Page 125 of Falling Stars

“My dad used to say that. To me and my sister. To my mom. Before he left for road trips, he’d always say he’d call.” Her eyes go glassy. “Except he never did.”

“Baby, I promise things will be different.”

“You can’t promise that.” Her jaw clenches. “I heard that conversation with your coach. He thinks I’m a distraction. I probably am. Me and Leo.” She stares at the floor. “I don’t want to be your distraction.”

“You’re not. Look, I’m going to do everything I can to help you feel secure in our relationship.”

Her stare goes icy. “Like have good boundaries with other women.”

“Yes,” I say slowly, feeling like I’m walking into a trap.

“You mean like you did with Nicole? She and I had an interesting conversation today.”

Jesus. That woman is a pain in my ass. I wish I’d never gone out with her. “What did she say?”

“That you two have had some great chats at the high school.”

“I was gonna tell you about her working there, but I didn’t want to upset you when I was about to leave.”

“That’s just it, Maverick. If you can’t be transparent and honest about shit that happens here when we’re living together, what makes you think you’ll be open and up front about things that happen in New York?”

Fuck. This isn’t going well. I shove my hands through my hair. “Baylee, I need you to cut me some slack. I’m doing my best here.”

She sniffles. “I know myself, and I’ll go crazy at home, wondering about the worst-case scenarios. Worrying every time I stumble across photos of you with your female fans. I’ll doubt myself every time you say you’ll call but don’t. I’ll question myworth when you can’t visit like you say you will. And that’s no way to live.”

“Why would you question your worth?”

She closes her eyes. “Do you have any idea what it’s like to live in a town where there are constant reminders that you never picked me until it was convenient?”

“What does that mean?”

Her eyes go glassy again. “I’m your safe space, Maverick. I’m who you come to when you’re in trouble or hurting. It’s no surprise that we finally get together when you’re not sure if you’re going to return to the NFL. You don’t pick me when you’re the big tight end in high school. You don’t pick me when you’re the star football player at Lone Star State. You don’t pick me until you’re hiding out in your condo, wondering if your career is over.”

Her words strike like punches to the gut. “Is that really how you feel?” When she doesn’t respond, I curse under my breath.

Her voice drops down to a whisper. “I think we should break up.”

“What?” My head jerks back so fast, it sends a jolt of pain down my arm. “I thought you said we could see how things go.”

“You need to focus on football, and I need to focus on my son.”

“Don’t do this, Baylee. Trust me to be faithful. Trust me to love you enough to come back to you.”

She takes a step closer. Then leans up to grab my face. “I’ve always loved you, Mav. Since we were kids. Long before I kissed you in high school.”

What?

Confused, I stare down at her.

She gives me a watery smile. “And I’ll probably always love you, but I know myself well enough to say I can’t do long distance. So I won’t torture both of us with my insecurities. I’drather cheer for you from afar and love you as my dearest friend than make myself insane worrying that I’m not enough to bring you home. I’d rather you put yourself first and go for your dream. You should shoot your shot. You’ve worked too hard to give the NFL a backseat to me.”

I stand here, numb, while she leans up to kiss me. “Mav, you have to figure out what you want to do without me in your ear. Without my reservations or concerns. I know you said you might only play a year or two, but I can’t handle the guilt of you cutting your career short because you need to rush back to me.”

There’s a soul-crushing pain in my chest. “How can you say you love me while you break up with me?”

One tear tracks down her cheek. “Because I love you enough to let you go.”

45

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