Total pages in book: 50
Estimated words: 51243 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 256(@200wpm)___ 205(@250wpm)___ 171(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51243 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 256(@200wpm)___ 205(@250wpm)___ 171(@300wpm)
“That’s a shame,” he said. “I’ve missed you.”
“If you don’t leave within the next ten seconds, I’m going to scream.”
“I take back what I said about missing you.” He paused. “I don’t think I really got the chance since you put a hate letter under my windowsill every day.”
“You did the same thing.”
“Only because you started it.” He moved closer to the edge of the pool and my heart pounded against my chest with his every step, but I refused to show any emotion.
Seconds stretched in silence.
“I’m beyond impressed with the level of depravity you showed by getting me suspended.” He finally shattered the silence. “Truly. It was very impressive.”
“It could’ve been worse.”
“True.” He tapped his chin. “Very true. But, I think you crossed the line a bit because I never put your livelihood in jeopardy.”
“I doubt your football coach cared about you missing school,” I said. “I saw him leaving your house multiple times with his whiteboard.”
“I had no idea you were keeping up with me so much.”
“I wasn’t.”
“Fair enough.” He smiled, still looking somewhat impressed. Then he held out his hand. “I’ll let you win this one.”
“I’m not shaking your hand.”
“If you don't, I may not go easy on you tomorrow.”
“I plan to be absent.”
“You never skip Shakespeare Day,” he said. “You have to show off how boring your life is because you have most of his work memorized.”
“You have most of it memorized, too.”
“That’s not the point.”
“Whatever.” I groaned. “I know you wouldn't dare ruin it, so try to make a better threat.”
“Actually, I’m willing to look past the suspension just this once if we can hold off on any issues until the end of next week.” His hand remained outstretched. “Let’s start over.”
I let out a breath and shook his hand. The moment he let go, my body hit the water. Chlorine rushed into my lungs.
Shocked, I waded to the edge, gasping for air.
“What the fuck did you do that for?” I yelled. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“The same thing that’s wrong with you if you honestly think I’m letting anything go.”
“Screw you, Taylor.” I felt my blood boiling. “I’ll make sure you regret this.”
“I won’t,” he said, turning away. “Just remember you brought this on yourself.”
TRACK 6. DEATH BY A THOUSAND CUTS (3:51)
TAYLOR
Okay, Coach Harrison might have a point…
I snapped one final selfie with a young fan and handed off his phone before slipping into a town car.
My mind was still spinning, still attempting to compartmentalize seeing Audrey after two long and silent years.
I couldn’t remember whose last words cut the deepest, who was to blame for going from haters to cordial frenemies to ghosts, but I was still expecting the name on my door wreath to belong to a different Audrey.
I was still holding out hope that I’d never have to actually see her again.
Now that I had, though, the truth was evident.
I still fucking hate her…
When I last saw her, she was pretty—gorgeous even—but now?
She was stunning as hell, and no other woman came close.
Her deep brown curls framed her face like an angel’s, complementing her hazel eyes. Her bow-shaped lips were coated in candy red, and every man who passed by her in that airport did a slow double-take at the way her purple dress clung to her curves.
I almost felt bad for the way we “ended” things.
Keyword: Almost.
“Heads up, Taylor!” Brandon, my fellow rookie teammate, tossed a box to the back seat. “The Sharpie is at the bottom, and you need to sign all fifty of those cards before we get to the next photo op.”
“Will do.”
Grateful for the distraction, I opened the box.
With every signature I signed against the laminate, I weighed the pros and cons of “sticking to football” versus staying in the program for the next few months.
Pros:
Freedom. Writing. Mental break. Old dreams I still want.
Cons:
Audrey Parker. Audrey Parker. Audrey Parker.
AUDREY PARKER.
“Dealing with her isn’t worth it,” I muttered.
“Dealing with who isn’t worth it?” Brandon turned around.
“Nothing. I was just thinking aloud.”
When I finished signing the deck of cards, my phone buzzed with a text.
Nick (Agent)
Just set up a meeting with you and Cold Energy Drink + a Zoom call with NFL Gear. They’re interested in signing you to a FULL deal when you’re healthy, so I’m thinking we increase the doctor’s check-ins to twice a week instead of one?
The text glowed on the screen, another reminder of the world waiting for me to care.
Fuck that. I’m staying away from football for as long as I can…
TRACK 7. DON’T BLAME ME (3:45)
AUDREY
The private school’s campus greets me like an old friend—its lush green acres unfolding for miles, dotted with whitewashed buildings that line the cobblestone paths. In the distance, waves crash against a stretch of white sand.
It’s the type of view that washes away all thoughts of seeing He Who Shall Not Be Named.