17. Nolan
Nolan
I wait outside of Hadley’s public speaking class, every muscle in me aches due to Coach Peters's retaliation for a rogue play Hudson called last Friday against Florida when we couldn’t make ground.
Peters didn’t care that we’d won or that we’d made the reels for two separate plays that went viral over the weekend only that we hadn’t fallen into line and did as he called.
The door beside me opens, and the first few people who stream out of the class sigh with relief as though finding freedom.
Hadley steps out, one shoulder sagging under the weight of her bag. Her dark hair is curled in waves today, and her lips are stained the color of strawberries. My chest warms with relief at the sight of her. I watch her take four steps, looking to see if she favors her injured ankle.
After we proclaimed our friendship, we officialized it by spending the day binge-watching half of the first season of Only Murders in the Building from separate ends of the couch. I think we both realized we wouldn’t be able to hold a conversation, even about her speech.
While I drove her home, she told me about her family’s company, her memories of playing at build sites, how her brother and sister often filled the roles of her parents, and her diehard obsession with Taylor Swift.
I confessed that my dad signed me up for football because he was worried I didn’t have enough masculine influences, and how the one thing I miss most about Indiana is being home for Thanksgiving because our entire extended family would come over and my grandma made me chocolate cream pie because I hate pumpkin, and we spent the day eating and watching football.
Katie was home when we pulled up, and her anger melted at the sight of Hadley’s bruised ankle, asking me a dozen questions and clarifying what needed to happen with icing and care. She even sided with me when I insisted on carrying Hadley up the stairs.
Our mutual declaration of friendship permitted me to send Hadley four texts on Sunday, reminding her to continue icing.
She threatened to turn off her phone.
I warned her I’d drive over.
She sent me a picture of her foot in a bucket of ice water and half her face as proof.
“How’d your speech go?” I ask, pushing away from the wall to catch up with her.
Hadley spins, visibly startled. Her blue eyes dance with silent questions that she tucks away with a shrug. “I got through the entire speech this time.”
I raise a hand for her to high-five. “Progress.”
She smirks, eyeing my hand suspiciously before obliging. “What are you doing here?”
“Holbrook wants to see you.”
“You’re now his errand boy?” She raises her brow. “I’m good. Great actually.”
“Good. Then it shouldn’t take long.”
She glares. “I have a class in forty minutes.”
“So do I. We’d better get going.”
Hadley clutches the strap of her bag, an objection visible with her twisted lips, but she turns and follows me across the campus.
“I heard you and Katie made up,” she says.
“Mostly.”
“Does that mean you’re moving back in?”
Katie gave me the green light—or yellow light—yesterday after we met for coffee. I nod. “Tonight, after practice.”
“You should move into April’s old room. The basement’s frigid during the winter. There’s no ductwork down there for the furnace.”
“Worried about me?”
“You wouldn’t be nearly so cute if you lost all your teeth from chattering all night.”
I swing the door of the facility open for her and she heads inside without looking at me, retracing the steps we’d taken Saturday.
She stops when Lenny appears, buck ass naked.
Hadley slaps a hand over her eyes and turns around. “I’m so so so sorry,” she says.
“Dude,” I exclaim.
Lenny laughs, reaching for a towel that he wraps around his waist. “Don’t worry, Hadley.
I’m not the shy type. Even a cold shower doesn’t give me winterdick.
” He thrusts his hips though Hadley’s back is still to him.
“Although, I’ve heard some say it’s not the size of the dog, but the size of their fight, I’m pretty sure they haven’t experienced—”
“For fuck’s sake, just get dressed,” I growl, feeling the desire to strike him.
Lenny crows with laughter.
I set a hand on Hadley’s shoulder to turn her, and she peeks through her fingers at me. “If this was another one of your—”
I don’t try to glower, but that’s all I can manage.
“Are more in the showers?” I ask.
Lenny grins. “Just me, but Callum and some of the defensive lineup are finishing up with the weights and will be in here soon.” He cuts his attention to Hadley, still grinning as she keeps her back to him.
I set my hand on her shoulder, indicating she can safely turn around before leading her the rest of the way, my attention catching on every sound and movement, fearing I’m leading her straight into a fucking peep show.
When we make it into Holbrook’s office he instructs Hadley to climb on the table. She hops up, pulling off her shoe to reveal the purple bruise that runs parallel to the bottom of her foot, proof of her sprain. “How’s it feeling?” he asks, pushing her neon pink painted toes back.
“Good,” Hadley chimes.
“Are you still icing it?”
“I will tonight…”
He nods. “At least twice. And elevate it.” He runs his thumb along the length of the bruise before turning to me.
“Massage would help, and once it stops swelling, putting heat on it will promote healing.” He reaches for a roll of tape, not asking permission before he tells Hadley to point her toes to the ceiling and begins taping her.
“And don’t forget compression.” He adds the final piece of tape and pats her thigh.
Hadley slides her canvas shoe back on.
“I want to see you back here on Friday.”
“Thanks for seeing me.”
Holbrook nods, looking at Nolan. “He doesn’t ask for many favors.”
“I’ll see you in a few hours,” I say, grabbing Hadley’s bag so we can leave.
We take one of the back exits to avoid chancing running into any more of the guys. “Where’s your next class?” I ask.
“Watson Hall.”
I raise my brow, hope working to tackle me. “What class?”
“Global Business.”
I tilt my head. “No shit.”
Her brow furrows.
“I’m going there now. I was on the waitlist.”
Her mouth parts a fraction. “Good. You can carry my bag the whole way.” She smiles, playfully.
“And you can be my personal tutor.”
We make it to class with minutes to spare. The classroom has stadium seating, packed with fellow students.
I follow Hadley up to the fifth level and set her bag down beside her before sliding into the empty chair beside her.
I reach for my phone to remind Hudson I’m going to be late to weights when movement catches my attention.
A guy wearing a red shirt with “Superman” stamped across the front.
He stops at the girl in the chair opposite Hadley.
“Hey, sorry, would you mind if I trade you seats?” I recognize him then as the idiot that showed up at our house party. The guy I’d intervened with.
The girl who hasn’t unpacked her bag shrugs and gives up her seat without question.
The guy plops into the chair, glancing at me before focusing on Hadley. “Hey. You look nice. I mean, you always look nice, but you look really nice.”
Anger and jealousy coil and rage like a storm that has me clenching my jaw.
“Thanks. I had to give a speech and I read that if you dress the part, it can help you feel more confident.”
“Did it work?”
She laughs. “Not really.”
He laughs with her. “Luke this is my friend Nolan. Nolan this is Luke.”
“Hey. Nice to meet you,” he says.
I nod in reply. “Yeah. You too.
I grab my laptop, listening too closely as Luke prattles on about his weekend. I wait until he takes a breath, and lean closer to Hadley, my arm resting on the back of her chair. “Mind catching me up?”
Luke shifts his gaze to me, but I refuse to meet his eyes. “Actually, we’re still talking. Maybe someone else in the class could help you.”
I glance at him, my jaw set. He’s got balls, I’ll give him that. “Oh, sure. I’ll get the notes tonight while we watch the next episode.” I turn to Hadley. “And you ice your ankle.”
Her eyes prod me with questions I shouldn’t recognize, but do, reminding me my jealousy is showing.
The professor stands from his desk at that moment, calling the class's attention.
Hadley bends, reaching for her bag, and I have a clear shot of her cleavage and the edge of her navy-blue bra before she rights herself, laptop in hand. On her other side, Luke clears his throat loudly to draw my attention, then frowns at me.
I want to meet him on the football field, the only place I’m allowed to hit another person. I’m tied to a contract that prevents me from any physical or verbal altercation. Another fucking rule.
* * *
Four hours later, I pull up to the house on Hickory Lane and grab the bag of clothes I’d brought to the dorms, a sack of groceries, and my school bag from the cab of my truck.
“Hey,” Katie says as I open the door. She’s on the couch, curled up next to Carsen, watching one of the foreign films Katie’s always loved. She lifts the remote, hitting pause.
“Hey.” I nod to Carsen. “Hey, Carsen.”
“Good to see you,” he says. “Nice game last week.”
“Thanks, man.” I dangle the plastic grocery sack. “I picked up ice cream.”
“There are leftover enchiladas in the fridge if you’re hungry,” Katie says.
“Takeout?” I ask.
“Hadley made them.”
“They’re good,” Carsen adds.
I nod. “I need to go grab some notes from her.”
“From Hadley?” Katie turns rigid.
“We have a class together.”
“You and Hadley?” she repeats.
“Indeed.”
“Nolan…”
“Relax. It’s just notes.”
She doesn’t relax.
“I’m putting the ice cream in the freezer.” I move out of sight before she can say more. I put the ice cream away and head downstairs to set my stuff down.
I flip on the lights and start to lower my bag of clothes to the ground, when my heart rate spikes, and I jump back two feet at the sight of a long, brown diamond patterned snake coming out from under my bed.