Page 85 of Come Back to Me

I change the subject. “It’s refreshing seeing you two argue.It’s usually you observing Xander and I fighting with each other.”

“No, it’s usually me trying to break you guys up from hitting each other.”

“You make it sound like we fight all the time. That, my friend, is not the truth. That is a lie.”

“I beg to differ,” Noah says.

“So, breakfast…?” I smile wide, showing off my teeth.

Xander points his index finger at Noah. “See, you brought all this crap up, and now we forgot why we originally came in here.”

“I’m telling you right now, Alexander Torres, all you’re going to have for breakfast is toast if you keep this shit up.”

Xander shrugs his shoulders. “Oh, what a shame that would be.”

“Xander!” Noah’s voice gets deeper.

Xander disappears into the kitchen, leaving Noah and I alone.

“Did he drink soda this morning?” I ask.

“Probably. Don’t ask me what he ate for dessert after dinner last night.”

“I’m not. I seriously don’t want to know. Man, if I could eat all that and burn all those calories, I’d be eating candy and ice cream every day.”

“You and me both.”

I change the subject. “Do you think I should’ve gone to Pinecrest University instead of SCU?”

Noah blinks his eyes a couple of times. “It doesn’t matter what I think. I remember when we toured both campuses. You didn’t look like you were comfortable at Pinecrest. It was obvious to me that you didn’t feel like you belonged there. Although, I do remember you hitting it off with the captain of their basketball team. Here, on the other hand, your shoulders relaxed and you could breathe. Why are you asking me this?”

“When I tried out for the Stingrays back in my freshman year, I remember Coach Taylor telling me he was surprised that I didn’t end up at Pinecrest.” I walk out of my room with Noah following suit.

“Well, I think Coach has realized he’s incredibly lucky to have you on his team.” He sits down on one of the chairs at the kitchen table with a plate of eggs, bacon, and toast staring at him.

Xander started chowing down on his breakfast without us.

I sit down on the chair that has a view of our concrete wall. “There’s something else. When I was cooking with your mom a few years back, she told me how I could’ve gone to culinary school.”

“She’s not wrong. You’ve had this gift for cooking since we were kids. You could’ve flourished in culinary school, but basketball is your first love. Cooking is your second.”

“Violetis my first love,” I correct him.

Why did I just say that?

And the room becomes consumed with chewing sounds and a touch of silence.

“I’m curious. Why didn’t you go to Pinecrest or culinary school?” Xander asks as he finishes swallowing a piece of toast.

“I didn’t go to Pinecrest because I wanted the flexibility of having classes that weren’t all centered around my sport.” I shove a forkful of eggs into my mouth. “As for culinary school, I never saw it as a possibility, nor did I believe it was the right path for me. I have dreams of making it into the NBA. I don’t have dreams of opening my own restaurant.”

“So, if the opportunity came to you with owning your own restaurant, you wouldn’t go for it?” Xander presses me.

“I don’t see that in the cards for me, but life has a way of taking us down paths we don’t expect. That’s why I’m not saying it could never happen.”

“You’re a double threat, bro. You can play basketball andcook a great meal. That’s rare. I know Noah said that basketball is your first love, but don’t leave your love for cooking behind.” Xander bites off a piece of crispy bacon.

“I appreciate the concern, and I promise cooking is not something I will push completely to the side. It’s how I decompress after basketball practices and games.”