Page 27 of Falling for the Bombshell (Falling for #1)

Permission Granted

In just two days, the team would be loading up and heading to Great Falls for another tough matchup. And Linnie? Her car was in the shop again. Transmission this time. Definitely something expensive. Definitely something awful.

“ I don ’ t want to miss it,” she said quietly, tucking a loose curl behind her ear as she stared at Blaine ’ s phone, scrolling through the away game schedule with her bottom lip caught in her teeth. “ I can ’ t miss it.”

Her voice was tight with more than just frustration.

Jade was staying behind—Karter was helping prep for her final exam in Social Work.

Sadie had a maybe-someone new and plans in place.

And Cleo? She was catching a flight to Arizona for a potential transfer interview.

They all wanted to be with Linnie there, sure. But they wouldn ’ t be in the stands.

“ I ’ ll figure it out,” she added quickly, almost like a reflex— shouldering it before anyone could help.

Blaine leaned back into the couch, one hand on her thigh, thumb tracing gentle circles through the denim.

“ What if we borrow my parents ’ Impala?”

She blinked. “ Wait. Really?”

“ It ’ s either that,” he said with a shrug, “ or you risk riding with the offensive line in that sketchy Ford van, and I ’ m not letting that happen.”

She laughed, shaking her head—but the way he said it, the quiet finality in his voice, told her he meant it.

And that ’ s how Sunday morning found him at the kitchen table, hair still damp from the shower, Snickers asleep on his foot, and Bria crunching cereal like it was her full-time job, watching with the smirk of a little sister ready to see him squirm.

“ Let me get this straight,” his dad said, folding his arms and fixing

Blaine with a stare that could cut steel.

“ You want to take my car— our car—three hours across the state... for a girl?”

Blaine didn ’ t flinch. “ For Linnie. Her car ’ s out. Her friends are busy. She ’ s got no way to the game otherwise.”

His mom looked up from her coffee, her expression unreadable. “ And she can ’ t drive herself?”

“ No,” Blaine said. “ She won ’ t be driving. I ’ ll do all of it. There and back. We ’ ll be safe.”

Silence stretched, his dad ’ s brow furrowed deep. “ That ’ s a long haul. You ’ ve never taken that drive without one of us.”

“ I know,” Blaine said softly. “ But I can do it.”

Bria lowered her spoon. “ He ’ s serious. He didn ’ t even ask for snacks yet.”

Their mom studied him—really studied him—then looked past the teenage swagger, the football bravado, and saw it.

This wasn ’ t just a favor. This wasn ’ t just any girl.

This was someone to him.

And that changed everything .

Her eyes softened. “ You care about her.”

“ I love her,” he said without missing a beat.

His dad exhaled slowly, the air shifting just a bit.

“ She ’ s not just some high school fling then,” he said. Not a question.

Blaine shook his head. “ She ’ s not.”

And somehow, that answer settled like a truth they ’ d already known but hadn ’ t heard out loud yet.

“ All right,” his dad said at last. “ But you better treat that car like it ’ s carrying your entire future. Because maybe it is.”

There was a moment of stillness, then his mom nodded.

“ You follow the rules,” she said. “ No funny business. No switching drivers. No overnights. You take her there. You play. You come home. That ’ s it.”

“ And if we see even one new scratch—” his dad began.

“ I know,” Blaine said, holding up his hands. “ I ’ ll take care of it. Of her.”

An hour later, Blaine stood in the driveway with the keys in his hand, a little breathless from the weight of what had just happened. The navy Impala gleamed in the afternoon sun, and it felt like more than just a ride. It felt like trust.

Later that night, he texted Linnie a picture of the keys resting in his palm, his grin cocky and proud. “ I got us a ride to Great Falls. You, me, and some throwback playlists. I ’ ll pick you up Monday night.” Her response came a minute later, pink heart emoji and all.

“ You ’ re the best.”

And yeah—he didn ’ t say it back right away. He didn ’ t need to. Because in that moment, with the Impala keys still warm in his hand, he already felt like the man she believed him to be.