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Chapter Four

ROWAN

I t’s been an hour since sandwich-gate, and I’ve only just managed to convince my body to relax enough to take in the movie that’s playing. This whole situation has knocked me sideways. I spent the first thirty minutes switching between glowering at Ruth and pacing the room, until she told me I was stressing her out.

I’ve texted Trevor three times asking him to bring my car back, but whatever date he’s on must have his full attention. It’s not like him to ignore me. Maybe his phone died or something.

He and I have been described as ‘weirdly codependent’ by anyone who’s spent much time around us. I kind of wish that he was here now; he’d be able to deal with all of this without coming across as a colossal ass. He’s the fun one, he’s good with people and putting them at ease. I’m the one who scowls and stands in the corner until it’s time to drive him home.

Either way, Ruth is stuck here until he shows up.

She’s curled up on the couch, as far away from me as she can. She’s been furious with me all night, hardly saying more than a few words that weren’t cussing me out, but I’ll take her anger over those scared eyes any day. I think that we both know it’s not really me she’s mad at, but I’m happy to take it if it makes her feel better.

Fuck if I know why she’s getting to me so much.

“How come they left you in charge?” she asks, her voice startling me.

I shift in my seat, turning to face her. I’ve been trying to avoid looking at her too hard, telling myself I didn’t want to freak her out by staring. But in truth, I just don’t want to acknowledge the fact that she’s really fuckin’ pretty. Round face, big green eyes, cheeks that look built for a grin.

“What do you mean?” I ask, scratching my shoulder as I try to find a tone that’s sufficiently casual. The trouble is, I know precisely what she means, and I hate that she’s pinned it down so quickly.

“They just seemed pretty happy to bail and stick you here with me.”

“Yeah, well… I guess they get a lot of practice.” I sigh.

“Are you the captain?”

“Center.”

“Football. Of course.” She gives me something that might almost look like a smile if you squint.

I roll my eyes and lean back into the couch, crossing my arms over my chest.

“So, you’re not into all this?” she asks, gesturing around.

“Not really my scene.”

“Then why’d you show up?”

I pull in a long breath, trying to decide how much to tell her. I end up going with the truth. I mean, it’s not like I’m ever going to see her again, and maybe it’ll feel good to get it all off my chest.

“Christian, one of our freshmen, invited me.” I rub the scruff along my jaw. “We ended up having kind of an impromptu coaching session.” I try not to sound too despondent as I say it, but the look on her face says that she’s not buying it.

It’s like she’s cut through me right to the marrow. She’s figuring out everything I don’t want to tell her and it’s only been an hour.

I should find it unnerving, but it’s kind of a relief. I don’t feel like I have to explain myself. It’s probably because she’s a stranger; I don’t have to care what she thinks, but I think I’d feel this way no matter how well I knew her.

“Does that happen a lot?” she asks, her head tilting perceptively.

“More than I’d like,” I answer truthfully. I love helping the guys, and I’ve always been kind of a leader on the team, but I hate how often I end up feeling like their dad. “I’m taking an assistant coaching job here next year. I mean, I get it. It must be hard for them to think of me as ‘one of the guys’ when they know I’m gonna be riding their asses in a headset in a couple months.”

I shift awkwardly in my seat, not used to being so forthcoming, especially not about the job. With the guys, it’s kind of an unspoken rule that we don’t talk about it, and with my parents, I steer clear to try and avoid a fight. The only person who really knows everything that’s happening is Trevor.

“But?” She nods expectantly.

How the fuck have I landed with the single most observant person on this side of Washington State?

“But it sucks. I mean, last season, I probably would have been out there with them, now I feel like they keep me out of stuff because they think it’s gonna get back to Coach.”

“You’ve joined the dark side.” She gives me a wry smile.

“Something like that.”

“It must be hard though.”

“I can’t really complain.”

“I bet you could if you tried hard enough.”

“You wanna give me some pointers?”

She huffs, but I can see her suppressing a grin. I wish she wouldn’t. “I don’t complain that much.”

“I’ve known you ninety minutes and you’ve whined for at least half that.”

“I’m allowed to complain!” she yells indignantly. “I’ve been-”

“You’ve been kidnapped. Yes, I’m aware.” I know I’m being a dick, but I can’t bring myself to care, too delighted with the shocked laugh that escapes her, even when she tosses a cushion at my head.

“Asshole,” she grumbles.

The moment settles, Ruth’s face relaxing into a soft smile.

“I really am sorry about all this,” I say.

“Don’t be, it isn’t your fault.” She shrugs. I look at her and see that some of her fury has melted. She’s no longer spitting venom at me, and it’s like one of those walls has edged down just a little.

“I still feel bad.”

“You shouldn’t. Their idiocy isn’t your responsibility.” The looks she gives me tells me that she knows exactly what she’s saying. It’s almost a relief she’s got me figured out so fast. I don’t have to bother trying to hide anything because there’s no point.

“Obviously don’t take that too literally,” she continues, “you are still fully responsible for getting me home.”

“I wouldn’t dream of leaving you here.” I say it like a joke, but we both know I’m serious. I’m not about to leave those chuckle-fucks in charge of her safety.

“You might have to. I think I’ve become one with this couch.”

“It’s just that spot. All the springs are broken from when Jed tried to use it as a trampoline.” It had been one of his all-time bad ideas and resulted in not just a broken couch but the destruction of several decorative plant pots they’d never gotten around to replacing.

“Those assholes put me here on purpose,” she hisses to herself.

“I think you’re giving them too much credit. This doesn’t exactly scream ‘highly planned operation.’”

“I dunno, it all seemed pretty nefarious to me.”

“Yeah, I bet there was a lot of mustache-twirling when they grabbed a human woman in a toad suit instead of a fuckin’ reptile.”

“Amphibian.”

I clasp a hand over my heart. “Oh, you must forgive me.”

“It’s a very important distinction.”

“I bet.”

“I take my character very seriously!”

“And I’m sure you’re doing a lot of character work in that thing.” I smirk.

“All the time!”

“A lot of soul-searching, I bet.”

“Oh, you’d be surprised.”

“I’m sure I would.” I lean back into the couch, rolling my head to face her, our positions mirroring one another. The seconds stretch between us, a comfortable silence descending.

She draws in a long breath, crossing her arms and scooting down further in her seat. The costume puffs up around her and her head almost disappears as she settles.

“Do you want something change into? That can’t be comfortable,” I ask, realizing I probably should have offered this an hour ago.

“I’m good. It’s basically all sponge, I could probably sleep in it if I wanted to.”

“How do you do backflips and shit in that thing?” I’ve been curious for a while. Anyone who’s spent any time in the college football scene has seen videos of the Allbreck Toad pulling out gymnastics during the halftime shows. A couple have gone pretty viral, and I think she was even on ESPN once.

“Want me to spill some tricks of the trade?” she says with a smirk, glancing pointedly at the Beaufort banner that’s hung across the fireplace.

“Can’t blame a guy for trying.”

“I’m afraid I’ll have to disappoint you then.” She shifts a little to face me more. “I’ll take my secrets to the grave.”

I shrug, happy to let her.

My phone buzzes on the table as the screen lights up with a message from my mom. I pick it up to check it, forcing myself to keep my hold light as I read.

Mom

Did you get your dad’s messages?

I shove it into my pocket. With everything happening tonight, I don’t have the brain space to humor my mom as she tries to play good cop.

“Can I ask something?” Ruth says quietly, interrupting my thoughts. Her fingers are twisted up in her lap and she looks nervous.

“Sure,” I reply, suspicion lacing my tone.

“The coaching job, is that because of the whole-”

“Yes,” I cut her off, not needing to hear the rest. It doesn’t surprise me that she’s heard about it. It was a big story, but a reminder of exactly why there’s a gap on the staff roster isn’t something I want to get into.

“Okay.” She nods to herself.