Four Years Later (One Week Girlfriend #4)(37)
Author: Monica Murphy

“Taking a nap. I have a sitter coming later. I’m going to Drew’s game tonight.”

“Wish I could go,” I say, like always missing my sister. And Drew. Even the baby, because I bet she’s changed a ton since the last time I got to hold her. Thank God Fable always sends me pictures. Probably too many, considering all the ones I have on my phone and the baby isn’t even six months old yet, but I enjoy every single one she sends my way.

“You should! What do you have going on tonight? Are you working?”

“I’m not, actually.” The drive to San Francisco would be almost four hours. Considering it’s barely nine o’clock—damn, my sister’s mean, calling so early on a Sunday—I could be there in plenty of time.

But do I want to make the drive? This is my one day off. The rest of the week is packed. What with school, practice, work, and Chelsea, I can hardly keep my schedule straight.

I think of Chelsea again and smile. It’s been a week since the night I took her up the Skyway and kissed her on the roof of my car. We’ve seen each other a couple of times since, though never long enough for my liking. And we sort of ruined last Wednesday’s tutoring lesson. More like it turned into me teaching Chelsea the art of slow, hour-long kisses.

She’d been so worried about getting caught, which only made it that much more intense, that much more exciting. I sat on a table, my legs spread, Chelsea standing in between them, her hands in my hair, our mouths fused. Kissing, whispering, her trying to pull out of my arms only for me to drag her back in.

Fuck, it had been hot. Knowing I couldn’t do anything with her beyond kissing. As if I’d get her naked on campus. I want her, but I’m not that stupid.

Besides, I really am still working on my portfolio and need to keep up with my English assignments. Though truthfully, I hardly need Chelsea for any of that anymore. Not that we’ve cancelled our arrangement yet.

Hell, I’m starting to believe it’s the only time I can get to see her.

“I could get you skybox tickets. I usually like to sit on the field, but the skybox is so much fun and the weather is crappy today, so we should definitely sit in the box,” she says, sounding excited. “Though I totally understand if you can’t make it, Owen. You’re busy—you need some time to relax rather than drive all the way here only to turn around and go back.”

An idea forms in my brain, one that would make going to San Francisco to see my family even more worth it. “I want to go. I’d love to see Drew play.” I pause, trying my best to sound nonchalant. “So hey. Can you get me two tickets?”

“Absolutely. Who do you want to bring with you? Wade?” I’d brought him to a couple of games in the past, so her assumption made sense.

“No … I want to bring, uh … Chelsea.” I wince, waiting for the barrage of questions and teasing.

“Owen. Really? You want to bring a girl?” Fable sounds shocked. “The girl who’s your tutor?”

“Well, yeah. I do on occasion hang out with girls, you know.” I’m irritated and I don’t really have a reason to be.

“Right, I do know. But I figured that was all you were doing. Hanging out with them and that’s it. You sound sort of serious about this Chelsea girl.”

“I’m not. Not really.” I grimace at my lie. I don’t know how I feel about Chelsea. We’re having fun. We’re taking it slow. Does she really fit into my life?

No.

But I’m working on somehow making that happen anyway.

“So she’s a friend?” Fable asks.

“Yeah. That’s exactly what she is.” I’m not too far off the mark with that. We are friends.

Friends who like to sit on my couch when Wade’s gone and make out for hours. Until we’re both so worked up I have to practically shove her out the door for fear I’ll strip her naked and jump her bones right there in the middle of the living room. And no way can I take her back to my bedroom. I do that and we’re done for. Naked and me buried deep inside her within seconds, I have no doubt about that.

“Come on. Friends? Really?”

“Really,” I say firmly. “Let me ask Chelsea if she’s able to go and I’ll text you. Is that cool?”

“As long as you tell me as soon as possible. I need to ask for those tickets as soon as you know.”

I hang up and immediately text Chelsea, hoping she’s not sleeping in.

But hey, it’s Chelsea. I’m sure she’s already been working on her homework for the last two hours, knowing her.

Wanna go to a professional football game?

I barely have to wait two minutes before she’s responding.

When?

Today, I type.

Are you serious?!?!

Smiling, I answer her, giving her the details, then asking: Do you have to work tonight?

No. It’s my day off.

I couldn’t make this work out any more perfect if I tried.

Then you should take your day off and come with me to San Francisco.

You really want to take me? What about Wade or Des?

They’ll kill me if they find out I’m going to a game and I didn’t invite either of their asses to go.

Tough shit.

I’d definitely rather take you.

I wait for her reply, nerves eating at my gut. This girl has me all twisted up inside and I don’t quite get it. Still.

My phone rings and I answer it without even looking to see who it is. I already know.

“I know absolutely nothing about football,” she says when I say hello.

“I can teach you.” I lie back on my bed, scratching my chest. I wish Chelsea were in bed with me. That would be a most excellent way to spend a Sunday morning.

“I’m boring. You’ll probably wish you had one of your friends with you the minute the game starts,” she says. “I’ll probably play on my phone or whatever. Or be so completely lost I won’t know what’s happening on the field.”

“You are definitely not boring. And hey, if you’re going to spend more time with me, you gotta learn about football sometime, right?”

She pauses. I can practically hear the cogs turning in her brain as she processes what I just said. “I guess you’re right,” she say, her voice soft.

That soft voice of hers gets me every single time. “I want you there with me, Chels. It’ll be fun. You could meet my sister and after the game’s done, I bet you could meet Drew, too. Come on, say yes.”