Page 27

Hartley

I t’s homecoming weekend at Springs U, which means tons of pointless gatherings around campus before the big game Saturday night. The university tries their best to schedule an easy opponent to help ensure a win, but I don’t take any game lightly.

Giggles echo through the apartment as Violet, Liza, and Emberly get ready for the bonfire.

“Is this necessary?” Emberly groans from the bathroom. “Of course it’s necessary!” Liza yells.

And there it is. A soft smile tugs against the side of my lip. I know exactly where this is going.

“Just because it’s a bonfire doesn’t mean we can put our makeup on the backburner. Eyeshadow adds the drama, and I live for the drama.”

That’s an understatement. Liza will find any excuse to dress up. Can’t say I’m complaining, though.

Tapping sounds hit the wood floor as Violet comes into view. She waves to me and continues into the small bathroom to join her friends. “She’s right. We want to look good for homecoming.”

“Uhhh, of course the two of you want to be made up perfectly. You have smoking hot football players as your arm candy,” Emberly huffs.

“Shhhhh!” Liza attempts to quiet down her friend, but the damage is done. I know she’s been talking about me to the girls, and that does something funny to my chest.

My grin has morphed into a full-blown smile. Unable to eavesdrop any longer, I stick my hands in the pockets of my shorts and walk slowly to the bathroom before knocking. “Is everyone decent?”

“Yeah, come in,” Violet replies.

When I push the cracked door open, my heart stops in my chest at the sight of my girl.

Her eyes meet mine as she continues to apply lip gloss before rubbing her plump lips together and popping them.

She’s in a Springs U football sweatshirt, but the collar is cut off so that it drapes off one of her shoulders.

She never ceases to take my breath away, but the charged energy between us has been palpable lately.

“Hey.” She fixes her eyes back to the mirror as she continues to check her makeup before spraying some sort of mist across her face. “Ready for tonight?”

“Now I am.” My attention stays laser focused on her. Muffled comments come from both Violet and Emberly, but I can’t make out what they say when Liza looks like that. She’s close to giving in to what we both want—making this thing between us official.

Hard knocks rattle against the door. Violet squeezes in the small space around me to fly across the main room to answer.

Walking into the living room, I leave the girls to finish getting ready. I crash on the couch in my favorite worn spot, just in time to catch Violet opening the door.

“Baby.” Ryan’s eyes rake across Violet as she twirls around.

She laughs, molding her body to his in a tight hug. “You like it?”

He reaches around her back and holds on to her. “I like everything you do.”

When he notices me on the couch, he unwraps his arms from Violet to shake my hand. “Hart.”

“Never thought we were ones for formalities, but if you insist.” I reach out to shake his hand, making light of the awkward tension that builds when the three of us are in the same room.

A cocky smile forms across his face. “Never thought I would be dating your sister, but here we are.”

I push myself up from the couch and walk toward Ryan, cracking my knuckles with intent to set him straight. “Watch your mouth, Shane.”

My shoulder muscles tense and my jaw clenches, but before I can hit him with a smart aleck answer, Liza stomps in and rolls her eyes to the back of her head.

“Would you two cut the tough guy act for one night?” Folding her arms across her chest, she licks her top lip, no doubt tasting the sweet taste of her lip gloss, before continuing, “He’s got it bad for her.

” She points from Ryan to Violet. “She’s got stars in her eyes for him, and you need to come to the realization that she’s not a kid anymore. ”

What can I say back to that? I love it when she puts me in my place. “Sorry, babe. I can’t focus on much right now.”

Violet shakes her head and grabs Ryan’s hand to guide them both to her room, giving us a rare moment of privacy.

Liza walks to the edge of the couch, nudging her legs against my thigh. Her arms are still crossed, guarding her from herself. “Why is that?”

My hands cradle her waist before gently tugging her onto my lap.

She doesn’t put up a fight. Instead, she uncrosses her arms and places one across my shoulder.

“All I could focus on was the way you were putting me in my place. Bossing me around like I’m yours.

” Her cheeks flush and she swallows. My eyes follow the bob of her neck.

Inching closer, my lips graze the shell of her ear. “But you’re not mine, are you?”

I lift her frame and place her on the open spot next to me. I get up off the couch and turn back for a second to see her stunned face exactly where I left her. Her lips pursed into a pout and her flushed skin heated from the little encounter.

Liza hasn’t spoken much since our moment in the main room, but I don’t miss the way her eyes scan the bonfire to find mine more often than not.

Ryan and I dropped off the chairs and snuck away to take care of team obligations.

Rubbing elbows with alumni and donors is at the top of Coach’s priority list to make the dean happy.

“You’re having quite the year, kid.” An older man, who must be in his late sixties, extends his hand to shake mine.

“Thank you, sir.” I nod and stick my hands back in my pockets, not sure how to keep up the small talk.

His eyes level with mine, and a serious look passes across his face. “Got any interest?”

“From scouts?” He nods, encouraging me to proceed. “Not yet, but hopefully next year my name will gain traction.”

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a card and pen. Jotting down a name and number, he slides the card into the palm of my hand. “That’s my brother’s number. Call him when you’re ready to get serious about your career.”

My eyebrows furrow as I read the scribbled name and number on the worn card. “What does he do?”

“He’s an agent. A big one at that. He’ll score you a sizable rookie contract.”

“Are you talking about the NFL?” My insecurities tumble out of my mouth. My biggest fear was always not being good enough to make it to the next level. The NFL has always been my goal, but getting there is another story.

“Hartley,” he scolds. “You’re a sophomore and you’ve got NFL material written all over you. Those routes you’re running this year? Only a handful of guys in the nation can do what you do. Don’t second guess that.”

Swallowing down my choked up emotion, I say, “Thanks for this. I’ll give him a call.”

He nods and turns around to join the rest of his alumni friends at the huge burning fire.

“Who was that?” Ryan asks as he shuffles next to me. His jaw is set tight as he cracks his neck on both sides.

“One of the football alums. He gave me this.” I pull the card out of my pocket to show Ryan. “It’s the contact information for an NFL agent.”

“Nice.” He pats my back. “You should call him.”

“You think?”

“Why wouldn’t you?”

“I don’t know. I want to play in the NFL, but don’t know if I’m cut out for—” I stop talking when he turns to walk away.

He glances over his shoulder. “You are. Come on. The girls are probably wondering where we’ve been.”

I jog to catch up with him, and before long, we spot Violet and Liza lounging in camping chairs as close as they can get to the roaring fire sparking embers. They’re both laughing and shoving gooey s'mores into their mouths. I decide to sneak up behind Liza to catch her off guard.

Wrapping my hands across her shoulders, she doesn’t even flinch before looking back at me with those big eyes full of hope and promise. “Goldie.”

“Hotshot.”

“Did you miss me?”

“You were only gone for a half an hour.” Her lips form into a smirk as she tries to hide the smile creeping across her face. “I hardly realized you were gone.”

I unfold the extra chairs Ryan and I brought to cozy up next to her. “Keep telling yourself that.”

She shakes her head as a shiver racks through her body. “I will.”

“You’re cold.”

“No, I’m okay.”

“That wasn’t a question, babe.” I unroll a blanket from the bag we packed and drape it over her.

She nuzzles against the warm stitches of the fabric and tucks her icy fingers underneath. Her eyes are locked into the fire as sparks ignite and pop close enough to reach us.

“Why do you have to make it so hard?” she whispers almost inaudible.

“Make what so hard?”I ask.

“Not falling for you.”

My chest fills with a warm sensation. Pounding overtakes my eardrums at the thought of Liza being mine and only mine. “It’s too late for me.”

Her glossy eyes shift toward me, but now it’s my turn to tear away from hers and stare into the fire.