Page 21

Xander

I t’s been a couple of weeks since Rain shared her secret with me. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about it—relive her sadness, her anguish. Something shifted in me that night. It’s like, in some unspoken way, I carry that burden now too.

Since then, we’ve only grown closer. I love the rhythm we’ve settled into. We have breakfast together, then she leaves for work. At night, after she checks on her mom and Granny, she spends nights in my bed, her head on my chest. Her soft snores are my new favorite sound to fall asleep to.

I try not to think about what it’ll be like when I have to go back to Raleigh. I just want to hold on to this little bubble we’ve created for as long as I can. And when the time comes? I hope she’ll be willing to try long-distance—because I know I will.

We haven’t had sex, and that’s perfectly okay with me.

I’ll wait as long as she needs. Just being close to her, her body pressed against mine at night, knowing she feels safe in my arms—that’s enough.

Whenever it happens, it’ll have to be Rain who makes the first move.

I don’t want her to feel pressured, or worse, dragged back into old memories she’s tried to escape.

Still, part of me wants to know where that Dennis bastard is. I could hire someone to track the asshole down. Just to remind him what pain feels like.

I push the thought away as I step into the gym and spot Dylan already inside. Time to focus.

Today, we’re adding weights. Another step forward.

“Good morning,” Dylan says, walking over with a tablet, a bottle of water, and a small towel. I enjoy working with him. He’s smart, organized, and knows exactly how to push without pushing too hard.

“Morning,” I reply, heading toward the weight area.

“Are you ready to start the second part of your therapy?” he asks.

I nod, already feeling a spark of energy.

“Cool, cool. Let’s start with something simple. Grab two five-pound dumbbells. Three sets of ten bicep curls.”

I blink at him. Really?

He raises a brow. “What? Don’t give me that look. I need to see how your shoulder rotates with a light weight. We’ll increase it once I see progress.”

I huff but grab the weights and start curling. By the time I hit my last five reps, my shoulder’s burning, but I finish them anyway.

“How are you feeling, Xander?” Dylan asks, grinning. “I see some perspiration on your forehead. Thirty curls with a measly five-pound dumbbell. I’m not sure you can keep going.”

I give him the finger, and he laughs.

“At least your attitude is still intact. Let’s do it again.”

We cycle through so many upper-body exercises that, by the end, my arms feel like Jell-O.

“Good job today, champ,” Dylan says, gathering his things.

“Thanks, man. I mean it.”

He nods and waits for me at the door.

“Want a post-workout smoothie?”

I smile. Anything cold sounds great right now.

We head to the kitchen. He pulls spinach, berries, and pineapple from the fridge, tossing them into the mixer along with water, protein powder, and something else from a dark bottle.

I reach for it out of curiosity. Spirulina . Never heard of it. A quick Google search tells me it’s a supplement made from blue-green algae, rich in protein, minerals, and antioxidants. Sounds legit.

“Here,” Dylan says, handing me a tall glass filled to the brim.

“Thanks,” I murmur, taking a cautious sip.

Not bad. I gulp the rest down quickly.

“Good, right?” Dylan asks.

I nod. “Yeah, it’s good. I’m going to have to get some of this spirulina when I’m back home.”

“It’s a very complete supplement,” he says, drinking his own. “You should add it to your nutrition plan. Maybe just clear it with the team’s nutritionist first?”

“Good call.” I make a mental note to do exactly that when I get to Raleigh.

“Any plans with your girlfriend tonight?” Dylan asks, a teasing note in his voice.

At the mention of Rain, I can’t help the grin that spreads across my face.

“Oh, so the rumors are true? You’re dating Ruin’s sister?”

I chuckle. “Yeah, we’re together. From the moment I saw her, I knew there was something special about her.”

He nods, rinsing out his glass and slipping it into the dishwasher. “That’s cool, Xander. She’s sharp.”

I laugh. “Yeah, she is.”

With a wave, he heads out of the kitchen.

I down the last sip of my smoothie, then hop off the stool and open the fridge. That workout wrecked me, and now I’m starving.

“Hotshot,” my favorite person shouts from the lobby.

A smile spread across my face as I rush out of my room, taking the stairs two at a time just to get to her faster.

I pull her into a deep kiss, and she melts in my arms. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of this—of kissing her and feeling her soften against me, like she trusts me enough to drop every guard.

“Hey,” I say when we finally come up for air.

Rain is breathing a little unevenly, lips curved in a dazed smile. I lean in for another kiss, just because I can.

She giggles against my mouth.

“You’re making me feel like a teenager,” she says, patting my chest.

“Are you trying to grope me, Ms. MacAllister?” I ask, giving her a lopsided grin.

“You wish.” She scoffs.

I laugh. I fucking love her sass.

“Are you ready?” she asks, all business now.

I frown. “Where are we going? ”

“We’re having dinner with my siblings, then we’re doing some karaoke,” she says, biting her bottom lip.

I nip it, then kiss her again. “Let’s go. That sounds like fun.”

She shimmies her shoulders excitedly, and I shake my head, smiling. There’s never a dull moment with this woman.

A few minutes later, we pull into the bar’s lot, and I spot Gio’s SUV and River’s truck already parked. Looks like we’re only waiting on Miles.

We head inside, the buzz of conversation and clinking glasses wrapping around us.

“Rain, Xander. Over here,” Miles calls from a table near a small stage. I guess he rode with River.

The bar is bigger than I expected. Stools are lined around the bar itself, and then a mix of tall tables near the entrance. As we move closer to the stage, the tables shift to regular height. It’s fairly busy for a Thursday night, but I guess karaoke attracts a bigger crowd than usual.

As we near the table, Rain lets go of my hand and makes a beeline toward a guy I haven’t seen before. He scoops her up by the waist without hesitation, and Rain lets out a gleeful screech.

He must be the youngest MacAllister brother. He has the same blue eyes as Miles. He’s about my height, lean and athletic.

“Xander, come meet Merlin,” Rain calls, waving me over.

Three long strides and I’m beside her.

“Hey, man. I can’t believe my sister is dating the Xander González. It’s such a pleasure to meet you,” Merlin says, shaking my hand vigorously.

I chuckle at his enthusiasm, but Rain is not impressed.

“Excuse me?” she says, hands now planted firmly on her hips. “Are you implying that you didn’t think your sister had enough game to land a hot, famous guy like him?”

I cover my mouth to hide the shit-eating grin threatening to give me away.

“I’ll have you know, I have enough game to land any guy I want. It just so happens Xander fits the bill,” she adds, pinning her brother with a playful glare.

I’m trying hard not to intervene. I don’t think he meant anything by it, but I’m still learning how the MacAllister sibling dynamic works. Besides, I’m not dumb enough to interrupt Rain mid-rant.

“Yeah, yeah,” Merlin fires back. “You have so much game, you had to wait for him to show up in Azalea Creek to land him. Okay, yeah. Got it.”

“Ohhhhh, he got you there, Rain,” Miles chimes in, suddenly beside me.

He claps me on the back as we exchange quick hellos.

When I glance back, Rain is trying to tickle Merlin while he expertly dodges her attacks. Everyone’s laughing. Ruin’s cheering her on from across the table, shouting for her to make him pay. It’s chaos—but it’s warm and happy chaos .

Eventually, they call a truce and settle down. Menus get passed around, and I order the double burger with steak fries. Rain gets the fish and chips. Merlin, seated to my left, finishes his order just as the waiter drops off a fresh round of beers.

Before I can ask for water, Rain slides a tall glass of iced water in front of me.

“I asked the waiter to keep a pitcher on the table,” she says casually.

I lean in and press a quick kiss to her temple. “Thanks,” I whisper.

She takes my hand under the table, weaving our fingers together and resting them on her thigh. I love how in sync we are. It wrecks me. She’s just… perfect.

Turning to Merlin, I say, “Rain mentioned you go to Wolff University.”

“Yeah,” he says, nodding. “I’m about to start my senior year.”

“That’s exciting. What’s your major?”

He winces, and I raise an eyebrow. “That bad?”

He chuckles and takes a pull from his beer. “No, no. My major is business administration. It’s fine. The original plan was for me to come back and help River manage the orchard, but lately… I’m not sure that’s what I want anymore.”

I’m surprised he shared, especially since we just met, but I’m likely the only person at this table he feels won’t judge him either way.

“Well, is there anything else you’d rather do?” I ask, genuinely curious.

A blinding smile breaks across his face, and I immediately know whatever comes out of his mouth next is his passion.

“I’m on the school soccer team. I would love to explore that more seriously,” he says, a hint of blush in his cheeks.

“Really? That’s cool, man,” I say, pulling out my phone and typing his name in the search engine.

He notices and glances at my screen, his blush deepening.

A quick scan of his stats tells me everything: top scorer last season, strong assist numbers, good with aerial balls. The kid’s got potential.

“Merlin, your stats are impressive,” I tell him.

He gives a sheepish smile. “Thanks. That means a lot coming from you.”

He pauses, then adds, “I’ve gone to the Lenovo Center a couple of times with friends. And I’ve gotta say, Xander—you’re an absolute beast.”

I bark out a laugh, and Rain eyes me curiously.

“Just something Merlin said,” I say.

She winks at him, then turns back to chat with Ruin on the other side of the table.

“Thanks,” I tell Merlin. “I don’t know if I’m a beast, but I do enjoy being on the ice and giving my best every game.”

Some teammates and fans call me The Beast , but that’s not how I think of myself.

Merlin nods, taking another swig of his drink.

“And if you want my honest, professional opinion…” I trail off, letting the moment hang.

His eyes widen, waiting.

“I think you need to talk to whoever you need to in your family, have a hell of a last season, and enter the Super Draft in the spring.”

He stares at me for a long beat, eyes gleaming. “You really think so?” he asks, his voice low and unsure.

“I do. And I’d love to come watch a game next season,” I say, resting a hand on his shoulder and giving it a firm squeeze.

“Thanks, man. I’ll let you know when the schedule comes out.”

I smile and take a sip of water as I pull my hand back.

“Do you mind if we exchange numbers?” he asks, hesitant again.

“Of course.” I rattle off my number, and he adds it to his phone before sending a quick text. I save his contact.

“I don’t want to sound repetitive,” he says, “but I truly appreciate you talking with me. You and Gio are awesome guys. I’m so happy my sisters found you both.”

Pride and gratitude swell in my chest. Being lumped in with Gio like that? As a kind of brother-in-law? It hits.

“I’m the one who’s thankful I found your sister,” I say.

Merlin glances between Rain and me with a knowing grin. “Yeah. You two are goners.”

It’s true. I’m far gone for my girl. Fully. Completely .

“Maybe I can give you tickets for a game next season,” I offer. “You can bring a girl?”

His smile fades just a touch. “I’d love to go… but there’s no girl.”

Something flickers across his expression. I think about asking, but it feels like a sensitive subject. So I pivot.

“Well, the tickets are yours either way. Just let me know which game, and I’ll hook you up.”

He pats me on the back. “Thanks, man.”

That’s when the food arrives, and the low hum of voices around the table fades as plates are set down and everyone starts eating.

As I bite into my burger, I look around at the laughter, the teasing, the easy comfort of this family—and the woman beside me who chose me .

I came to this town to heal and get back to my career. But I’ll be leaving with more strength than I imagined, with the woman of my dreams at my side.

At least… that’s the plan.