Page 56 of Worth the Risk

“A good way. She’d been trying to tell me you liked me since the first time we met.”

“Well she’s right there.” We pull into the parking lot outside of my apartment, Liam smiling at me.

“Nuh uh. There’s no way I was a mess.” We both get out of the car, heading towards the apartment building.

“A cute mess.” He teases, stopping in front of the main door to our building. “Really though, something about you just captured my attention. I was drawn to you. I went upstairs because I couldn’t find you, figured you probably left, I was sulking and then you came bursting through my door.” His words make me smile. Despite how that night could have gone, I wouldn’t change it for the world. It brought me straight to Liam.

“C’mon let’s get you upstairs so Rosie can have her freak out.” We both laugh as I press the key fob to the panel to unlock the door.

I unlock the door to our apartment, stepping inside with Liam right behind me carrying the bag of books we bought today. “Rosie,” I call out, “I’m home.” She comes flying out of her bedroom and into my arms, knocking me back with the force of her hug, Liam thankfully stopping us from completely toppling over.

“Thanks for the assist Liam.” Rosie calls over my shoulder, still holding on to me. “I missed you Em.”

“I missed you too.” We break apart, Rosie loops her arms through mine guiding us into the kitchen where she already has out bowls of popcorn.

“We need a debrief. Girls’ night is officially starting.” She shoots her gaze to Liam. “Sorry.”

He lets out a low chuckle. “Don’t worry, I’ve been warned.” He places the bag of books on the countertop. “I’ll leave you girls alone.” Liam reaches out, grabbing my hand and spinning me to him. “Bye, baby. I’ll miss you.” He plants a kiss on my lips.

I hear Rosie squeal from behind me. “Finally!” He smirks at that, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead.

“I’ll miss you too but I’ll see you in two days.”

“Two days.” He repeats, placing another kiss on my forehead.

“Bye Rosie.” He calls turning for the door.

“Bye lover boy.” She shouts back at him and I laugh at her nickname.

Once we get situated on the couch with reality tv in the background I spill the beans to Rosie about everything that happened over break, her jaw unhinged for most of the conversation.

“It’s been nearly a month!” Rosie shouts, tossing popcorn at me. “I can’t believe you kept this a secret for weeks!”

“Not a secret.” I clarify, I was never trying to keep Liam a secret. “It’s not that I didn’t want you to know, it's that I needed to soak it in first. Reassure myself that this is real. I’ve never done this before, I’ve never loved anyone like this before.” Oh fuck. I said it, I said the word out loud.

“You love him?” Rosie’s voice is calmer now, more gentle.

“I - I do. Which scares the hell out of me but I think it’s worth it.”

“Oh Em.” Rosie puts down her popcorn bowl, scooching over on the couch closer to me. She pulls me in for a hug. “I’m so happy for you. It’s definitely worth it. He’s an amazing guy. I can see how much he cares about you. How much he has since the first day you met.” I smile at her, hugging her back. “Have you told him yet?”

“Not yet. It almost slipped out today but it’s too early, isn’t it?”

“It’s never too early.” She shakes her head. “I think if you love someone you have to tell them because you never know what the future holds.”

Chapter 37

Liam

January rolled into February, the first three weeks of the semester going by in a blur of class, practice and finding time to spend with my girlfriend. It still blows my mind that I get to call her that. We both have busy schedules but we make it work. It’s been an adjustment to not see her every single day but it makes our time together even more special.

Today is the first game of the season, the Friday night home opener, and Emilia will be there along with my family. I also know that scouts will be here tonight. It’s my last season to secure myself a spot in the first round of the draft, anything after that and I’ll probably never see play time for the major league. I know this. I’ve known this for a while. Yet for some reason over the past three weeks I haven’t been able to focus on baseball.

Every night when I talk to Emilia about her internship or her classes she’s filled with excitement and passion. She gets to see firsthand how school psychologists are helping students and she talks about what she’ll do when she has her own students one day. Her whole face lights up talking about it, there’s a twinkle in her eye and I’m jealous. I want that. I thought baseball would give me that but it’s not. I look forward to my classes and to working with the head athletic trainer of the gymnastics team which has been my spring semester assignment.

I’ve pulled out my little black box more times in the past few weeks than I have since the first year after my dad passed. Searching for that reminder, that passion that used to burn within me. Only to come up lacking every time.

I’m currently in the exam room that we have in the athletic department building, working with the head athletic trainer of the gymnastics team, Professor Smith, and a few other students in my major. We watch as she goes over how she likes to give her initial exam of her athletes. It’s something we’ve all learned before but each of the athletic trainers on campus have their own unique way of doing things. I love seeing how they approach an athlete, how they get to know them, make them feel safe but mostly how they help. Helping their athletes so they aren’t as prone to injury or strengthening them back up when something does happen. This. This excites me.

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