27. Dia

TWENTY-SEVEN

I putmy back against the side of the armchair, digging my feet into the floor as I push. It takes a few seconds because Dalton has the heaviest furniture that's ever been built, but it eventually starts sliding over the wall-to-wall textured carpet.I keep my momentum until I've reached the opposite side of the room, where I reposition the chair to face the television that hangs on the wall. I turn up the volume on my headphones as I grab the vacuum, flicking it on before cleaning the blank space where I plan to move the couch.

Bella's debut album plays in my ears, and I move my body to the beat as I vacuum. When I'm done, I turn it off and push it out of the way. I take a moment to stare at the couch, wondering how in the fuck I'm going to get it where I want it. I almost popped a blood vessel in my eye just moving the chair, and it's less than half the size.

But I am a strong, independent woman who has had three cups of coffee this morning. I can do this.

I randomly decided an hour ago that I wanted to rearrange the living room. Dalton is at the Blizzard practice facility, no doubt to grill Tanner for information on where he's been lately, but I don't think he'll mind me giving the space a fresh look.

I walk over to the couch, shaking out my arms in preparation. Like that'll make a difference. At first, I try the same tactic that worked on the chair. I bend at my knees, bracing my back against the arm before I push with all my might. It doesn't budge an inch. Changing my plan, I try a shoulder, but my feet just slide back on the carpet as I surge forward.

It's fine. No biggie. Let's move on to Plan C.

I walk to the other end, gripping the arm with both hands and yanking backward. The couch moves just a few inches, but that spurs me on as a throw my weight back, over and over, shuffling my feet with each movement of the heavy piece of furniture.

I'm lost in my determination as I feel a hand touch my shoulder, making me jump. I yank off my headphones, smiling sweetly at Dalton, who's looking at me like I'm crazy.

"What are you doing?" he says. He sounds angry, and I think maybe I've overstepped. This is his apartment, after all. I'm just a guest. Josh would always get so mad at me when I would move things in his apartment, even if I was only trying to help by tidying up. It's like he was hiding something. Maybe he was.

I cower slightly. "I'm sorry," I say. "I just had a lot of energy and thought you might like a change of scenery. I can put it ba?—"

"Dia," he says. "We can put the couch in the bathroom if that's where you want it. I don't give a fuck about that. But that thing weighs like, three-hundred pounds. Let me help you. I don't want you getting hurt."

"Oh," I say, quickly remembering how different he is than my ex. "Okay."

"Come here," he says, pulling me into his arms and kissing the top of my head. "You have the zoomies, baby?"

"Mhmm," I mumble into his warm chest. The sound of his heartbeat against my ear calms me a little. "How can you tell?"

He huffs a laugh. "Well, you're rearranging the living room by yourself, and you smell like a coffee factory. That kinda tipped me off."

I giggle as he lifts me from the floor, tossing me onto the soft cushions. I land with a bounce as he leans down, pressing a chaste kiss to my lips. "Where do you want it?"

"On that wall," I say, pointing across the room. I lay back as he picks up one end like it weighs nothing, dragging the couch along the carpet with me on it until it's in the perfect spot. He reaches down, picking out one of the cashmere throw blankets from the basket behind him and covering me up.

"Stay right here, baby. I'll go grab you a yogurt and some water." I look at him adoringly as he leaves the room, heading to the kitchen. I'm pretty sure if he looked at me, I'd strongly resemble the heart-eyes emoji, but I don't care. I'm growing pretty fond of the way he cares for me.

It wasn't long ago that I was completely unable to accept anything from him. But he kept trying; giving me space when I needed it, but never backing away completely. I'm sure there were times when his frustration almost won, and I wouldn't have blamed him. But he never showed it. I'll never be able to fully express to Dalton the way that he's changed my life. Even though I do still fear abandonment, I also have a better idea of what I'm worth. I will no longer fall at my parents' feet every time they show me an ounce of attention. I'll try harder to put myself out there and make more friends. And, most importantly, I'll try to stop blaming myself for the way people have treated me in the past. Because that's what I deserve most of all.

He comes back into the room with a cup of yogurt and a bottle of water. He hands them both to me before lifting my legs and sitting down, placing my feet in his lap. I eat and drink while he mindlessly massages my calves, making my toes curl when he hits all the right spots.

"You were training all morning. Shouldn't I be rubbing your muscles?" I joke.

He wiggles his eyebrows. "Oh, I have a muscle you can rub." He winks like an asshole, and I roll my eyes.

"You really are a douchebag."

He continues rubbing my legs and feet as I finish my yogurt, telling me how Tanner was acting broodier than usual today. They all want to ask him what's going on, but they already know he won't answer. The Blizzard quarterback is charming, but definitely the quietest of the bunch. He's so private with his personal life, there isn't a single photo of him out with a woman since he was drafted five years ago. I did some sleuthing because I'm a nosey bitch, but I couldn't find anything from before then, either. The only girl I've ever seen him in a photo with was a candid from his last year in college, but the caption said that she was his best friend's sister. Other than that, he's done a phenomenal job hiding his relationships from the public, if he's even had any.

I put my empty cup and bottle on the coffee table as Dalton lays behind me, wrapping a heavy arm around my waist. We put on an old John Hughes movie, but it doesn't last long before we both doze off, wasting the rest of the day away, cuddled up next to each other.