand over his heart. “Aw.”

“Oh please.”

He leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table. “I have to admit, you’re even more beautiful than I remembered. I tried to picture you over the years, how you would look as we grew up, but you’re more than I could have dreamed.”

This conversation had taken an unexpected turn. I wasn’t sure what to say. How to react. The way his eyes seemed to soak me in felt almost intimate. Like he was seeing more than I wanted him to. It was filling my mind with thoughts I shouldn’t have.

What if none of this was by chance?

What if fate was a real thing?

What if I was supposed to miss my turn on the way to Raleigh?

What if I was never meant to work there? What if … what if we came back into each other’s lives for a reason?

My heart raced as I soaked this all in. A few weeks ago, I would have laughed if someone said I’d be sitting in Jason Dumoulin’s apartment, casually having pizza. Life changes so fast. Neither of us were the eighteen-year-olds we once knew. We’d grown and learned and improved. He wasn’t the boy who’d run away, not anymore. And I wasn’t the broken girl he’d left behind.

“Jason …” I didn’t know how to put my racing thoughts into words.

“Do you believe in second chances?” He surprised me again.

“I guess it depends.” I whispered.

“Do you think we could have a second chance? Do you think you can forgive me enough to not just be my neighbor or friend, but to see if there could be something between you and me again?”

22

Jason

I pushed. I knew I was testing her limits, but I went too far. Asking if she thought there could be something between us again? What a fool!

Her eyes grew