Chapter 21 Room 824
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Ryker
And just like that, my college football career had come to an end. I stared up at the score – twenty-seven to thirty, and not in our favour. This feeling sucked, but that was the reality of sports. Only one team won.
The home crowd were celebrating their victory, the cheers and music deafeningly loud. For all the losses I’d faced over the years, even as a kid and in high school, this one hurt the most. We might be East Coast Champions, but National Champions had always been my goal.
I’d already handled all the post-game formalities, like shaking hands with the opposing coach and quarterback, and offering congratulations to the other team when a camera was shoved in my face. Now I was ready to get the fuck out of here.
Our locker room was devastatingly quiet as the guys filed inside. For some of my teammates, that wasn’t just their final college game – it was the last time they’d ever play football. While I had the Draft to focus on, there was no football in their futures.
When the post-game interviewer had asked how I was feeling about the Draft, I’d been quick to deflect the question.
Talking about it felt wrong, knowing how many of my teammates’ careers had just ended.
I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d let them down.
They’d missed out on their fairytale finish because of me.
As I collapsed in front of my locker, I went over every play, trying to figure out what had gone wrong and what the result would have been if I’d done some things differently.
“Don’t,” my cousin said from beside me, dropping his helmet on the ground with a heavy thud. “Thinking like that is a slippery slope.”
Figures he knew where my head was at. Over half of our lives had been spent on a football team together, and now that chapter was closed – finished with a three-point loss.
His parents were here, along with my entire family and Ruby’s mum and dad. I felt guilty that they’d all flown in from out of state for this ending. I really fucking hated losing.
To make matters even worse, the person I wanted to see most wasn’t here. Ruby had started the surgical placement last week, and had been rostered on every day since. I’d promised to win tonight so that she could be there for my final game next weekend, but that wasn’t going to happen now.
Since Miami, we hadn’t spoken as much as normal. Football had been crazy while I prepared for the post-season, and Ruby had been busy with work.
When she’d admitted that her memories from the nightclub were hazy, I wished I had asked her exactly which parts she remembered. That way I’d know whether she was actually caught up at the hospital, or if she was just using it as an excuse to avoid me.
Evan hadn’t stopped giving me shit me about that weekend. He loved reminding me that I’d played the elephant card and hadn’t even gotten to second base, while he’d been enjoying his first threesome.
I hadn’t called elephant because I’d thought something would happen with Ruby and me, I’d used it so he got the message loud and clear to take the party elsewhere.
And fine, maybe I’d also hoped Ruby and I could finish the conversation about the picture. But before I could bring it up, she’d thrown up at my feet and the night ended abruptly.
I’d had to carry her from the pizza shop to the hotel. Thankfully it was less than two blocks and she was as light as a feather.
When we got back to the room, she’d drunkenly tossed aside her shoes and belt before falling into bed still wearing my tee.
When I found it on the bathroom floor the next morning, it still smelled of her perfume.
Had I creepily sniffed it? Of course, because I was a fucking freak when it came to her nowadays.
Our team manager loomed over me, casting me in shadow. “Media are waiting for you and Coach.”
Talking to the media was always the last thing I wanted to do after a loss, but unfortunately it came with the job.
I sighed. “Got it. I’ll hit the showers.”
Back in freshman year, when I was called up for my first interview, I’d been a nervous wreck. Now, I considered myself a seasoned pro. Sometimes I could even anticipate the question before it was asked. They became predictable after a while.
“I need someone to lick my wounds,” Kyler grumbled.
Pat scoffed. “There’ll be slim pickings here.”
The game had ended late, so we were staying in enemy territory for one more night. I wished we could head straight home. I wanted nothing more than to crash and rot in my own bed.
“That’s why you fly your girlfriend down,” Brady said before gesturing my way. “Or have a cheerleader on call.”
The cheerleaders had travelled with the team. Gretchen had slipped into my DMs before the game, wishing me luck. I knew that door was still open if I wanted to knock it down. Did I?
“Nah.” Evan dragged his hand through his hair, which somehow still looked good despite having been stuck under a sweaty helmet for the last four hours. “Ryker’s got a crush.”
Brady frowned. “On who?”
“Ruby.”
I rolled my eyes. Here we went again.
We’d just lost an important game, and I was still being ragged on about my best friend. Evan must clearly be looking for a distraction. I guess I got it, because when I replayed the last four quarters, the frustration hit all over again.
Kyler leaned forward, resting his elbows on his padded thighs. “Must be a big crush for you to turn down that volleyball player. I saw her picture when I bought one of the energy drinks. Hot is an understatement.”
I didn’t feel bad for blowing off Miranda. She hadn’t hesitated jumping ship to Evan. I doubt she was even that into me, she was just looking for a good time.
I was also glad to have dodged the awkwardness that followed Evan, Miranda and Elizabeth at the shoot on the Monday. Without alcohol to numb their judgement, their Friday night activities had seemed much more brazen in the daylight.
I wanted to deny what the guys were saying – to argue that I didn’t have a crush on Ruby – but that wasn’t even close to what I countered back.
“She was flirting with me in Miami.”
“She was,” Evan agreed. “I’ll give you that. Until she barfed on your shoes.”
Brady’s wary eyes met mine. “That’s fucking dangerous for a multitude of reasons. A big one being she has a boyfriend.”
“Relax,” I groaned. “Ruby and I are just friends.”
God, if I had a dollar for every time I’d had to say those six exact words...
“Doesn’t mean you’re not attracted to her, moron,” Evan mumbled under his breath.
I didn’t need the reminder, especially before I fronted the media. My focus should’ve been on that, on what I’d say and how I’d diplomatically answer their questions without giving in to temptation and telling everyone to fuck right off.
“Why wasn’t Ruby with Noah?” Brady pressed.
I shrugged. “Beats me. He was busy or something.”
Whatever the truth, it didn’t matter. I didn’t have a crush on my best friend. I’d just seen her close to naked and it had rattled me. Nobody ever said guys were smart when it came to the female body. Boobs were literal fucking witchcraft.
“Speaking of the girl in question,” Evan said, signalling to my phone with a smug expression.
I didn’t even need to check to know that it was Ruby. She would be calling because she knew the score. If she hadn’t looked it up herself, either her parents or mine would have texted her by now.
I hadn’t expected to hear from her so soon. She’d told me she was on shift until midnight.
I could feel my friends watching, waiting to see if I needed her badly enough to break my own no-phones-after-a-game rule.
I wanted to. I really did. But I had to save face.
To make a point, I let it ring out. When it finally stopped, I locked eyes with Evan.
“Elephant,” I told him before picking up my phone and pulling up Gretchen’s DM.
Ryker: Room 824.
She wrote back immediately.
Gretchen: I’ll make you feel better baby.