Page 26 of Running Play (Gods of Campus #1)

Christian

After lunch, including possibly too much dessert and watching half the Bears versus Dolphins game, we start our journey back to campus.

After dropping Tyler and Dani off, I head back to my house to shower and change before my date.

As I walk into the house, I scrunch my nose at the overwhelming smell of something burning.

Following the smoke, I walk into the kitchen and wonder what the hell is happening.

“What are you doing?” I ask, watching Randy open the oven door as smoke billows out. Walsh sits on a bar stool at the island, waving his hands around, his shoulders shaking with laughter.

“Cooking, what does it look like?” Randy answers. He is shirtless, in light gray track pants, and his face is pulled into a frown and beaded with sweat.

Walsh turns to glance at me, his face is red from laughter and his famous dimples, the ones that make all the ladies swoon, are out on display. “Dude, you suck at cooking!”

Randy ignores him, placing the burned pile of meat on the chopping board with a thud. “I have a date. I’m cooking for her,” Randy says, waving his hand around trying to clear the air.

“God, that poor woman, are you actively trying not to get laid?” I don’t even know what that is, possibly a roast a few hours ago…

now it’s charcoal black and looks rock hard.

I turn my head as Seth enters the kitchen.

He takes in the sight in front of him, his eyebrows drawn together as he shakes his head.

His long strides carry him to the back door where he opens it, then walks over to the kitchen sink to open the window, then leaves without saying a word.

“Thanks, man,” Randy yells to his retreating back. No doubt he’s going back to study. “Did you bring any leftovers home?” Randy asks, looking hopeful.

I shake my head, holding out my empty hands. “Not this time, sorry, man.”

He blows out a long breath, throwing the dishcloth down onto the island. “Fuck. Guess I’m ordering Thai!”

“Probably for the best, bro, I don’t even think the neighbor’s dog would eat this,” Walsh says, stabbing at the rock-hard meat with a fork.

“Thai’s probably the best option,” I agree, turning to head up the stairs for a shower and shave.

***

Once I have the smell of burned roast out of my hair, I head back over to the girls’ dorm to pick up Shelby.

Knocking on the door, I step back and wait, letting out a deep breath and wiping my sweaty palms down the front of my shorts.

Shelby answers, dressed in a cute tank top and denim shorts.

We texted earlier, agreeing on shorts for our first date—not exactly traditional first-date attire, but with the heat in NorCal, it made sense.

“Wow, you look amazing,” I say, taking her in and placing a kiss on her cheek.

“Thank you, you do too,” she says, leaning over and grabbing her purse and phone off the bed.

“You ready to go?”

“All set,” she beams back, and we make the short walk over to get pizza.

I open the restaurant door and motion for Shelby to walk through. The place is at its usual Saturday night capacity, fucking packed . I nod to some friends, following Shelby to our booth, hoping with every part of me that we can have some time to ourselves.

“You, okay?” Shelby asks as I scan the restaurant.

“Yeah, for a second, I thought that was Dani,” I say, removing my cap and running my fingers through my hair. “But then I remembered she’s on a date at the movies.”

I study her as she nods and scans the menu in front of her.

“You already knew that, didn’t you?” I ask.

She peeks over the top of the menu. “Maybe,” she says, setting it down on the table. “I may or may not have been asked to give a warning if we changed plans and went to the movies.”

“Oh really? And whose side are you on?” I tease.

She throws her hands up in defense, laughing. “No one’s side, I promise. I was just talking to her yesterday, and she mentioned it. She may have also mentioned giving her a heads-up if we ended up at the movies. You know, you two are very alike.” She grins, tilting her head slightly and shrugging.

I glance down at the menu, not sure why, I know this menu back to front. “I bet she did. I only found out today at lunch she was going on a date.”

“You know I’m on a date with you and your sister and I are the same age, right?” she says, seeing if I can make the comparison.

“Yes, I know.” But the overprotective brother still doesn’t like it.

“You still picture her in pigtails?”

“No, I don’t,” I shrug. “I just don’t want to see her hurt; plus, it’s one of my, Tyler, and my friend’s favorite pastimes. I know it really doesn’t do much, guys still just swarm around her.”

“Well, I’m sure she is having a great time.”

“She better be,” I say, looking back down to my menu.

“I hope it’s not weird that I’m friends with your sister?”

I look at her, gazing into those ocean blue eyes. “Not at all. I think it’s good you two are friends…hard not to be when you are five—not four—doors apart.”

“True. It was so daunting coming here and not knowing anyone. But I have been lucky to make a lot of new friends, especially through Travis. He seems to know everyone.”

I bet Travis’s friends have been hovering all around Shelby.

“Tell me about your friends,” she adds.

I can’t help the cheesy grin that comes across my face.

My friends are so important to me. “My friends are pretty fantastic. Randy would be my closest friend. We have been best friends since forever, and even grew up in the same neighborhood, went to the same school, and now the same university. We played football together for years and have a lot in common. Well, except that smartass mouth of his, that’s just uniquely Randy. ”

She laughs. “He sure is entertaining.”

“Yeah, that’s a nice way of putting it. There’s never a dull moment; the party always seems to follow him. Everyone knows who he is, and everyone wants to be around him.”

“…like the ladies.”

“Especially the ladies,” I reply. “Like ducklings following their mother.”

“And he’s your housemate?”

“First off, I love hearing you say the word mate.”

She laughs. “G’day, mate.”

“I love that even more,” he laughs. “And yes, he is my housemate. I live just off campus with Randy, Seth, and Walsh. Seth you’ve met, but I don’t think you have met Walsh…he’s our punter.”

“Yeah, haven’t met him. How long have you known Seth and Walsh?”

“Freshman year.”

“You must have quite the following of ducklings at your house with four handsome men living there.”

“Handsome, hey…I’ll take that. We only moved into the house this semester.

Seth probably draws as much attention as Randy, but he’s intimidating, and most women don’t know how to approach him.

He had a girl back in high school he has never gotten over, and I don’t think he wants anything serious after her.

Usually, he just sticks with a certain set of friends with benefits. ”

“Where is this high school girl now?”

“I don’t know,” I say with a shake of my head.

“I never met her, don’t even know her name.

” I straighten my back. “He left her back home when he came to college. She was still in high school, I think. Seth is private, he went through some hard times his senior year of high school and doesn’t like to talk about it, including the parts about his girl. ”

“He doesn’t seem to talk much anyway.”

I chuckle. “Yep, that’s Seth, rarely speaks, but when he does, it’s worth listening to. He is a smart man, like really smart, smarter than he looks. Walsh is quiet, he keeps to himself. But then there is Randy, who makes up for both of them. He never shuts up, and I guess I’m somewhere in-between.”

I watch as a different lady than the one who seated us approaches our table. “Ready to order?” she asks, pulling an iPad out of the front pocket of her apron.

I signal for Shelby to order first.

“I’ll get a pepperoni pizza, please.”

“I will have the chicken supreme with a pitcher of Coke and two glasses, please,” I say, handing back the menus.

“Do you like pepperoni?” she asks once the waitress excuses herself.

“Most definitely.”

“Good because I don’t think I can eat a whole pizza by myself.” She leans forward, resting her hands on the table. “So, how did your lunch go with your parents today?”

“It was really good; Mom cooked her usual roast for lunch. We watched the game, talked sports, and headed back.”

“Jealous.”

“Do you know when you will see your family next?”

“I’m thinking of flying home next year, maybe for a few weeks over spring break. I haven’t made any official plans yet.”

“That sounds…”

“Christian, my man, how are you doing?” Jason says, interrupting me, sliding into the seat next to Shelby. I was so captivated by Shelby and our conversation, I didn’t see him approach.

“Good game last night. That catch in the third quarter was textbook. So how are the ribs? It was a massive hit, man, a massive hit,” he continues.

“Still sore. Seeing the team doctor again on Monday.”

He nods then smiles over to Shelby. “Hi. Shelby, right? We met briefly at my house party the other night, didn’t we?” Jason says, reaching out his hand.

“Yes, that’s right,” Shelby says, nodding her head and shaking Jason’s hand back.

“So, what are you doing here?” I ask him.

“Dinner, man. Mitch, Lewis, and I have been at Reilly’s playing poker and thought we would head here, fucking starving. Hey, Mitch, Lewis, over here,” Jason yells to our friends, signaling with his arm as they walk in the door.

Great, just great!

“Christian, how are you doing?” Lewis asks as they make themselves comfortable, sliding into the booth next to Jason and me. Shelby moves her bag onto the floor to accommodate my friends, and I shake my head in disbelief.

“Well, I was good til you guys interrupted my date,” I say, irritation lacing my voice.