Chapter 17 #2
Veering off course, I head towards a pastry shop Col introduced me to.
I haven’t had the chance to bring Andi since we’re typically passing through town with little time to spare.
It’s a few minutes out of the way, but late is late, and that ship has sailed.
I doubt the boys will be upset if practice is cut shorter than usual.
I glance at Andi as I join the line for the drive-thru.
Her head is resting against the window, eyes closed, but the moment my voice cracks the silence to place our order, she jolts awake.
It takes her a moment to come to, and then she looks to me for an explanation.
“If we’re gonna be late, might as well make it worth it,” I answer, reaching my hand out to take the bag and drinks the worker extends towards me.
“I’m really sorry, Dayton,” Andi voices, her scrunched-nose grimace exposing how guilty she feels.
“You should’ve left without me. Honestly, I half expected you’d be gone already.
I woke in a panic and rushed out the door so quickly I didn’t have time to stop and think.
Needless to say, I was shocked to find you standing on the other side.
” I place her coffee in the cup holder, then grab a donut from the bag before passing the rest to Andi.
“I don’t give a shit about being late,” I state emphatically. “I was worried about you, not the fucking time.”
Her gaze clashes with mine, a faint gasp causing her lips to part.
As much as I’d love to study that look etched across her face and the multitude of emotions she’s cycling between, I give my attention to the road so I don’t run us into a goddamn ditch.
Five minutes later, I shift the truck into park, bracing my forearm on the steering wheel as I angle my body towards Andi’s.
“This is beginning to feel a bit like self-inflicted punishment, Butterfly.” My pointed look is met with confusion, her smaller form shifting uncomfortably as she waits for me to elaborate.
“Twice a week, you drag yourself from a nice, warm bed to come sit on a cold metal bleacher and watch a bunch of hormone-riddled boys toss around a football. I get the need to keep busy when your mind is overrun with stress, but to what end? You’re exhausted, and it’s starting to show. ”
“Gee, thanks,” Andi retorts dryly. “Do go on. I just love getting compliments this early in the morning. Really sets the tone for the rest of the day.”
“Sweetheart, you could be knee-deep in cow shit, and you’d still be the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen,” I chide, her sarcasm making my cock twitch.
Taking advantage of her stunned silence, I voice my observations before she has a chance to interrupt me.
“Even so, that doesn’t change the truth of how tired you are; your eyes are bloodshot and framed by dark circles due to a lack of sleep.
And somehow, it looks like you’ve lost weight.
Which is mind-boggling, considering you have full access to food for the first time in ages. But wonders never cease, I suppose.”
“Wow…” Andi mumbles, her gaze fixated on the windshield as she presses two fingertips against her temple.
“I can’t decide if you’re purposely insulting me, or if you’re simply inept at getting your point across respectfully.
Either way, I appreciate your concern, but I rely heavily on the mundane routine we’ve fallen into.
So if my being here is becoming a problem for you, I can find something else to occupy my time. ”
“I never said that,” I snap hotly, pissed that she’d consider ditching me for anything but sleep.
“But that doesn’t mean you’re not pouring from an empty cup.
Figure out what the problem is so I can fix it.
You need to say something if Briggs staying the night is making you too uncomfortable to get some decent rest. Trust me, I’d take great pleasure in telling him to fuck off. ”
“He’s not the issue,” Andi whispers, the quiet sound magnified by the confined space of the cab.
“Honestly, it’s not any one thing. It’s everything.
Tobias’ trial. Seth and Hudson. But there’s more I haven’t spoken about with any of you, and I’m not ready to.
I’m grateful to have you guys, to have support, because the same can’t be said for everyone who was freed that day.
I can’t imagine how difficult the past six weeks would have been to navigate if I was left to my own devices.
I didn’t expect smooth sailing, but the ride’s been rougher than I thought it’d be. ”
I nod in understanding, unsure of what to say that wouldn’t paint me in a negative light.
I heard everything she said, but my brain is fixated on what she chose to omit from her list of worries.
I’m like a dog with a bone when it comes to the unknown, and that overbearing, ego-fueled side of me that’s suddenly sprung into existence wants to demand she fill in the missing pieces so I have the entire picture to analyze.
Thankfully, logic prevails before I can stick my foot in my mouth and give Andi’s reason for holding back any more validation.
“Let’s go.”
I quickly end the conversation and exit the vehicle, sensing her threshold for prying is at its limit.
Andi follows suit, patiently waiting on the sidewalk as I rummage through my gym bag.
When I find what I’m looking for, I close the space between us and deftly tug the hair-tie from her ponytail.
Her sputtered scoff makes my mouth quirk to the side, but I bite back the smirk teasing my lips in favor of not having her kneecap greet my balls.
I use my fingers to brush Andi’s soft, waist-length strands into place before adding my beanie, then step back to admire my handiwork.
“Don’t give me that look. Your cute little ears would be icicles in no time if you kept your hair up.” I shoulder my bag and take off towards the field, my pulse thrumming rapidly from having my hands on her, even innocently.
“Holy shit,” she feigns surprise. “It seems you can articulate what you’re thinking. Could’ve fooled me, with all your silent manhandling and that do-as-I–please attitude.”
“Careful, smartass.” I cut my eyes toward hers, my smile growing devilish when she meets my warning with a glare of annoyance.
“You’re going to give me a big head if you keep tossing out compliments like that.
Now, sit.” I point to the bleachers, dropping my shit to the bottom bench when Andi flops down with a huff.
I place the bag of donuts in her lap, glad I thought to grab them after our talk turned heated.
“The rest of these are yours, so I expect you to eat them all. And be careful with that coffee; it’s way too hot. ”
“Am I a joke to you?” Andi gripes, her monotone delivery causing me to chuckle.
“I’m not sure when I became an invalid, but thank you oh so much, you big, strong man, for keeping me from certain death.
How on earth did I ever survive without you?
” Her lashes flutter, a sugary sweet smile forming as she mocks my need to control any and all outside forces that might cause her harm, right down to the fucking air she breathes.
“You think I’m big and strong, huh?” The cocky grin stretching across my face causes her eyes to roll, but our moment is interrupted before I can contemplate teasing her some more.
“About damn time, Coach!” Hawkins calls out, bouncing on the balls of his feet as he tries to stimulate some blood flow. “It’s so cold, my balls are shriveled up like raisins.”
“Language,” I half-ass scold the lanky tight end. “And we both know your balls never dropped; therefore, you have nothing to shrivel.”
The team cracks up at his expense, but ribbing is a rite of passage among football players.
I glance back at Andi, my silence relaying my thoughts loud and clear.
She takes an exaggerated bite of her donut, moaning indecently for shits and giggles.
Two can play that game, Butterfly. I blatantly rearrange my dick, satisfaction licking at my insides when she chokes a bit from shock.
I wink and sprint off to get practice started, albeit forty minutes late.
We spend the next half-hour stretching and running through a few drills.
But try as I might, my attention isn’t where it needs to be.
Like they have a mind of their own, my eyes keep wandering to the beauty seated on the bleachers.
I would’ve killed to have someone like her in the stands cheering me on, but my glory days are long gone.
The closest I’ll ever get to realizing that dream is training future players to surpass the records I set, and I’m genuinely happy with the status quo.
I harbor no resentment about my thwarted plans.
Things happened the way they were meant to.
“Hypothetically,” Michaels pants, coming to a stop beside me.
He bends in half, bracing his hands on his knees as he tries to catch his breath.
“What are the odds of a girl like that going for a guy like me?” I track his gaze, my jaw clenching in anger when it leads me to Andi.
“I mean, I’ve always had a thing for older women, and something tells me she’d be worth the risk of rejection.
” Slowly, I turn my body to face the paunchy little shit eyeing Andi like a piece of meat.