Colby (Season Two: The Ninth Inning #6) (17 page)

“I’d do what she said.” Duke leans down to Colby. “She’s way scarier than Fletcher.”

“I heard that,” Dad speaks up, and we laugh.

“Thank you both.” Colby politely nods.

“It’s no problem.” Mom smiles at him and we all begin to fill our plates, and I make one for Colby.

“Thank you.” He gives me a small grin, and I know he hates that I’m waiting on him, but it’s not as if he can walk around and make his own plate while balancing on crutches.

We all eat and enjoy watching Lil D trying to feed himself, by grabbing the spoon from Alizeh. Mom even goes into details about her and Dad’s first trip and we’re all excited for them.

“Colby, when does your rehab start?” Duke asks.

“Hopefully, next week.”

“Who’s taking you?” Duke looks confused.

“I am.” I pipe up and Dad jumps in.

“You can’t take time off during the day that many times a week.”

“I can work it out.” I try to explain, but even Duke defends Dad.

“Ariella, if we get cases, you know you can’t leave.”

“I’ll just take a cab or something.” Colby says a little loud. “I’ll get there.”

Mom sits her plate down. “Colby, Fletcher or I can take you. It’s no big deal.”

“I can’t ask you to do that.”

She holds up her hand to stop him from talking. “Colby, you’re family, and we help out family. I don’t want to hear another word.” And she ends of the conversation.

However, the sentence is sitting in the front of my mind. Family? My mom called him
family
. I try to process the word. It’s not that I
don’t
want him to be part of my family, but it’s the way she says it. As if he’s on the same level as Duke. As if we’re married. As if we’re in love.

Love?

We’re not in love, right?

Are we?

I quickly run a list through my head. I’m constantly dropping or rearranging my schedule to be with him. I’m living at his house and have been since he got hurt. I want to be around him all the time, and when I’m not, I want to call to talk to him. I tell him everything about my day, even the silly, dumb things. I almost jumped the rail at the stadium to get to him when he was injured. I was a wreck when he was in surgery, fearing the worst. At the hospital, I wanted to do everything make sure he was okay and comfortable. I don’t mind waiting on him because I know he’s hurt and can’t do it.

Does he feel the same way and just not said anything? Or am I just a close friend he cares about? No, maybe more than a friend since we’ve had sex, but then again, I don’t know because he’s never said. Or has he and I’m not paying attention.

My heart stops. “I need some fresh air.” I jump up, rush out of the living room, and out to the back porch.

I grip the railing tight, and I’m thankful the sun isn’t blazing down on me. I take several deep breaths and try to think of how my life has changed these past few months. We went from talking online a few times a week, to talking almost daily, to meeting each other, and we’ve basically been together ever since. I know Colby is telling me to ride the wave, but eventually the wave hits the shore and then what happens?

Are we just going to fizzle out like the wave?

Is it too much too fast?

I think about Mom and Dad’s relationship and how they’ve always said it was love at first sight. I care deeply for Colby, and I can’t imagine my life without him. Now, he’s hurt and it could change things. What if he gets traded? What if he gets cut altogether? Would he move away then because there’s nothing holding him here in Memphis?

The tears build up and I push them away, because I’m a thirty-six-year old woman who wants to be married, have kids, and a career. But does Colby want that? He said he did. Now, the big question is does he want it with me?

Because I’m falling in love with him.

I make it back into dinner, and no one asks me anything and I’m glad for it. The rest of dinner goes smoothly and soon, Colby and I are in my car heading back to his place. Last night, I brought more clothes over. I seem to have made myself right at home and it seems right.

Colby is stretched out on the couch, and I prop his leg up with pillows and sit on the edge of the couch. I can talk to the baddest gangsters, murderers, and thugs in Memphis, but right now, I’m almost shaking because I’m so nervous to talk to Colby.

“Are your parents or sister coming anytime soon?” Maybe starting out slow is the best way to start this.

“Define soon. They’re supposed to come down, but we haven’t set a firm date yet. I’m so excited for you to meet them.”

“I am too. You talk about them all the time and you know my family pretty well, so it’s only fair.” I reach for his hand and he holds me tightly. “How are you feeling? Do you need anything why I am up?”

“I’m fine; all I need is you.”

I smile. “Aw, look at you being all sweet tonight. Trying to cash in on one of your rewards or something?” I joke with him so easily it’s as if we’ve done it all our lives.

“Maybe.” His grin brightens.

“Sex is out and you know that. And don’t even suggest me being on top because that still puts pressure on you. But,” I stop because I don’t want to keep talking about sex. I’m sure he wants it as badly as I do. “It was nice of my parents to offer you a ride to rehab right? You don’t think they were overstepping or anything.”

“It was really nice. They definitely don’t have to. Hell, if it comes down to it, I can always try driving with my left foot. Think that will work?”

“No, it won’t work, and if you do try it, I’ll have a cop pull you over, for sure.” I can just see him swerving all over the road.

“I’m sure they have better things to do though. I love that they seem to care enough to want to offer, but I feel bad that everyone has to do something to help me.”

“You’re family. Remember Mom told you.” My nerves get the best of me as I wait to see if he caught on to what she meant.

“I know. I’m thinking when my family comes, we should have one big family dinner. What do you think?”

“Mom will love it, and Dad will have all the background checks done by then,” I laugh.

“Oh, I think he’s already done them,” Colby chuckles.

“You’re probably right.” I can’t keep delaying this. I can hear Duke in my head telling me to cowboy up and say it, but it shouldn’t be hard, right? This should be easy. “I’m sorry I ran out during dinner for a few minutes. I just needed some space to clear my head.”

“It’s okay. Everything all right? It’s not like I can do a lot but talk if something is bothering you, but I’d try to help. I care about you.” He touches my cheek and I lean into his hand.

“I know you do and I do you. When Mom called you family, it threw me for a second because she’s treats you as if we’re, you know,
really
serious. I love that she does, don’t get me wrong, but it triggered a small female breakdown, and I’m trying to process it all because it’s big, and I don’t know how to say it to you.”

He softly strokes my cheek. “She treats me like that because we
are
really serious. They all treat me like family because they like me. Maybe, because they think I’ll stick around for a long time since they can see how much you mean to me. They can see how I’ve fallen in love with you.”

There it is. The word, or words, I’ve been waiting to hear. He said them to me. He said them first. “You really have?” I am shocked.

“Yeah, I really have.” He smiles.

“I’ve fallen for you too. It’s why I freaked out when Mom called you family, because I thought it was too fast and we met online. But you keep telling me to ride the wave, and my family says almost the same thing. And I’m scared because you’re injury changes things, Colby. You could be traded, or move, or something else that’s not here in Memphis. I don’t like not
knowing
.” It’s a lot to say to him, and I know I’m rambling, but I want to get it all out.

“My injury doesn’t really change things, Ariella. Look, if you’re in Memphis, I’ll end up in Memphis. That’s something you
can
know for sure, okay?” He drops his hand from my face and squeezes my hand with both of his.

I’m in shock. Nowhere in this conversation did I think he would say those words to me. He declares his love and then this.

“Colby, I don’t know what to say. I think I just fell even more in love with you because you said that. I want to be where you are too. I mean it. If it came down to it, I could leave Memphis; it’d be hard, but for you...I would.”

“I wouldn’t ask you to do that. This is your home, and it should stay your home. Let’s not get too ahead of ourselves here. We don’t even know how much longer I’ll play, or if I’ll be able to return to full form again. This isn’t my first tear, Ariella. The first one I had was just as bad and required surgery, too. My career is up in the air, and I have no clue what’ll happen until it happens.”

“Then let’s make a deal, a real pact.” I lean in closer to him, looking him right in the eye. “I promise not to have any more girly flip outs, you promise to do your best to get well, and we remain in love and we will face whatever path we end up on? Deal?”

“Deal, beautiful. I think it’s only truly a sealed deal if you kiss me.” He grins.

“I agree.” I close the distance between us and kiss his lips.

I pace the office a bit. The Apprehension Team heard of the whereabouts of Dice and they’re supposed to be picking him up now. I need this punk kid in this building to make sure he isn’t on the streets hurting anyone else.

“Ariella, sit down. They’ll call.” Duke chomps down on a handful of popcorn.

“We have to catch him. We have to do it today.”

Just then, Duke’s phone rings, and I stop to listen. “Okay. Thanks.” He hangs it up. “Dice wasn’t there.”

I growl and fall into my chair. Another lead that becomes a dead end.

“SUGAR DADDY!” HECTOR yells from across the weight room. “What are you doing here?”

“I just left rehab. Thought I’d make sure y’all were working hard. Anyone want a pair of crutches?” I’m about two seconds away from tossing the damn things. I’ll be glad when I can go without them.

“You can keep them,” Roman says with a laugh.

“How’s the knee feeling?” Jordan asks.

I shrug. “Like I tore my ACL and had surgery. Rehab is going to be long and borderline torture.”

“Think you’ll be ready for next season?” Tanner looks hopeful and serious for the first time ever.

“Should be.” I wasn’t lying when I told Ariella my career was one big question mark at this point. Sure, I should be able to come back, but I feel like there’s this dark cloud hanging over my head, waiting to let loose a torrent of rain.

“Need us to do anything for you?” Trent asks.

“No, I’m good, thanks. Ariella and her family have been very helpful. Her mom should actually be here in a minute to pick me up and take me home. Good luck this weekend.”

“Thanks,” they say.

“Don’t be a stranger,” Felix adds.

“I won’t.” I turn to leave, but remember something. “I’m having a get together. Y’all will have that day off, and I expect y’all to be there. I’ll text the details. My family will be there and Ariella and her family will be there. Bring your family, too.”