Page 47 of The Surprise Play (Nolan U Football #3)

WILY

Satch can’t seem to get enough of me.

It makes me smile every time I think about it, but she’s been borderline clingy, asking to meet up whenever I’m free.

Some people would tell me those are big red flags and I should stay the hell away, but I seriously don’t want to.

I love spending time with her, and when she asks to meet up for lunch in her dorm room and I find myself half naked on her bed while she experiments with her first blow job, I’m not gonna complain about that.

It was fucking awesome, and I made sure she knew it. The shy smile she gave me as she watched in fascination while I jerked and came into a wad of tissues will be permanently burned in my brain.

“I get it,” she whispered. “Making you come like that is triumphant.”

I scooped her hair back over her shoulder, pulling her toward me and kissing that blushing grin.

Damn, she’s so fucking sweet .

And I’ve spent my week hanging out with that sweetness any chance I can get. I’ve been a good boy and haven’t skipped class or practice, but I’ve basically been MIA from everything else, skipping a night out with the guys and bailing on multiple lunch invitations so I can be with Satch instead.

It’s not a great habit, and I’m gonna have to break it, but I get the feeling that Satch needs me right now, and I want to be there for her.

Grabbing the huge teddy bear that only just arrived last night, I tuck it under my arm and head out of my room.

She doesn’t know I’m showing up at her door this morning, but there’s no way I’m not gonna be the first person to wish her happy birthday.

It’s also Valentine’s Day, so I get to lavish her with extra gifts, and Mr. Teddy here is gonna be the first.

It’s been fun shopping for Satch. Between Blake and Mrs. Satchwell, I’ve come up with a bunch of cool ideas. I’ve probably gone a little overboard. Satch will no doubt tell me I shouldn’t have, but yes… yes, I should.

She deserves all the treats, and I want to be the one to give them to her.

Strolling into the kitchen, I open the fridge and grab out the ingredients for a protein smoothie. I’ll quickly down it before heading over to see my girl.

“Seriously?” Grady walks in behind me, eyeing the teddy bear I just deposited on the kitchen chair so I could free my hands up.

“What?” I glance at his dry expression and grin. “It’s awesome, right?”

“I guess.” His frown turns skeptical, then kind of sad as he pulls out the chair adjacent to the large stuffed animal and looks kind of glum.

Shit. He probably would have bought something this big and cheesy for Teah on a day like this.

“I’m sorry,” I murmur, spinning around to lean against the counter. “Shit, man. I’m really sorry.”

He gazes at me, his dark brown eyes darting over my face before returning to the table. “For what?”

“For getting shitty with you last weekend when I used up all the hot water. For not understanding what you’re going through.”

He shrugs.

“You ever gonna tell me what happened?”

With a heavy sigh, he rests his head in his hands and mutters, “She dumped me. Isn’t it obvious?”

“Yeah.” I nod. “But why did she dump you?”

His swallow is thick as he starts tracing the grooves on the table. “She said…” His expression crumples. “It’s humiliating, bro.”

Oh man. What the hell did she say to him?

“Come on,” I gently coax him. “You can tell me anything. You know all of my embarrassing shit.”

He gives me a side-eye before finally admitting, “She said our relationship was boring. That I was too serious and didn’t know how to have fun anymore. We’d been together too long, and I was too comfortable, apparently. I wasn’t putting in the effort anymore.”

“Is that fair?” I ask, annoyed at her for being so harsh on the guy.

He shakes his head, but then his shoulder hitches. “Maybe. I don’t know.” Closing his eyes, he mutters, “I told her I’d try to do better, but she said it was too late. She doesn’t love me anymore.”

I hiss. “Dude, that’s savage. She actually said that to you?”

“Her tone was sweet. She obviously felt bad saying it but wanted to be completely honest with me.”

I nod, but I’m still not very happy with her. I’m all for honesty, but not when it’s gonna slice someone in half. “Do you think there’s someone else?”

He glances at me, his gaze tortured. “I thought maybe, but she promises me there’s not.

She just said she couldn’t keep going like this.

And then she asked me not to try winning her back.

She wants space. End of story.” Scrubbing a hand over his mouth, he then grips his chin.

“Fuck. I wish I just could get over it. It’s been nearly two months, and I’m still pining for her.

It hurts, man.” He taps his chest. “I just wish I could forget about her, but she was… she was my woman, you know?”

I look at the teddy bear sitting next to my buddy, and for the first time ever… I do actually know. If Satch said that shit to me, I’d be destroyed, and we’ve only been officially dating for around a month. Teah and Grady were together for almost a year.

“It sucks, man. I’m really sorry you’re going through this.”

“Yeah,” he sighs. “Me too.” Looking back at me, his expression buckles as he mumbles his own apology. “I’m sorry I’ve been such a shitty roommate lately. I don’t want to drag everyone down with me. I’m just struggling to deal.”

“It’s okay.” I step forward, giving his shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

“We’re here for you. Anything you need.” I scramble to think of ways to cheer him up and start firing off ideas.

“I’m away this weekend, but maybe when I get back, we can take off for a hike or a camping weekend.

That’d be fun. Or we could do it over spring break or something. That’ll be here before we know it.”

He turns to look at me, almost surprised by my suggestion. “You won’t be too busy with your girl? You two are in that all-consumed-by-each-other phase. Sure you can break away for a day or two?”

I laugh. “I’ll make sure I do. I’m not bailing on my friends.

” I cringe. “I know it’s felt like that this week, but I promise I’m not turning into the douche who ditches.

” Stroking the top of the teddy bear’s head, I try to explain.

“It’s Satch’s birthday today, and I want to make it special.

I’m going to meet her parents this weekend. ”

“Really?” His eyes bulge. “Wow, dude. This is serious.”

“Yeah, man.” I nod, looking him in the eye. “It is.”

He raises his eyebrows, obviously surprised.

“She’s different,” I murmur, unable to fight my grin.

“Look at you,” he teases me. “All loved-up and shit.”

Cringing, I give him another apology. “That’s probably the last thing you want to be around.”

He sighs and gets to his feet. “That’s okay. I need to get used to it. Between Zander, Carson, and you, I’m surrounded. You’re dropping like flies.”

I laugh, lightly slapping his arm. “You’ll fall again someday, man. You’re too much of a romantic not to.”

“Yeah.” Sliding his hands into his pockets, he gazes down at my Valentine’s bear with a glum smile.

“Teah will fade,” I try to encourage him, hoping I’m right.

She was cool. I liked her, and they seemed like an awesome couple together. But something obviously wasn’t right.

Damn, I hate that she hurt him, and I wish they were still together, but if she doesn’t love him anymore, then I don’t want them together.

Grady deserves to be with someone who adores him, and that chick is out there somewhere.

She’ll cross his path soon enough, and I tell him that before he walks out of the kitchen.

“Thanks,” he mumbles, obviously not believing me.

I watch him go, running a hand through my hair, glad we’ve cleared the air between us but still feeling bad for the guy.

I’ll have to let Satch know that after the Scouting Combine, I’m gonna need a weekend to take Grady away for a hiking trip. The guy lives for the outdoors, comes to life in nature.

You know what? I’m gonna ask everyone in the house to set aside a weekend. Grady needs our support, and we can spare some time to do that.

Making a mental note to catch up with the rest of the guys, I start mapping out what we can do to snap Grady out of his funk.

He needs us, and I’m gonna be there for him.

Satch will understand that. Knowing her, she’ll encourage me to make it happen.

Excitement sizzles through me as I think ahead to a weekend with the guys… then it shifts to a different buzz as I picture the look on Satch’s face when she opens the door and finds me standing there with her first gift of the day.