Page 38 of Endurance
“I don’t think I like your tone.”
“That’s funny. I don’t think I ever like your tone.”
“You know, Tanner, this tone only comes out around you. In everyday life, I’m lovely.”
I turn to see the pod coming closer when Tanner suddenly bends over and scoops me up like a baby.
“Don’t you dare!” I pound a fist on his chest. “You’re going to hurt yourself!”
“I’m going to hurt you if you don’t shut up.” He walks with purpose onto the pod, carrying me in his arms as if it’s the simplest thing in the world. He sets me down just as quickly as he picked me up, and I’m shocked to see I made it on safely.
The pod is bigger than I expected, like the size of a small bedroom. It’s a big round glass ball with a long bench down the middle.
I beam up at him. “I didn’t die.”
He fights a losing battle with his scowl. “You didn’t die.”
“You just hefted me in here like it was your job.”
He rolls his eyes. “You’re pretty much my only job for the next few weeks, so I figured it was up to me to make sure you’ve seen London properly while you have me.”
I smile and stare at him for a moment. “Thank you.”
His brow flashes into a frown. “It was nothing.”
“Belle, look!” Indie says, tearing my gaze away from Tanner.
I look around to see us slowly rising up over the River Thames, the city lights casting a golden glow on all of us with slices of shadows moving over us from the pods above us as we climb. It’s stunning. I slowly make my way to the edge and grab the railing, feeling a little unsteady but getting more comfortable with every passing second. I stare out at the city and marvel over how incredible London truly is from up above like this. Warm arms wrap around me, encasing me against the railing.
“You like it?” Tanner whispers in my ear, resting his head on my shoulder.
I nod. “I love it. Can we ride it twice?”
I feel his chest shake with laughter. “We’ll come back another time.”
I frown at the empty promise, but let it go because I don’t want anything to ruin this experience.
“Is it this pretty during the day?”
He nods. “It’s a different pretty. You can see farther out if it’s not too overcast, so you get a sense of the grandness of London. At night, though, you get a sense of the magic of London.”
His words make me smile. “Would you ever leave London?”
“What do you mean?”
“Like if you got an offer to play somewhere else?”
He exhales. “Footballers go where contracts are, especially if they aren’t married with kids. I have nothing tying me down, so yeah, I guess I’d leave London.”
His words hurt me because they speak some of my truth, too. I have Indie and we’re incredibly close, but that’s it. It’s a rather lonely existence when you think about it.
I turn in his arms and thread my fingers through his hair. “Don’t you forget I’m tying you down for the next month.”
He stares at my lips and tweaks his eyebrows. “I hope that means to your bedpost.”
I laugh and drop my face to his chest. “I would love nothing more.”
He kisses the top of my head and I hear the sound of a camera shutter go off. I turn my head to see Indie holding her mobile up and capturing a picture. That simple sound effect brings me right back to reality.
