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“Then you better see if Nadia has time in her schedule,” Jefferson jokes, throwing a towel at Ax’s face.

“My girl always has time for me.”

But it gets me thinking. I’m busy all day. Shelby’s working tonight. There’s no way I’m going to get time with her. With the clock ticking, I’m not sure I’m okay with that.

The guys rack their weights and wipe everything down before heading out for the day. Some change in the locker room, others head back home, pulling on sweats and jackets to make the cold walk across campus. Axel is pulling a beanie over his head when my phone buzzes with a text.

He picks it up off the bench and says, “Who’s GG?”

“Dude!” I grab it from him and shove it under some clothes in my locker. “None of your damn business.”

“Okay then,” he holds up his hands. My heart shot straight up my chest and is making an attempt to escape through my throat. “Don’t tell us.”

“It’s no big deal,” I tell them, hating myself for lying. “Just a girl I met.”

“Sure, okay,” Jeff says, like he’s not convinced.

Whatever. The less questions, the better it is for me. Neither say anything else and head out. Reese is always the last one to leave, so I linger a bit, fussing with my hair, waiting until it’s just the two of us.

“So,” I start, tossing a few things in my locker, “yeah, I’m kind of seeing someone.”

He waits for a beat and then says, “Is it Dar–”

“No. Definitely not.” I can’t blame him for thinking it. I also realize, that’s exactly what Axel and Jeff were thinking too. Let them. “It’s new and I don’t know where it’s going to go so I’m not looking to make a big deal about it.”

“I can respect that.” He glances over at me. “So why are you telling me this? I’m your captain, not a priest.”

God, this is awkward. “I was just wondering what do you do when things are rushed like this and you need a little time with Twyler?”

“Are you telling me you never were in this situation with Darla?”

“With Darla things were never…” I search for the word, “... intense?”

He snorts. “Desperate.”

“Yeah, maybe. You know she was never into showing outward affection.” As I talk, I feel like I’m just listing a series of red flags that I should have noticed. “But we also weren’t being discrete. Not like you and Twyler in the beginning.”

His jaw tightens and he looks around, as if he’s making sure no one can over hear. After an exhale he says, “Room number one-ten.”

“Room what?”

“One-ten. The athletic tutoring office in the student center.” He slams his locker shut. “It’s a good mid-day hookup spot.”

I’ve been there before and I think about the couch. The work desk. Yeah, I can see it. “That’s pretty smart.”

“Well, don’t you tell a fucking soul about it.” There’s not a trace of humor in his tone. “The last thing we need is every jock on campus hooking up in there.”

“Gotcha.” I pause. “If it’s such a secret, then why are you telling me?”

“If you were going to see Darla, I probably wouldn’t have. That girl…” he grimaces, and keeps whatever thoughts he has about her to himself. “I’m proud of you for moving on and finding someone new, even if it’s just a rebound.” It takes everything in me not to tell him this isn’t a rebound, but the truth is that maybe it is? Hell if I know. He slings his bag overhis shoulder and adds, “There’s another reason I’m telling you about the room…”

“What’s that?”

“You play better when you’re getting laid.”

Reid:Morning. What are you up to?

GG: Making a new batch of kolaches. Someone ate the other ones.