“So you did go over there?” Asher added, shooting me a sly grin. “I knew the excuse about your old man was a lie.”
“We talked,” I deadpanned, loading more weights onto the chest press as Cam got into position.
“Talked.” His brow went up. “You expect us to believe that?”
Shrugging, I played it cool. They didn’t need to know Felicity and I had shared a moment. Whatever the fuck that meant. Or that I’d held her like she was the most fucking precious thing in the world. Then as soon as she had fallen to sleep, I’d hightailed out of there without so much as a goodbye because I’d panicked. Because for the first time since Aimee, things felt quiet. There was no expectation crushing my chest; no weight of the team, of winning State, there was just me and a girl and silence.
They didn’t need to know that at all.
“Believe what you want; it’s the truth. She told me exactly what happened with Thatcher and his goons and then I left.”
“Right,” Cameron said, leaning down on the bench. “And I’m not head over heels in love with your step-sister.”
“Really?” It was my turn to raise a brow. “You’re really going to throw that shit in my face?”
“It’s in your face whether I throw it or not.” He blew out an exasperated breath. “Hailee and I are endgame. The sooner you get on board with that, the easier things will be on all of us.”
“Endgame. You think you and her are...” Fuck. I couldn’t even say the word. I knew he loved her; knew she felt the same... but endgame?
From the look of complete seriousness on Cam’s face though, I had underestimated just how deep his feelings ran.
“I’m following her to college, man. You think I’d be doing that unless I plan on putting a ring on it one day?”
“Fuck off,” I said. “Now I know you’re yanking my chain because there’s no way in hell you’re seriously suggesting one day you might—”
“Marry her?” A faint smile tugged at his mouth. “Serious as a heart attack.”
Asher snorted and I levelled him with a hard look. “Are you hearing this?”
“Oh I’m hearing it and I can’t say I’m surprised.”
I groaned, spotting the bar for Cam. “But we’re too young for all that shit. We’ve got our whole lives to settle down.” It wasn’t even on my radar yet.
Girls were a commodity, something to help me unwind after a tough game or a grueling training session. Besides, I didn’t have time to worry about anyone else; not when I had to prove myself at Penn next year.
So why did you go over there, jackass? I ignored the little voice rattling round my head. I could be worried about Felicity getting caught in the crossfire without getting attached. It didn’t mean anything, except my heart wasn’t as black as everyone made it out to be. She was Hailee’s best friend, and innocent in all this shit with Thatcher.
That’s all it was.
“Hailee grounds me,” my best friend said as if it was the simplest thing in the world. “When everything was falling to shit, and stuff with Mom was at its worst, she was there. No questions asked. Not because I wear a Raiders jersey or because she sees me as a meal ticket.” He flopped back on the bench, heaving a deep breath. “I’m lucky to have her.”
Yeah, until she grew bitter and began to resent his ass for the commitment and dedication required to make something of yourself in one of the country’s top college football teams. High school football stars might have been treated like gods amongst men, but college was a whole other level of worship. Especially if you made waves, which I fully intended on doing. Penn hadn’t asked me to commit early because they thought I’d be a valuable asset to their team—they thought I had potential to be the asset.
Even if I wanted someone by my side through it all—and I didn’t—there wasn’t enough to go around. I couldn’t be committed one hundred percent to the game and committed to some girl. Being the best required sacrifice, one I was all too willing to make.
“It’s not for me,” I said with conviction.
“No one would put up with your brooding ass anyway.” Asher grunted as he worked the free weights.
It was a joke.
He was joking.
Yet, it didn’t stop the strange tug in my chest.
“Seniors Night next week. You ready, man?” he asked changing the subject.
“Figured I’d wing it.” I shrugged, folding my arms over my chest.
“Coach will be pissed you haven’t got some motivational speech prepared.”
“Coach can suck it.”
“Try saying that to his face.” Asher smirked, his expression sobering with his next words. “You know it’s funny, I’ve waited my entire life for this. State. College. But now it’s almost here all I can think is I’m not ready to say goodbye.”
“Nawww, you gonna miss us, Bennet?” I mocked.
“We can’t all be untouchable like you, Jase. Yeah, I’ll miss you guys. You’re my best friends. Starting college, having to prove yourself all over again… I’m not going to lie, it freaks me the hell out.”
His words sank into me. I’d never really given it much thought. Not when I’d had my eyes set on playing for the Penn Quakers for pretty much my entire life. It was in my blood; my legacy. My old man had the perfect career there until an injury ripped the dream out from under him. And when I came along, his dream became my dream. I’d been working toward taking Penn by storm for as long as I could remember. Now it was almost time. So while I loved my friends like brothers, I wasn’t worried about going off to college next fall. Because I’d been counting down the days since my old man gave me my first football.
And it was almost time for my dreams to become a reality.
“So you and Felicity, huh?” Hailee breezed into the kitchen.
“Excuse me?” I played it cool, leaning back on the counter, draining the rest of my protein shake.
“She said you had a good talk Saturday night?” She gave me a suspicious look.
“We talked, yeah. I wouldn’t say it was good.”
“So nothing happened?”
“Why?” My brows furrowed, “did she say it did?”
“Nope.”
“Well then, nothing happened.”
“Jason, don’t do that. Don’t deflect. I told you not to—”
Pushing off the counter, I brushed past her. “You don’t need to worry, little sis, me and Felicity are just friends.”
“Friends?” She snorted. “You really expect me to believe that you and... you’re up to something.”
Letting out a frustrated breath, I spun around, meeting Hailee’s narrowed gaze. “What the fuck do you want from me? I overlooked the fact you and Cameron—”
“Oh, for Christ’s sake, we love each other, we’re in love. Trust me, it would be a damn sight easier if I didn’t love your best friend. But I do. And I won’t apologize for that. If only you’d drop this macho don’t-care-about-anyone bullshit maybe you’d understand. Or even let someone—”