Paris with Love and Gold Medals

Chapter Three

AS RYAN WALKED BACK to his room in the Olympic village, he felt a smile creeping onto his face, one that he couldn't quite suppress. He shook his head at himself, laughing silently at how ridiculous he must look, grinning like a fool as he replayed his conversation with Elena in his mind. It had been so long since he felt this way-caught off guard by someone, in a good way, that he almost didn't recognize the feeling.

He hadn't exactly planned for this. In fact, he hadn't planned for any distractions at all. His life had been all around the pool, about perfecting his strokes, his starts, his turns. Love, relationships, they'd all been pushed to the backburner-sacrifices he was willing to make for the chance to stand on that podium. But now, as he walked through the bustling Olympic village, surrounded by athletes from all over the world, his thoughts were somewhere else entirely. Or rather, on someone else.

Ryan wasn't used to this feeling, this flutter of excitement mixed with uncertainty. It had been a while since his last relationship, and he'd nearly forgotten how it felt to really like someone. Training had consumed him, taking up every spare moment of his life, leaving little room for anything else. It wasn't that he didn't want to meet someone, but the timing had never felt right-until now.

"Get a grip, Ryan," he muttered to himself, running a hand through his hair as he approached his building. He couldn't help but feel a little silly. He was at the Olympics, for crying out loud, the pinnacle of his career, and here he was, daydreaming like some lovesick teenager.

But the truth was, Elena was different. There was something about her that made him feel... alive in a way that he hadn't in a long time. Maybe it was her passion, her drive, or the way she talked about volleyball with the same fire that he felt for swimming. Or maybe it was just her-the way she smiled, the way her eyes lit up when she spoke. He wasn't sure, but whatever it was, it had a hold on him, and he wasn't sure he wanted to shake it off.

As he reached his room, Ryan leaned against the door for a moment before opening it and taking a deep breath. He knew he needed to focus, to keep his head in the game. The swimming events were coming up fast, and this wasn't what he'd worked his entire life for. But even as he told himself that, he knew it wasn't that simple. He was a swimmer, yes, but he was also a guy who had just met someone who had completely thrown him off balance, in the best possible way.

He pushed the door open and stepped inside, the cool air of the room washing over him. Dropping his bag by the bed, he flopped down onto the mattress, staring up at the ceiling. His mind drifted back to the way Elena smiled at him, the way her eyes sparkled when she talked about her team's journey to the Olympics. He could still hear her voice in his head, still see the way she looked at him when he told her he'd be watching her game.

And just like that, the smile was back on his face. Ryan let out a small laugh, shaking his head. "Alright, Ryan," he murmured, closing his eyes for a moment, letting the day's events wash over him. "You've got a race to win, but maybe... just maybe, there's more to look forward to than just the pool."

With that thought lingering in his mind, he knew he was in for one hell of a ride. The room was quiet, the only sound the distant hum of the village outside, but his mind was anything but silent. His thoughts kept on drifting back to Elena-her smile, her laugh, the way she'd looked at him when they talked. There was something about her that he couldn't quite shake off, and it was driving him a little crazy.

Without thinking, he grabbed his phone from the nightstand and opened up his browser. He hesitated for a moment, thumb hovering over the keyboard. What was he even going to search? He hadn't even thought to ask her full name. Rookie mistake, he thought with a small smirk. But he wasn't about to let that stop him. He typed in "Elena Philippines Olympics" and hit search, hoping for the best.