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“Shhh … Jesus, Char. Say it a little louder, for fuck’s sake.” He gives me a glare.

“All right, I’ll stay out of it. But I do want to see you happy. And, Case, this situation hasn’t made you happy. You can’t keep up the loyal-buddy act forever.”

He sighs. “I know, but timing has never worked in our favor, you know. It’ll happen if it’s supposed to happen. In the meantime, I’m going to be her best friend. The person she can count on.”

I feel Beck’s hand brush down my arm, so I lay my head back on his lap and look up at his face. “Hey, babe. You fell asleep on me.”

He brings his hand back up to my face and takes a small piece of hair in between his fingers, then tucks it behind my ear. “I wasn’t sleeping. I was just resting my eyes.”

Casey and I both start laughing. Since we were kids, Beck has always said that. He never wants to admit if he fell asleep.

“How about we go to bed? Clark will still be here tomorrow.” I sit up and then stand.

I turn around to face Beck, grab his hands, and try to pull him up, but he’s like dead weight.

“Beck, come on.” I laugh.

“Go ahead, baby. Pull me up. Start now. Pull,” he says and leans further back into the couch.

I stop pulling and bring my hands to my hips, a pout on my face. “Not fair.”

He doesn’t reply, just leans forward and wraps his arms around my legs and lifts me when he stands. The movement makes me fall over his shoulder before I can catch myself.

“Beck!”

Beck says nothing; he just smacks my butt and says, “Good night,” to Casey over his shoulder.

When we get to the bedroom, Beck leans down and drops me onto the bed. He braces himself on his hands, bends his head, and kisses me. “Be right back.” Then he turns to walk into the bathroom.

I’m still in the same position when he comes out.

“Boss, why are you still dressed and on top of the covers?”

“I need to go to the bathroom and brush my teeth. Help me up.”

I hold out my hands and reach for him. He grabs my hands and pulls me up and into him. He wraps his arms over my shoulders and gives me a gentle squeeze.

I step back and walk to Beck’s dresser to grab a shirt to sleep in.

He mumbles, “Thief.”

I turn my head back to him and wink.

By the time I’m done, which couldn’t have been more than ten minutes, I walk out of the bathroom and find Beck sleeping. He’s on his back, one arm spread out over my pillow and the other above his head. Not gonna lie—I was hoping for some of that fun he was talking about earlier, but I think the best thing I can do for him right now is let him sleep.

CHAPTERTWENTY-FOUR

CHARLIE

After the quarterfinal game,we spent New Year’s quietly celebrating their win. I know some of the guys partied when they got back, but Beck and my brother stayed in. Sure, they had a few beers, but the training doesn’t stop. Even just a little bit of alcohol can hurt their performance.

We had to travel to Pennsylvania for the semifinal game. Walker is favored to win by a pretty large margin, and in the fourth quarter with two minutes left, I think it’s safe to say whoever bet on Walker winning is pretty happy right now. If we win this game, we’ll go to the national championship.

I’m wearing my Linson jersey again, but it’s freezing here, so it’s on over two other layers of clothes. Since that first time I wore it this season, I haven’t worn my brother’s number. It literally drives Beck wild when he sees me wearing his name on my back.

His dad and sister are on one side of me, and my parents are on the other. My mom is holding my hand rather tightly, and I have to squeeze her hand to signal her to ungrip my grippers a bit before I lose feeling in my fingers.

“Sorry, honey. You know how nervous I get. I swear it doesn’t get easier, watching them take those hits out there.”