I can't .

~9~

POV Charles:

I watch her as she settles onto the couch, taking in her outfit. She looks elegant, a bit more polished than I expected for a simple conversation.

"You look fancy tonight," the words slip out before I can stop them.

She gives a small, slightly awkward smile. "Sorry, I went out to dinner with my dad. That's why I'm dressed like this."

I nod, deciding not to press the issue further. "So, you wanted to talk about Carlos?"

She nods, her expression a mix of curiosity and concern. "Tell me everything I need to know about him."

I pause for a moment, trying to think of the best place to begin.

"Well, Carlos is a huge fan of golf, and he's really into family. But he can get jealous easily, as you've probably noticed."

She nods again, and I catch the hint of disappointment in her eyes.

"Carlos is a great person, always there to listen and help when he can. But don't take advantage of that."

She looks at me, waiting for more. "Why is he the way he is now?"

I exhale slowly, trying to put my thoughts into words. "I think it's because of his last relationship. He's not fully over it, and it's affecting how he opens up to people. He really likes you, but I think he's scared of his own feelings."

There's a quiet pause as she absorbs what I've said. "I can't believe someone would do that to him. Carlos just seems like the most loving man on earth to me."

"He is," I reply. "But he needs time. You've got to give him space and build his trust."

She stands up, looking thoughtful. "Thanks, Charles."

I stand too, offering a quick, slightly awkward hug. "Anytime."

She pulls back and heads toward the door, walking back to her room with a soft sigh. I watch her go, hoping she's heard what she needed to.

POV Lewis:

After a strange evening with Toto, I quickly retreat to my bed, trying not to dwell on everything he said about y/n. I can't help but feel like he misunderstood her completely. It's clear he doesn't want to see her with Carlos, but pushing me to date her feels like a step too far. Not that I wouldn't want to, but I know y/n doesn't see me the way I see her. I turn over in bed, unsure of what to make of the situation. Maybe George has some insight into what I should do. We're training tomorrow, so I figure I'll bring it up with him before Toto starts asking him to pretend like he's interested in her.

The next day, as we're warming up, George notices my distracted demeanor.

"Lewis, you don't seem all here today."

I snap out of my thoughts. "Sorry, I really need to talk to you about something."

George raises an eyebrow, waiting for me to continue.

"I ran into y/n and Toto yesterday in the elevator. Toto asked if I wanted to join them for a drink, so I did. y/n left early because she was tired—they'd already had dinner. So, I stayed behind with him."

"And then?"

"Toto told me he wants me to start dating her—so her mind would be off Carlos. But... she's my best friend. I can't just put our friendship at risk. The thing is, I'm worried that if I refuse, he's going to ask you to do it instead."

George bursts into laughter.

"Come on, he wouldn't ask me. I mean, I really like y/n, but I could never date her."