“She seems different since I came back.  I don’t know what the change is but I like it.”  I turn around facing him.  I can’t tell him not to talk about my mom like that; he lived that night with me.

“Probably some man again, should last about a month huh?”

“Let’s agree not to talk about her right now.”

“Will you cancel on her?”

“But I have Ian there too.”

“Perfect your mom can spend a night with a man she can’t have.  As much I would love to see that, I want to spend it with you that much more.”  He starts to stand up walking towards me.  “Come on Maddy.  I know you will give this place the touch I want.”

I bite my lip contemplating what to do. “Ok, but I have to be home no later than nine o’clock tonight, got it?”

“Got it.”

“No hand holding, no hugging, and no kissing.”

“Promise.”  He puts his hands in front of him then puts them behind his back as though they will stay there.

“Alright.”  I say begrudgingly.

“What are we waiting for then?  Let’s go.”  He starts to walk out of the room but I don’t follow.  He turns around at the doorway a look of disappointment in his eyes.  He thinks I changed my mind.

“We have to measure before we go out.  Since you kidnapped me.  I need a tape measure and pad of paper.”  I stand there knowing he doesn’t have that in his condo but to my surprise he doesn’t flinch walking over to his dresser.

I gasp when he opens up the bottom drawer.  It is filled with all my things I must have left in his apartment back in New York.  My pajamas are on one side laundered and folded.  A couple of my interior design magazines, my idea book for his place in New York, along with pencils, note pads and a few tape measures.  My ponytail holders, nail polish and a small bottle of perfume lay in the drawer.

“I couldn’t get rid of these things but didn’t want to give them back with the hope you would come looking for them.”  Trent sheepishly looks up at me.

“Gosh.  I don’t even know what to say.”  I bend down digging through my things not mentioning I have a box of my own.  “I grab a tape measure and a pad I had.  Let’s get started.” I quickly shut the drawer from my past.

We go from room to room measure windows and floors.  I try to figure out measurements for couches, chairs and tables; beds and dressers for the bedroom.  The tape measure springs back to Trent making him drop it in the living room and we both start laughing.  I forgot how easy he makes me laugh.  Once we had all our stuff, we head out to Michigan Avenue.

After five stores and three arguments later Trent finally agrees with me on a couch.  He wants to make sure he can sink into it and I am set more about color and texture.  We compromise on a nice steel colored deep-set couch with a couple fabric decorated chairs.  Once we are done with the couch Trent didn’t really have any input except when it came to the beds.

I am able to talk him into going to a mattress store and he convinced me to lay with him on each one.  We giggle our way through the stiff as a board beds to the sink hole beds.  Trent never crosses the line until he has to pull me out of a bed with both his hands and when he brings me up there is so much force I end up in his arms.

“Sorry” I step back.

“Don’t ever be sorry for running into me.  I quite enjoyed it.”  He winks that crystal blue eye at me.

With most of the furniture taken care of it was getting late and I knew I didn’t want to furnish the rest of his place with items you can find from a furniture place, I wanted to go to flea markets and antique stores to fill his condo with unique items that suited him.  I wanted to put up pictures of his family he loved so much and frame his soccer achievements.  Those things would take time, time I didn’t know if I would ever get to or wanted to.

“You hungry?”  He asks me.

“Starving actually.”  I admit putting my hand over my stomach.

“I have just the place.”  He takes my hand leading me out of the store and I don’t pull away.  Noticing I don’t take my hand back he glances back with a smile on his face.

“It better be casual, look at me.”  I remark.

“You look gorgeous like always.”  He says without looking back at me.

“You’ve always been a sweet talker Trent Basso.”  I laugh.

“Did you say Trent Basso?”  A dark haired guy stops us in the street.

Oh great here we go again.

“Oh shit man, I am a huge fan.  I have followed you since college.”  The guy remarks hitting the blond guy next to him in disbelief.

“Thanks, that means a lot to me.”  Trent puts his other hand out to shake the guys hand but keeps my hand firmly in his.

“I can’t believe you are playing for Chicago, how we got you I have no idea.”  The blonde chimes in now.

Pretty soon I will be pushed aside while he chats with strangers.

“It’s great to be with Chicago, I love the city.”  Trent has been well coached at what to say to fans.

“How come you aren’t in Europe?”  The dark guy asks.  Now that they mention it he should be playing in Europe right now.

“A great buddy of mine is getting married.  Listen guys, I would love to chat but my girl here is hungry.”  He squeezes my hand.  Both guys look me up and down giving me an uneasy feeling.

“Sure thing man” the blonde smirks like he doesn’t want to be responsible for the all mighty Trent Basso not to get laid.

“Hope to see you at some games.”  Trent shakes both their hands and we turn the other direction.

“Sorry about that Maddy.  It’s been nice here so far, not a lot of people recognize me yet.”  He truly looks remorseful that he got recognized.

“It’s ok.  None of my business anymore.”  I exclaim.  His eyes move over to me from the corner of his eyes and I see that disappointment again.

Five minutes later he walks me into a diner where we gorge ourselves on malts, burgers and fries.  I know I shouldn’t since I have a dress to get into at the end of the week but it feels like old times.  When Trent would finish a game we always either went out for greasy food or ordered in enormous amounts until we couldn’t eat one more bite.  We would lie around watching movies.  Even though I didn’t deserve to take a day of leisure like he did, those were some of our best times together.

We joked about Mackenna giving birth and how Bryan would probably drive to the hospital without her.  Who their baby would favor and if he/she would have Kenna’s wild side or Bryan’s sarcasm.  It surprised me how it seemed like nothing changed.  Like the last year never happened.  That we were still the perfect couple people thought we were.

Once we finished dinner, we walked back to his condo for him to take me home.  Trent drove me home that night.  Even though he held my hand the whole way back he didn’t try to kiss me goodbye.

“Thank you Maddy.”  Trent says as I open the door.

“You’re welcome.  I had a lot of fun.”  I confess.

“I’m glad.”  He smiles.

“Good night Trent.”  I say with one leg out of the car.

“Hey Mad.”  He stops me.  I turn around.  “I won’t be at Great Adventures tomorrow, I have something I have to do for the team.  Can I take you to dinner tomorrow?”

“I don’t know Trent.”  Today had been great but it was nice getting to a place where we could be together in one room.

“Please Maddy, there is something I have to tell you.”  He pleads with me.

“Ok Trent but a late dinner, eight ok?”  I ask.  I know we would be out late at Great Adventures and I need to spend some time with my mom.

“Sure, I will pick you up at eight tomorrow night.”  He says.

My house is dark so I assume Ian and my mom are already sleeping so I crawl up to my room laying on my bed until I eventually fell asleep.

Chapter 11 – 18 years old Senior Prom

Trent and the rest of the soccer team won the State Championship and that night Trent asked me to date him again.  He had taken me out on the porch at Gabe’s house telling me how stupid he was letting me go last summer and that he wanted his Lucy back.  I knew it had something to do with me going out with Gabe the night before but I couldn’t resist him.  I had high hopes we could make it work this time around.