Out of Bounds (The Summer Games #2)(108)

“Bryce is managing everything while I’m gone.”

“And your house?”

“Locked up,” he promised.

I wanted to keep asking questions. What about his clothes? Surely he hadn’t packed enough to move across country. Where would he stay? With me and my mom?

Holy shit.

I couldn’t breathe. The more I tried, the harder it was to fill my lungs. I felt trapped.

Erik was coming to Texas. For me. Why did that seem so crazy? Insane even. A man had never moved across a country for me. A man had never done anything close to that for me.

What would happen when he arrived and we got into an argument? What would he do the first time I pissed him off—realize his mistake and hop on the first plane back home to Seattle? Oh god.

“Brie.”

I shook my head, trying to convey to him that I couldn’t hear another word. I was still trying to process the last few minutes and I felt strangely close to having a panic attack.

“I’m going to go back to my condo.”

My voice didn’t sound like my own; it was distant and hollow.

Erik’s brows tugged together. “But I have all your bags here already.”

I pinched my eyes closed and stepped back so his hands were no longer on my shoulders. It felt good to have space between us again.

“I know. I just…There’s a few things I let Lexi borrow and I need to say goodbye to the team.” My voice sounded convincing enough, and he didn’t try to stop me as I walked out into the living room. My bags were sitting at the door as promised and I picked them up on my way out of the condo. I had no clue what I was doing, but I knew I needed to take my stuff with me. I didn’t want Erik to have to worry about my things if…if I…I just wanted my bags with me. That’s all.

Though it was still early, the main sidewalk in the village was already packed with athletes. Everyone was lugging their suitcases and bags behind them, saying goodbye to friends and exchanging long hugs before dipping into waiting cabs. There were shouts and horns and laughter, but I navigated through the crowd with my head down and walked straight back to my condo.

I told myself I wasn’t running away from Erik. I was just going back to the condo to make sure he hadn’t overlooked anything. It seemed like a reasonable thing to do, but every foot I added between Erik and me made my stomach twist a little tighter. He’d gone out of his way to change his flight. He was prepared to change his entire life for me, and I’d just walked out of his condo without so much as a thank you. Was that a mistake? Should I have stayed?

No!

It was ridiculous!

Absolutely insane…

The door to my condo was unlocked and my teammates were inside, bustling around and getting ready to leave. I felt relief the moment I saw them; a part of me had thought I might not see them all again before my flight.

“Brie!” Rosie exclaimed as I dropped my stuff by the door. “I thought you’d already left!”

“Brie’s here?!” Lexi yelled from her room. “Wait. Why is she here?”

I frowned and stepped past the kitchen as Lexi walked out of her room.

“You’re supposed to be with Erik,” she said, eyeing my things by the door and then glancing back to me. “I let him in earlier so he could get your stuff, and last night when you left, I texted him to make sure you were okay.”

Right. Of course. I’d only then realized I’d left them in the middle of the closing ceremonies and had never returned home. I hadn’t thought to let them know I was okay. I’d been too consumed with…well, other things.

“So…why are you here?” she asked, tilting her head in confusion.

“I wanted to say bye to you guys before I left.”

She nodded slowly in disbelief, but then she came close and hugged me all the same. “Oh, well, I’m glad you came back. You missed one hell of a party after the closing ceremonies. Somehow, I ended up with some Korean guy’s underwear.” She pulled back and met my eyes with a knowing grin. “But I’m sure you had some fun of your own.”

“Erik is coming to Texas with me.”

I blurted the words out as if they were a breath I’d been holding for the last thirty minutes.

She nodded with a wide grin. “Duh. I think it’s so romantic.”

I frowned. No. That wasn’t what she was supposed to say.

“Don’t you think that’s crazy?” I rasped. “He’s moving for me. Isn’t this the type of thing adults warn against?”

She took a step back, assessing me with furrowed brows. “It doesn’t matter what I think, Brie, but if you’re asking my opinion, I’d say you’re overthinking it. You’re young, you just won a neck-full of medals, and a great guy wants to get to know you better.”

“He’s leaving everything—his gym, his house, his life. That’s insane!”

Her brows furrowed. “No, it’s not. Think about what he has the chance to get in return. He loves you. He wants to be with you. Besides, he has family in Texas, right? It makes sense that he would want to go back with you.”

Why was no one understanding it? Why could no one see the panic in my eyes? I needed someone on my side.

“But don’t you see how terrible it will be? He and I fight all the time. It’s a recipe for disaster.”