Page 89

Since I started this job, I’d done my best not to bring my emotions into the building. Today, that just wasn’t possible. Every damn thing frustrated me, and if I wasn’t careful, I was two seconds away from the mental breakdown I’d been trying to avoid.

Jayson ensured Peyton that he talked with his coach and everything would be okay. He’d never given me a reason not to trust him, so why couldn’t I just take his word for it? Why was I so goddamn flustered?

Because I’d give anything in the world just to see for myself that he was okay.

With another day under my belt, and a not-so-surprising Neon win, I gathered my things, ready to head home or literally anywhere I could get the dirtiest martini known to man. However, I couldn’t seem to find my car keys, and it just so happened to be one of those days where everything that could go wrong did.

I searched everywhere. Emptied my whole bag just to come up short. Scattered on the floor was everything from loose change, to lipstick, and a spare pair of underwear—but no fucking keys.

When I was two seconds away from saying “fuck it” and ordering a ride share, the faintest jingle rang in my ear.

I could have sworn I was here alone.

I’d been keeping myself so busy that I hung around the arena just minutes before they’d lock up.

Be real with yourself, Andi. There was one big reason you stuck around until you were practically kicked out. And his name was Hunter.

The jingling continued to creep closer until the door to the break area finally opened.

“Sorry! I’m just ordering a car, and I’ll get out of here so you can lock up.” I hurried to scrape my belongings back into my bag.

“Looking for these?” The same sound I’d heard of jingling keys sounded off, but this time, in the same room as me. Though it wasn’t the sound of keys making my heart sink into my stomach, it was the familiar musky smell and rich sound of the voice I’d longed to hear.

“H-Hunter?” I stuttered, looking up to find all six feet and three inches of him hovering over me.

“Hi.” His voice circled around me with the shy and timid version of him that I knew from our days of getting to know each other at The Royale Room.

Hunter lacked the confidence I’d known him to have for months now. Today, he stood in front of me with one hand stuffed in his jean pocket and the other with my keys looped around his finger.

“How do you have my keys?” Leaving my bag and the rest of its contents on the floor, I slowly stood, my eyes meeting his broad chest.

Hunter scratched the back of his head. “You want the truth?”

I nodded, unsure of where this was going.

“I asked Carter to find a way to help me win my girl back.” Hunter swallowed thickly, clearing his throat. “Carter told me he sent Jayson in here to figure out which bag was yours. Knew you couldn’t get far without your keys.”

The truth of his answer came off honestly, but also a little awkward at the same time. It was clear that he was struggling to find his words.

My eyebrows dipped together. “So, stealing my keys was your way to … what exactly?” I questioned.

“Your keys were my way of getting you alone.” He set the keys aside on a table nearby. “I could have put together this whole grand gesture, but I have a lot I want to talk to you about, and I’m sure you have a lot of questions, but the last thing I wanted to do was have this conversation over the phone.”

Conversation? Why did I feel like he wanted to break it off indefinitely face to face?

“Hunter, I already understood your message—or lack thereof—loud and clear. I don’t need you to tell me that you want nothing to do with me to my face. Your lack of communication told me everything I needed to know.”

Swiping my keys, I scoffed and threw them in my bag along with the few items that hadn’t been picked up.

“No. Wait. Andi, please.” He reached for my hand, and the contact of his warm heat against the chill of my skin jolted me into place.

Even though I knew I’d regret it, I looked up, meeting his gaze, losing myself in the forest of his hazel eyes, and waited for him to tell me what was on his mind.

“I’ve had a really rough last few weeks. I … The pain I was working through was very comparable to that day seventeen years ago, and I’d really like to talk to you about everything. Please tell me you’ll stay?” His eyes were pleading with me, and with all the questions swirling through my mind in the past few weeks, I wasn’t in the place to deny him.

Running away from my problems wasn’t the answer anymore.

Eyeing the small table off to the side, I took a seat, waiting for him to join me.