Page 9 of Return Policy

My cheek burns from the place her lips touched while I walk to the truck.

I think about her the entire drive to Mark’s house.

I tryand failnot to think about her as I relieve some stress in the shower before bed.

What the fuck is happening to me?

* * *

“You excited to get back to your summer training camp?” Mark asks as I come in the kitchen.

“Yeah, definitely.” I’m returning to Camp Dickson tomorrow to meet the team, and I can’t wait to get back to my normal routine.

“When does season start?” He pours a bowl of Frosted Flakes,tops it with milk, and slides it in front of me at the kitchen table.

“Thanks.” I take a big bite of the sweet cereal. “It starts in August.”

“I’d love to come see you play sometime.” He pauses and clears his throat. “If that’d be okay with you.”

My eyes lift to meet his. “Really?”

“Yeah, of course.” A soft smile plays on his lips. “I’m sure your brother would love to go too.”

“There’s a parents’ weekend in September. I can send you tickets if y’all wanna come?” I offer as my knee bounces nervously.

Mark’s smile widens, and the corners of his ice-blue eyes crinkle. “I would love that.”

I nod, fighting my own grin. “Cool.”

“Hey,” he says, and his more serious tone has me turning my attention from the bowl of cereal back to him. “I’m really happy you came to meet me.”

“Me too,” I admit.

“I know this has been a tough year for you…” He cracks his knuckles in front of him. “But I’ll always be here for you when you want me to be.”

I rub my knuckles along my jaw. “I appreciate that.”

“I know we don’t know each other that well yet… but I look forward to changing that. I want you to come home anytime you want.”Home?“My house is your house, okay?”

I shift uncomfortably in my seat as a strange feeling settles in my chest. “Okay.”

* * *

My taste buds crave a coffee better than the dirt shit Mark has, so I’ve come to a place he suggested called The Brew House. A couple in front of me catches my attention as I wait in the long line. They’re in their late twenties, and the guy won’t stop touching his girlfriend and playing with her red hair.

“I was thinking,” she tells him quietly. “Maybe later we can make up for lost time at the ranch?”

“Hmm, only if you promise to ride me like a cowgirl,” he replies in a whisper but loud enough it reaches my ears. My amused gaze drops to my shoes as she kisses him like she hasn't seen him in years. One single blink, and I’m sitting back on the rock, craving Sophia's whiskey lips.

A flash of blonde comes into my peripheral, and I snap my head towards it in the same second my hope plummets to the floor.

It’s not her.

A weight settles deep inside me.Why am I so fucking drawn to her?Maybe it’s because I’ve never had someone, let alone a total stranger, open up to me the way she did. I almost felt brave enough to share my own story.

After retrieving my coffee, I hop back in the truck, pull out my phone and dial the number of the person I always dump my life problems on. His voice comes through the speakers. “Hey, it’s Dean. I can’t get to the phone right now. Leave me a message… or don’t, but I do love me a good voicemail. Have a blessed day!”

The familiar high-pitched tone rings in my ear. “Hey, Dino… Truck’s running good, promise I’m takin’ care of her.” I run my hands around the warm leather steering wheel. “So I gotta tell you, I met this girl last night, and I don’t know what it was about her. She was raw and open and real… Thing is, just as I was fixin’ to get her number, she was dragged away from me…” I shake my head, reaching for my coffee. “I’m leaving tomorrow, and I probably won’t get a second chance to ask for her number. Am I an idiot or what? Okay… don’t answer that… but man.” I blow out a loud breath. “How can I go on like everything's normal now that I know she exists?”

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