Page 14 of End Game

“Yeah…”

“Well, that was a cakewalk in comparison.”

“Oh, honey…”

“It’s fine. I’ll be fine,” I tell him… which is how he knows I won’t be. I’ve never been able to hide anything from my dad, not that I’ve ever wanted to.

“It’ll get better,” he says quietly.

Is he talking about my teammate situation? Or about something else?

“I hope so,” I tell him.

“It will,” he says firmly. “Trust me. I’m your dad. I know everything.”

Chapter 5

Barrett

My body is battered and bruised. All I want to do is crawl into my bed. But tonight is Monday night, the first official night of classes, and Diana and I have plans. I’m not about to cancel on her now.

We meet in the lobby of the ASC. She’s wearing short denim cutoffs and a tank top, showing off her sculpted shoulders and the smooth line of her neck. I open my arms for a hug, and she steps into me without hesitation. Her cheek presses against my heart, hammering a thousand beats a minute at the scent of her perfume, lavender and sunscreen.

“Hey, you.” My voice is thick with an emotion I refuse to identify. It’s good to see her. It feels like more than forty-eight hours since I’ve seen her.

“You really missed me, huh?” She grins up at me.

“Always.” I coil one of her messy waves around my finger, and her eyes crinkle with delight.

“What’s with all the touching?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Normally you give me lightning quick hugs. The last few times I’ve seen you, it’s like you can’t stop touching me.” She looks up at me guilelessly. “I’m not complaining.”

“I don’t know. It just feels right.”

My hands itch to touch her. I’m finally giving in to the temptation that’s haunted me for the majority of the last fourteen years. Even when I thought girls were icky, I always thought she was beautiful. I’ve always been drawn to her like a moth to a flame. And like a flame, I’ve always been too worried about getting burned to consider pressing my luck.

I’m in love with my perfectly imperfect best friend, and she has no fucking clue. She’s not a saint. She would rather sleep in than show up for practice, often leaving the rest of her team in the lurch. She’s never been on time in her life. And she likes to eat cookie butter spread directly out of the jar, even if it’s a communal container.

But I don’t care. I love her anyway. In spite of her flaws. Or perhaps because of them.

“I like it,” she admits, chewing on her cheek. “It’s weird, it’s new, but I don’t hate it.”

“Good. I’m glad.”

Anything for an excuse to touch her. To feel her silky smooth skin. She’s never going to want me the way that I want her. I will take whatever scraps of affection I can get.

There’s a cough behind her. I look up to find the rest of the guys assembled in a half-circle around us. Tucker looks distinctly amused. Amir is hiding a smile. Sam is outright grinning.

Wes grunts. There’s a distinct uplift to the end of it. A question.

“Let’s head in,” I tell them. My hand settles on her lower back, guiding her towards the entrance to the dining hall. Little sparks travel up my arm as the soft cotton of her shirt grazes my skin.

Diana grins up at me. “Such a gentleman.”

I don’t know how to tell her it has nothing to do with chivalry and everything to do with an itch to know her in any way that I can.