Chapter 2 #2
“Yeah, maybe.” I hadn’t seen my father since I’d been in high school. He let me visit him once, and even with us in the same house, he avoided me. “Anyway, I’ll be traveling with the football team this weekend. We’ll be in Mississippi.”
“Oh, that sounds like fun.” She chuckled. “And you’ll be there with Grace?”
“Yep.” And fucking Eli. My chest grew tight. “It’s nice to travel and not have to compete.” I drew a deep inhale. “How’s business?”
“Well, you know real estate is booming up here with all the Californians moving in. I’m set to have a record year with my brokerage.”
“That’s great, Mom. I’m happy for you.” Despite my father being a dick, Mom had moved on and done well for herself.
My lips tugged into a grin. “Any dating prospects?” She’d had a few boyfriends since the divorce, but they’d only lasted a couple of years each.
And no, they hadn’t become stepfathers to me.
“I don’t have time for it right now. I’m working a lot.” She sighed. “I enjoy what I’m doing, and dating can wait.” She paused. “Hey, Ethan is doing well. He got a job at the bank. I went in yesterday, and he was all smiles behind the teller counter.”
“Yeah, he mentioned he’d interviewed there. I guess he got the job.” I twisted my lips. Would Ethan have known about Eli playing for ASU? I’d sworn him to secrecy with everyone else, but he was my best friend. He’d been the one to tell me—
“Anyway, I should go. I have a client coming in soon to look at a property.”
“Yeah, okay, Mom. It was nice talking to you.” I set my book on the coffee table. I wasn’t in the mood for more reading. “I’m sure Grace will be back from the nail salon any minute.”
“Sure. Love you, honey.”
“Love you too, Mom. Bye.” I ended the call, opened my text messages and typed.
Wren
Why didn’t you tell me Eli Dawson played football at ASU???
The three dots twinkled at me, stopped and started again.
Biting my thumbnail, I watched the screen. If he knew Eli was here playing football and still stayed silent, even after I told him about joining the cheering squad, I might kill him.
My phone buzzed with Ethan scrolling over the top, and I startled. “Jesus, fuck.” I answered the call and put the phone on speaker. “Hey.”
“Dude, you told me never to say his name again.” He choked out a sharp laugh. “What was I supposed to do?”
“So, you knew?” I shifted higher on the couch and tucked my legs beside me. He’d done what I’d asked him, but the circumstances had changed.
“I did. I watch college ball, remember? Just because you banned it from your life, didn’t mean I had to.”
“But you knew I planned on joining the cheering squad. Why didn’t you say something then?” With a huff, I fisted my free hand over my thigh.
“Would it have mattered? You needed a change from gymnastics and cheering seemed like something you’d enjoy.” He tutted. “Besides, you need to get over yourself. It was what, almost four years ago?”
“But you heard it. You were there.” An ache wound through my chest. Ethan had been in the bathroom with them, but he’d been in a stall taking a shit.
“Yeah, and I said my piece to the assholes, including Eli. But damn it, it’s time you got over this.” He breathed through the phone. “Wren, you’re my bestie, man. But one terrible mistake by Eli Dawson shouldn’t change the trajectory of your life.”
I glared at my phone. “Ethan, he’s a coward.” And someone I’d never forgive.
“I heard he came out to his family at the airport, right before his flight departed for Arizona.” His voice grew low. “I heard he volunteers at student services for the queer helpline or some shit.”
“What?” The ice around my heart melted slightly. Holy hell, what if Eli had a boyfriend now? “Don’t tell me any more. I don’t want to know.”
“This is why I didn’t tell you about him playing for ASU.” He snickered. “I was hoping you’d have gotten over all this shit by now. Apparently, you can hold a grudge forever. You’re like a damn crow.”
“A crow?” I chuckled, despite myself. Comic relief was his way of making me feel better.
“Yeah, did you know if you cross a crow, it will share the fact you’re an asshole with other crows, so when it dies, they’ll all still be mad at you?”
“No, you’re shitting me.” A sharp laugh burst from me. Where the hell did he find this stuff?
“I’m not. Look it up. It’s a thing.” He snorted softly. “So yeah, if you were a bird, you’d be a crow.”
“Fine, I’m a crow.” I cawed into the phone. “You happy now?” With a grin, I shook my head. He’d done what he always did and made me feel better.
“Yeah, I’m ecstatic,” he said. “Now, what will you do about Eli?”
“Nothing. What’s there to do? He’ll be on the field while I’ll be on the sidelines.
I can ignore him. He doesn’t care about me anymore.
” My gaze drew to the window next to the door, and Grace, strolling across the pathway from the parking lot.
“Hey, my roommate’s almost home. I should go.
” She didn’t need to hear me talking about Eli again.
“Okay, but I’ll leave you with one thing. I don’t think Eli’s ever forgotten you. He was just as heartbroken when you broke up as you were.”
My gut wrenched. “This is why I swore you never to talk about him. I don’t need to hear that.” And surely a hot football star like Eli would have half the campus wanting to date him. That was, if he didn’t have a steady boyfriend.
“Fine. Later, dude.” He ended the call.
I held the phone to my chest as the door unlocked and swung open.
“Hey.” Grace entered the apartment and set a grocery bag on the dinette. “I grabbed more of those protein bars we like.” She faced me with a wide grin and looked me over. “Whatcha doing?”
“Nothing, just studying.” I dropped my phone on the coffee table and plucked my book off it.