Page 10 of The Surprise Play (Nolan U Football #3)

WILY

“Hello?” I say again, wondering if I’m getting a butt dial, then tipping my head as I try to picture Elizabeth Satchwell’s butt.

The two times I’ve seen her, she’s been wearing skirts or a long sweater that covers her ass, but I bet she’s got a classy bubble butt.

That girl’s got some curves on her. I checked her out in the library—as I do every girl I ever meet.

Okay, probably sleazy, but I can’t help myself.

I love women. They’re beautiful, and if I were a praying man, I’d thank God every day for putting them on this planet.

From what I can tell, Tutor Girl has some luscious tits under that cardigan of hers. I bet she’s an E, maybe even an F or a G. Holy shit. Have I dated a girl with tits that big before?

Why the fuck are you thinking about her tits?

Snapping my eyes shut, I rub my forehead and try one last time before hanging up. “Hello?”

“Uh… hi. It’s, um… it’s Elizabeth… Satchwell. ”

I grin, finding her awkwardness kinda cute. “Hey, Satch. How’s it going?”

“It’s Elizab—never mind.” She sighs, and I can’t help a soft snicker.

Why’s she calling me?

Is she finally responding to my lame-ass apology?

I pick up the soft fabric ball from the stack beside me and launch it over the sofa when Zoey yells at me from behind the beanbag. “Ting! Ting! Wywee!”

I have no idea what she thinks these balls represent, but she wanted to play Cowboys and Cowgirls and obviously figured that the ol’ west was all about throwing balls at each other and shouting random words like “Pip! Pip!” “Bop! Bop!” and “Ting! Ting!”

It’s fucking hilarious.

“Foo! Foo!” New syllables are shouted back at me, and another ball lands near the couch and rolls past my leg.

“So, I—” Satch starts to say, then abruptly stops. “What was that? Are you busy?”

“Ahhh, yep. I’m currently in the middle of a very important game of Cowboys and Cowgirls.”

“What?”

“I’m playing Cowboys and Cowgirls with Zoey.”

“Who’s Zoey?”

“Well…” I roll around the couch, throwing another ball while Zoey squeals and sends a sparkly pink pom-pom my way. When did she add that to her arsenal? “I like to call her my goddaughter, even though she’s technically not.”

“O-kay.”

“She’s one of my teammate’s daughters. ”

There’s a pause as I crawl on my hands and knees around the armchair to better position myself.

“Your teammate has a daughter?”

“Yep. Zander Donohue. The quarterback. You know him?”

“No.”

“Okay, well, he’s a daddy, and we live in the same place, so…

” I wait until Zoey appears, then let out a roar and grab her around the middle.

Peals of laughter fill the room as I swing her around before plunking onto the floor with her in my lap.

“I get to play with this little cowgirl when I’m home. ”

“Shouldn’t you be in class right now?”

I frown, pulling the phone away from my face so I can check the time. “Oh shit.”

“Oh sit!” Zoey yells, raising her arms in the air while I press a finger to my lips and try to get her to shut up.

“Don’t say that, Zo-Zo,” I whisper, then wince. “So, yeah… I’m supposed to be in class right now. I didn’t realize it was so late. Coach gave us the day off after our epic win.”

“Yeah, I saw—I mean… I heard that you guys won. Congratulations.”

“Thanks.” I grin, tickling Zoey’s tummy and figuring I’ve already missed half the class, so there’s no point rushing to get there.

“Well, are you, um… free later on today? I don’t want to encroach on any of your class time, and I have a class starting in about thirty minutes, but I’m available later this afternoon.” She sucks in a quick breath like she’s nervous or something. “Will you be… free? ”

My lips twitch before growing into a surprised smile. “Are you asking me out?”

I was seriously not expecting that. I thought she’d hate me after the way I yelled at her.

“No!” she gasps and then splutters, “I’m not… I don’t date… I mean, why would I be asking you out?”

O-kay, so she’s not flirting with me, then. Weird. Most girls do. I’m not being arrogant; it’s just a fact.

“Wily?” Her voice pitches, and she sounds near panicked now. “Why would you ask me if I’m asking you out?”

My shoulder hitches when I finally respond to her. “You wanted to know when I was free. I just assumed?—”

“For a tutoring session! I want to know if you’re free for tutoring. ”

I can’t help a gruff laugh. “I thought you didn’t want to tutor me.”

Zoey starts playing with the ties of my hoodie, pulling the string all the way down on one side. I throw her a baleful look, and she giggles, pulling on the other side until it’s scrunched tight around the back of my neck.

“Well, I… I guess I felt kind of bad about bailing on you, so I went and spoke to Professor Pilscher, and he’s agreed to let you resubmit your assignment. You have until Friday, and if I’m going to help you, then we really need to get started as soon as possible.”

It takes me a second to register what she’s saying.

She did what?

“Pay, pay, pay!” Zoey starts jumping on my lap, and I quickly still her, staring at the wall and kind of reeling.

“You went and saw Pilscher? For me?”

“Well, yeah. I mean… I can tell how much you want to gr aduate, and I really think you’re capable of doing it. So, if you’re willing to work with me, I can help you write that Moby Dick essay.”

“Are you serious?” My words are a breathy whisper now. I can’t believe this.

“Yes. I mean, I’m not going to do the assignment for you, but I can help you plan out the essay, and we’ll write it together.

I’ll make sure the work is mostly your thoughts and ideas.

I can just help you with some of the wording.

I promised the professor it will be your work.

But I’ll walk you through it, you know? I reread the book over the weekend to refresh my memory and?—”

“Wait, you reread the book?”

She hesitates before responding with a confused “Yeah?” like it’s the most obvious thing she would have spent her weekend doing.

I shake my head, still trying to wrap my brain around this while also keeping Zoey still on my knee. She’s bouncing like a basketball, giggling and trying to get my attention back. But it’s not going to happen, because I have to know…

“Why?” I rasp.

Satch sighs. “I don’t know, to be honest. I guess I just couldn’t get that look on your face out of my head. You weren’t angry with me the other day, you were frustrated that you might not be able to graduate. And I want to help you do that. But only if you’re willing to put in the work.”

Holy shit.

I don’t know if anyone has ever seen me that way before .

“Zoey! Where are you, kiddo?” Sienna’s voice wafts down the hallway.

Zoey jumps up, running around the couch with a fabric ball in each hand shouting, “Ting, ting, Mommy!” as she throws her “weapons.”

“Bop! Bop!” Sienna laughs back, batting them away before grabbing Zoey around the waist and hoisting her up. “Time to get ready for playgroup.”

Zoey gasps. “Dayton?”

“That’s right.”

The little girl claps her hands, then waves goodbye to me, blowing me kisses. I catch one, then blow another back, and her giggles disappear down the hallway.

“So, Wily, are you… willing to put in the work?” Satch asks, tone all serious.

I swallow, running a hand through my hair.

How can I say no?

She spent her weekend reading a boring-ass book for me. She went and saw a grumpy-ass professor for me.

I can’t reject that kind of effort.

So, as much I really don’t want to work on another fucking essay about white whales and whatever other shit went down, I find myself saying, “Yeah. I’ll do it.”

“Okay, then.” Her voice brightens. “What time are you free to meet?”

“Since I don’t have practice this afternoon, I guess I’ll have to say today.”

“Cool. And do you want to meet in the library or…? We just need a space that’s distraction-free, so wherever that is for you.”

Distraction-free. I brush a finger across my bottom lip. “My room will work. It’ll be quiet, and no one will be walking past the table trying to talk to me. It should be distraction-free, unless Zoey’s on the loose and doesn’t mind breaking the rules.” I laugh.

“Your… room?” she squeaks. “Uh… okay. So, you’re not in a dorm, I’m guessing.”

“No, I’m at Football Frat.”

“Football what?”

“You haven’t heard of…?” Seriously? Has she been living under a rock?

“Foobawl!” Zoey shouts as she runs down the hallway, pulling on her winter coat. “Foooobawl.”

“Sorry,” Sienna murmurs, chasing her into the living area. “Have you seen her beanie?”

I look around, helping Sienna out, who is obviously running late. Lifting up the beanbag, we unearth Zoey’s hat and mittens.

“Thank you.” Sienna smiles, racing after Zoey, who runs into the dining room still shouting, “Fooooobawl!”

“Who was that?”

“That was Zoey’s mother, Sienna. She lives at Football Frat too. Although, they’re in the detached garage, so it’s like they half live here. Kinda.” I tip my head and grin.

“Okay, then.” Satch lets out a nervous chuckle.

Satch. Yeah, I like that for her.

Satch, the tutor girl.

Satch, the one who’s gonna save my ass.