25. Nolan
Nolan
“H ow late are we planning to stay?” Palmer asks, looking between me and Corey.
We’ve been here for the past hour, discussing options for tomorrow’s game.
We’ve begun modifying our plays, allowing them to begin like the plays Peters expects, and then adding slight modifications that can be excused for strong defenders.
“Katie must be home,” Grey says. “Nolan hasn’t bitched once.”
“I don’t understand why you and Hadley don’t just tell her,” Corey says. “It’s not as though you need her permission.”
“They aren’t telling anyone,” Palmer says, taking a bit of cobbler. We rarely get desserts as a snack before game night, but tonight, they served blackberry cobbler that has us all going back for seconds.
Corey furrows his brow. “Why in the hell aren’t you guys telling people?”
“She’s ashamed of him,” Palmer says.
Grey howls out a laugh.
I bench the bar and wipe my brow with a towel. Any other day, I’d flip them both off and give as good as I’m getting, but when it comes to Hadley, I keep the details close to the vest.
Hudson glances at me, a knowing look as though he’s telling me this is my chance to come clean.
“I think we know what we’re doing tomorrow,” I say. “Why don’t we call it a night?”
The others agree, gathering our garbage and the few belongings we’d brought.
“What’s going on with Sadie?” Grey asks. “I haven’t seen her loitering around the dorms all week.”
Corey tries to swallow a laugh and fails, which has all of us turning to look at Palmer.
“Turns out she wanted a little more than a good time,” Palmer admits.
Grey snickers. “If that’s your biggest complaint, then you’re a better man than me.”
Corey laughs. “That wasn’t all. She was planning to get his name tattooed on her chest.”
“No,” Hudson says, wincing. “She didn’t go through with it, right?” He tosses his towel in the laundry.
Palmer shakes his head. “She showed me the pattern the day after Halloween. Apparently, it was the anniversary of the first time we kissed or something and she wanted to surprise me.”
“Dude,” I say, shaking my head.
Hudson’s phone rings with a text. “Shit,” he says. “I’m late. Evelyn’s waiting for me. I’ll see you guys tomorrow.” He heads for the exit.
“I’m sorry about Sadie, man,” I say, not because I’m sorry they broke up—Palmer deserves someone so much better than her—but because I know how fucked up I’d feel if Hadley broke things off with me. “You have to find someone interested in you for more than just because you play football.”
“It works for Grey,” Palmer points out.
Grey doesn’t respond as he changes his shirt. He swore off dating, committing himself to football. He’s hoping to get drafted this year, which attributes to why these games matter so much to us and why Peters can fuck right off.
My phone vibrates with a series of texts that has me reaching into my pocket.
“If that’s Lenny with another dumb idea, tell him no,” Corey warns. “I don’t know where in the hell he found that fart spray, but Hudson’s still pissed at you guys for filling the air vents last weekend.”
“Hudson and everyone else on the first and second floor,” Palmer adds.
Hadley: Where are you?
Hadley: I can’t feel my toes
Hadley: Maybe I feel my toes? Maybe I can’t feel my feet.
“Shit.” I call her. It rings twice before she answers, a chorus of noise and music in the background, so loud I have to pull my phone away from my ear.
“Hello,” she says in a sing-song voice.
“Where are you?”
“At a party. Remember? I told you Hannah and I were going out.”
“Why can’t you feel your toes?”
“What? It’s really loud. Like really, really loud.”
“I said why can’t you feel your toes.”
Palmer snickers. “Toasted,” he sings.
“I have questions for you. Lots of questions, starting with, how many casual relationships do you normally have at the same time? And how long do they last?”
“How much have you had to drink tonight, Cutlass?”
She giggles at something. “I feel strange. Did I tell you I can’t feel my toes?” She hiccups.
I grab my bag and turn to my friends, who are already on their feet, ready to follow me wherever I tell them I need them—a reminder of our friendship that has withstood so much over the past two years and will only endure more. “Need us?” Grey asks.
I nod. “Can you send me your address, Cutlass?”
“The room is spinning.”
“How much have you had to drink?” I ask her again.
“I’m not drunk. I only drank one beer. Drunk? Drank? Why’s English so confusing? I drank too much and now I’m drunk. I lie on my bed as I lie to you. Do you see the sea? And don’t even get me started on affect and effect. You affect me. Is it a positive effect?”
“How big was that beer?”
She scoffs. “Why aren’t you out having fun? It’s Friday. Who’s failing college now?”
Palmer must hear her remark as we near the cars because he snickers.
“Cutlass, where are you?” I raise my phone and look toward Corey and Palmer as they near Corey’s truck. “Will one of you text Ethan and see where in the hell he is and if he’s with Hannah?”
“It’s a game night. You think he went out?” Corey asks.
“I think he likes Hannah,” I tell him.
Corey nods his understanding before turning his attention to his phone.
“I’m at a party,” Hadley says.
“I know. Do you remember the address?”
“How did you meet other girls you casually dated? Is there a checklist? I mean there has to be right? Or like a trial period. We had a trial period. Are we still in a trial period?” She hums as she does when she types or writes, as though she’s mentally writing plausible answers or maybe more questions.
Corey lifts his hand to catch my attention, a deep frown marring his brow. “They ate edibles. They’re all higher than fucking kites.”
I chuckle and shake my head. Our conversation makes so much more sense now.
“Also,” Corey says, “they’re on frat row. The soccer team’s throwing a party at their frat house. I sent you the address. We’ll meet you there.”
My smile falls. For fuck’s sake.
Of course, they are.
“Cutlass, you’re in enemy territory.”
“Are you guys’ really enemies or is it more like what we have? Because I like our prank war. Sometimes your pranks are my favorite part of my day.”
“Where’s Ethan?”
“Over there.”
“How high are you?”
“High? No. I’m just high on life. I’m being impulsive, and it feels amazing. Maybe that’s why I like our arrangement so much. It feels impulsive.”
Emotions whorl in my chest as I glance at the address Corey sent.
“My stomach feels kind of weird.”
“Edibles can do that.”
“Edibles?”
Shouting is followed by laughter, all I can hear as I speed down sleepy roads until reaching frat row, recognizable by the large houses, and cars spilling into the street.
I double park, blocking half of the oncoming lane so I can stop in front of the right house.
“What part of the house are you in?” I ask, already out of my truck.
Hadley doesn’t respond, but I hear the noise of the party in the background.
Corey pulls up behind me and Palmer swings out of his passenger side, Grey out of the back. “He’s going to stay so we don’t get towed,” Palmer explains as they follow me up the front stairs. “Think they’ll kick us out?” he asks, his eyes glinting with excitement.
Grey shakes his head. “Don’t engage with the soccer team or anyone for that matter. Heads down and get them out.”
“They’re fucking toasted,” I say.
In my ear, Hadley remains silent. It has a fissure of nerves coursing through me, leaving me wholly unbalanced as my focus becomes fixated on finding her.
“Damn,” Palmer says as we stand in the doorway. The house is crowded and so full, I’m shocked the fire marshals haven’t arrived to shut it down. “Costume party.” He practically salivates.
“Focus,” I snap.
Palmer nods.
“I’ll take the living room, Nolan, you take the kitchen, Palmer, you go down the hall and backyard,” Grey divides us like a tactical team, like we’re on the field with a known defender.
I give a quick nod and head off in the opposite direction, searching through the maze of faces that are covered in makeup and masks for Hadley.
Fear clings to me like a cornerback as I make it to the back porch, and spot Palmer, waving me down. My gaze snaps to Hadley and then Hannah and Ethan, Sam at his side. They’re laughing. All of them.
I cut through the crow, stopping in front of them.
“There you are,” Hadley says. “I’ve been looking all over for you.” Her demeanor changes, a seductive smile spreading across her full lips. “Do you like my tail?” She turns to show me the back of her costume. She looks like a sex kitten.
Palmer chokes on the laughter he’s trying to keep back.
“I’m starved,” Ethan says. “You know what sounds really good? That apple crumble you made a couple of weeks ago.” He looks at Hadley. “Crum-ble. Crumb-ble .”
“Peters will lose his shit if he finds out,” Palmer says.
“I’ll get these two home. Can you get them back to the dorms? Do you know what room they’re in?”
“Hudson will know,” Grey says.
I shake my head. “Hudson will be pissed. Plus, he’s with Evelyn. Put them in my room. The key’s in my truck.”
“I want tacos. So many tacos. All the tacos,” Hannah says, turning to Hadley. “Have you found the best taco recipe yet?”
Hadley smiles blissfully. “No, but I should. “Mac N’ cheese, garlic bread, and tacos.” She turns to me. “Do you like tacos? Tell me you like tacos. This could be a make-or-break moment.”
“You guys are going to have such beautiful kids one day,” Hannah says, looking between Hadley and me.
Grey shakes his head. “You’re going to have your hands full tonight.”
“Let’s go get some tacos,” I tell the girls, setting a hand on Hadley’s shoulder.
The girls laugh and walk too slowly, their attentions being pulled by every laugh and loud noise. When we make it outside, Corey hops out of his truck to help me get them down the stairs and into my truck while Palmer less gently prods Ethan forward, and Grey mutters threats to Sam.