Page 58 of The Trade

“Okay, I’ll arrange it, then.”

“Perfect.”

“Do you have any siblings of your own?” I ask, tracing my fingertips across the hard planes of his abdomen.

“Only child.”

“Hmm,” I murmur, trying to imagine his life without siblings. “What was that like?”

“Kind of dull, actually. I didn’t exactly love the alone time, especially after my parents divorced when I was pretty young.”

“That sucks,” I say sympathetically. “It must have been tough.”

“Yeah, but I’m stronger for it,” he says, a hint of self-deprecation lightening his tone. “You know, independence and all that shit.”

“And your parents now? Are you close?”

“Dad’s been out of the picture for a long time,” he says, his voice hardening slightly. “My mom’s great, though.”

“What’s she like?” I ask, eager to learn more about him.

“She’s sweet, hardworking, honest. She really tried to fill both roles,” he says, a hint of fondness creeping into his voice. “She cried so much when she found out about Dayton.”

“Was she sad that you were leaving?”

“No,” he says, a soft chuckle escaping him. “She was just really proud that I made it to college, especially with a scholarship.”

“She sounds really supportive.” I tilt my head up, leaning in to place a chaste kiss against his jawline.

“Yeah, she is. What about your parents?”

“They’re great, too. Very supportive of my brother and me,” I tell him. “My dad actually has MS, though, so he has a lot of health problems. He’s always tired and in pain, that sort of thing.”

“Damn, that’s—I can’t imagine how tough that must be.”

“Some days are better than others, but he finds ways to cope.”

“That’s good,” he says, brushing a lock of hair from my face with gentle fingers. “It’s clear you care a lot about your family.”

“I do,” I admit, my voice barely above a whisper. “I’m planning to spend some time with them this summer, back in Washington.”

“Oh yeah?” he asks, his body stiffening slightly beneath me.

“Mhm,” I confirm, my voice equally quiet. “You’ll be at training camp, right?”

“Right.” His jaw is set in a tight line. “I guess we’ll both be pretty busy, then.”

“Yeah.” A wave of unease washes over me at the thought of a long-distance summer. I know it’s still a few months away, but these feelings between us are still so new. Does West even see us lasting that long? Or would he cut me loose for the summer, regardless?

Admittedly, it might simplify matters for both of us. He could devote his undivided attention to football, and I could pour my energy into supporting my family. He says he wants more with me now, but who’s to say that doesn’t have an expiration date?

Still, we have an immediate future to look forward to. His team banquet is just around the corner next month. But beyond that, spring term will be closing its curtains in a matter of five weeks. So, I suppose we have the present, and that’s what truly matters.

“Are you lost in your thoughts, Jade?” he asks, a hint of amusement coloring his tone.

“A little,” I admit, a small smile playing on my lips. “Can I tell you something?”

His brow furrows. “What’s up?”

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