Chapter 7
TATUM
The bass thumps through the floorboards of Sigma Alpha, vibrating up through my feet as I take another sip of the strong punch. The party is in full swing—bodies packed into every corner of the frat house, the air thick with the scent of beer, sweat, and cheap cologne.
My roommate Brit and her boyfriend hover behind us, somewhere in the kitchen, mixing up another batch of jungle juice?the frat’s signature drink?while I wait patiently for Brandon to arrive with the guys.
“Having fun?” Ethan slides an arm around my waist, pulling me against his side.
I nod, feeling the pleasant buzz of alcohol warming my veins.
This is exactly what I needed after the week I’ve had.
In truth, the first two weeks back on campus have been stressful.
After returning to school, things with Brandon and I have felt different, and though I know having Ethan in my life changes things, I don’t want to think too deeply about the ramifications of being in a serious relationship.
Especially when this might be my last semester at school with my best friend.
The last chance we have to be Brandon and Tate before I become Ethan and Tate.
“Once you’re at Michigan State, we can do this all the time.” He presses a kiss to my temple, and I lean into him, grateful for his steady presence. “No more getting by with only a phone call. No more wondering what the other is doing when we’re apart.”
I swivel in his arms, turning to face him with a frown. “You wonder what I’m doing when we’re apart?”
He shrugs and flashes me a sheepish smile. “I worry about you. About us.”
“You know there’s nothing to worry about, right? Even if something happened, Brandon’s here and—” Ethan sighs, and I blink up at him as he runs his hands through my hair.
“Maybe it’s Brandon I’m worried about.”
“Ethan . . .”
“I want to be the one you lean on, Tatum. Not some other guy.”
My brows rise. I get where Ethan’s coming from, but . . . “He’s not just some other guy. We’ve been really good friends for a long time.”
“I know. And friends are fine. But I still want to be the only one you depend on. Is that so bad?”
I grin and bite my lip, enjoying his possessiveness more than I probably should. He’s the first man to ever really want me—at least in this way—and it feels good to be wanted, to feel special enough he’s jealous at the thought of me and another guy, even if it is my best friend.
I rise to my toes and plant a kiss on his lips. “Not bad. Truthfully, I kinda like that you worry about me.”
“Well get used to it,” he says, hovering just above my mouth, “because I don’t expect to stop anytime soon.”
“Okay, lovebirds,” a deep voice booms from behind us. “Break it up, will you?”
I turn at the sound of the familiar voice, smiling when I meet the eyes of Chris Collins, AAU’s best running back, and one of Brandon’s best friends. His arm is wrapped around his girlfriend, Charlotte, and the rest of the gang trails behind him.
My gaze shifts, searching for Brandon in the throng, unable to fully relax until I find him.
Our eyes lock and everything inside of me brightens because the fact that he’s here means he’s trying.
“You came!” I shout, throwing myself at him.
My arms wrap around his broad shoulders, and I’m hit with his familiar smell?spicy and sweet and comforting, like a glass of mulled cider.
“Whoa!” His arms slowly come around me as I stumble, steadying me on my feet.
I chuckle and drop my arms, leaning back to get a look at him.
He’s wearing an old AAU football T-shirt and worn jeans, his thick, sandy hair still damp from the shower I know he probably took after practice.
A broad grin splits his lips as he stares down at me, blue eyes sparkling.
The sight of him is like a balm, a warm hug on a chilly day.
It wraps around me and makes everything whole again.
Behind me, Ethan clears his throat, and I jerk away from my best friend. “You want to introduce me to all your friends?” he asks, his tone strained.
“Oh, right, of course!” I say, feeling my cheeks heat.
“Um, Ethan, this is Chris, and his girlfriend Charlotte,” I say, smiling at the pretty brunette.
“And the rest of the gang,” I turn toward Brandon and his friends, motioning to each of them.
“That’s Jace and Brynn, Damon and Avery, and West, AAUs kicker.
Everyone,” I say, planting a hand on Ethan’s chest, “this is my boyfriend, Ethan.”
“We’ve heard a lot about you,” Jace says with a smirk before Brandon elbows him in the ribs.
“I’m guessing you all play football?” Ethan asks, eyeing each of them in a way that makes me squirm. It’s clear from everything he’s said previously that he thinks of jocks as meatheads and nothing more.
“Maybe.” Damon crosses his arms over his chest, and even I’m intimidated. “So what?”
“Just making an observation,” Ethan says with a knowing smile. “Can I get you guys a drink?”
Jace shakes his head. “We don’t drink much during the season, especially the night before a game.”
“We, on the other hand, can drink however much we want,” Brynn, the wide receiver’s girlfriend, chimes in.
Ethan’s gaze quickly sweeps over her?or maybe I imagined it?before he nods toward a pair of French doors. “The keg’s out back. Come on, I’ll show you,” he says, like he owns the place. “You coming?” he asks me.
I shake my head and lift my cup. “I’m good. I’ll just wait here.”
“Me too. You guys go,” Brandon chimes in.
Ethan’s gaze flickers between us, the pulsing of the vein at his temple the only sign he might be unhappy about Brandon and me being alone together.
“Come on, man, this beer’s not gonna pour itself,” Chris says, slapping Ethan on the shoulder and leading him toward the doors.
After they’re gone, I turn back to find Brandon staring at me, a crooked grin on his lips. “What?” I scrub a hand over my face, instantly paranoid.
“Nothing.” He shakes his head as if clearing his thoughts before he nods toward the drink in my hand. “What’s in the cup?”
I scrunch my nose. “Jungle juice? It’s a Sigma Alpha thing,” I explain. “You’re sure you don’t want anything?”
“Nah. I’m good.” He stares at me for a moment, searching my face before he asks, “How much have you had?”
My brows rise. “Just a little,” I say, flushing.
“Mm-hmm,” he murmurs, reaching out and touching my cheek. “Is that why your cheeks are as red as a tomato?”
I roll my eyes and swat at his hand, and he chuckles. “Okay, maybe I’ve had a few.”
“The Tate I know is usually one and done.” He cocks his head, eyeing me closer until I squirm under the scrutiny. “Everything okay?”
No. Everything’s not okay. My boyfriend and my best friend spent time together for the first time ever and so far, they seem to hate each other.
“Why wouldn’t it be?” I say, feigning ignorance when I know damn well why he’s asking.
Brandon has firsthand knowledge of my one and only experience binge drinking.
It was my senior year of high school, and I wound up sick as a dog.
Ever since, I never have more than a drink, maybe two, and I’m almost always with him when I do.
“Just because I’m having a little fun and letting loose doesn’t mean something’s wrong,” I say, suppressing the urge to grimace, because even I don’t sound convincing to my own ears.
“You’re a lightweight, Fletcher.”
“So?”
“So, I didn’t think you called hugging the porcelain throne a good time.”
“I’m drinking slowly. Plus, Ethan and I had dinner a bit ago.”
“Right.” He shoves his hands in his pockets, like he’s not buying a word I’m saying, which for some reason makes me want to push the issue further.
“For your information, I’m probably the happiest I’ve been in a long time.”
“Really?” He quirks a brow. “The happiest?”
“Sure,” I say, waving the hand holding the cup out in front of me and sloshing the contents over the rim. “I’ve got both my boys here in one place”?Brandon grunts, grabbing the back of his neck?“my man and my best friend. Life is good. What more could I possibly want?”
“I could think of a few things,” he mumbles.
I frown, but before I can ask him what he means, he asks, “So, what did you do when you got back to your dorm? Anything exciting?”
“Not really.” I flush, thinking about how I fell asleep on the couch. I can still see the disappointment in his eyes when I woke a couple hours later. “We were both kind of tired, so we ordered pizza and watched The Avengers before we came here.”
Brandon’s sober expression transforms, a wide smile splitting his face in two. “You fell asleep, didn’t you?”
Shoot, I forgot how well he knows me.
I groan and tip my head back. “Why do I always fall asleep with Marvel movies?”
“Face it. You don’t like them, Tate.”
“But they’re good. They’re supposed to be so good. Everybody loves them.”
He shakes his head. “Not you. You’re a romance girlie.”
I smirk, pursing my lips. “Fine. You’re right!” I yell, finally admitting it. “I hate all things action and violent and devoid of a solid romance storyline.” I drag a hand over my face. “I’m the worst girlfriend ever.”
Brandon chuckles and pulls me into his arms, giving me a little pat on the back. “You’re not the worst girlfriend ever. You just need a man who knows your preferences and understands if he puts anything else on, you’ll be snoring before the credits roll.”
I laugh and shove at his arm, but he catches my hand, his blue eyes steady on mine in a way that makes my heart skip a beat. “When are you going to stop convincing yourself to love all the wrong things?”
I suck in a breath, unsure of whether we’re still talking about movies when Ethan appears, wrapping an arm around my waist and shoving another red plastic cup in my hand. “Here, I brought you another.”
“Um, thanks.” I stumble away from Brandon and further into Ethan’s arms, only for him to tip my chin and claim my lips.