seat while he pulls the car out of the parking lot and turns down a city street I vaguely remember. “I can’t believe I’m back in this town.” As I say the words, I realize how much I once feared returning.
“Is there anywhere you want to go? We’ve got time to kill until tomorrow.”
I think about that for a second, considering all the familiar places that come to mind: my old school, my old neighborhood, the skate park I used to sneak off to just to watch cute boys, the mall, the hair salon my mom would drag Monica and me to every few months. While it’s fun to reminisce about those times, I’m not sure I want to revisit any of them now. “Nowhere in particular. Maybe we can just drive around?”
Desmond shrugs. “Sure, we can do that. I’ll just cruise around my old stomping grounds. Just let me know if you want to stop anywhere.”
It’s a ten-minute drive from the city hospital to suburbia. The neighborhoods are all as pristine as I remember, with their perfectly trimmed lawns and brick-accented exteriors. A warm, fuzzy feeling buzzes in my chest when I think of my childhood home, which I know is around here somewhere. I mostly know where we are because of the shared high school football stadium that sits proudly in the center of town. The one that’s currently lit up like the Griswald’s house at Christmas.
“My dad used to take us to the high school games here when we were little.” As I say the words, we get closer to the stadium. The bleachers are packed with kids, the parking lot is crowded, and several school buses line the curb. “Is there a game going on right now?”
“It looks like a pep rally or something. Games are on Fridays.” Desmond’s forehead scrunches up, and then he nods while turning into a parking spot against the curb. “Want to watch for a little bit?”
One week ago, the thought might have terrified me, but not tonight. Tonight, an excitement sparks in my chest as I feel my face light up. “Yes, let’s watch.”
I step out of the car in time for Desmond to join me and shut my door. He leans against the car and pulls me to his chest. We can see the field perfectly through the wrought iron fence. The team is currently getting into position on the line of scrimmage when I glance over my shoulder and see Desmond completely glued to the action. Then it hits me. “You played here?”
He looks down at me and nods. “I was born on that field.”
The serious tone of his words hits me hard in his chest, and for the first time since I met Desmond Blake, I don’t feel that divide between us that once made him my enemy. I feel our connection—in our past, in our present, and in our future. Desmond has never truly been my enemy—I see that now. He’s a missing link, a part of me. And I’m a part of him.
My heart is full of emotions at my revelation. I turn to him and cup his face in my hands. Then I lift up on my tiptoes and press my lips to his. When our mouths start to move together, it’s not just our lips that connect. Our heartbeats sync too. And when he deepens our kiss, when his tongue finds entrance into my mouth and his arms tighten their hold around me, I can feel every inch of my soul tethering to his.
“Let’s get out of here,” he whispers, his intentions clear.
“Okay.” I’m out of breath but smile as I hear myself speak.
We’re back in the car and cruising not too far into a nearby neighborhood when Desmond pulls up to a medium-sized one-story house with the trademark brick exterior and bright, beautiful flowers lining the front. He parks in the driveway, walks me to the front door, and unlocks it with a key.
“Is this your house?” I’m completely baffled, wondering if Desmond comes back to Dallas often enough to have his own home here.
He chuckles and shakes his head. “No, not that I haven’t thought of buying one here. This is Zach’s old home. His momma still lives here.”
My eyes widen. “You’re kidding me.”
“Nope. She lets me stay when I come to see my dad.”
We step through the entrance, and he flips on the lights. We’re standing in a living room, and the dining room is straight ahead. A kitchen is