Tyson shrugged a shoulder. "Then whatever else she needs from us, we'll help out. She shouldn't have to close her doors because one slip cost you guys the win. She's really sweet."
"We don't know that Ash and I would have won. Dion's cake looked great. So did yours."
"Yeah, but the judges said that both of our cakes had minor flaws. I snagged a scrap of the discarded bits of cake from your station. Even with my, to quote Blackstone, unsophisticated palate, yours tasted better than ours."
Anger burned through him at the way the rival baker had hurt not only Ashley but also his friend. "He is a dick. I want to beat him more than I wanted us to win on Monday Night Football last season. So what do I do? Sit here and figure out how to save her business?"
"Why not?" The quarterback settled onto his chair. "Even if we don't do that, we'll keep you company, so you don't do anything stupid like call her tonight."
"She might need me."
Everson held out a hand, as though to stop Xavier from rising. "She looked pretty upset. I think she wants and needs space to process what happened. Just like you do after we lose a game."
"But I want to be there for her." He dropped his head into his hands. Massaging his temples didn't ease the tension tightening into a band behind his eyes. "I love her."
"You fell in love in under two months?"
Xavier raised his head but didn't have the energy to feel defensive at the doubt dripping from Tyson's tone. "It happened that fast for my parents, man. So yeah, I'm not doubting what I'm feeling."
Ryan smiled and leaned into Everson. "It happened pretty fast for us too. When you know, you know."
Tyson accepted that with a nod. "Well, if she's going to become part of the Frenzy family, then we really need to figure out how to help her."
Xavier leaned against the window. The world seemed bleak and gray and devoid of happiness. "I don't know that she'll be a part of it. She basically told me that we're over."
He'd never met anyone quite like Ashley, so gentle and generous and giving. He'd spent so long on his own, she was like the sun shining, breaking through his walls. He didn't want to lose that.
He didn't want to lose her.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Xavier bade the real estate agent goodbye and crossed another building off the list of possibilities. They hadn't been searching long, but discouragement was beginning to set in.
Respecting Ashley's request for space, he hadn't even driven by the bakery in the week since the competition. But thanks to a phone call from Katie, he knew that he didn't have a lot of time. Bliss was definitely closing for good, and Ashley's future seemed up in the air.
The clock was ticking and he was almost out of plays.
Beside him, Shane, his willing accomplice in the search, pulled up the real estate app. "There are a few new listings. Two are a little outside your budget."
He'd still be paying the bulk of the purchase himself, but having the fifty grand from his teammates would help a lot. "Let's add them to the list."
"Don't worry. We'll find something." Shane clapped him on the back. His gaze narrowed and his features tightened as he peered down the street. Xavier turned toward the source of Shane's displeasure.
Mario walked toward them with a tall woman. She smiled and went past them, and typed a code onto the door's lock box to obtain the key. "I'll meet you inside."
Mario's brows drew together. "What are you guys doing here?"
Discomfort itched between Xavier's shoulders. "We were looking at the space."
"Why?"
Shane shifted a step in front of Xavier. "It's not any of your business."
"No, but I can guess well enough. I thought you weren't helping people out anymore, Xavier. Unless that just applied to me."
The growl that came out of Shane was warning that if Mario kept talking, he'd end up having a conversation with Shane's fist. "You piece of—"
"Enough." Xavier clamped his hand on Shane's shoulder. "Mario, you know... You could be grateful that I helped you out before. Why can't that be enough?"
Cheeks red, Mario shoved his hands into his pockets and looked away.
Xavier moved until he stood in front of Shane. "I'm not done. You've treated me like shit since I said I wouldn't fund your new idea. You told me how well you're doing, so you don't actually need my help. But someone else does, and it's someone I can see myself having a future with."
"It's the baker you were in the competition with, isn't it?"
"Actually, yeah. Before you make some snide comment about how she's only after my money, she's not. Not a chance. She's the most genuine person I've ever met."
Mario rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. "That wasn't what I was going to say. I was going to say that she seemed really nice. I overhead a lot of her conversation with your brothers at the 5k, and I saw the way you two looked at each other during the competition. I hope you'll be happy together. You deserve someone amazing."
He gaped at the man. Unexpected, to say the least. "Oh."
Mario shuffled forward a step and sent a wary look at Shane. Then he turned to Xavier, shoulders curled in and eyes full of sorrow. "I apologize for my behavior. Having your help would have made the second location happen without any worry at all on my part, and that wasn't right. I shouldn't have put you in that position. I shouldn't have asked in the first place. And I shouldn't have acted the way I did afterward."
It was time to put the past behind him. He missed his friend. Xavier extended his hand. "Apology accepted."
Mario returned the shake, enclosing Xavier's hand in both of his. "I know it'll take a
