When I met you

Ride

Adam Melchior

The bartender prepares a rum and ginger beer cocktail for me. I had just finished my last game. We had won—that much was obvious. The practices had been killing me, but I enjoyed playing. Even though I could never pursue that career professionally, it had been fun being part of the team for a few days.

Now, however, the official players were back, and even with the coach offering me a great opportunity to join the team, I couldn’t pretend that life could really be mine.

I couldn’t afford to anger my family.

I had to finish my International Relations degree and take over the company.

That was the weight of being who I was, of carrying my last name.

I would never have the privilege of choosing my own destiny because it had been mapped out long before I was born.

No more games.

No more teams.

It was good while it lasted, but that was it.

It was over.

— I thought you were only doing this to pick up women, but you’re actually really good.

Rick leans against the bar with his elbows resting on the counter while his eyes wander across the room in search of girls.

— With proper training, you could even be better than me. — I laugh because for someone with Rick Mackenzie’s ego, that compliment is genuinely sincere. — But if you tell anyone I said that, I’ll deny it until the day I die.

Elliot is dancing with Izabel in the middle of the chaos of players and women wearing daring dresses.

They’re the only two actually paying attention to the music.

Iza rests her head against his chest while he guides her calmly by the waist.

There’s something special about what they have.

The kind of peace that remains steady even in the middle of chaos.

I’ve never had anything like that.

In my life, safe harbors don’t exist.

But it’s nice to see that for some people, they’re real.

— It was good while it lasted. — I take a sip of my drink. — But this life isn’t for me. Besides, I don’t think our friends could handle another football star.

Rick bursts out laughing.

— Well, Leo isn’t exactly a star, so it’d just be you and me.

— I think Elliot would die.

— Oh, definitely. It would completely ruin his bad-boy image.

We grin and spend a little more time enjoying the night, talking nonsense with the guys and drinking a few beers.

Even though everyone else is euphoric, I just want to go home.

It’s not exactly pleasant to have your dream within reach only to watch it slip through your fingers as if it meant nothing.

I say goodbye to everyone except Leo, since I can’t find him.

Not that I care.

I’d see him back at our apartment later.

Then I head toward the parking lot.

I’m so focused on finding my car that I don’t even notice the woman sitting on the curb scrolling through her phone.

My feet stop moving the moment I realize it’s Akermisia.

— Isia? — I say quietly.

She looks up as soon as she hears me, tilting her head slightly before lifting her lashes.

— It’s terrifying how you always appear out of nowhere.

— Believe me, I’m just as surprised whenever I run into you.

I study her carefully.

She looks absolutely incredible.

Knee-high boots.

A black leather jacket.

A fitted low-cut top that makes her dangerously incompatible with any moral principle.

Her light eyes shimmer with an extra spark that immediately warms my blood.

— Are you okay?

— I am. — she replies shortly.

Why does this girl have to be so difficult?

Life would be much easier if she were like every other woman and didn’t bite my head off every time I tried to have a conversation with her.

I narrow my eyes.

— Doesn’t look like it, sweetheart.

She shoots me an irritated look.

Her patience with me seems completely exhausted today.

Then again, that’s hardly anything new.

— I’m annoyed at myself for not bringing my car. And it’s all your Ken-doll prototype friend’s fault. — she snaps. — That i***t stole my best friend, and now I have to wait for the two of them to finish making out before I can leave.

I try to suppress a laugh, but it’s impossible not to smile when Akermisia is angry.

Somehow it makes her even more attractive.

And funnier.

— Mackenzie or Coleman?

— Coleman. — she says before sighing heavily and running a hand through her hair.

— Sorry, sweetheart. They’re going to be a while. Leo has this thing about being attentive, you know… But you hit the jackpot because I’m leaving, and I can give you a ride.

Akermisia almost laughs.

Almost.

Instead, that familiar sarcasm drips from her lips in a sharp, confident tone.

A trait that’s uniquely hers.

— I’d rather die than get into your car. I’d rather wait for an Uber until the end of time, no matter how long it takes.

— Come on. It’s late, and it’s dangerous to sit here waiting, especially with all the drunk people coming out of this bar. Come with me. I’ll take you home. I promise I’ll behave.

Miller studies me carefully, apparently weighing the pros and cons in her mind.

But her desire to leave seems stronger than any argument against it because she rolls her eyes and dismisses every possible objection.

— You really promise?

— Of course. — I offer her my hand to help her up. — You know… you give me very little credit, Isia.

Akermisia accepts my hand and stands.

I take advantage of the moment and pull her slightly closer.

Our hands remain linked.

Her perfume fills my lungs.

She stays silent, releasing a controlled breath.

For a moment, I smile inwardly, convinced I’d finally gotten to her.

Then she laughs.

Actually laughs.

Out loud.

And for some reason, that irritates me.

When she finally stops laughing, she looks at me with a smug smile and leans close enough for her lips to brush near my ear.

— I don’t give you any.

Miller lets go of my hand and walks toward my car parked between two empty spaces.

— Are you going to stand there drooling, or are you going to start the car?

She turns away, and only then do I realize I’m standing in the middle of the parking lot staring at her with enough desire to set my eyes on fire.

Miller does that to me.

She throws me completely off balance.

The power she has over me is both impressive and terrifying.

— I’m starting it. — I laugh, unlocking the car and opening the passenger door for her.

Akermisia rolls her eyes at the cliché gesture.

But she gets in anyway.

A few seconds later, I start the engine and pull out of the parking lot.

— Can we go now? — Kalon says as he gets into the car. His eyes don’t even flick in my direction. He’s focused on his phone, brows furrowed and wearing his usual scowl.

— Good evening to you too, Kalon. And just so you know, this is Akermisia, and you interrupted us.

My brother finally looks up, his jaw tightening when he sees Miller.

— That’s a strange name. — Kalon mutters.

Isia immediately turns her head toward him.

She looks visibly offended and shocked, raising her eyebrows at me as if to make sure that what she’d just heard had actually happened. Taking a sharp breath, she fires back:

— Well, it’s better to have a strange name than to be a rude grouch.

Kalon looks genuinely surprised.

And I remain silent for an entire second.

Because no one had ever spoken to Kalon Melchior like that.

But she had.

Could this girl possibly get any more amazing?

Kalon’s expression hardens.

— If you’re dating my i***t brother, there can’t be much going on inside your head.

On purpose, I slam on the brakes just hard enough to send my brother’s phone flying onto the floor.

In the rearview mirror, I watch him glare at me.

Through that same mirror, I return the look with a smug grin.

Beside me, Isia bites her lip to keep from smiling.

— Adam and I aren’t dating. — Akermisia says, wetting her lips.

Kalon freezes halfway through reaching for his phone.

Slowly, he lifts his head.

— Lucky you. — he replies with a self-satisfied smile.

Fortunately, we’d already reached the building where Kalon was staying.

Something had happened to his driver, and he was carrying too much cash to trust getting into a random car.

— Next time, get one of your people to pick you up. — I shoot back as he slams the door and disappears with his usual selfishness.

Beside me, Akermisia smiles.

— Fine, you win. Your family is definitely more messed up than mine.

A crooked grin spreads across my face.

— I told you, sweetheart.

I start driving again, but before heading back toward the university, I take advantage of her lowered guard and ask:

— Want to make one stop first?

— Adam… — she protests without even blinking.

— It’ll be quick. And fun. I promise.

She looks at me with a mixture of exhaustion and disbelief.

— Fine. But on one condition. After this, you’ll leave me alone.

— Okay. — I nod. — But only if you don’t like it. And no lying. You’ll have to be honest.

— Fine. — She shrugs, far too confident. — You’re not going to impress me, Melchior.

My gaze drops briefly to her lips, and I narrow my eyes slightly.

— That’s what we’ll see, Miller.