What I Never Knew I Deserved

Chapter 3

Before we knew it, we were landing in Iowa and Colby and I headed for his house in Davenport.

When we got there, there was a black Ford F150 sitting in the driveway with a blood red Camaro on the right side of the truck. 

Colby and I headed inside and he put my suitcase down in the guest room and showed me around his house. It was exactly how I expected it. 3 bedrooms, a decent living room, and a garage (You can look up pictures of his real life house! It was on the WWE Network special they did after he had knee surgery in 2015). 

After he showed me around, I sat down on the couch and he sat down on my left side. "It's not much, but it's home. I know it's way smaller than what you're used to", he chuckled. "It's beautiful, actually. It's exactly how I expected it to be", I said. "What do you mean?". He looked over at me confused and propped his head up on the back of his couch with his right arm. "It's simple. Nothing extravagant. It's... You", I said. He smiled and looked down and looked back up at me. "I'm sorry I have to leave tomorrow", he said. "I'll be alright", I said as I smiled. "My truck keys are in the kitchen drawer to the right of the stove.. Please, take it if you need to go anywhere. I have an extra house key on there too", he said.

Later that night, we had dinner and watched reruns of Friends and I decided to go to bed. "Goodnight, Cole" "Goodnight, Mads". I smiled at him and stopped at the end of the hallway. "Thanks again for this, Colby.. It means a lot", I said. He smiled back at me and I couldn't help but smile. "No problem, Mads".

The next morning, I woke up and checked the time. 9:45 AM. I got up and slid on my slippers and silk robe and walked down the hallway, through the living room, and into the kitchen. When I got in the kitchen, I saw a piece of notebook paper on the counter. I picked it up and it said 'Hey Mads! I left around 6 this morning. I'll call when I land and check on ya! Hit start on the coffee pot.. I may have already set it for you. Mugs are above the microwave'.

I smiled and put the note down and opened the cabinet and pulled out a mug. After starting the coffee, I put some toast in the toaster and turned on the TV. 

When I finished eating, I poured another cup of coffee and sat back down on the couch. Just as I was grabbing for the remote, my phone rang with a FaceTime call from Colby. "Hey, Cole!" "Hey. I just got to my hotel room. You finding everything OK?" "Yeah. Thank You so much for this.. I really mean it" "You're my best friend, Mads. I'd do anything for you, you know that. I just wish we could've stayed in touch after you left NXT". I smiled and said I agreed. "Anyway, I should be back after next week, so you won't be alone" "Oh, it's fine. I'm doing great!", I said. Colby started telling me where all of the local coffee shops and cafe's are and I had a thought. "Hold on a minute", I said. He stopped talking and looked at me confused. "I... I don't have any clothes.. Or anything else that I own.. It's all in LA at mine and Brock's house... Well... Brock's house, now", I said. "I can have someone go get it for you", he said. "Colby, that's not necessary.. I can call my dad" "Don't worry about it, okay? I just need to make a few calls. There's a storage building a few blocks from my house, so you can keep it there until you can move into your own place", he said and I smiled. "Thanks, Colby", I said.

After I hung up, I decided on taking a bath. This was gonna be a long 6 weeks. I'm not used to not working.

Before I knew it, the 2 weeks were up and Colby was coming back to Davenport. I was still in my pajamas (pink joggers and a black cropped loose tank top) and my hair in a messy bun when I heard Colby's cab pull up. It was 10 AM and I had just gotten up about half an hour ago and I had just poured my second cup of coffee when he came walking through the door.

I walked into the living room from the kitchen and smiled at him as he put his suitcases and dufflebag on the couch. He walked into the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee and looked over at me. "Plan on getting dressed today?", he asked as he smirked. "I was... But now that you said something, I'm not", I joked back. We sat down on the couch and I pulled my feet underneath me and looked over at him. "How are you feeling?", he asked. "Better. I can move around better than I was" "I'm glad. It's weird getting PT without you there", he said as he looked down at his coffee mug shyly. 

About a week later, Renee was visiting and we went shopping. We were both wearing leggings and hoodies with sneakers and I had a messy bun and her hair was down, as usual. 

I was trying on a pair of boot cut jeans when Renee started talking. "So, what's going on with you and Colby?", she asked. "What do you mean?", I asked when I came out of the dressing room with the jeans on. "That's exactly what I mean.. Are you two having an affair?", she asked. My jaw dropped and I turned around. "Why would you ask that?" "It's just.. You guys have been spending A LOT of time together and I was just wondering, okay? Don't be mad", she said. "I'm not mad, it's just... Why can't a man and a woman just be friends without sleeping together?", I asked. "You're right. I'm sorry", she said. 

We finished shopping and went back to Colby's and hit the internet for apartments in the town my parents live and in Tampa and we finally found the perfect one that's about a 30 minute drive from my parents' house.

I quickly made an appointment to go look and I packed my bags. Colby's fiance would be home in a few weeks and I needed to be out of here before then because we DO NOT get along.

A few days later, I packed my suitcase and Colby drove me to the airport. After he dropped me off, I quickly boarded my flight and headed for Connecticut. 

When I landed, I headed for the apartment to meet the apartment manager. She took me inside and I instantly fell in love with it. It was the same layout as Ross' on Season 1 of Friends. It was the perfect size for me. I immediately filled out an application and headed to the hotel. I showered and put on a pair of joggers and an old Ultimate Warrior T-Shirt and sat on the bed with my Chinese takeout and turned on the TV.

I was watching an episode of Grey's Anatomy when there was a knock at the door. I cautiously looked through the peephole and got confused when I saw Colby. I held my box of orange chicken in my right hand as I opened the door. "Hey!", he said. "Can I come in?". I moved to the side and he walked in. "What are you doing here?", I asked as I chuckled. "You said you applied for that apartment and since I have no doubt that you'll get it.. I have a surprise for you" "What?", I asked. He held up a key on a key ring and I looked at him confused. "What is that?" "It's the key to your storage unit a few blocks from the apartment. Perfect distance to move your stuff", he said. I smiled and walked over to him and wrapped my arms around his neck in a hug. "Thank You so much", I said. "No problem", he said. I pulled back and looked at him and he looked from my eyes and down to my lips and back up to my eyes. I let go and cleared my throat and took the key from him. "You really didn't have to do this", I said. "What else are friends for? Jon and Renee are finishing unloading the moving truck as we speak. I smiled widely at what he was saying. I really do have the best friends.

After Colby left, I went back to watching TV and thought about what had just happened. Would he have kissed me if I wouldn't have let go? 

Before I knew it, I was waking up to my phone ringing. I looked at the alarm clock and it read 8:30 AM. I sat up and picked up my phone and answered it. "Hello, Ms.McMahon, how are you doing this morning?". I immediately knew it was the apartment manager. "I'm doing great, how are you?" "I'm doing great, thanks for asking. I'm calling to inform you that you've got the apartment. You're free to move in the first of the month".

After we got done talking, I texted Joe, Renee, Jon, Colby, and Stephanie and told them all that I got the apartment. I couldn't wait to move in!