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“Wow, the great Landry Reynolds talking about settling down. Is there a woman in your life I don’t know about?” I ask the question, even though it’s hypocritical because I’m hiding my relationship with his best friend.

“Nah, but Knox is seeing someone. He won’t tell us who it is, but he’s been different.”

I swallow hard and focus on keeping my voice even. “How so?”

“He’s just more chill, I guess. I don’t know how to explain it.

He’s always riding our ass about eating right and getting enough rest. Don’t get me wrong, he still does that, but it’s almost as if there is something in his life that’s more important than football.

Honestly, it’s hard for me to wrap my head around it.

Knox Beckett is football. Since the day we met in college, his freshman year and my junior year, he’s lived and breathed the game.

Now, it feels like he still loves it, and he’s focused on his career, but whoever she is, he’s focused on her, too. ”

There’s a flutter in my chest at his words.

I open my mouth to tell him but clamp it shut.

My pulse is pounding in my ears. Partly because Landry is on to us—well, Knox—and partly because of how he sees him.

Landry described my Knox. Not the man on TV or the field.

The man who treats me like a queen. The one that made me fall in love with him.

Tears prick my eyes because of the way Landry talks; he sees that Knox is into his mystery woman.

Maybe, just maybe, when he finds out about us, once we come clean, he’ll understand, and this won’t be the huge blowup I’m anticipating.

“Speaking of Knox.” Landry turns to face me, and my heart falls to my stomach.

“He mentioned as we were leaving that he has some room in his suite this weekend. I asked him if you and Sloane could hang out with his family for the game instead of sitting in the rain. He said you were both more than welcome. His family is cool as hell. You and Sloane will fit right in.”

My panic settles as warmth takes its place. “That was nice of him.”

“Yeah, I tried to find out if his new girl was going to be there, but he was tight-lipped. He won’t say much about her, just that she exists.”

“He’s entitled to his privacy.”

“He is, but he’s my best friend, you know? I’m happy for him.”

“I’m sure you’ll meet her when he’s ready.”

“Yeah, I mean, our world is pretty crazy. We can’t go out to a restaurant or even go through a damn automatic car wash without getting our pictures taken. I can see the appeal of keeping her all to himself.”

“Maybe it’s still new, and he’s not sure they’re going to go the distance,” I offer, feeling like a fraud as I do.

“Nah, I think he wants her all to himself and to keep her from the spotlight that is our life. I’ve known Knox for a long damn time, and he’s never claimed to have a girlfriend before. Something about this one is different for him.”

“Good for him,” I murmur as I try to hide my smile.

“I’m heading to bed.” He stands and moves toward the stairs. He pauses and turns back to me. “Can I tell Knox you and Sloane will be there in the morning at practice?”

“Sure. Please thank him for us. I’m sure Sloane will be pumped.”

“Hell yeah, it’s suite life with the Rampage.” He grins. “I’ve thought of buying one, but we don’t really have a lot of people to fill it like Knox does.”

“One day, big brother, one day, we’re both going to expand our little family.”

He nods. “And if not, we have each other.” He waves before turning and walking down the hall to his room. His is the master, which is on the first floor.

My phone rings, but I don’t answer it. Instead, I send a text.

Me: I’m heading up to my room. I’ll call you in a few.

Knox: Okay.

Rushing through my bedtime routine, I close my door and turn on the fan to drown out my voice before calling him back.

“There she is,” he says. I can hear the smile in his voice.

“I hear you lost some cash.”

He chuckles. “Yeah, but it’s all in good fun. We never raise the stakes too high. I’ll be able to pay the bills still,” he teases.

“Landry said you offered your suite to Sloane and me.”

“I thought that might help sell it. I know you were worried.”

“He also said that you’re smitten with your new secret girlfriend.”

“That’s because I am.”

“It was hard to have that conversation and not tell him.”

“I’m ready when you are, Corie. Just promise me that we’ll do it together. I don’t want him taking his anger out on you.”

“But, it’s me who wants to continue to keep this a secret.”

“I agreed to it. We’re in this together, Corie girl. I’m beside you always. No matter whose idea it was, we are both in agreement, so we tell him together. When you’re ready.”

“Sometimes I can’t believe you’re real,” I tell him.

“How so?”

“You seem to always know what to say.”

“I’m just me, Corie. There’s no script.”

He’s right. I know he is, but I’ve been fed lines in the past, and even though I know Knox isn’t Conner, and he would never do to me what Conner did, that fear lightly lingers in the back of my mind.

“So, the game?”

“Landry thinks it’s a good idea. I told him we’d be there.”

“Fuck yes,” he says, his excitement evident.

“Why are you pushing for this so hard?”

“Because they might not know that you’re mine, but I know. Everyone I care about will be watching and celebrating our win together.”

“Listen to you, Mr. Quarterback. Getting a little cocky, aren’t we?”

“My girl is going to be watching. That’s a first for me, and there is no other outcome than to take home the win to celebrate the occasion.”

“Fair enough.” I laugh.

“Two things could make this even better.”

“Oh, yeah? What’s that?”

“The biggest is that the entire world knows you’re mine. The second would be you wearing my jersey. Fuck, even thinking about that makes me hard.”

“You have thousands of women who wear your jersey every week.”

“They’re not you, Corie. While I appreciate their support, it’s not the same as my girl wearing my name and number.”

“I guess I’m going to have to get me a Knox Beckett jersey.”

“Done. I’ll handle it.”

“You know I can’t wear it,” I tell him.

“Not yet, but there will come a day when you can. When that day comes, you’ll be ready.”

“You think we’ll get there?” I ask, my insecurities showing, but I know I don’t have to hide them from him.

“We will, Corie girl. Tell me when you’re ready, and everything else will fall into place.”

“It’s not that simple.”

“Trust me, baby. We’ll make it that simple.”

“It’s not just Landry. We could both lose our jobs.”

“When you’re ready, we’ll make an appointment with human resources, Coach, and whoever else needs to be there. We’ll explain our situation, and whatever happens, happens.”

“I don’t know if I like the sound of that.”

“As long as the outcome is that you’re mine and the entire damn planet knows, it will all be fine.”

“I wish I had your confidence.”

“I have enough for both of us,” he says.

“It’s late. I should let you get some sleep.”

“Yeah, I should get to bed.”

“Night, Quarterback.”

He chuckles. “Night, Corie girl.”