Page 37

The more he pondered, the more Tyler warmed to the idea. The time they shared already felt so intimate. Surely Josh felt the spark between them.

Pursuing Josh was a risk, but the thought of not trying at all left him with a hollow ache in his chest. Could exploring those feelings jeopardize their friendship? Tyler hadn’t been sure he was ready to risk it. But what if this was his chance at real happiness?

As Tyler headed to the car, his heart swelled with tentative hope. For the first time in ages, he felt eager to embrace whatever the future held, so long as Josh was by his side.

Tyler stepped out of the doctor’s lobby and scanned the parking lot, his eyes darting from one end to the other. He couldn’t shake the feeling that his life was at a critical juncture, and one wrong move could topple everything.

As he drove, Tyler replayed the doctor’s exam. His improvement was undeniable, but the threat of returning to the NFL plagued him.

Just thinking about returning to the Swells stirred up a storm of conflicting emotions. The ruthless competition and media circus felt at odds with the balance Tyler had enjoyed so much lately. Part of Tyler missed the thrill and challenge of the game in his bones. Yet the heart attack had completely undermined his confidence. What if his body failed him again? What if his heart was never going to be strong enough to go back?

If his face was plastered all over the news, would it drive Josh away? Would the pressure of being in the spotlight again wreck any chance for a real relationship? Then again, Josh might not be interested in some average nobody.

“Get it together, Tyler,” he muttered to himself. It was useless to dwell on the uncertainties.

One thing was clear. Tyler refused to waste another minute of the time he had with Josh. Their relationship, no matter what form it took, meant far too much. Tyler just prayed he’d find the courage to face what came next.

Tyler pulled into Nadia’s driveway, his thoughts a tangled heap, and steeled himself for the inevitable questions from his sister. He was relieved to be home, but he knew Nadia would be relentless interrogating him. As he climbed out of the car, the front door swung open.

“There he is!” Nadia called out, bounding through the door. She threw her arms around Tyler in an enthusiastic hug. “One piece, no disasters.”

“Whoa, hey,” Tyler laughed, returning the embrace.

“You did just fine. See? You can drive. Yay!”

“I did. Everything’s cool. Everything is fantastic, actually.”

“Wait, I know that look.” Nadia stepped back, peering closely at Tyler’s face. “You okay? You’ve got your brooding look going on.” She scrutinized him for a moment. “Something is up. What’s going on?”

“What? No, I’m good.” With a casual shrug, Tyler brushed past her toward the house. “Nothing, just a long day.”

Nadia followed on his heels, undeterred. “Uh-huh. So report. How’d the checkup go? Spill.”

“Fine, everything’s excellent,” Tyler said over his shoulder as he walked into the kitchen. He opened the fridge and filled a tall glass with water from the pitcher, avoiding Nadia’s gaze.

“You’re an awful liar, you know that? Like, maybe two out of ten for believability.” Nadia crossed her arms and leaned against the counter. “Pathetic. Lie harder, at least.”

Tyler’s eyes shot up to meet hers. Heat rose in his cheeks. “The doc was over the moon. Muscle mass. Blood pressure. Oxygen. Mineral levels. You name it. Way better than she’d even hoped.”

“Oh, Tyler, that’s awesome.” She squinted. “So what’s eating you?”

Tyler sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. He glanced at his sister, then looked away. “It’s nothing, really. Just… thinking.”

“Uh-oh.” Nadia tilted her head. “When is that ever a good thing?”

“It’s… nothing.” He took a long swing of water, feeling its chilly path down his throat and into his belly.

Nadia leaned against the counter and squeezed his wrist. “Talk to me, huh?”

“I don’t think I can… explain.”

“I’m not stupid.” Nadia frowned and laughed.

“I don’t mean that. I don’t think you’re the person I should be talking to first.”

“Oh. Ohhhh!”

He shook his head. “Don’t start.”