Page 49 of Seal the Deal

My pulse quickens, chest tightens. It’s like everything is closing in, and I can’t breathe.

“Jake?”

Her voice is soft, but it cuts through the noise in my head. I don’t want her to see me like this. Not Charlotte. Not when I’m supposed to have everything together.

I try to straighten, but my legs feel unsteady, mybreathing shallow and ragged. She steps closer, her face full of concern as she stops in front of me.

“You okay?” she asks.

“I’m fine,” I manage to choke out, but even to my own ears it sounds weak.

She doesn’t buy it.Of course she doesn’t.She’s always seen right through me. Without a word, she reaches for my hand, her touch gentle and grounding. “Jake, it’s okay. Just breathe.”

I squeeze my eyes shut, my breath still coming in shallow bursts. I hate her seeing me like this—exposed, falling apart—but I can’t stop it.

She stays quiet, her thumb tracing small, soothing circles on the back of my hand. “I’m right here,” she whispers. “You’re safe. Just breathe with me, okay? In... and out.”

I focus on her voice, letting it anchor me as I try to match her slow, steady breaths. In, out. In, out. The world stops spinning so fast, the tightness in my chest loosening bit by bit.

Finally, I open my eyes. Charlie’s still there, her hand wrapped around mine, her expression calm.

I feel exposed, like she’s seen a part of me I’ve tried so hard to hide. But she doesn’t say anything. Doesn’t ask questions or make me feel small. She just stays there, solid and real, willing to carry whatever weight I can’t.

“Thanks,” I mutter, embarrassed. “I don’t… I don’t know what happened.”

She gives a small, understanding smile. “It’s okay. You don’t have to explain. Sometimes things just get overwhelming.”

My throat bobs. I’ve always handled things on my own. Told myself I could tough it out.

“I just...” I hesitate, the words catching in my throat. “The draft... and everything. It’s a lot.”

She nods, her hand still holding mine. “I get it. You’re allowed to be overwhelmed. You’re allowed to take a break.”

Her words settle into the tight spaces in my chest, easing some of the tension. For the first time in what feels like forever, I feel like I can actually breathe.

I glance down at our intertwined hands and give hers a small squeeze. “Thanks, Charlie. I mean it.”

She smiles, that light, familiar smile that always makes things feel warm. “Anytime, Captain Thunder.”

I laugh softly, the nickname a welcome distraction. “I guess Lady Lightning saves the day again, huh?”

A mischievous glint flashes in her eyes. “What can I say? We make a good team.”

We stand there for a while longer, not saying much, just breathing together under the trees. And for the first time, I think that maybe I don’t have to carry everything on my own.

***

Jake - Present Day

I stare at the muted highlights of the game playing on my TV, each mistake replaying in my mind like a bad dream. The thrill of winning our previous away game has evaporated, replaced by the sting of the recent loss we shouldn’t have had. But it’s more than just this game. Doubt creeps in, that insidious fear that maybe I’m not as good as I used to be.

When the plane touched down last night, I wasn’t ready to face the silence of my condo. Ryan went home to Claire, Eli to Tamara, and Chase hit a bar, probably hunting down a bunny. I should’ve done the same—gone home, tried to shake this mood—but instead, I drove aimlessly through the city, not ready to be alone with my thoughts.

The memory of the loss, the media speculating about my contract, the doubts swirling in my own head—they all collide, making it impossible to think straight.

My phone’s been buzzing, but I haven’t had the energy to check. I know Charlie’s been texting, her messages getting progressively more outrageous, trying to pull me out of this funk. They’ve gone from sweetto blatantly flirtatious, but I can’t bring myself to reply. Not in this headspace.

The phone buzzes again on the coffee table, pulling me out of my thoughts. I pick it up, half-expecting another one of her attempts to cheer me up. But it’s just a notification from a sports app, another article speculating about my future. I toss the phone back down, not even bothering to read it.

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