important as getting to the NFL. I may have been listening to him politely, but I was in no way calm under that façade.
He must have figured out how unsettled I was, because he added, “I’m not saying you have to roll over and play dead if he’s driving you up the wall. Draw the line, within reason. Just know it’s not personal. It’s not, because he tries to cross the line with everyone.”
Yeah, except I was pretty sure he hadn’t subjected Dr. Jeffries to Dahlia gets a Double Whammy or whatever that porn movie was called.
Or a smoldering, panty-melting kiss.
“I trust you’ll do an excellent job. It’s also great practice for when you’re on a pro team. You’ll see a lot of this—athletes afraid of breaking their contracts because they’re injured, behavioral issues, depression, that sort of thing.”
“I’ll do my best.”
* * *
A fter the day I’d had, all I wanted was a long bath and a glass of wine. Or maybe a bottle. I hastily reminded myself I’d have to settle for a shower because the dorms didn’t have bath tubs, and a beer because Kristy and I had finished off the only bottle of wine we had in our room. I was just about to leave the athletic training center building for some quiet time when I saw Nick jogging across the hall toward me.
“Hey, Sam!”
I pasted on a smile and told myself not to be irritated because of that kiss earlier in the week. He meant well, even if he did take it too far. What the hell was it with guys kissing me this week, anyway?
“Hey, yourself.”
“How are things going?”
I didn’t have to pretend to be tired. I was exhausted, and Nick of all people would be able to tell from a mile away. “I’m all right.”
“Are you okay? No offense, but you look like you were hit by a train.”
“Good, because that’s exactly how I feel. Anyway, don’t start. I’m tired as ever, and you know when I get tired I get—”
“Whiny?”
“I was actually going to say bitchy.” He smiled. “I’m sure that’s what you were thinking. So how’s the soccer team gig working out?”
“Pretty good, but that’s not why I wanted to talk to you.”
“No? Why then?”
“Come to dinner with me.”
I looked away, not sure I had the energy to deal with this again. “Nick, we just had that talk when you kissed me, and I felt horrible after having to tell you to lay off. Can we just not go there again?”
“We won’t. I promise. It’s just dinner…as friends…and no monkey business. Come on, you could use a good meal.”
“I don’t feel like going out. You know Jeffries took me off the baseball team, right?”
“Yes, I know,” he admitted, looking crestfallen. “I heard about it today. It sucks ass…which is why I need to cheer you up. Think of it as a peace offering, and a pick-me-up for you after what must have been a crappy day. What do you say?”
Those big brown eyes of his won me over. “Okay. It’ll be nice to have some civilized conversation for a change. You’re on. Bayou Bar-B-Q at seven?”
“Deal. I’ll pick you up.” I thought he might do a somersault when he jogged away. It was nice to see him in a better mood than last time. I just hoped he meant it when he said we were going out as friends.
* * *
“ T o you .” Nick raised a beer in my direction.
“What for?”
“For putting up with three creeps in one school year, myself included.”
“And who are the other two? Austin for sure, and…?”
He grimaced. “That prick, Evan Marshall.”
“Cheers then,” I laughed out, clinking the rim of my wine glass to the neck of his beer before taking a sip.
“I’m still sorry, but I’ve apologized to you about fourteen times already, so I’ll leave it at that.”
“Don’t worry. You’re forgiven…as long as you behave.”
“I will. Scout’s honor.”
“Thanks. Hey, do you know Evan personally?”
“Only by reputation, and because he’s on the football team. He’s bad news.”
“I got up close and
He must have figured out how unsettled I was, because he added, “I’m not saying you have to roll over and play dead if he’s driving you up the wall. Draw the line, within reason. Just know it’s not personal. It’s not, because he tries to cross the line with everyone.”
Yeah, except I was pretty sure he hadn’t subjected Dr. Jeffries to Dahlia gets a Double Whammy or whatever that porn movie was called.
Or a smoldering, panty-melting kiss.
“I trust you’ll do an excellent job. It’s also great practice for when you’re on a pro team. You’ll see a lot of this—athletes afraid of breaking their contracts because they’re injured, behavioral issues, depression, that sort of thing.”
“I’ll do my best.”
* * *
A fter the day I’d had, all I wanted was a long bath and a glass of wine. Or maybe a bottle. I hastily reminded myself I’d have to settle for a shower because the dorms didn’t have bath tubs, and a beer because Kristy and I had finished off the only bottle of wine we had in our room. I was just about to leave the athletic training center building for some quiet time when I saw Nick jogging across the hall toward me.
“Hey, Sam!”
I pasted on a smile and told myself not to be irritated because of that kiss earlier in the week. He meant well, even if he did take it too far. What the hell was it with guys kissing me this week, anyway?
“Hey, yourself.”
“How are things going?”
I didn’t have to pretend to be tired. I was exhausted, and Nick of all people would be able to tell from a mile away. “I’m all right.”
“Are you okay? No offense, but you look like you were hit by a train.”
“Good, because that’s exactly how I feel. Anyway, don’t start. I’m tired as ever, and you know when I get tired I get—”
“Whiny?”
“I was actually going to say bitchy.” He smiled. “I’m sure that’s what you were thinking. So how’s the soccer team gig working out?”
“Pretty good, but that’s not why I wanted to talk to you.”
“No? Why then?”
“Come to dinner with me.”
I looked away, not sure I had the energy to deal with this again. “Nick, we just had that talk when you kissed me, and I felt horrible after having to tell you to lay off. Can we just not go there again?”
“We won’t. I promise. It’s just dinner…as friends…and no monkey business. Come on, you could use a good meal.”
“I don’t feel like going out. You know Jeffries took me off the baseball team, right?”
“Yes, I know,” he admitted, looking crestfallen. “I heard about it today. It sucks ass…which is why I need to cheer you up. Think of it as a peace offering, and a pick-me-up for you after what must have been a crappy day. What do you say?”
Those big brown eyes of his won me over. “Okay. It’ll be nice to have some civilized conversation for a change. You’re on. Bayou Bar-B-Q at seven?”
“Deal. I’ll pick you up.” I thought he might do a somersault when he jogged away. It was nice to see him in a better mood than last time. I just hoped he meant it when he said we were going out as friends.
* * *
“ T o you .” Nick raised a beer in my direction.
“What for?”
“For putting up with three creeps in one school year, myself included.”
“And who are the other two? Austin for sure, and…?”
He grimaced. “That prick, Evan Marshall.”
“Cheers then,” I laughed out, clinking the rim of my wine glass to the neck of his beer before taking a sip.
“I’m still sorry, but I’ve apologized to you about fourteen times already, so I’ll leave it at that.”
“Don’t worry. You’re forgiven…as long as you behave.”
“I will. Scout’s honor.”
“Thanks. Hey, do you know Evan personally?”
“Only by reputation, and because he’s on the football team. He’s bad news.”
“I got up close and
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