Chapter 12 Roscoe
I’m running down the field, Billy—our junior cornerback—hot on my tail.
Too bad for him, I’m not even using my full speed.
He’ll find that out in a second. Crossing the thirty-yard line, I glance over my shoulder in time to see Ox pull back his arm and launch the ball.
It’s gonna be a deep throw, but we’ve nailed this same play with multiple variations so many times it’s almost a guaranteed score.
With my eye on the ball, I decide I’ve let Billy have enough fun thinking he can beat me, so I rush forward just in time to catch the ball. He curses, knowing damn well he can’t catch me now, and I run into the endzone, laughing the whole way.
“Fuck you, Cortez!” he shouts.
“Thought you had me there, didn’t you, slow poke?”
“Yeah, yeah. Eat shit.”
“Awww. Don’t be butt hurt. Next time, I’ll pretend to trip so you look better. Still won’t be enough for you to beat me, though.”
He gives me the finger just as Coach calls us in for the huddle. We get the usual pep talk peppered in with all the shit we fucked up on. He’s a hardass, but he’s a genuinely good dude who just wants to see us win.
“Nice play, Cortez. You and Maddox make quite the team. Keep that up, and the offers will be a sure thing.” His eyes seem to catch on something over my shoulder right before his brows raise.
“Looks like y’all have a visitor. Keep those fists on lockdown, though.
There’s no fighting on this field, ya hear me? ”
Owen and I glance over at the same time, noticing Dre standing on the sidelines, his arms crossed.
“Yes, sir,” we agree in unison.
“Good. Dismissed.”
The team starts to disperse, but I swear to Christ, snails move faster. They know something’s about to go down and don’t want to miss it. nosy bastards.
“Shit.”
“I second that,” Owen agrees.
Carson walks over, his eyes on our ex-friend. “I’d bet my signed Reapers football I know what this is about.”
“Only a dumbass would take that bet,” I mutter. “C’mon. Might as well get this over with.”
Carson runs his hands through his sweat-drenched hair. “Yeah, I need to get cleaned up and head over to the bookstore to help Nik, so I can’t be too long.”
We line up like we’re a team of gunslingers from the Old West, our helmets dangling from our hands instead of pistols as we stride toward the man with a scowl plastered on his face.
“Dre. What can we do for you?” Owen asks.
“The only thing I’ve ever asked is that you leave my sister alone.
” He closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, and exhales.
“I’m trying not to be a dick here because I know I’m responsible for a lot of what went down back then, but that doesn’t change the fact that I told you fuckers she was off limits before the fallout.
Now knowing what really went down just makes me want to beat your asses for touching her anyway. ”
“For the record, I haven’t touched her at all,” I deadpan.
“Me either, but not for lack of wanting to,” Carson adds.
Dre’s nostrils flare, then he takes more deep, calming breaths. “I thought I could handle this when I knew it was fake. Figured the dickhead ex would eventually give up and the charade would be over. But now…”
Owen drops his helmet on the turf. “But now, what?”
“Now you’re all moving in together.”
We all share a look because there’s no way he should know that. I can almost guarantee Nik didn’t tell him.
“Where’d you hear that?” I ask.
“Y’all forget my sister has entire conversations with herself? I stopped by the bookstore this morning, and she was rambling about the idiocy of the idea while mumbling about someone named DJ Vibrato. She’s just lucky it was me and not Gertie, or the whole town would know.”
“Look, Dre, we’re just worried about her. I wouldn’t put it past that ex of hers to do something really fucking stupid if she doesn’t agree to get back with him soon.”
“And you know she’s shit at locking her door,” Carson adds. He shares a look with Owen who visibly tenses. “But also, despite everything that’s happened in the past, nothing has changed for us where she’s concerned.”
“What the hell does that mean?” Dre barks.
“It means… We wanted her then. We want her now.”
Dre’s blue eyes, an exact match to his sister’s, lock onto me like a laser beam. “Want her…how?”
Owen looks at Carson first, then me. We nod, giving him our approval. Best to get this conversation over with now.
“Your sister is the only woman we’ve ever truly thought of as our forever.”
“That day, before everything happened, we were trying to figure out a way to get her to come around to the idea of being with all of us.” Carson drops his head, fingers spearing through his hair nervously.
“We know how shit went down with your parents, and she was deadset on not turning out like them. It was always going to be an uphill battle, but it was one we were willing to fight.”
There are a few moments of silence where I have nothing to do but think. I know this whole talk could go one of two ways. Dre blows up, like he’s been known to do, or he finally understands we’re not just trying to get into his sister’s pants.
We want every single part of her.
“Why her?” he asks quietly.
“Why not?” I snap. “She’s smart, stunningly gorgeous, likes football, and she takes no shit. The list is a long one, but we can keep going if you need us to.”
He stares back at each of us. “There’s nothing I can say or do to change your minds?”
Owen shakes his head. “Not a single thing.”
It’s time her boneheaded brother understands just how serious we are. “You wouldn’t have been able to talk us out of wanting her then, and you sure as hell aren’t going to now. She’s back, and she’s ours.”
Dre’s arms drop, his shoulders easing. “Just know that if you hurt her, you’ll pay.”
When he smiles, I know I’m not the only one feeling really fucking confused.
“Wait. Just like that, you’re okay with us dating Nik?” Carson asks, sounding as dumbfounded as I am.
Can’t say I like the feeling.
“Yeah. Just had to be sure you weren’t fucking around.
That this was serious for all of you and not some game.
Not saying we’re gonna be besties again, but I can at least be friendly.
” He looks away for a second, the smile falling.
“And for what it’s worth, I’m sorry for being an asshole back then.
I really did believe I was sticking up for one of the only people in my life who truly mattered. ”
“We understood that. It’s why we stayed out of it until Owen kinda sorta went and broke your arm.” Carson grimaces.
That was a scene none of us are likely to ever forget.
Dre sighs, meeting our eyes. “I threw the first punch, so that’s on me. I should’ve taken a second to talk to you all instead of going all hothead.”
“So… We’re good then?” Owen holds out his hand.
If we were a bunch of pussies, we’d be holding our breath right now. Instead, Carson and I step forward and do the same.
“Yeah. We’re good.” He shakes our hands. “At least, you are with me. Getting my sister on board, well, that’s gonna be another battle entirely.”
“Don’t worry,” Carson says. “We’ve got a plan.”
“As long as she’s happy and protected from that asshole ex of hers, that’s all I care about. If you all hadn’t stepped in, me and the boys would have, but to be honest, I don’t trust her around them. They’re a bunch of hornballs.”
Owen’s brow furrows. “Tennyson and Banks have way worse reps than we ever did. Keep them the hell away from our girl.”
Dre’s smirk is slow and mischievous. “I could always set her up with York and his crew if you guys fail.”
A growl cuts through the air, and suddenly all eyes turn my way.
Shit. That was me. I did that.
But no way in hell am I having the cockiest bastards in Cedar Vale sniffing after what’s ours.
“Keep those dipshits away from Nik, or I won’t be held responsible for my actions.”
“Then you better up your game, boys. My sister deserves men who are willing to do whatever it takes to keep her, and if you think that’s you, then prove it.” He slips his hands into his shorts. “Best of luck with that.”
He turns, whistling as he walks toward the parking lot.
“He’s kidding, right?” Carson asks, staring after him.
“Doubt it.” Owen picks up his helmet. “We need to move, and we need to move fast. He puts those pretty boy baseball players in our way, and I’m a little ashamed to admit I’m not sure the odds would be in our favor.”
“Don’t worry. I’m on it. Phase One of the Win Annika Over Plan: woo her with my charm and wit tonight at tutoring.”
Owen slaps my shoulder. “Dude did not just say he was gonna woo her.”
“He did. We are doomed.”
“Sure, sure. Laugh it up, you uncultured swine. But we’ll see who wins the girl and who doesn’t.”
We enter the tunnel that leads to the locker room, and I playfully shove him into the wall. “You do realize that winning the girl would be winning her for all of us, right?”
“Yeah, of course, but I still get bragging rights.”
We all laugh, and for the first time in days, the pressure filling my chest is gone.
Despite my earlier misgivings, spending mere moments in Nik’s company was all it took for those teenage feelings to come rushing back to the surface.
They weren’t just puppy love. It was real, deep, and true.
I never really stood a chance. Sure, my brain is still a little hesitant, but my heart has already concluded that we don’t have any other choice.
She will be ours, nothing fake about it.