Total pages in book: 130
Estimated words: 125852 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 629(@200wpm)___ 503(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125852 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 629(@200wpm)___ 503(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
It takes me a moment, but I nod. “Okay,” I say, agreeing despite the disappointment in my gut. I’m not really sure what to do with it, but this is something only he can work out.
“Okay?”
Why is he fighting a frown when he’s the one who suggested it?
“If that’s what you want, then yeah. Okay.”
“It’s just that there’s a man out there who wants to be the real deal.”
A scowl starts before I realize what he means because at first all I hear is I don’t want to be the real deal.
That’s not it, though. He’s talking about Alister.
“Okay.” I force the word out again, my smile as real as his is as I quickly slide over and climb out. I snag the bag of goods from the floorboard. “I’m keeping these. You can have the leftover mac.”
Brady watches, a small crease between his brows.
I force my lips higher. “See you in class tomorrow.”
I turn around and walk away, closing my eyes as the weight in my stomach threatens to knock me over and wondering at what point exactly I stopped seeing Brady as my friend but rather something more.
Way to go, girl. Another guy you can’t keep.
First Trey, then Alister, and now Brady.
How does it go in baseball—three strikes and you’re out?
My feet stop just inside the entrance, Alister’s words from before I took off with Brady for the weekend coming back to me.
He didn’t punch me when I said I was going to come to you, he had said.
Alister talked to Brady the same day he told me he loved me. The same day that Brady suddenly needed to escape campus and fully intended on doing so alone until I forced my way into his little trip.
He was running away, not wanting to be here when Alister and I did talk, unaware we already had.
We’d talked before Brady kissed me when no one was watching.
We’d talked before I climbed onto his lap and all but demanded he take what I wanted to give.
Realization hits me and I don’t know if I want to laugh or cry.
Brady didn’t want to end this thing between us. He thought I would once I heard what his teammate had to say.
He’s wrong.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
Cameron
We’re all chilling at Payton’s studio, having just finished the meal Ari cooked for us while following along to Noah via FaceTime. Noah who, two hours later, is still on the screen on her phone that’s propped up on a candle, plugged in to keep charged.
“I already went to the store to get everything but the turkeys,” Noah says with a smirk, looking over at Brady.
“Yeah, you stay away from my turkey, my man. I’m beating you this year, watch.”
Noah chuckles. “What do you think I’m going to do? Inject it with something before you get there?”
“See how easy he came up with that!” Brady snaps, trying to get us all on his side. “I’m telling you I should have won last year.”
Noah fights a grin, disappearing from the screen for a moment.
Deaton runs by with his stuffed elephant, and I reach out, pulling him in for some love.
“Well, with both of you making turkey and Noah’s ham, we should have plenty of meat.” Chase looks around. “We just need to double up on sides.”
“And dessert!” Paige lifts a pencil in the air, taking notes like she’ll be tested on this later.
“And dessert.” He nods. “Noah, you bake too or what?”
“I can,” he says, coming back into view with a glass of water. “Or I can ask Nate if his mom might be willing to make something for us,” he says, referring to Ari and Mason’s cousin. He plays for USD, so he and Noah share an apartment since it’s close to the NFL team Noah plays for. “Unless someone else wants to volunteer…” When no one says anything, he chuckles. “Paige?”
We look toward the little ballerina, whose cheeks are as pink as her fingernails.
“You bake?” Chase asks.
“A little.” She tucks her hair behind her ear. “I’m happy to make a few things if there’s room in the kitchen.”
“You can always come down to my brother’s with us,” Payton suggests. “Or even Lolli’s place.”
Lolli is Nate’s future wife, and she and Parker, Payton’s brother, own beach houses just down the road from the one our parents gifted us.
“Okay, perfect.” Paige smiles, going back to her homework.
“Wait. You’re not staying in your room, Mase?” Ari asks her twin.
He shakes his head. “Deaton has a room at Parker’s, so we won’t have to bring anything from here, and with more people coming than just our crew this time around, it just makes sense. You guys are going to need all the extra space.”
“How many people are we talking?” I tickle Deaton, locking him in my arms as he wiggles like crazy, trying to get free but not really wanting to.