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September 26 - September 27, 2024
As the two of us start to walk away, Chloe turns around and locks eyes with Cooper. “Have fun, Cooper. Don’t forget, babies grow up in eighteen years, but herpes lasts forever!” Yup. I found my first friend in this town.
Placing his palm out for my hand, Brady asks, “Ready?” Not even a little bit.
I finally look her way. “No one will be scoring this weekend.” Chloe lifts the arms of her chair, moving it into a fully-reclined position and lays back. “Well . . . maybe you won’t be.”
If Darby hooked up with someone else this weekend, would I be upset? I don’t know that I would be. But if Brady hooked up with another girl . . . I get irrationally annoyed just thinking about that. “Shit.” Chloe turns her head to face me. “Didn’t like the thought of that, now, did ya?” Nope. Not at all.
Brady places his arm on the back of my chair and pulls it closer to his. He leans into me, giving the illusion we’re plotting. “What do you say? You and me against these guys?” I look up, meeting his whiskey eyes. They look gold in the warm light of the porch. Would “Oh God. Yes, please,” be a good answer?
Tilting my head slightly, I act like I’m thinking about my answer. “Sure, QB. You might want to show me what I’m doing though. I’ve never played before.” There is no mistaking the strained look on Brady’s face. “Oh, Nat. There are so many things I want to show you.”
“Well, I’ll have to judge your skills first. A girl needs to decide if you’re a worthy teacher.” Hmm. Not too shabby.
I hold my arm out for Tiffany to join our girl hug, and the three of us huddle there for a few minutes. Unsurprisingly, Chloe tries to break the silence with laughter. “Ladies. As much as I love a good girl hug, I think if we’re going to be touching each other, we should at least do it in front of Murphy. It would be the highlight
of his night.” Her words hang dead in the air for a minute. “Too soon?” Tiffany looks from Chloe to me. Her eyebrows wrinkle, and I think she’s trying not to smile. “Well, maybe?” It comes out like a question instead of a statement, and I can’t hold back anymore. I start to laugh. We all do. We laugh hard and long.
“I’ve got him, QB. Go change your shirt before your girl comes back downstairs. It’s got blood on it, and she doesn’t need to see that shit anymore tonight.” Murphy gawks at Bash like he sprouted another head. “His girl?” Bash opens the door but turns his head back. “Yeah. His girl. Pay attention, Murph.” Then he walks outside. “What the hell is he talking about, man?” Murph’s question is directed at me, but I’m already halfway up the stairs and don’t bother answering. Bash is right. That girl is mine, and I’m a fucking idiot for not realizing it sooner.
“Yes, she’s tall, and she’s pretty. But I have a newfound need for someone who’s short and gorgeous. Someone who looks like a pixie. Someone whose brother I was planning on talking to tonight before all hell broke
loose. I need to talk to him so he doesn’t kill me when I kiss his sister.”
Cooper walks over and puts his arm around Tiffany. “Come on. I’ll help you girls inside.” He kisses her temple,
then grabs the black trash bag from Chloe. Examining the bag, he adds, “you know, I could have fit that fucker’s body in this bag.” Chloe hits him in the head with an empty Solo cup. Tiffany turns around, laughing. “Not helping, Cooper.” “It’s true,” Cooper mutters contritely.
I’m trying to convince myself to get out of bed when there’s a knock at my door, immediately followed by Chloe’s head popping in. I can only see her from the neck up—the rest of her body is hidden behind the door. “Are you decent?” she asks. I can’t help but laugh at my friend. “Chloe, you know you’re supposed to knock and wait for a response before you come in, right?” “I didn’t come in. It’s just my head.” Her smile is wild, genuine, and contagious. I can’t help but smile back. “Please tell me I smell coffee going downstairs?” Standing up, I try to avoid wincing. My muscles are sore in ways
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Brady fills both mugs and hands one to me. He leans back on the counter and might as well shine a spotlight on the perfectly sculptured V his shorts hang off of. I internally groan while I imagine licking every ridge of his chest. If I lick it, is it mine?
He leans back on his elbows and tips half his mouth up in a devious smile. Good lord, am I drooling again? “See something you like, Nat?” Oh my God. Did he just ask me that?
“I may have seen something I liked. But, if I recall correctly, you think you need permission from my brother before
you’re willing to do anything about that. Just in case you weren’t aware, Brady, I’m not an object someone needs to ask permission to use. I decide if, and how, I get played with.” “Nattie, your brother is my teammate and has become one of my best friends. I’m not asking for permission, but I don’t want to feel like I’m doing anything behind his back either.” He stands up next to me, forcing me to look up at him. “Because I don’t plan on hiding how I feel about you for anyone’s sake. Not once you realize you’re already mine. And make no mistake, sweetheart. You’re mine.”
Nat turns to me, still laughing. “You think she could have laid it on any thicker?” “Nope. And I didn’t even pay her. The moral of the story is: Stick with me, and I promise not to lick anyone else.” “You’re terrible.” “Yeah, that was pretty bad.”
QB Hey, what are you doing? Nattie Admiring Captain America. QB Yeah? I think I could take him. Nattie Ohh. I think I’d like to watch that. You know, for educational purposes. QB Hilarious, smart ass. You need a ride to school tomorrow? Nattie Nope. I’m catching a ride with Coop. QB You’re breaking my heart. Nattie I doubt that. See you tomorrow, QB. I’ll be the new girl.
Cooper throws his arms dramatically around me. “Thank you, Nattie.” Then he starts to tickle me until I can’t breathe. “Cooper, leave your sister alone.” I stick my tongue out at him. “Yeah, Cooper, leave your sister alone.” “Are the two of you eight or eighteen? Young lady, do you have your dance schedule for the week? Do you need anything?”
“Did you print out your schedule, pretty girl?” She spins around, her skirt swishing around her shapely thighs, and starts walking backward so she faces me. “I sure did, QB. Why? Are you gonna walk me to my classes? Ask me to go steady?” She bounces on her toes and claps her hands. “Do I get to wear your letterman jacket?” She’s laughing at me because she has no idea how right those words are. “Oh, so I’m getting Sassy Nattie this morning, huh? And what if I do want to walk you to your class and have you be my girl? Would that be so bad?” “Nope. I don’t think it would be so bad.” She’s beaming
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Brady runs his fingers down the side of my neck. “Hair up or down?” I suck in my breath. “Up.” “In my fantasy, your hair is down, beautiful. It should always be down and wild. I fucking love your hair.” He has one hand under all my hair now, gripping the back of my neck, and it’s giving me chills. “Do you like my hair too, Brady?” Murphy runs his fingers through his hair as he and Bash walk down the hall. “Get the fuck out of here, Murphy.” “Time to go, QB. Bye, Little Sinclair.” Murphy’s smile is huge as he waves his fingers at me.
The librarian looks at us and hisses, “Miss Ryan and Miss Sinclair, you are in a library. Please keep your voices down.” Chloe salutes the librarian. “Yes, sir, Miss Abrams.” Miss Abrams crosses her arms and stands up. She doesn’t look amused.
Dad goes to the same spot where I’ve seen him stand, no matter what field we were at, during every single one of my brothers’ games throughout the years. He likes to be behind the end zone and by the goal post, right up at the fence. He always has.
“I’ll meet you guys up there. I’m going to stay here a little longer.” “Gotcha, Nat.” Leaning into my ear, she whispers, “You look like a total babe.” As I shake my head, the two of them head up to the bleachers. “You can go with the girls if you want. You don’t have to keep me company.” “I’m good right here. I’ll go up in a little bit.” “Love you, kiddo.” “Love you too, Daddy.”
That’s when it clicks. At that moment, with my name on her back, I decide she’s going to be the girl who wears my jersey for the rest of her life. As the song ends and she turns back to the field, I catch her eye and don’t know that I’ve ever been so sure of anything.
The clock runs out, and we win the game. It isn’t until that moment that I register the roar of the crowd, and my eyes immediately search the sidelines for Nattie. She’s jumping up and down, screaming next to her dad.
By the time I finally see the guys heading in our direction, my nerves are shot. I expected to see Brady smiling and laughing like Murphy, Bash, and Cooper. I wasn’t expecting Serious Brady, but the look on his face is almost scary. He walks toward us like a man on a mission.
“Tell me, Natalie. Tell me now.”
“Tell you what?” I ask nervously. “Why are you wearing my jersey?” he growls. Shocked and more than a little turned-on, I stare up at him. “Should I not have worn it?” “No, sweetheart. I fucking love seeing my name on you. But I need to know why. I need to know what it means.” “You told me I had to let you know when I was ready for more, Brady. This is me telling you I’m ready for everything.” He’s on me instantly. This isn’t a sweet kiss. This is a claiming. His hands are on my ass, and his tongue is in my mouth.
“Oh my God, Landon. Isn’t that heavy?” I mean he’s a big guy, but still, wow. “Don’t you go worrying about it, Little Sinclair. These arms are plenty strong. They can carry kegs and won’t let anything happen to your boyfriend,” Landon laughs and walks away. Meanwhile, I’m stuck in my spot, pouting. Brady tugs me, but I don’t move. “What’s wrong, Nat?” “Little Sinclair? It’s going to stick, isn’t it?” “Yeah, babe. I think it is.” He hides a smile. I stomp my foot. “What the hell? I’m three minutes older than him!” Murphy and Bash stop next to us, laughing. “Aww. Who pissed in Tinker Bell’s
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“Natalie, I want to be your first everything. I’m pretty fucking sure I want to be your only everything.”
I want to worship this girl. Protect her. Possess her. I want to give her everything.
Then his lips go to the back of my neck. “Did I tell you what seeing you in this jersey did to me last night?” He moves my hair over one shoulder and kisses me again. “I think you got the point across to everyone in the parking lot.” “Just in case you weren’t sure, I fucking loved it.”
“Look who’s decided to join the rest of us. Too busy getting busy last night to get much sleep, QB?” “Boundaries. Get some, man.” Walking to the coffee pot, I grab two mugs and start to pour. “Aww. Come on, QB. Since when do you not share?” An apple flies across the kitchen and hits Murphy in the back of the head. “Since the room he slept in last night was my sister’s, shithead.” Of course, this is when Natalie walks into the kitchen.
Cooper shakes his head. “Speak for yourself, Murph. I’ll be watching the game. You’re on your own, Bash.” Nattie laughs at Murphy. “Murphy, didn’t I see you hooking up with a blonde cheerleader last night? How bad is your ADD?” “I can’t help that the ladies love me. Who am I to deprive them of all of this?” He motions to himself. We all groan, and another apple flies across the room.
“I wanted you the minute I saw you. I think I fell for you when you couldn’t sleep that night. I never knew how strong I was until I had to force myself away from you in that kitchen. It only took me one week to realize I didn’t just like you, didn’t just want you. You’re it for me, Natalie.”
“Please don’t break my heart, Brady. I’m pretty sure I’m falling in love with you.” “I’m pretty sure I’m already there, sweetheart.”
“I want to give you everything, Nat. Today, tomorrow, next year. I want to give you the world, sweetheart.”
“QB, I’m good if you don’t apologize for the hottest night of my life. Now take me home, walk me to my door and kiss me goodnight. I want to go to sleep tonight thinking about your lips on mine.” Leaning down, I press my lips to hers and wonder what I did to get this lucky.
“I’ve been trying to behave all day, but being next to you and trying not to touch you is fucking killing me,” he whispers in my ear. “Your brother is going to have to get used to this because I’m not going anywhere.” Spinning me around, he lifts me so I’m sitting on the counter. My head is level with his, and I lean in for the kiss I’ve been dying for all afternoon. Wrapping my hands around the back of his neck, I drag him closer. “A girl could get used to this, QB.” “Yeah well, her brother can’t.” Cooper walks into the kitchen and grabs another bag of chips. “Get your tongue off my sister,
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Brady tosses Tommy the ball, and Cooper tries to block Murphy, who’s only acting like he’s going to rush Tommy. Everyone cheers when Tommy carries the ball into the makeshift end zone. I wish I could bottle up today and keep it with me forever. Days this perfect never last.
“I’ll have to keep that in mind. Want me to pick you up after you’re done with the mini-ballerinas?” “Sure.” I kiss him one more time, then start to back away. “I’ll see you tonight, handsome. Be nice to my brother at practice.”
The only highlight of this shitty day was when Murphy went to grab his tape out of his gym bag, and a fluorescent green glitter bomb exploded. Glitter, the same color as Tinker Bell herself, coated everything in a three-foot vicinity. Everything inside Murph’s bag. Everything inside his locker that was unfortunately open when the glitter went airborne. It went inside his helmet and all over his pads. I’ve never seen so much glitter in my life, and Chloe was obsessed with that shit a few years ago. That’s how I know he’s never getting rid of it all. You could hear Murphy cursing a mile away.
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Leaning against the wall, I only have eyes for my girl when an older guy stands next to me. “One of them yours?” he asks. A slow smile spreads across my face. “Yeah. The teacher. She’s mine.” And goddamn, I like the sound of that. The dad chuckles. “Oh? My daughter loves her.” “Yeah, she’s kinda hard not to love.”
“Hi, QB. How was practice?” “Fucking awful. How were the minis?” “Minis?” “Yeah, minis. They all look like little mini versions of you and Annabelle. It’s cute.”
All of a sudden, an image pops into my mind. I can see it clear as day. It’s Natalie, a little older, dressed exactly like she is now. She’s holding the hand of a mini-version of herself. A tiny little ballerina with blonde hair and baby blue eyes that own my heart, and they’re both smiling at me. Shaking the image out of my head, I wonder what the fuck is wrong with me. I’m supposed to be thinking about next weekend, not ten years from now. But damn, that pretty picture made my heart speed up and grab on.
“Is Dad home yet?” Just as Nat asks, her dad walks into the room, his eyes zoning right in on the fact that I’m carrying his daughter’s dance bag and holding her hand. I’ve been around Joe Sinclair many times since I met Coop and Nat but never blatantly as his daughter’s boyfriend. We’ve tried to keep the PDA away from him. I can’t decide if he looks annoyed or curious.
