Page 10

FAMOUS LAST WORDS

BELLA

A year and one month ago

July

The harsh beeping of my alarm cuts into my dream, a rude awakening. With a groan, I reach for the nightstand and turn it off. Then I flop onto my back and stare at the ceiling. I don’t want to leave this bed.

Three days ago, I got an email confirming my acceptance into the program at NYSILD.

An actual letter followed. The program starts in September, so I have roughly a month to figure out my living arrangements and what to do about my job with Ben.

For three days, I’ve been smiling, proud of myself for being admitted.

But after what happened yesterday, my mood went to shit.

Xander came home from training camp with a bruise to the side of his torso and a nasty cut on his cheek.

Begrudgingly, he told me what happened. Anger hit me first, but it was soon replaced with a sense of revulsion toward myself.

Here I am, once again, bringing trouble to his doorstep.

I’m a source of misfortune for him. This feeling is sticky.

I spent almost thirty minutes in the shower last night, trying to get rid of it, but it was no use.

Jake knows the truth about Xander and me, and I’m certain he isn’t done with me. Even though Xander assured me my ex would back off because he doesn’t want to lose his place on the team, I think he’s wrong. I know Jake too well.

Ugh . I need to get up.

Throwing off my blanket, I sit up and swing my legs over the bed. I stretch, yawning loudly. I could use another couple hours of sleep. It’s only eight thirty, and I was up until two, finishing the last invoices for our clients.

With one more stretch, I shuffle to the window and smile out at our backyard. It’s sunny already, and the trees are mostly still, as if there’s no wind at all. Several birds are perched on the fence in the back, singing happily.

Today is going to be a good day.

Another yawn takes over. I need coffee, but before that, I need to wash my face.

Milo is missing, which means he’s somewhere in the house with Xander. He hasn’t left for practice, so I’ll get to spend a little time with him this morning.

A smile forms on my lips, and my steps become lighter. This will be rare for us once the season ramps up and I move to New York, so I want to cherish every moment we have together.

In the kitchen, I find a shirtless Xander. He’s at the breakfast bar, a cup of coffee in one hand and his phone in the other. He’s wearing a smile as he taps at the screen with his thumb.

Despite my best effort, I can’t help but frown. He’s been spending a lot of time on his phone the last couple of weeks. I won’t pry, and I’ve been busy with my own work and plans for when classes start, but still…it feels weird.

Milo sees me first, scampering across the room. The clicking of nails on tile catches Xander’s attention, and he finally looks up.

“Sorry if I’m interrupting.” I smile, though inwardly I cringe. This is my house too. Why did I say that?

“Interrupting?” He puts his phone down. “You aren’t interrupting anything.”

“Okay.” I pour myself a coffee, quickly realizing it’s lukewarm. “What time did you wake up?”

“Around seven.” He watches me, following my every move. “Why are you up so early?”

“I have a hair appointment, and I promised Meg I’d meet her for lunch.” I begin making my avocado toast. “I thought I told you. Did you have breakfast?”

“I did.” He snakes his arm around my waist.

“Xander!” I yelp, feigning annoyance while my stomach is full of butterflies. I love when he’s so affectionate and tender. “What are you doing?”

“Saying good morning to my girl.”

“Good morning.” I turn my head and kiss him. Slow. Gentle. Relaxing. It’s incredible, knowing he’d never hurt me.

“Now I can honestly say my morning is good,” he whispers against my lips, his hands roaming over my sides. “Hopefully practice won’t spoil it.”

The sun streaming through the kitchen window highlights the green flecks in his eyes, his dark scruff only making the blue hues brighter.

He leans in and kisses me again. Our connection quickly heats up, but the buzzing coming from his phone tears us out of the moment.

He quickly silences it and sets it down again, this time with the screen facedown.

Odd. That little move was casual, almost nothing, but I can’t help but wonder why he’d do it.

“What are you going to do with your hair?” he asks.

“I…um…I haven’t decided yet.”

“Are you going to cut it? Dye it?” He nuzzles my neck with his nose. I can’t find it in me to enjoy it. That move with his phone ruined the moment, at least for me.

“I don’t know.”

Untangling myself from his embrace, I pick up my mug.

Am I overreacting? He has never given me even the tiniest reason to doubt him. From the day I met him, he has been nothing but honest with me. Why would he hide something now?

I’m probably worrying over nothing. Xander isn’t Jake, and he has proved it to me many times.

Ready to move past the weird sensation, I take a cleansing breath and ask, “What are you going to do today?”

“After practice?” He picks up his own mug and takes a sip. “I’ll swing by and see my agent. He wants to discuss a contract extension and a salary increase.”

“That’s great news. I hope it’s a good offer.” I lean my hip against the kitchen counter. “I’m glad I talked to Ben about my salary beforehand and got a raise. Rent in New York is no joke.”

“I can pay for your apartment.” Xander gives me a warm, easy smile. “I’ll be there as often as I can, so it’ll practically be mine too.”

I shake my head. That’s an exaggeration. Between practices and games, he’ll be ridiculously busy. We’ll be lucky if we see each other more than a couple times a month.

He scowls.

“I want to handle it myself, okay? I have some money in savings, but I wouldn’t mind having a little more of a buffer.”

“We’ll talk about it later,” he says, as if my decision isn’t final. He stands and puts his mug in the sink. “I need to get going.”

I give him a small smile. “Have a good day.”

“You too.” He takes his phone from the breakfast bar, lingering beside it and staring at me. “What time do we need to be at your mom’s place tomorrow?”

My stomach instantly sours, so I set my mug down. “Six.”

That’s another topic I’m trying not to think about but can’t seem to get away from.

“Okay. I’ll confirm with Coach that I’ll be free.” With a wink, he heads out, throwing “Good thing I asked” over his shoulder.

A multitude of disturbing thoughts coil in my mind, making me feel strange.

Since the moment Xander and I got together, my life has been stable and comfortable.

I’m sure of my future. I’m happy and loved.

Yet my gut has been off for the last few weeks.

With the start of a new season looming and my studies, so much is about to change. I just hope it’s for the better.

Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes and count to ten. I can’t allow myself to think negatively—I’m too easily consumed by it. With a second inhale, then exhale, I’ve brushed away my gloomy thoughts. I’m determined to focus on the task at hand. I have a long day ahead of me.

As I step out onto the porch, I freeze, and my heart lodges itself in my throat.

Over the past week, every time Xander and I have been out, it felt as if we were being watched. He said it’s probably paparazzi, that it’s pretty common, and as I zero in on the car parked out front, I think he might be right.

I grimace. I know this guy, Jim. He’s probably the nicest photographer I’ve encountered—and I encountered plenty after the media caught wind of my relationship with Xander—but that doesn’t mean I’m happy to see him.

It’s going to be fine .

Today has to be good.

Straightening my back, I head to my car.

When he notices me, Jim gets out of his vehicle, a sly grin playing on his lips.

Just the sight of him makes me nauseous.

He isn’t snapping photos, and he doesn’t seem to be recording, though I might be wrong about that.

His camera could be hidden. Maybe he’s here to talk, to ask some questions.

At the moment, I’m not sure which is worse.

“Hello, Isabella. Long time no see.”

I shiver involuntarily.

“Hey. In all honesty, I would’ve preferred to never see you again,” I mutter as I take him in.

He’s around fifty and shorter than I am, with light brown hair. He reminds me of a mouse.

“Sorry, love. Just doing my job.”

“What do you want?” I stop beside my car and twirl around to face him.

“Is everything okay between you and your boyfriend?” With a slippery smile, he looks me up and down.

“Yes.” I open the car door and toss my purse onto the seat. “Why?”

“Came across some interesting photos.” He shoves a hand into his pocket and retrieves his phone. “Not gonna lie, it piqued my curiosity.”

My stomach twists. “What do these photos have to do with me?”

“You tell me.” With a shrug, he holds his phone out to me.

I don’t want to look, yet my gaze drifts to the device’s screen anyway.

The moment the image registers, my heart squeezes in my chest, as if someone has wrapped steel cords around me and pulled, suffocating me.

A heavy weight settles in my soul, the weight I’ve been fighting off for days, the one I know won’t be easy to get rid of.

In the photo, Xander and Stacey sit at a table in a small café, smiling at one another, her hand covering his.

Jim swipes to show me another. This time, it’s Stacey climbing out of Xander’s Porsche. Based on the clothes she’s wearing, these photos were taken on different days.

Today has to be good .

“Do you know this girl?” Jim asks.

I look up, knees wobbling, and meet his gaze.

His eyes are narrowed, like he’s searching for even a hint of a reaction. He’s not getting one from me. I’m sick and tired of being toyed with, of all these people playing games behind my back and using my weaknesses against me.

“Sorry.” I force a bright smile. “I have no idea who she is.”