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SEVEN

lorenzo

It’sFriday night and I’m at the only party I’m likely to attend this summer, so I plan to enjoy it—stay out late, eat something with a weak macronutrient profile, lighten the fuck up like my friends are always telling me to. Cam, Shafer’s best wide receiver and my freshman roommate, is in town from his internship in Atlanta for two nights, and I’m excited to see him.

It’s a last-minute thing, thrown together by some guys on the team who live in a house off campus. Everyone’s supposed to bring food, booze, or both, so Cash and I picked up two cases of beer and a giant platter of wings on the way over. Not exactly high-class foodstuffs, but Cam’s already against the idea of a party in his honor, so he’ll appreciate the casual vibe.

When we walk in, the place is filling up. I spot Cam leaning against the kitchen counter, and he gives me a smile that’s subtle, but his eyes flash with happiness. Unless he has a football in his hands, just about everything Cam Forrester does is subtle.

That’s when I recognize a high, clear laugh.Ruby’s here. I scan the crowd and find her sitting on the couch with her legs tucked up under her. She’s wearing little denim shorts and a loose T-shirt that shows one strap of her blue bra.

For a second I think she’s here for me, even though she rarely comes to football parties. Then she smiles at someone, and there’s Brad handing her a glass of something clear. They clink glasses in cheers and drink. The way he stares at her over the rim of his cup makes me want to smack him upside the head.

“What the fuck’s he doing here?” I ask Cash.

“Who?” He follows my glare. “Oh. He’s on our team, remember? Long snapper? Grandpa Lor already losing his memory?”

“He’s not even friends with Cam.”

“Not a lot of guys left on campus, so I guess everyone’s invited.”

“Suddenly we’re all desperate for friends?” I mutter.

Ruby sees me and waves but makes no move to come over. I force a smile and try not to stare as Brad sits down next to her and pulls her close. I need to get over it. I’ve already accepted he and Ruby are a thing, and he’s not a bad guy. Though the more I see of him, the more I realize he’s pretty annoying. And boring. And just ... blah. Why is Ruby so into him? Her decision-making process has always been a mystery. Maybe I just need to get used to seeing them together.

We make our way to Cam, who’s fielding questions about the internship he started in Atlanta.

“Wearing a suit all day is definitely the worst part,” he tells us.

“And being celibate?” Cash suggests.

Cam gives a grim smile. “I stand corrected.” He glances toward the door and shifts on his feet, not trying to hide his eagerness.

“Lenni coming tonight?” I ask. Cam got together with his girlfriend, Lenni, last year, and they’re basically inseparable. Seeing them together couldalmostmake me want to commit myself to someone. Almost.

Cam’s smile warms into something genuine. “Any minute now.”

“In that case, good night and see you in August,” I joke.

Cash tells a story about meeting his twin sister’s new girlfriend and realizing he’d hit on her weeks before, but it’s not too long before Lenni walks in the door, and Cam practically knocks him over to get to her side.

I head over to the food table, not particularly hungry, but this is supposed to be a party, and if I can’t drink, I might as well eat. I load a few pieces of chicken onto a plate, then start sampling a trio of Mediterranean-looking dips—whipped feta, what I think is baba ghanoush, and then some bright orange thing that tastes like red peppers but better. I know I’m supposed to be dipping pita chips into these things, but the red pepper dip is so good I throw a heaping spoonful onto my plate, then add another and start eating it straight.

“Fucking delicious, right?”

I turn around to find Brad behind me, Ruby on his arm.

“Yeah. Really good.” I wipe my mouth and settle in for a riveting monologue from White Bread about snack dips. I wonder how many times he’ll use the wordchill.

“Ruby made those,” Brad says, and he actually sounds proud. Like Ruby belongs to him.

I look at her. “Oh yeah? I’ve never seen you make anything like this.”

“She let me be her taste tester.” Brad smiles at her. I stare at her. Ruby just shrugs.

Now I’m really not hungry. I know I’m being a total baby. Like Ruby’s supposed to cook exclusively for me?

Meanwhile, Brad’s still talking. “I keep saying she should be a personal chef for some rich person.”