Chapter 3
Cooper
Today I’m in a much better mood, more myself for sure. My sunshiny vibe is back, and I feel like I’m on top of the world.
It’s going to be a good day. A great day.
“You sure look like you’re in a good mood,” Dean chuckles. We just got done practicing, and I’m sweating like a pig, covered in dirt, and my muscles are killing me.
It’s worth it, though, that was a killer practice. Coach seemed to be in good spirits, and it has us pumped for our first game this weekend.
“I am,” I chuckle. “Had a bit of a rough day yesterday, but it’s starting to look up.”
I’m going to meet Blake at six tonight. The team is supposed to have an overview meeting at the same time, but I let Coach know I found a tutor, and he said I was good to miss it. Thankfully, they will record the meeting for me to watch tonight.
I might need to talk to Blake about our meeting schedule since this time won’t always work for me. For now, I’m not going to do anything to piss the guy off before I’ve even had the chance to meet him.
“You got laid, didn’t you?” Dean chuckles. “That's my boy. Who was he?”
“I didn't get laid.” I grin, shaking my head. “Sex isn’t the answer for everything, you know.”
He gasps, clutching at his heart. “You take that back! It totally is. Do you know how amazing you feel after getting your dick sucked, or fucking someone until you’re wrung dry? It’s the best. And it is the answer for everything.”
“You're the worst.” I shove his shoulder.
We banter back and forth on the way to the locker room. After I’m showered and changed, I meet up with the girls before my next class.
“Nina said her brother agreed to tutor you!” Ellie’s face lights up as she wraps her little arms around me.
“Thank god,” I groan, hugging my bestie back. “I thought I was going to be shit out of luck.”
“Never.” Ellie pulls back, her smile still in place. “You’re my best friend, Cooper. I know you said you wouldn’t have taken my help, but I wouldn’t have been able to sit there and watch you fail. I’m not like that.”
“I know you’re not.” My smile is soft as I kiss the top of her head.
“And after everything you’ve done for me, it’s the least I could do.”
“You never have to repay me, Ellie. I was happy to do it then, and I’d do it all over again if I had to.”
“You’re the best.” Her eyes are misty.
“Alright, big guy, let’s not make my girlfriend cry, okay?” Rain pulls Ellie into her arms.
“Hey.” I raise my hand, laughing. “I didn’t do anything.”
“Sorry,” Ellie sniffs. “I’m a little emotional. Bennett has been regressing with breastfeeding, and I feel like I’m failing him.”
“Hey.” Rain takes Ellie’s face into her hands. “It happens with lots of babies. He’s going to be okay, and you have a whole freezer full of milk saved.”
“Ugh, this whole adult mommy stuff is weird.” Val wrinkles her nose.
“Don’t get me wrong, I love the little rugrats, but I’m too young to be changing diapers.
” Val turns to me. “So, Blakey Poo is going to be tutoring you? That's so exciting.” Her eyes light up. “He really is the sweetest. You’re in great hands.”
“You know him or something?” I ask Val. I know she’s friends with Nina, but I didn’t know that she’s met her brother before. I don’t think anyone has. She’s mentioned him before, but said Blake has his own life and doesn’t mix much with her during school.
“Know him?” Val waves me off. “We’re besties.”
“No, you’re not.” Lexie snorts. “You just met the guy last night and gave him a ride home.”
“And in that small amount of time, we bonded, okay, Lexie? Don’t be jealous. It’s not a good look on you.” Val rolls her eyes.
Lexie pinches the bridge of her nose. “Jesus, take the wheel with this one.”
I snort. “Babe, not even Jesus can save her. He’d go right off the road.”
“Hey.” Val pouts. “What is it, be mean to Val day? If you’re not nicer to me, I’m gonna get Blake after you. He’ll kick your ass,” she huffs, lifting her chin.
“Yeah? Does he know that?”
“Don’t mind her. She didn’t take her meds today.” Lexie grabs Val and pulls her away from me.
“I don’t take meds.” Val looks at Lexie, confused.
“Shame. Because you should.”
My friends are a bunch of oddballs, but I love them and would do anything for them. They’re the first ones to jump up to help with anything. I couldn’t ask for better besties.
***
The rest of the day goes on as normal. I try my best to focus on calculus, making notes of what I need to work on more.
My last class ends at four, giving me enough time to head home, shower, and change.
I’m at the library ten minutes before six. As I approach the building, it occurs to me that I don’t know what Blake looks like, so I’m not sure who I’ll be looking for when I get inside.
I send Blake a text letting him know I’m here and asking where I should meet him.
He replies, letting me know he’s already inside on the second floor, in the back study lounge.
My brows pull together as I enter the library. There’s a study lounge? Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve really spent much time in this place. Maybe that’s part of my issue. I should have taken things more seriously when it came to my schoolwork.
It wasn’t easy with football taking up most of my time. Any free time I had, I wanted to relax and enjoy myself. Looks like I’m paying for that now.
Inside, I take the stairs to the second level and ask the librarian where the study lounge is.
She points toward the back, and I blindly head in that direction.
“Huh,” I murmur to myself when I find a large space filled with tables, couches, and computers that line the back wall.
I text Blake again to let him know that I’m here.
I look around, wondering which one of these people could be him. There's a good number of people here, but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. It’s a big campus with nearly twenty thousand students.
My phone dings, and I look down to read the text.
Blake: I’m over on the black couches, navy hoodie, and dark jeans.
My head pops up. I find the black couches, but I don’t spot anyone meeting that description.
As I walk closer, I see that there’s a second row of couches that was hidden behind a wall.
My eyes land on a familiar-looking person. “Latte Boy?” I say before I can think better of it. Well, I’ll be damned. If it isn’t the insanely cute guy from the cafe.
For the love of all that is holy, please, please, please let him be Blake.
His head pops up, that same scowl on his handsome face. His raven black hair falls over his left eye, and my hand twitches with the need to reach down and brush it away.
I don’t, because that would be wildly inappropriate.
“You.” He says the word accusingly. Ugh, he looks like an adorable little feral kitten. I just want to scoop him up and get my face clawed off for petting him.
“I do have a name,” I chuckle.
“So do I,” he mutters.
“Mine’s Cooper, by the way.” I hold my hand out for him to shake.
His eyes roll just the slightest bit before he sighs heavily. “Of course it is.”
I raise a brow, pulling my hand back. “Have you heard of me?”
“Only from what my sister Nina told me.” He eyes me up.
Nina. Oh fuck. The universe loves me. It really loves me.
“So, you must be Blake.”
“That's what my mother named me, yeah.” He raises a brow.
He’s prickly. I like him.
I sit down in the open seat next to him. “Thank you so much for agreeing to meet with me. Honestly, you were my last hope,” I chuckle.
“I’m only here because my sister guilted me into it,” he grumbles.
My smile begins to fall. What did Nina say to get him to agree?
“Oh.” I nod. “Hey, if it’s something you don’t want to do, that's fine. I won’t hold it against you. I’d understand.” I’d be totally fucked over, but I wouldn’t force him to do something he doesn’t want to do.
His face softens just slightly. “It’s okay.” He nods toward my bag. “Let’s get started.”
Nodding, I pull my textbook out and place it in front of us on the table. I show him what I’m having trouble with, and what I need help on, then other things I could improve on. By the time I’m done, Blake is watching me with a bit of confusion.
“What?” I blink, wondering if I said something wrong.
“You sound like you really want to learn.” His words sound like he doesn't even believe them.
“Because I do.” I chuckle. “Why else would I be here?”
“So, you want me to teach you?” he asks slowly.
“Ah, yeah?” I laugh again. “Isn’t that what tutoring is?
I mean, I don’t expect you to like teach me, teach me.
That's my professor's job, and my job is to listen and try as much as I can. Anything I can’t quite grasp, that's what I’ll need you for. Like a step-by-step slow down until it clicks.” I tap on my head.
He stares at me for a long moment, to the point I start to squirm. I both hate and love his attention on me. His blue eyes are darker, more ethereal than yesterday. His glasses hide them, but up close they’re beautiful.
No, Cooper. We are not going to get the hots for our tutor. We need him, or we’re fucked.
Fucked. Ugh, now I’m thinking about what he would look like underneath me with my cock inside him.
Dear god, maybe Dean was right. Maybe I should go get laid, because I feel like a perv right now.
“You really aren't like the others, are you?” he says this so low I almost don’t hear him.
“Huh?”
“Nothing.” He shakes his head, then clears his throat. “Let’s get started.”
For the next hour, Blake breaks things down step by step. I ask a lot of questions, and thankfully, he doesn’t seem to be irritated by it.
By the time our hour is up, I manage to understand a few things I didn’t before, and I get some of my classwork done.
“We can work on the next part when we meet up again.”
“So, you’re not going to drop me as a tutee?” I hit him with a killer smile.
He snorts but quickly schools his face. Too late, though, because I heard it. He likes me, and if he doesn't yet, he will. I’m determined to make this adorable, angry kitten my new best friend.
“No, I’ll keep working with you. As long as you keep putting in the work, so will I.”
“Thank you.” My face softens into a genuine smile. “This really does mean a lot to me. In this hour alone, you’ve helped me a ton.”
He won’t meet my eye, but I see the blush on his cheeks. “When would you like to meet again? I’m free Mondays, Thursdays, and Friday afternoons.”
I wince.
“What?” He’s scowling again. “That doesn’t work for you?”
“Mondays and Thursdays do, if it’s after seven. But most Fridays and weekends we have games.”
He says nothing, and for a moment I think he’s going to change his mind and say this isn’t going to work after all.
“Alright. Mondays and Thursdays, here at seven.”
“Really?” My eyes light up.
“Sure.” He shrugs.
“You are the best. Again, thank you so much.” I grab my books and shove them into my bag. “I’ll let you go. I’m sure you have better things to do than sit around here with me,” I chuckle. “I’ll see you Monday.”
I don’t try to shake his hand again, mostly in fear that he might bite it off.
I begin to turn and leave when I hear him speak. “Hey, Cooper.”
“Yeah?” I turn to face him.
“Thanks for the drink,” he says. “You know. From yesterday? The latte. The one you bought me.”
My lip curves up at the side. He’s so damn cute, fumbling with his words. “You’re welcome, Blake. Any time. Later, Latte Boy.” I wave as I take off, a little pep in my step.
Tonight turned out a million times better than I thought it would.
How does one send the universe a thank-you gift? Because it sure as hell deserves one for bringing Blake into my life.
I just spent the last hour with him, and I’m already excited for Monday.
Hope he doesn’t hate football players, because he just got himself one as a bestie. He just doesn't know it yet.