Cooking With The QB ✔️

T W E N T Y E I G H T - "Let me help you."

His presence immediately consumes me, my nerves lighting up in anticipation. My hands long to touch him and my mouth longs to speak to him.

He stands with his hands in his pockets. Wearing blue jeans and a plain white t-shirt, it seems as though he planned his outfit to specifically kill me. His eyes look almost as tired as mine and his mouth is in a frown.

Rob and Axel's murmurs stop as soon as I open the door. They both look up at me, Axel immediately straightening up his posture.

His eyes take me in from the top to the bottom, my cheeks light up scarlet as I remember my hideous appearance.

Not being able to stand his gaze, or the painful ache in my heart, I clear my throat and let out a small smile. "Hey."

"Sorry, I was just leaving." He immediately apologises.

I suck in a breath at his voice. Hoarse and deep, it sounds as though he's been crying.

His apology makes me want to cry.

Of course, the one time his cockiness disappears, is the one time I don't want it to.

"It's fine, I'm just going to head for the shower." I mumble, willing my voice not to crack.

My tears threaten to make themselves known as Axel nods at Rob before brushing past me and going out the door.

His smell hits me like a bullet, bringing back memories of cooking, hugging and laughing together.

All the times I would hug him and bury my face in his neck, inhaling that scent and now it's just washing past me as I let him go.

I let him go.

Watching his drool-worthy body retreat down the corridor, a tsunami of intense sadness hits me.

Tears drop down my face, slow and unsure like my feelings.

Arms delicately engulf my form, Rob giving me a soul-soothing hug.

"We seriously need to sort this out." He whispers as he strokes the top of my head.

"I don't want to load it all on you. You're already helping Axel."

"Let me help you."

••••

Two hours, a box of tissues and lots of tears later, I feel a lot lighter.

After talking things through with Rob, I realise that I have been pushing him away.

Pushing away the man I love.

I didn't tell Rob that, I initially thought Axel should be the first one to hear it.

But now, I don't know if he'll ever hear that I love him.

Because even though I was pushing away feelings, he was the one with the girl on his lap.

Something I can't forgive him easily for, if not at all.

He needs to work for it.

With determination flowing through my veins, an unknown feeling in the past few weeks, I head to my closet to pull out my skinniest jeans.