Chapter 3 #2
“I know, Mom. I’m well aware of the class I almost failed.
But I didn’t, did I?” I’d heard about it all summer.
Sometimes she was harder on me than Dad.
“Anyhow, this guy is smart as hell, and he’s done a great job helping me.
” And he was so damned hot. I couldn’t wait to take him for a beer next week.
“Oh? And does he happen to be gay and available?” She freed a soft snort.
“Mom…” I tsked and hung my head. “I don’t know what his sexual orientation is.” Now she’d be stuck on this. I should have known better.
“I thought you could tell?” She asked in a teasing voice.
“Fine, I get a queer vibe from him, but he’s said nothing to make me think he’s queer.” My chest twinged. “And he’s bringing a date to my next home game, a girl.” But then he’d told me he didn’t like her romantically.
“Oh.” She huffed. “Anyway, I need to get started on this dinner,” she said. “Play well tonight and remember, your father is showing you off.”
“I will. Thanks, Mom. It was great talking to you.” And not thinking about Colton for all of five minutes. Fuck, maybe I should head to Malik and Grey’s room. Hopefully, they wouldn’t be fooling around. “Bye, and love you.”
“Love you too. Have a great game. Bye.” The call ended.
The pressure was on for the game tonight.
After texting Malik to be sure he and Grey were decent, I headed to their room. Was it too much to hope they’d distract me from Colton and help me focus on the game to come? I hadn’t had pre-game jitters like this in years. I stopped at their door, just down the hall from mine, and knocked.
“Just a minute.” Malik’s muffled voice came from inside. The door popped open. “Hey, man, come on in.” He stepped to the side.
As I entered their room, my gaze landed on the beds. One held suitcases while the other’s sheets had been tossed down under Grey, who was resting at the headboard in his joggers. “I see you’ve already broken the bed in.”
“Think we wouldn’t?” Malik gave me a sideways grin. “We had some time to kill.”
“If it isn’t the man who’ll be making holes in the Red Raiders defense tonight.” Grey drank from a bottle of green Gatorade.
“I’ll do my best.” I dropped onto their desk chair while Malik sat on the edge of the bed. “Are you two ready for tonight?” I’d start there.
With a shrug, Malik said, “Yeah, why wouldn’t we be?”
“I don’t know.” I toyed with the edge of my T-shirt.
“My dad invited some coworkers to the house to watch me play tonight.” Malik knew about my dad, but I didn’t think I’d told Grey.
With my attention drawn to Grey, I said, “My dad is the head of recruiting for the University of Texas in Austin. The guys who work for him have connections with agents and shit.”
“Oh, that’s amazing, Tex.” He crawled on the bed toward Malik and then sat behind him, spreading his legs around Malik’s hips and his arms around Malik’s waist. “You’re so lucky your family is supportive of your football.”
“Yeah, I know.” I nodded as tightness worked through my chest. “But it adds extra pressure to tonight’s game.
” Not to mention the fact that Colton might watch the game with Evan.
I wasn’t sure why I cared so much about that fact, except Evan was becoming a rival inside my head.
Someone I had to compete against. A fucking hockey player, no less.
“You look stressed.” Malik touched my knee. “That’s not like you.”
I rubbed my forehead. Should I tell them all of it? Why not? “Remember the tutor I had to get for my business analytics class?” My gaze met Malik’s.
“Yeah?” He furrowed his brows while Grey rested his chin on Malik’s shoulder.
Those two were so fucking close. I ached for that kind of relationship. “He’s been on my mind…a lot. He’ll be watching the game tonight, probably with Evan Crosby from the Phoenix Firebirds. He’s friends with—”
“Shit, with professional hockey players?” Malik’s eyes widened. “Does your tutor play hockey too?” His brows lowered, and a smirk formed on his lips. “Wait, is he hot?”
Oh my God, the questions. Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut.
But talking about it might ease my nerves.
I was such a mess, struggling with how to handle it.
After taking a deep inhale, I said, “He’s not a hockey player.
He’s a…well, a nerd, like you’d expect. But he’s a damn attractive nerd.
” My stomach fluttered with warmth. “He went to high school with Evan, and they’ve been friends ever since. Evan used to live with Lucas Hopkins.”
“Oh, shit.” Grey lifted off Malik’s shoulder. “Lucas, the little brother of Mason, who married Jett Jarvis.” He pulled his lips to the side. “Are all these guys queer?”
“No, well, I don’t know.” I rocked once, debating my next words. “And that’s sort of the problem. I don’t know if he’s queer. The nerd, not Evan Crosby.”
“Does the nerd have a name?” Malik huffed a snicker. “Damn, dude, this is coming out of left field.”
“Yeah, I know.” I combed my fingers through my hair.
I was in it now. “My tutor’s name is Colton.
I-I don’t know what to think of him. I mean, if he’s open to it, I’d like to explore something with him.
But he’s…” Fuck, the date. “He’s going on a date with one of his other students, a woman.
” I locked my gaze on Malik’s, driving my point home.
“And they’re going to our game next weekend with tickets I gave them.
” I was such an idiot getting those tickets.
I never considered it would turn into a date.
Malik’s brows snapped into his hairline. “You gave this guy, who you like, tickets to our game so he could go on a date with someone else? Are you crazy?”
“Tex, don’t let this shit affect your game. We need you out there.” Grey wrinkled his forehead.
“Hold on.” Malik held his hand up to me. “Is this Colton queer? Does he like guys?”
“I don’t know. That’s part of the problem. I get a vibe from him.” I glanced at Grey and lifted the corner of my mouth. “Like I did from Grey.”
Grey grinned and nodded slowly. “Then he’s queer.”
Leaning over, Malik placed his hand on mine, resting on my thigh. “If it’s meant to be, then it’ll happen. No use worrying about it. Besides, you’re a catch and Colton’s stupid if he doesn’t see that.” His lips curled into a soft grin. “Isn’t that what you’d tell me in the same situation?”
“Yeah.” I chuckled as my nerves settled. “And Colton isn’t stupid, so…” I glanced at the clock on their nightstand between the beds. “Shit, it’s almost time for our walkthrough and strategy meeting.”
“Oh, shit. I'd better get dressed.” Grey hopped off the bed.
“Thanks, man.” I stood and gave Malik a quick hug and left their room. As I strolled down the hallway toward my room, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I stopped and slid it out.
Colton
Have a great game tonight. I can’t wait to see you play. Evan says hello too. He watches ASU football and knows who you are. I guess you’re quite a star .
My heart filled with warmth, and a smile quirked my lips. He’d told Evan about me. That meant something, right?
We were on fire tonight and quickly dominated the field. I’d made holes for Malik throughout the game, and he’d run more yards than he had in a long time. Colton’s text had occupied my thoughts before each offensive play. It had been such a simple gesture, but profound.
Coach put Grey into the game while leading by three touchdowns nearing the end of the fourth quarter. As we walked into the huddle, I slapped Grey’s ass and threw a knowing grin at Malik, who gave me a dirty look. “Moore, you’ve got this. Follow me into the defense.”
“You’ve got it.” Grey gave me a crooked smile.
Justin James shook his helmeted head as we huddled. “Who died and made you quarterback, Rowlings?”
“No one, but I know you’re going to run the ball. Why risk a pass right now?” I gave him a sly grin. He wasn’t Casey Carter, but he was a damn good quarterback.
After running through our next play, we lined up on the field with me next to our center.
The center snapped the ball, and James drew back, faking a pass.
I rushed toward the Raider’s defense, pushing guys aside.
As a hole opened, my peripheral vision caught Grey, sprinting down the center of the field. “Go, Moore.” I ran after him, tossing guys away from him as he ran.
A linebacker appeared on my left. “Not so fast.” Grabbing my waist, he twisted me around.
Stumbling, I fell into the grass. As I sat up, I watched Grey hustle over the goal line.
“Touchdown ASU.”
“Fuck yeah.” I pumped my fist. This was a great night.
I stood, swiped grass from my football pants, and then strutted toward a television camera.
Holding up my index finger, I said, “That was for you, Colton.” Would he see it?
Who knew? It was crazy that a man I’d only spent three hours with impacted me so profoundly. But he’d been magical for me tonight.