Page 87 of False Start

Madelyn

I had to admit — it was quite fun hearing Kyle’s friends tease him for being such an asshole in college.

“I don’t understand,” I said, sipping the white wine in my hand as we stood around a cocktail table. Giana and Clay were taking pictures with what was left of the sun, and the rest of the wedding party was — well, partying. “Why did you challenge her to a game of five hundred, anyway?”

“It wasn’tmewho challengedher,” Kyle defended.

“He’s right, actually. I was the one who called the game,” Riley said, arching a brow at Kyle behind her own wine glass. “And I did it because he was a little prick who needed to be put in his place.”

There was a fizzle of laughter at the table, and for a second, I thought it might have hurt Kyle’s feelings. But he flattened his lips and rolled his eyes, seemingly fine.

“I found her on a dating app,” Kyle explained. “And Imighthave been a bit of an asshole when I did. Riley heard me making jokes, and then she challenged me. Butshemade all the terms.It wasn’t me who said if she lost, she had to sleep with me. That was her.”

Zeke gritted his teeth. “I’ve never come so close to killing someone.”

“Wait — why were you on a dating app?” I asked Riley, pointing between her and Zeke. “I thought you two were together.”

“They weren’t at that point. And honestly, they should fucking thank me — because it was crystal clear after that night that Zeke had feelings for Riley. I helped them get out of their own damn way.” Kyle pointed at Holden and Leo next. “Helped you two fuckers, too.”

Holden’s expression was level when he retorted, “You have a funny way ofhelping.”

“Oh, come on — admit it. Every time you saw me with Julep or got close enough for me to make a comment about her, it got under your skin. It made you move your damn feet instead of dragging them. You two would probably still be skating around each other pretending to be annoyed if it wasn’t for me.”

“Funny, Robbins,” Leo said, tilting his head before sipping his tequila. “I thought you were a tight end, but you’re awful defensive right now.”

Kyle flicked him off while everyone else laughed, but then he let out a long breath, his eyes falling to the table and then flicking over to where I stood beside him.

Something caught in his expression when our eyes met, his brows furrowing. He searched my gaze in a way that made me feel like maybe I wasn’t hiding my emotions as well as I thought I was. The conversation with my mother from earlier was still buzzing loud in my ears, and the weight of what I had to tell Kyle later sat on my chest like a pile of bricks.

“You know what,” he said, watching me for a moment longer before he turned to face his friends. “You’re right. I owe you all an apology.”

That shocked the table silent.

“Riley, I shouldn’t have been such an asshole to you. You were a great player from the moment you stepped on the field, and if I’m being honest, I was intimidated by you. I was also pissed to have to share the limelight when I felt like that media attention and those deals I was making were all that I had at the time.”

Riley’s jaw visibly slackened at that admission, and she looked at Julep and Mary with questions dancing in her eyes before looking at Kyle again. “Thank you.”

Kyle nodded, his mouth tugging to the side before he looked at Julep. “I’m sorry most of all to you, Julep. That night at The Pit when you were drunk… I shouldn’t have had you in my room — not even if to prove a point to my stupid roommate who couldn’t get his head out of his ass,” he added with a pointed glare at Holden. “But I promise you, I never would have hurt you or done anything to cross the line. I was just… fucked up, if I’m being honest.”

He paused, sucking in a breath with his eyes on his drink now.

My throat tightened the longer that silence stretched, the more I realized how hard it was for him to say all this. I wanted to reach for him, to comfort him in that moment, but everything about his body language told me he needed space to get through what he needed to say to his friends. So, I stayed by his side, my gaze steady, letting him know I was there for him without saying a word.

“I didn’t have the best family life,” he admitted, and he swallowed hard before his eyes found me.

I nodded softly, keeping my eyes locked on his.

“But no one knew that — not at NBU, anyway.” He looked at his friends. “I may have shown it in an asshole way, but I care about you guys. I always have. And if I ever annoyed you, if I ever pushed you, if I ever made you want to punch me in the jaw — it was because I was desperate for someone to recognize my existence.” He tongued his cheek. “Sometimes, I just needed to know that someone still knew I was alive and gave a shit.”

I covered my mouth with my hands, closing my eyes and hoping like hell that I didn’t let a tear sneak free.

For a long time, no one said a word.

Then, finally, I heard a clap on a shoulder, and I opened my eyes to find Holden embracing Kyle in a fierce hug.

“There’s a reason you were invited to my wedding,” he said, pulling back but still holding onto Kyle’s arms. “And to this one. There’s a reason no one ever tried to kick you out of The Pit.”

“We saw you,” Leo filled in. “Even when you tried damn hard to make that impossible to do. I’ll never forget when I fell apart over Mary, and you were right there for me.”