Page 89 of Friend Zone to End Zone

While I grabbed two tall glasses from the cupboard and filled them with ice and water from my fridge, Arianna let herself out through the French doors that led to the patio.

There was a slight chill in the air when I stepped outside a minute later. Arianna had turned on the gas fireplace I had out there. She’d also switched on the string lights that zig-zagged along the pergola, bringing the patio area to life in the way that I loved ever since she helped me design it.

And as I looked at her sitting there on the cream cushions of my rattan sectional, staring off into the distance at the pink and purple clouds that had been colored by the setting sun, I couldn’t help but feel like she belonged here.

She belonged here with me.

Despite all my indecisiveness with where I’d be playing football next year, I knew I belonged here, too.

I belonged here in Denver.

Because even if I physically moved thousands of miles away from here to there, my heart would always remain with Arianna.

It would stay here.

And I had a feeling that I wouldn’t last long without my heart.

Arianna glanced away from the sunset to me. “It’s so beautiful out here tonight,” she said.

“It is.” I handed her a glass of water, and meeting her gaze, I dipped my head down and added, “Almost as beautiful as you.”

She took the glass from my hand, her cheeks flushing slightly. “You’re not just saying that because you bought the dress for me, are you?”

I shook my head and took the seat beside her so my leg was pressed against hers. Then letting my gaze slowly take her in—her face, her light pink two-piece dress and the way it fit her body, and then back up to her eyes—I said, “The dress is amazing. But no, I’m pretty sure you could wear my sweaty football jersey and I’d still think you were the prettiest girl in the world.”

The color of her cheeks deepened further, and her eyes softened as she searched my gaze—like she too was trying to figure out where we stood. And then in a quiet voice, she said, “If we’re choosing out of your closet, I think I prefer one of your old T-shirts.”

I gave her a soft smile, remembering back to this morning in my sunroom and how amazing she’d looked in my green T-shirt. “I think I’d prefer that, too.”

She took a sip from her water and then set it on the patio table. I set mine next to hers.

“So,” she said, adjusting the strap of her dress over her shoulder. “Like I said earlier, I have some things I’d like to talk to you about before you meet with the 49ers.”

“Yeah?” I asked, my heart skipping a beat as anticipation welled in my veins.

She nodded. “But it’s kind of a scary conversation to have and I really don’t want to make things weird between us if you feel differently than me.”

I licked my lips, my heart galloping in my chest now. “Uh, huh.”

She reached over and took my hand in hers, intertwining our fingers. “And…” She started tracing lines on the back of my hand with her other hand before looking up and meeting my gaze with a look in her eyes that made me breathless. “I guess what I’m trying to say is that I don’t want to be your dating coach anymore.” She sighed.

When she didn’t speak for a moment, I worried she might stop there and leave me even more confused than I’d been before. But then her lips quirked up into a hopeful smile and she said, “I don’t want to pretend like I want to help you find the perfect woman for you, or teach you how to get someone to fall head over heels in love with you because…” She sighed. “BecauseIwant you, Cole.” She drew in a shaky breath, her delicate shoulders rising with the movement. “And I don’t want you going out and looking for some other girl because I want to be the girl you want to be with.”

She stared down at our hands, like she was afraid to look me in the eyes after exposing her heart so fully.

But I wanted to see her eyes, because I wanted her to be looking at me when I told her what I thought about what she’d just said.

So I took her chin in my hands and gently guided her face back up so our gazes met. And when she lifted her deep brown eyes up to meet mine, I said, “You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting to hear those words from you.” I swallowed, still not really believing any of this was real. “And the only reason why I haven’t been able to decide where I’m going to play next year is because I couldn’t imagine staying here and watching the woman I’d been in love with for three years date anyone who wasn’t me.”

“The woman you’re in love with?” Her eyes darted back and forth between mine, as if she wasn’t quite sure she’d heard me right.

“Yes.” I leaned my forehead against hers. “I’m so in love with you, Arianna.” I touched her shoulders and smoothed my hands down her arms, my throat thick. “And I would be the happiest guy in the world just knowing you felt for me even a tenth of what I feel for you.”

And the look she got in her eyes when I said that was everything to me. Because it told me everything I had wanted to know for years.

She cared for me, too.

I wasn’t alone in falling for my best friend.

---