"Just tell me, Aspen." I suck in a breath when she doesn't start right away. That means it's bad.Her head faces my direction, but her eyes are still cast to the corner. "Well... Finn may have admitted Ryland's had teams calling him. So far he hasn't agreed to any tryouts though, so that's good." She rushes the last sentence to try and smooth over her news.A part of me, a deep part I refused to address, knew Ryland had to have teams calling. Even with his past trouble, he's a top player in the sport. Teams want him regardless. It's not news, but having it confirmed hurts. Why didn't he tell me himself? Is he planning to up and leave one night? Lock the door behind him and leave me and Goldie here alone?Never one to be good at over dramatics, except for those few months after my breakup with Cody, I stick an unaffected expression on and continue as if hearing Ryland's on his way out the door doesn't feel like a knife splitting open my chest cavity to dig around at the important

The grey haired doctor pulls down the leg of my jeans and lowers my foot patting my ankle twice. "Everything looks great Ms. Melrose. You're clear to go.""Thanks." I jump off the little office bed glad to be cleared so Ryland can stop lecturing me every time he feels I put too much weight on my foot. I've been fine the past week, but he refused to let me use the stairs. It's four flights or a short elevator ride. I didn't put up too much of a fight."Good luck." He shakes my hand and turns to Ryland. "And to you too, Mr. Bates. I hope you find a new team quickly."Ryland pulls on the brim of the same black Giants baseball cap he wore to the movies yesterday, but shakes his hand. "Thanks, I'm hopeful for the same." He flashes him a smile I've never seen him use. It's practiced and forced."Well of course, now I understand why you're in no rush to get back on a team after meeting this lovely lady." He scribbles on a small sheet of paper handing it to me. "For your check out."

I smile up at him, my entire body lighter with the recent revelation. "It's been a hell of a year, huh?" I laugh a little. "But I'm doing well and I hope you are too." My smile grows with every word. I'll probably always have a snarky comment to make about Cody when the time calls for it, but he's not a factor in my current life. I don't even picture him with devil horns any more. Well not all the time at least. It's a start."Really?" he asks a little tense. Maybe he remembers the threats I made against him after I saw the pictures... oops."Yeah, really. Hey, did you ever land the account from the guy in New York?" Cody put a lot of overtime in schmoozing with their fund manager. It meant a big pay raise for him but more late nights too.He finally relaxes and takes a sip of his coffee. Colombian roast with no sugar but a splash of cream. "Of course. Did you think anything less of me?" He laughs at his boast and leans over the small table getting into the conversation. "I saw A

The little blue Corvette idles on the street in front of Cosmo's Comics & Café, but I'm reluctant to get out. The fog's already lifted from the city and temperatures are above fifty-five. It's set to become a beautiful day in the Bay. I have three spectacular friends waiting inside on plush couches with a sugary breakfast of French toast smothered with caramel and chocolate. Four months ago I'd be out of the car by now. Today my feet won't move in their direction. I love my friends, but there's someone better beside me."You'll call me when you girls finish for the day, right?" Ryland turns on the hazard lights, the little dings with each blink filling in our silence.I blow out a breath against the window, fogging up a small area, which quickly disappears. "Yeah.""You're going to be late."Aspen texted me last night with news she had a surprise for us this morning. I don't like surprises. At least surprises I don't know about in advance. "We could go back to your place and pl

With Ryland's condo door wide open, I tromp back and forth between our places in different dresses. The charity event is a big night for the youth center and my planning skills. I need to look the part of a fancy-put-together woman. Plus, I love to dress up. There might be three weeks until our Casino night, but if I wear a dress from Simone, I'll need it hemmed. It's also a great opportunity for Ryland to practice his boyfriend skills by pretending to care what I wear with fake oohs and ahhs. So far he's done well.The light blue dress I have on drags on the floor behind me, but I kind of enjoy the train feel of it. As long as no one steps on it and I fall on my ass. On second thought, maybe the train's a bad idea.Ryland sits stretched out on his couch watching ESPN on the television, but he turns his head when I step into the living room. His hand goes up and he circles his index finger silently asking me to spin."The purple one looked better with your eyes," he says and then