“Are you, though?” Liam threw right back. “You might be fine now, man. But you don’t know how you’ll feel in three months. Or six. Or a year from now.” The pause was long, and I knew it was intentionally so. “This is it, Cameron. It’s a good deal. Just… consider it. Please.”
I processed his words, I really did. As much as I’d been quick to say no, I didn’t want to be the fool he’d accused me of being. The two boys who had shaken hands quickly after I’d signed my first contract in London were long gone, but I…
“I know you’re hesitant to come back,” Liam said, knowing exactly where my head had gone. “You’d have to be in London again, where the studios are.” And therefore lose all prospect of privacy, he should have said next. But Liam was too good at his job to hand me an excuse like that. “You’d be easily recognized there. And I understand that after what happened in L.A., that’s not exactly something you’re looking forward to. I get it, mate. I do. I’d be traumatized, too.”
Every muscle and bone in my body turned to stone. “I’m not traumatized.”
“So you’re not. Good. That’s why you’re hiding away in some town in the middle of nowhere. The question is, are you going to hide there forever?”
Sweat gathered at the back of my neck. “I’m not hiding.”
He ignored my complaint with a tsk. “Enjoy your time there. Decompress. Relax. I know you’re into the great outdoors and fresh air and all that mumbling nonsense. But we have that here, too. The proper countryside is a few hours’ drive away from London.” A pause. “Think of your future, man. You might not be on the grass anymore, but your career in football is far from being over.”
Football. I missed hearing the word. I’d been in the US long enough but I… Fuck. I didn’t even know. There had been no plan. I’d just come to Green Oak and decided to stay until I changed my mind. That had been the logic I’d applied to everything since that goddamn day.
Maybe I was traumatized.
I thought back to last night. To every day before that. I’d been so… busy with the hurricane Adalyn had brought to Green Oak that I hadn’t had time to think about much else.
As if summoned by my mind, Adalyn materialized in the yard. She was walking toward my cabin and, fuck, thank Christ the pantsuit was back.
“You know what?” I heard myself say. “Relaxing might be overrated.”
Liam laughed, but there wasn’t any humor in the sound. “So that’s your answer. Out of all the things I said? Tell me at least that you’ll think about it.”
I watched Adalyn making her way up the steps of my porch, and I turned on my heels, heading for the front door.
“Caldani?” Liam insisted.
I reached the hallway, words slipping carelessly out of my mouth, “All right. Yeah.”
“You’ve just made me a very happy man,” Liam rushed out. I frowned, wondering why or how. “I’ll ring you in a few days, then. When you’ve thought about it. Cheers, mate.”
And he killed the call.
With a sigh, I slipped the phone in the pocket of my sweats and threw the door open.
A raised fist greeted me.
Her hand fell, revealing her face.
Adalyn’s hair was down today, but not as straight as in the few instances she’d worn it like this. There were waves I’d missed when I’d spotted her through the window. It made her face look softer, her lips fuller. I cleared my throat. “What do you want?”
Adalyn didn’t answer, so I looked away from her mouth. Her eyes were wide and focused somewhere down my throat. She blinked. Then, blinked again.
I frowned.
“You’re…” she trailed off. Her cheeks were covered in a dark shade of pink. “Naked.”
I dipped my chin. Right. With Willow acting up, and then Liam busting my balls, I hadn’t had time to shower and put on a shirt.
“Half naked,” she mumbled. “And tattooed. All over your…” A sigh. “Chest. And arm.”
I had to fight the giant smirk from breaking out and parting my face. I really did. “I am,” I told her, flexing my arms and chest like the cocky bastard I was. Her eyes widened. “If you ask nicely, I might consider removing my pants. I have more ink than just that.”
Her lips popped open. The brown on her eyes glazed over. Then, her head snapped up. “Hold on, what?”
Deliberately slowly, I brought the mug to my mouth and took a sip of coffee, keeping my eyes on her. “I was saying that if you ask nicely—”
“Yeah, okay.” She shook herself, but her face was still a bright shade of pink. Who would have thought, Adalyn Reyes getting flustered over an inked chest. If anything, I would have thought she wasn’t a big fan of tattoos. What would she look like if she saw the design on my upper thigh? What would she say if I really dropped my sweats and—“I don’t think that’s something I, huh… need you to do. Keep your clothes on, thanks.”
I tilted my head. I wasn’t fooled by her words but I’d let her win this. “What do you want from me then, darling?”
It took her a moment to answer. “You promised you’d drive me back to the Vasquez farm. To sort out the flat tire.”
“It’s already sorted out.” I leaned my shoulder on the doorframe. Crossed my ankles. Brought the mug to my lips again. “Anything else?”
Her brows furrowed. “What you mean it’s sorted out?”
“It means that you don’t have to worry about it. It’s handled.” I took a new swig of coffee and inspected the contents of my mug. Another good fucking coffee ruined after growing cold. I sighed. “Your car will be serviced on Monday.” I glanced back at her. “Is that what you’re wearing to the game? We leave for Rockstone in an hour. Remember to grab your magic binder, yeah? I want to add a few notes.”
Adalyn’s face wrinkled, as if she was having a hard time processing my words. “We… But you… You hate my binders. Leave in an hour for… where?”
“I don’t hate them, I—” My eyes caught something behind her. Dashing across the front yard. A blur of fur I knew all too well. And it was moving quickly, chasing something. “Willow.”
“I’m Adalyn.”
“My cat,” I muttered. “And she’s after the goddamn cock again.”