The Wrong Quarterback (The Wrong Player, #1)

by C.R. Jane

Because if he was going to be my stalker…I wanted to be his stalker, too.

“Good girl.” His voice softened, filling the empty space between us. “Sweet dreams, baby. I love you.” I fell asleep listening to the sound of his breaths.

“It’s for someone special. My soulmate’s brother, Ben Larsen. A man I never got to meet, but wish I had. I respect him immensely, and I know he’s watching out for her and us, wherever he is.”

The respect in Parker’s voice was real, solid, and the whole world was watching him honor my brother in a way that made my heart twist and ache. No one else had ever done that, no one else had ever thought of Ben like this—not even Gray.

I realized right then, I loved him. He was willing to be unhinged for me, to do whatever it took to have me.

Because with that dedication, he’d just proven he knew exactly how to honor my heart.

And that’s when I knew…I’d stay.

“I think you’re crazy,” I told him as I stared into his blue eyes. He grinned. “Yes. Crazy for you.”

“And you are absolutely never allowed to put me in a basement again—or anywhere else—without my permission,”

“You’ve owned my soul since the moment I saw you, baby,”

“I’ve just been waiting for you to realize it.”

He stopped in his tracks, his face turning pale as his incredulous gaze darted from the way Parker’s arm was wrapped around my waist…to my face.

“I’m going to talk to him for a second,” I whispered to him, staring up into Parker’s torn face.

“Just remember that I’m never letting you go,”

“I’m not letting you use Ben against me anymore,” I whispered.

“That’s what you’ve been doing. You took me for granted, and every time you saw me slipping away, you used Ben to reel me back in.”

I stared at the boy I’d once thought that I’d loved. And maybe I had loved him.

Maybe it was just hard to think of it as love because this thing between Parker and me was so overwhelming, so all-encompassing—it dro...

Maybe that had been love, and what Parker and I had was a sou...

“I’m letting you go,” I whispered.

I stared at him, the boy who’d been my constant, my refuge, my home for so long. But he’d also deserted me when I’d needed him the most. And then he’d treated me like I was an afterthought instead of the love of his life.

“We’re not kids anymore,” I said, the words a knife between us. “And whatever we once had—it’s not enough now. I thought it was everything then, but…it turns out I didn’t know what everything actually was.”

love him. I love him so much that I can’t imagine breathing without him. I love him so much that it feels like he’s carved into my soul.”

“Goodbye, Gray,” I whispered, the words breaking me apart even as I said them. He didn’t move, didn’t try to stop me as I turned back toward Parker. I left the boy and walked to the man who made up my whole future.

And with each step I left a trail of my memories with Gray behind me.

I didn’t look back until we were far away.

The night had swallowed Gray, and with it, the last pieces of who we’d been.

I covered her eyes. “Hey,” she cried, pushing my hands off.

“Cole snores terribly loud, and his farts literally clear rooms,” I told her. She blinked at me, the same look she always had when I said something fairly crazy.

“Why are you telling me this?” she asked slowly. “J...

“Cole’s going to love it. He appreciates me for my comedic humor,” Jace retorted, scowling at the two of us like we’d deeply betrayed him.

“Cole also wears birds on his head, so I’m not sure you can trust him,” I mused as the man in question waved to the crowd and strode toward us off the stage.

Before I could blink, he swept Casey up into a huge hug that made her squeak in surprise. “Hello, future sis-in-law,” he crowed as he spun her around.

“Put her DOWN,” I growled, seeing red as I forced myself not to tackle my oldest brother.

“So touchy about touching,”

His shirt, some kind of loose linen deal, was unbuttoned halfway down his chest, revealing a glint of silver from a chain with a small emerald stone at the end, swinging slightly as he shifted. His leather pants were so tight that I wasn’t sure how he’d actually gotten them on in the first place.

I snapped a picture and sent it to Walker. His response was instantaneous.

Walker: Burn it.

“You’re laughing at me, aren’t you?”

My future wife’ is better, but if the other one gets you going, I’ll take it as long as it gets me to the same place.”

I crouched down, brushing a bit of dirt from the edge, running my fingers over the rough stone. “Hey, Ben,” I started, my voice rough,

I hadn’t talked when I was here with Casey, I’d just been there as emotional support.

“I don’t know if you can hear me, but…I guess I just wanted to introduce myself. I’m Parker.”

“Look, I know you probably would’ve had a lot to say about me being with her,”

“And I don’t blame you. But I love her, man. More than I can even wrap my head around. She’s…everything.”

It hit me then—everything he’d missed, everything he’d left behind.

“I’m sorry we never met. I wish we had.”

“But I want you to know…you can trust me with her heart. With her life...

“I’m going to take care of her. I promise. You don’t have to worry—your sister’s going to be okay.”

“Ben…I know what it’s like to miss someone after they’re gone,”