All Lined Up

It’s not the team’s first win, but it’s Carson’s, and that seems more important.

Dad slaps a hand on his padded shoulder, and they talk for a few moments before they hug like all the rest.

I decide that I’m telling Dad this week. I need to if I want to road-trip with Stella to the next away game.

I expect to meet Carson at his apartment again, but he texts asking if I’d be open to going to a party, and I say yes because he’s earned the right to celebrate. I tell Stella and she’s all over it, dragging us back to our dorm to get prettied up.

Even though it’s chilly outside, I pull on a formfitting purple dress. It has long sleeves, and I decide on some black tights and my black leather jacket to go with it. I leave my hair down because I know Carson likes it like that, and I put on a little more makeup than normal.

Stella whistles. “Damn, girl.” I take that as her approval. She drives to the party, and in the car on the way she says, “I’m going out on a limb and saying you’re going home with Carson tonight.”

I nod. We haven’t talked about it, but all the energy of this week and the win has me anxious to touch him, to soak up the way he makes me feel.

“So are y’all just giving up the whole incognito thing?”

I shrug. “I don’t know. I was going to talk to him about it tonight.”

“What do you think your dad will say?”

“He’ll be pissed. You remember how long it took him to be okay with me dating Levi, and he loved him. I think, though, after the whole drug thing, that he’s even more wary. But Carson is a good guy, and Dad likes him, and I think as long as I ease him into it that he’ll be fine. Eventually.”

“Good luck, sister.”

The party is at a house where a few teammates all live together, and as soon as we enter, I can see Stella sizing up the room.

I laugh. “Good luck to you, too.”

Hands on her hips, she scoffs. “Luck has nothing to do with it.”

I follow her lead, and scan the room looking for Carson. I find him almost immediately. He’s sitting on a huge sectional, surrounded by players and cheerleaders, but his eyes are on me. He’s wearing a charcoal gray shirt that hugs his body and makes his eyes stand out. He’s so incredibly sexy, and the hungry look he fixes on me makes my legs feel like Jell-O.

My phone buzzes.

You have no idea how

badly I want to kiss you.

I smile.

About that. I was thinking that

I might tell my dad this week.

I’m glad I kept it tame and only

said kiss.

I roll my eyes.

You know what I mean. About us.

That is . . . if you’re okay with it.

Am I okay touching and kissing

you every time I see you, no matter

where we are? Hell yes.

He might be hard on you. He’s not

always most logical person when it

comes to treating me my age.

I can take it.

Is there somewhere we can be

alone? For just a little bit.

To my surprise, he leans over to Silas and the two talk quietly.

Upstairs. Second room on the left.

I’ll go up first. Give it a minute or

two, and then you follow.

Done, Romeo.

Romeo, huh?

I might have changed my mind

a little about chance romantic

meetings at parties.

Well, here’s to romantic party meeting number two.

I duck into the kitchen to get a drink and to kill some time. Someone must have been feeling especially celebratory, because in addition to the keg, there’s liquor and mixers set up on the bar. I fill up my cup with mostly cranberry juice, and a splash of vodka, while two minutes stretches into an infinity.

I’m counting the seconds in my head when a body leans on the bar next to me, too close.

“You’re Coach Cole’s daughter, right?”

I manage a thin smile. “Yeah.”

The guy is massive, tall and blond and probably closing in on three hundred pounds.

“Jake Carter.” He holds out his hand. “I’m on the defensive line.” I take his hand, and he shakes mine a little too long for my comfort.

“You talked to Levi since everything went down?”

I jerk back. “Um, no. I haven’t. Why would I?”

“I just thought you might since you guys have a history.”

“Yeah.” I roll my eyes. “Ancient history. I am miles past moved on.”

“McClain, right? You must have a thing for QBs.”

“Excuse me?”

I grab my drink and turn to leave.

“Wait, I’m sorry. That came out wrong.”

I don’t even bother concealing my annoyance. “Yeah. Don’t worry about it.”

“Before you go . . . there’s something you should know.” I raise a brow, remembering why I don’t come to parties like this. “I like your dad a lot. He’s a good coach. I would have told him, but I don’t want to mess with the team dynamics when everything’s going so well.”

“Just spit it out,” I say.

“There’s a bet going around the locker room. Levi started it at the beginning of the year. Silas and a few other guys are in on it. Whoever hooks up with you first wins.”

“Hooks up with me?” Despite all the noise and laughter of the party, the world is oddly silent around me.

“It’s stupid. Levi . . . He was just saying how you . . . well, you weren’t that easy, and it became this thing to joke about who could nail you down. I just . . . I thought you should know. You being here at a football party and all.”

“Who can nail me down, huh?” I laugh and it tastes bitter on my tongue. “Thanks for the tip, Carter.”