The sound of the doorbell cut through the stillness, sending my heart into a sudden, rapid thud and tightening the knot of anxiety in my chest.
“Who the hell?” I mutter, tossing the covers aside.
I move quickly to the door, and the doorbell rings again. I lean into the peephole, and I think about what I look like for a split second. I let my hair down, fluff it out, run back to change my shirt, and rush to the door again.
“What are you doing here?” I ask as I open the door.
Jared gives me a sheepish grin, his eyes flickering to the bag in his hand. “I brought snacks.” He lifts it slightly, and I catch a glimpse of the familiar tub of ice cream peeking out. “Oh, and I found this wicked puzzle at my apartment’s clubhouse.”
“You stole a puzzle?”
“Borrowed,” he corrects with a wink. “And before you ask, I haven’t started it yet, so… I thought we would start together.”
I step aside, gripping the edge of the door. Jared strides in like he owns the place, casual and confident, as if showing up uninvited is totally normal. It’s annoyingly perfect timing, of course he would appear when my brain’s begging for a distraction.
He walks into the living room and sets the bag down on the coffee table. “So, what’s the plan? Wang’s Kitchen and ice cream while we work on the puzzle?”
A smile spreads across my lips, despite the storm brewing in my head. I lean against the doorframe, narrowing my eyes.
“Why are you really here, Jared?” I challenge casually.
He shrugs, the grin never leaving his face. “Thought you could use some company. And, well, there are rumors about my new girlfriend,” he says, sending me a mischievous wink. “And… a couple of sorority girls are loitering outside my apartment.”
“Isn’t that stalking? Why don’t you call the police?”
“They’re not technically on the property, so it doesn’t count.”
“That sounds stupid.”
He laughs, and the sound is so contagious that I find myself joining in. There’s something about the way he makes everything feel effortless, like it’s all just a joke. And even thoughI know there’s probably more to why he showed up, I’m not about to ask. Not yet.
Chapter 19
Jared
The ball snaps, and everything else disappears. It’s just the field, the roar of the crowd, and the play we’ve been running all week. I sprint downfield, my cleats digging into the turf, cutting past the cornerback with a sharp juke to the right. The defender bites: perfect.
I glance back at Troy, our quarterback, just as the ball leaves his hands. It’s a bullet, arcing through the air in a tight spiral. I stretch my arms out, eyes locked on the ball as it cuts through the stadium lights. The corner is closing in, but he’s too slow.
My fingers brush the leather, and I pull it in. The hit comes a split second later, hard enough to knock the wind out of me, but my arms lock around the ball. I feel the turf slam into my back as I hit the ground, but the ball’s secure.
“First down!” the ref shouts, his arms slicing through the air.
I roll over and scramble to my feet, chest heaving. Nate, our left tackle, smacks me on the helmet as I jog back to the huddle.
“Hell of a catch, man,” he grins, sweat dripping down his face.
“Gotta keep us in it.” I mutter.
It’s the fourth quarter, and we’re down by four with thirty seconds left on the clock. Coach is already signaling the play from the sidelines, and I know what’s coming. One more pass. Troy nods at us in the huddle, his jaw set in determination.
“All right, same formation, Z out on two,” he barks, and we break.
I line up again, the corner watching me more closely this time, but it doesn’t matter. I know what to do. On the snap, I explode off the line, pushing with everything I’ve got. We only need fifteen yards. That’s all.
Troy drops back, and I cut across the field, weaving between defenders. I see him wind up, the ball sailing toward Kevin, our tight end. He leaps, grabbing it mid-air, landing just past the marker. The crowd erupts.
“Let’s go!” Kevin shouts, fist-pumping as he’s swarmed by the rest of the offense. I jog over, my heart pounding, adrenaline surging. Twenty seconds left. One more play, and we take the win.
