Chapter 23
TWENTY-THREE
DALLAS
I sit on the bench, knowing it’s time for me to run out onto the field, but my feet won’t physically take me there. I don’t think there’s anywhere Coach and I would less like to be than at this field right now, putting on a front that we’re confident in this game after the day we’ve had.
The police station took forever, and of course, Lilly had to get involved. She may have hacked his phone, but lucky for her, just like me and Haven, her dad is a pretty important, wealthy guy, and that seemed to have helped the police wave that bit of info of how the pictures were found.
While she did delete them from Tabor ever having access to them, she also kept proof that they were there, which helped to build the case of just how much shady shit he was doing.
They looked at the Jeep in my parents’ garage and asked a shit ton of questions too.
In the end, they couldn’t even bring him in for questioning because the fucker has vanished into thin air, everyone assuming Lilly’s removal of the photos having been what tipped him off that we were taking action.
But Coach called his parents, who informed him that he was unenrolled from NEU and wouldn’t be bothering Haven again.
According to them, he’s in Europe with friends of the family and is well aware that he was in the wrong.
He fucking better.
Haven and her mom opted to watch the game from home tonight. She was still a bit shaken up and didn’t really feel like coming out. I always want her in the stands, but I understood completely why she didn’t come, and I plan to go to her the second this game is over. Win or lose.
Noah silently plops down beside me. After we left the police station, we had just enough time to meet up with him and fill him in on everything that happened. He was irate that we kept him in the dark so long, but in the end, he just felt so bad for his sister that he let it slide.
I know one thing: If Tabor isn’t gone for good, I’m not sure who will be the worst one for him to face—me, Noah, or Coach King. No matter who he comes face to face with, it’s not going to be good for that sick motherfucker.
“I know that the last thing either of us wants to do tonight is pretend like throwing a fucking ball or running into the end zone matters in the grand scheme of things,” he utters. “It doesn’t—not really.” He sighs, knocking his leg to mine. “But let’s go out and try to get this win. For Haven.”
He’s right. I may not feel like going out on the field right now, and I sure as fuck don’t feel like a leader, but today has been hell for his sister. She deserves a win right now.
“All right, brother,” I say, nodding my head in agreement. “For Haven.”
He pats my shoulder before standing up. When he looks down at me, he smirks. “Especially now that you two are finally admitting that you’re in love and all that shit.”
My head rears back, and my eyes widen. We may have told him about the whole Tabor situation, but we planned to wait to tell him the rest later. I mean, fuck, up until this morning, nothing had even happened. It seems too fast to be blurting it out.
He smirks, holding his hand out to help me up.
“Dude, I’ve known for years you love her.
And even longer that she loves you. Just figured I’d let you two dumbasses figure it out for yourselves.
” When I stand, he pats my back in a half hug.
“Next time, just be honest and not Sneaky Pete though, would you.”
“I swear, nothing happened until—”
“That I do not need to know.” He cuts me off. “Let’s go get this win and prove that we never needed that lowlife Timmons on our team.”
Following him out of the locker room, we walk toward the field.
“Hey, QB,” Haven’s voice coos loudly from above me.
Looking up, she’s hanging her head over the bleachers, gazing down at the tunnel.
I can tell right away she’s in an NEU football jersey, and even though I’m sure it’s got her brother’s number on the back, I wish it was mine—even if we aren’t officially together. “Lookin’ good.”
“Gross,” Noah utters, walking toward the field. “Too soon.”
Standing up, she turns to show me her back, and she’s got my last name and number there. “You better not suck tonight, otherwise I’ll have to give this to one of the random girls cheering for you.”
My heart swells at the same moment my cock twitches from seeing her wearing my jersey. It’s so soon, and yet it feels like I’ve waited forever.
“Thought you were skipping this one?” I say, my heart flip-flopping at the sight of my girl.
Yeah. My fucking girl.
“I figured, if I don’t come, he wins, right?
” She shrugs. “Besides, I’ve always liked to look at you in those tight pants.
” With a wink, she blows me a kiss, and I’m kind of thankful that her brother is now walking away from us when she adds something else—in true Haven King form.
“I’d like them more on my floor later though. ”
Part of me wants to laugh while the other wants to say fuck this game, take her behind the bleachers, and bend her over right now. But mostly, I’m just so happy that even after this awful day, she’s still got her sense of humor. It’s always been one of my favorite things about her.
“Too bad for you, I change before I leave the stadium,” I drawl. “Will jeans on the floor do?”
She looks thoughtful but smiles. “I suppose that’s fine, yes.”
“Rivers, get your ass out here!” the assistant coach hollers, and I know it’s time to go.
“Hey, Short?” I say, knowing I’m about to sound like an idiot but not giving a fuck. “Does this mean you’re my girlfriend?”
“What would give you that idea, QB?”
“Well, you’re wearing my jersey and all,” I say, looking around to make sure no one is close by.
I see her mom standing along the fence, talking to Coach, so I guess it’s safe.
“Plus, you’ll be in my bed later. Hopefully wearing nothing but that.
” I wave to her top. “I’d say that makes you my girlfriend. ”
Her cheeks redden but not with embarrassment as much as from grinning so deeply.
“I haven’t been asked a question, Rivers,” she says playfully. “Is there something you wanted to ask me?”
I look down, smiling like a goddamn idiot. I’ve never asked anyone to be my girlfriend—ever. It feels cheesy and pathetic, and yet here I go because I want her to be mine. And I want everyone to know it too.
“Yeah, I guess I am.” I nod. “What do you say, Short? Will you be my girlfriend?”
“I’ll think about it,” she yells down to me, pausing. “I guess it depends how you play tonight, QB.”
I laugh, shaking my head at her. “All right, fine,” I say, and with my helmet in my hand, I look up at her one last time, eating up the fact that for the first time ever, it feels like she’s here to see me play and not just here to support her brother and dad.
She waves, and even though she didn’t give me an actual answer, I jog onto the field, planning to play one hell of a game so that she can only say yes.
But even before I make it to my team, I have to look back at her wearing my jersey.
Just one last time to soak it in.
HAVEN
“The jersey and all, huh?” My mom bumps into me as we wait for Dad and the guys to be done with the after-game festivities that have to occur. “You’re really going all in for people who haven’t officially told anyone. What is Dad going to think of this when he sees you after the game?”
I stiffen, side-eying her because honestly, I hadn’t really thought of that yet.
“I’m just out here repping a friend.” I shrug, knowing damn well my mom knows that’s bullshit. “No biggie, right?”
She’s silent for a few seconds, but I can feel her gaze still on me before she throws her head back dramatically.
“Girl, you’re really out here, hard launching the shit out of your relationship before even telling your family?” Finally, I look at her, and she’s shaking her head. “You’re a little bitch, Haven King.”
Right when she calls me a little bitch, I know she isn’t actually mad. Despite what most parenting books probably say, my mom loves to call me that as a joke.
“Well, we aren’t, like, official or anything,” I defend, ignoring the fact he asked me before the game.
I didn’t say yes, so I’m not lying. I wanted to, but the guy could use a little humbling after I’ve practically thrown myself at him for days.
Then again, they just won. And I did make a deal with him.
“Are you mad?” I ask, chewing my bottom lip.
Putting her arm around me, she leans her head against mine.
“Baby girl, you and D have only had eyes for each other since you were scrawny teenagers,” she tells me, and my heart swells because …
I didn’t know she knew. “You might give each other a hard time and taunt one another to the point it drives the rest of us batshit crazy, but one thing we all could always depend on is if one of you needed something, the other would always be there.”
I frown. “What do you mean?”
“Remember when your brother ran into you on his bike, and you ended up needing twelve stitches in your leg when you were thirteen?” she asks softly. “Who carried you up the hill and inside?”
“Dallas,” I whisper.
“And when Dallas had his first birthday with Uncle Lane and Aunt Memphis, they went all out, having a huge party, and when Dallas was overwhelmed, who found him a quiet room and came in to announce to everyone that he wasn’t feeling well and that the party was over?”
“Me.”
“What about when you were home alone when you were fourteen and decided to cruise my car up and down the driveway and you put it off in the ditch?” she says, and now, my eyes are flying at her because how the hell does she know that?
“Who didn’t tell a soul but helped you get it out by pushing the car while you drove it?
” She smiles. “And then washed it after just to be safe?”
“You knew about that?” I whisper, remembering that my brother had fallen asleep on the couch when it happened, and when I came back into the house to get him, crying, Dallas rode his bike over.
I wasn’t going to tell him what happened, but within ten seconds of seeing me on the verge of tears, he demanded I tell him the truth.
“We have cameras down the entire driveway, lovebug,” she says with a giggle before she sighs, becoming serious again.
“I could sit here for hours and tell you all the ways you and D told all of us how much you cared for each other without actually saying a word, but I don’t need to.
” She kisses the side of my head. “Everyone will be happy you two finally stopped fighting it. But I am going to also tell you this. When Dallas tries to push you away—because he will—it’s important if you really do love him the way I think you do, to stay.
Because until Lane and Memphis, no one ever stayed for him.
And in a lot of ways, I’m sure that’s still in the back of his mind and probably always will be. ”
I lean against my mom, feeling a twinge of pain tug my heart because I know she’s right. I can feel it inside me that Dallas is going to pull back once the dust settles. Too bad for him, I’m not giving up on something I’ve waited this long for that easily.