Page 1

CHAPTER 1

I’M STUCK

BELLA

July

A slight chill runs down my spine, my scalp prickling as I take in the extravagance of the grand ballroom. Even though it’s only open to the Boston City Warriors football team, this party is the last place I want to be.

“Isabella.” I whip my head around at the sound of my boyfriend’s voice. Jake stands a few feet away, his brows furrowed. “Hurry up,” he tells me.

I scurry over to him, and he quickly takes my hand and pulls us farther into the room.

Taking deep breaths, I try to calm myself. No matter how many times we do this, it never gets easier. I’m just me . He’s a superstar. We don’t quite fit.

The sounds of champagne flutes clinking together and laughter surround me as soft music plays in the background, setting the mood without getting in the way of conversation. We’re here tonight in honor of the team’s new quarterback, and the excitement is palpable. According to the snippets I catch as we pass, tonight signifies a new chapter for the Warriors. Considering how often I’ve heard the words “Super Bowl” since we arrived, the team definitely expects the new guy to make a difference.

When those words are muttered for what feels like the hundredth time, I let out a sigh.

Jake scowls over his shoulder. “Stop sulking. You look hot.”

The black bodycon dress he chose for me hugs my every curve. It’s a bit too revealing for my liking, but it was a gift, and I didn’t want to hurt his feelings, so I donned it without complaint—same with the stilettos already pinching my feet.

I wish I’d stayed home.

As I take a step forward, skirting one of Jake’s coaches, my mother’s words float through my mind: Keep your back straight, Isabella. You look like a gremlin . Stop embarrassing me. On instinct, I pull my shoulders back and put a smile on my face, silently repeating the words I’ve heard since I was little: Look good and keep quiet. No one cares what you think or how you feel.

“Thank you,” I say quietly.

Jake presses me hard into his side and kisses the top of my head, inhaling deeply. “Your perfume smells delicious.”

“It’s my magic,” I joke awkwardly, making him snort. “Now will you tell me why you wanted me here so badly?”

He scans the room, as if searching for someone. “It’s a welcome party.”

I ignore the annoyance flaring to life inside me. “Yeah, I know. You’ve got a new quarterback. Alex Walker? Is that his name?”

“ Alexander Walker.” He drapes an arm around my waist. “He’s the reason I wanted you here.”

Confused, I frown up at him. “Why?”

“Because he’s a beast on the field. I really think we’re gonna rock the league this season.”

What does any of that have to do with me?

With a smirk, I tease, “Are you fangirling over some dude?”

“ Fangirling ?” He stops in his tracks and narrows his eyes. “You’ll understand everything real soon.”

“If you say so.”

The moment we sit at our designated table, he starts talking with his teammate Omar Williams. Jake doesn’t bother to introduce me to him or the woman beside him, who keeps a protective hand on her baby bump.

“Hi.” I plaster on a smile, but the second our eyes connect, she looks away.

With an exaggerated sigh, she presses her lips into a thin line and surveys the other guests.

Wow. It’s not that I expected people to be friendly to me, but I didn’t imagine they’d be outright rude either.

I’m just a girlfriend…not a fiancée, and definitely not a wife. They probably figure I’m in Jake’s life temporarily, so why would they waste their time bonding with me? I understand the logic, despite how shitty it is. It costs nothing to be kind.

I peruse the venue, not really taking in the details. It’s exactly what I expected. Everything is coated in the team’s colors, red and white, with the Warriors logo—a silver shield—displayed here and there. I’m not interested in this new guy either. If Jake says he’s good, then I’ll take his word for it.

Honestly, I don’t know a whole lot about football. I’ve mostly avoided anything having to do with the sport since Jake and I broke up when he graduated from high school. We got back together six months ago, and I’ve made little effort to learn since. I have zero interest, so why bother?

The music comes to a stop, and we all turn to the small stage, where the general manager holds a mic, a million-dollar smile on his face. “Thank you so much for coming tonight,” he says.

I try my best to listen to him, but none of the jargon makes sense, so I tune it out. The only time I pay attention to football is when Jake is on the field, because that’s what’s expected of me.

“Let me introduce our new quarterback, Alexander Walker!”

With a sip of my water, I watch a guy in a tailored suit join the general manager on stage. He’s tall, muscular, and very lean. His hair is dark, but I can’t make out his features from here. He thanks the crowd for the warm welcome and says how excited he is to join the team.

Once he stops talking, I put my glass down and turn to Jake. His grayish blue eyes are glued to the scene, and only when I touch his elbow does he turn to look at me.

“I need to use the bathroom.”

“Now?” He frowns. “Can’t you wait a few minutes? Everyone will look at us.”

“I’m sorry.” I give him a frown of my own. “I can’t wait.” Without giving him time to respond, I stand and head toward the bathroom. What I really need is a few minutes to myself.

And that’s exactly what I get. Everyone is out there, eager to talk to the new QB, which means there’s not a soul in the bathroom when I walk in.

In front of the mirror, I rest my hands on either side of the sink and blow out a breath. How the hell did I get myself into this situation? At a party where I don’t fit in, wearing a dress I don’t feel comfortable in, with a person I don’t recognize anymore. The last part leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, because I couldn’t have imagined that would be the case when I agreed to get back together with Jake.

He was supposed to be a bridge to an easier time in my life, when I was happier, but nothing is the way I thought it would be.

I was fourteen when Jake and I struck up a friendship. He was two years older. For a long time, that was all we were: friends. Eventually, though, he confessed his feelings for me. He was my first love, just like I was his, so bumping into him seven months ago almost felt like destiny.

Especially since that encounter happened in a coffee shop I frequented but he’d never been to before. He only popped in because he was meeting a teammate who lived nearby.

We reconnected right away, and within weeks we were officially dating. Three months later, he asked me to move in with him.

When Jake and I started dating again, it felt like the emptiness I’d been carrying around for six years had finally disappeared. Like when he kissed me, I was no longer lost.

Two months after I moved in, though, it hit me how much he’d changed.

The door to the bathroom bursts open, and an elegantly dressed woman steps inside, ripping me out of my thoughts. I hastily wash my hands, flashing her a smile when our eyes meet in the mirror. She smiles back before she walks into one of the stalls. I dry my hands, then take a few deep breaths, mentally preparing myself to return to Jake’s side.

I just need to get through tonight. It will be fine.

When I return to our table, my boyfriend is nowhere to be seen. Brow furrowed, I weave through the crowd, searching for him.

“Isabella, over here.”

I crane my neck and spot him with the new quarterback— Alexander Walker—and with another steadying breath, I head his way.

“There you are.” Jake grabs my hand and yanks me in so my back collides with his chest as he splays his palm over my stomach. “This is why I wanted you to come tonight,” he says, his hot breath fanning over my cheek. “So you could meet Xander.”

Xander? Surprise washes over me. Alexander is Xander? Jake’s friend and teammate from college? Eyes narrowed, I take him in.

Like Jake, he has dark brown hair, broad shoulders, and a muscular chest. Even the blue of his irises is similar.

“Babe, come on, it’s Xander! I talk about our wild college days all the time!” my boyfriend says, grasping my arms.

I barely register his words. I’m too caught up in studying his new teammate.

“Isabella?”

“I-I—” I stammer, wetting my lips. Goodness, Isabella. Get a grip!

Xander’s lips lift in a cocky grin, and he dips his head so our eyes are level. “Done eye-fucking me yet?”

Heat creeps into my cheeks and neck. He didn’t say that, did he? Right in front of Jake?

“I wasn’t,” I grit through my teeth, staring daggers at the guy.

He huffs out a laugh. “You obviously were.”

“Sorry to break it to you, but you’re not as observant as you think,” I hiss, not bothering to look at Jake for his reaction. “You’re being inappropriate.”

“It was a joke,” Jake says in a low voice, his fingers sinking into my belly. “He’s messing with you.”

His sharp hold makes me wince, and embarrassment settles in my chest, making me shift my weight from one foot to the other.

“Sorry,” Jake says to his friend. “Give her time to get used to you before you joke like that with her.”

Xander studies me for another beat, then shrugs. “I’m sorry about the joke, Isabella .”

When he says my name, a tingling sensation that has nothing to do with Jake’s hand on my stomach spreads across my skin. Oh my God. What’s happening? I’ve never reacted to a person’s words in such a visceral manner.

Shaking off the thought, I extend my hand, and his fingers gently curl around mine, lightly skimming along my palm and down my wrist. Instantly, my core throbs. What the hell? I cross my legs at the ankles and do my best to ignore it. It’s neither the time nor the place. And, a thousand times more importantly, he’s not the person my body should be reacting to.

Slowly, I free my hand from his and give him a smile. “It’s nice to meet you, Xander.”

“You too, Isabella,” he murmurs, glancing between Jake and me. “Are you going to join us at the club later?”

“The club?” I ask, tilting my head to look at my boyfriend. “I thought we were going home after this.”

“No. The guys are going clubbing, baby.”

Jake’s reply is nonchalant, and my heart squeezes painfully. This isn’t how I imagined my night ending.

“Now that this jackass has joined the team, we need to celebrate. It’ll be a blast.”

“As long as I have a woman in my bed by the end of the night,” Xander says, sneaking a glance at me.

I roll my eyes, annoyance poisoning my mood.

Jake snorts. “Like the good old days?”

“Like the good old days,” Xander confirms, but his smile slips almost instantly. His jaw ticks, and he balls his hand into a fist at his side, his knuckles turning white before he shoves it into his pocket.

Clubbing? That is so not my scene. But… “Do you want me to go?”

“Nah. It’s just the guys tonight.” Jake whirls me around. “And I figured you wouldn’t want to go anyway. You never come with me.”

He’s right. I’d much rather stay out of his limelight. But why bring me here only to ditch me for his friends?

I shouldn’t be surprised. He’ll choose clubs, parties, and posh events over me every time.

“Sure,” I mumble, faking a smile.

Softly, he presses a kiss to my lips. Then he spins me back around, holds me against him, and dives back into a conversation with Xander as if I’m not here. With a sigh, I lean against him, preferring my own thoughts over their conversation anyway.

I don’t fit in, and Jake does nothing to help me feel welcome. Rather than a partner, I’ve become an accessory to show off, so he can brag about how he won back his high school sweetheart. So he can praise my beauty anytime someone comments on how good we look together.

Beautiful to everyone except myself.

The conversations, laughter, and music turn into white noise. All I want is to be far from here, to be home, curled up with a romance novel or watching my favorite anime or even out for a run.

Anything would be better than this.