Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 62972 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 315(@200wpm)___ 252(@250wpm)___ 210(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62972 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 315(@200wpm)___ 252(@250wpm)___ 210(@300wpm)
I’ve pushed my way through the throng of people and I see Alex crossing his arms. His face is red with anger.
Shit. This is escalating fast.
Maverick inhales a deep breath, his fists clenching. “That’s up to her. She can make up her own mind.”
Ryker steps in between them, his voice low. “Hey, hey, look, this is just a little misunderstanding. No one is angry here. Everything is cool.”
Some of the other players grumble out an agreement, but neither guy seems to be listening.
Maverick’s eyes have narrowed in on Alex. “There’s no misunderstanding. I was sitting with Delaney. Everything was fine until he showed up.”
Alex puffs up his chest. “She still cares about me, and you’re just getting in the way.”
Maverick bristles and leans his face into Alex’s. His index finger pushes at Alex’s chest, forcing him to take a step back. If a fight is about to happen, it’s clear who would win. “Stay out of my way, kicker, or you’ll regret it.”
Alex pales and is fumbling for a response when Maverick spins on his heel and stalks out the back door into the yard. I exhale, watching him go.
I should let him cool off.
But I don’t. I head out the door, chasing him to the back gate that connects to the front drive.
“Maverick! Wait.”
He halts and flips around to face me, his jawline taut with repressed anger. There’s about ten feet between us, but I can read him like a book. He’s coiled like a tiger, ready to spring.
His gaze brushes over me, and I think I see a flash of regret flicker across his face.
“Delaney…go back inside.”
I lift my hands up. “Why? Where are you going?”
He exhales slowly as he sticks his hands in his pockets. “I just need to cool off, okay?” His eyes flick back to the house. “I can’t go back in there. I’m on the verge of kicking Alex’s ass, and I can’t do that.”
Oh.
I get it—he wants to flirt with me, but I’m not quite important enough to go against his teammates for.
Fine. Football is king, and nothing else matters.
Disappointment hits me. “So you’re just giving up?”
His lips flatten and he doesn’t meet my gaze. “Later,” he says, and then he’s walking away from me.
I stalk back into the house, my hands clenched, disappointment churning. Part of me is…hurt. Just when I’d been softening to the idea of a football player, he goes and blows me off.
It’s been almost an hour, so I decide to go upstairs and meet He-Man. Careful to avoid Alex, I head upstairs to the hallway to wait outside the bathroom while a myriad of people come and go.
I’m anxious to see He-Man, but when he’s fifteen minutes late, I’m starting to look like a bathroom stalker. I pull out my phone.
I’m here and you’re not. Are you standing me up?
No reply.
You suck, I send, typing the words.
I can’t make it, he replies. Sorry. Something came up.
My stomach drops as I suck in a breath. Why is everyone letting me down?
Feeling more devastated than I should about a guy I’ve just been texting with, I shove my phone back into my clutch.
Alex is a cheating dick, Maverick ditched me, and now He-Man is a no-show.
All men are jerks.
Maverick
“I’m sorry I had to call you to come get him,” Mick says as I march up to the counter of a local bar, aptly named Mick’s. It’s a rather seedy, dusty place that plays old country songs, and it’s my father’s favorite, even though he’s been kicked out of it at least half a dozen times that I know of.
My hands clench. I didn’t see Mick’s voicemails until two hours after he left them because of football practice.
“What happened?” I ask, looking around and assessing, not seeing Dad or Raven. It’s a Monday evening and the place is dotted with a few worn faces.
His head nods to a back booth and my eyes follow, landing on my father. “He’s been here drinking since six. He fell pretty hard and hurt his hand. Nothing too serious, I don’t think, but Jackie played nursemaid back in the office.” I see the large white bandage. “He begged me not to call you, but I knew you’d want to know.”
Anger curls inside me. “Where’s Raven?” I ask, my eyes scanning the room once again.
“In the office with Jackie.” Mick sends me a sympathetic look. “Look, I know things are busy at school, but something needs to be done.”
My entire body tightens. “I’m doing the best I can.”
What I don’t tell him is that I’m driving out to the trailer multiple times a week to take care of her, even though it’s half an hour from campus. In a perfect world, I’d just move back in with Dad and Raven, but Coach Al requires us to live in the dorms.