Page 57 of First Down Promise

“No, it’s going to be great. There’s so much you don’t know. Josh is…Josh. I mean, everyone loves Josh. How could I not love him, too?”

“If you say so.” I hear a door close, and Josh approaches Dane’s car in just a pair of sweats and slides. “You said his name too many times. Whatever, go get laid. It’ll put you in a better mood,” Dane jokes dryly.

“Wow, just when I thought you were the classy one,” I reply and unbuckle my seatbelt.

“Oh, I am, but sometimes you just have to get someone out of your system is all.”

“Do you think that’s all this is?” I whisper, gripping the door handle.

Dane stares blankly at me. “Do you?”

We both get out of the car, and I step toward Josh in the chilly night. “I thought you were going to drive over from Pete’s,” Josh says lightly.

“I guess I missed that memo,” I reply.

Dane crosses his arms over his chest and chuckles. “Fuck, dude. Fuck.”

“Dane,” Josh says.

“You couldn’t wait? Gotta say, you have balls. You know you’re up for a contract renewal, right? On top of the fine for messing with a cheerleader when you inevitably get caught,” Dane says.

My throat tightens. Even though we know the rules, hearing Dane reference Josh’s contract in the same breath makes everything suddenly too real.

Josh’s jaw flexes. “Gonna throw me under the bus?”

“I should, but this is your mess.” His eyebrow flicks up. “I can’t wait to see how this plays out. I’ll leave you with that. Good night.”

“Thanks for the ride and get home safe,” I call out, and Dane nods. He’s quick to back out of the driveway, and I turn to Josh. “What now?”

Josh puts his arm around my shoulders. “You’re not really scared of little old Dane, are you?” he teases, that boyish smile spreading across his face.

“Um…”

“Don’t sweat it.”

“And the fine?”

“Nothing I can’t afford. Now, let’s get you inside.” He rubs my upper arms. “It’s fucking freezing out here, and I have a hot shower with our names on it.”

I glance toward the street where Dane disappeared before letting Josh guide me inside. He brushes it off so easily that I almost believe there’s nothing to worry about.

But Pete’s coming home tomorrow night.

Chapter Twenty-One

Josh

Waking up with Abby beside me yesterday morning made it way too easy to forget bye week had an expiration date. I stayed in bed as she put the previous night’s outfit back on, wishing she’d crawl under the covers instead. But with Pete flying back from New York, she needed to go home. Now, twenty-four hours later, reality is officially back.

I open the door to let Dane in, and he brushes past me without so much as a hello.

“So, it’s going to be like that?” I ask. Dane ignores me, and we enter my home gym. “Hey, good thing you beat Pete and Coop here since you know about Abby and me now.”

Dane sits at the shoulder press machine and lets out a sigh. “What the fuck? Don’t—it was so simple, Josh. Don’t,” he grumbles as the sides of his neck flash red.

“Well, I did.”

“Pete trusts us. You know that, right?” Dane asks, narrowing his eyes at me.