I feel like a gooey pile of, well, goo. Why the hell am I here about to fall to my knees just because she laughed?
This woman could ask me to jump, and I’d probably sayhow high?
“That’s an impressive tent, Nathan.” Mae’s words force me from my train of thought, and I look at my pants with confusion. She bursts into laughter as she nods to the tent we’re currently stabilising, knowing precisely what she was doing with her wording.
“Well, someone wants to wake up with a Sharpie moustache tomorrow morning.” I keep my smirking to a minimum. Little does she know, I indeed did pack Sharpies. You can never be too prepared when camping out in the forest with a bunch of football players.
The tents are pop-up, so all we have to do is secure them down to the ground to ensure they don’t blow away, and after the sun has set, Samuel uses his Boy Scout training—or lack of—to try and make us a fire. In the end, Evan has to shove him aside and take over.
“Smile, everyone!” Darrell says as his phone camera flashes.
“How comeyou’reallowed technology?” Bennett complains as he sits on one of the logs we’ve moved to circle the flames.
“I need to take photos. Peter’s orders. And Mr Father-Of-The-Year over there,” he points at Evan with a smirk, “demanded I have it on hand in case something goes wrong with Leo.”
Evan responds with a grumble about wanting to shove the phone up Darrell’s asshole, but all it gains him is a friendly back slap from his coach.
The winter air is chilling, but luckily, we brought a few portable battery-powered heaters, which we set up around the small camp. I have no idea why Peter didn’t plan this at the beginning of the season when it was warmer, but then again, I don’t understand much that goes through that man’s head.
Samuel begins telling some stupid ghost story, and I roll my eyes as I spot Mae and Poppy climbing out of a tent, clutching unopened bags of marshmallows to their chests. They’re doing their best to be quiet, though, and I raise my eyebrows questionably.
Mae holds her finger to her lips to silence me.
I give her a subtle, knowing nod.
Bennett looks like a fish out of water, with his eyes wide and mouth ajar as he listens to Samuel’s—definitely fictional—story of how he got pushed into a lake by the ghost of an old fisherman when he was younger. He claims he almost died, and Bennett seems to be eating up every little detail like some gullible child.
Mae and Poppy stealthily move towards Bennett’s back, each step muted. They’re avoiding the crunchy leaves, and luckily, the crackling of the fire covers any sound they make.
“Boo!”
Bennett yells loudly as the girls grab his shoulders and shake them. He crumbles to the ground in fear and throws his bag of potato chips into the air, the crispy snacks landing all over the floor.
I can’t contain my laughter, and even Renee cracks a small smile before dropping it, which shocks me to my core. She may hate us, but she can’t deny we’re a boatload of fun to be around sometimes. When football’s not the topic, we’re just a group of genuine guys who want to laugh as much as the next person.
“I’m gonna smother the both of you with pillows in your sleep.” Bennett grabs the marshmallows from them and stuffs three in his mouth, sulking like a little boy.
“What was that?” Renee demands as the bush beside her rustles, and she shoots up into a standing position, clutching her hot water bottle tightly. “Is it a bear?”
“Maybe,” I say, chuckling. “I wouldn’t worry, though. The bears in Montana only eat dolled-up cheerleading coaches wearingpink.” I nod to her purple velvet tracksuit, “so you should be good.”
She takes a deep breath, calming herself before trudging over to her tent. I can already tell she isn’t going to get a wink of sleep tonight. People like her don’t belong in environments like this. The fact that she doesn’t have electricity and won’t be able to curl her hair in the morning is going to send her over the edge.
“Peter wouldn’t let her out of it,” Darrell tells us with a laugh before standing. “I’m going to hit the hay, too. Gotta be up early for a fun-filled day.”
Mae releases a yawn. “Me too. I promised Chump I’d read him a bedtime story.”
I love this easygoing side of Mae. It turns me on.
After a few minutes, everyone disappears into their separate tents, and I’m left staring at the hissing fire. I’m not tired. All I can think about is Mae. She’s mere meters away from me—probably braless underneath an oversized band T-shirt and leggings that accentuate every curve of her body.
Great.
I’ve got a fucking hard-on in the middle of the forest.
Scraping my hands through my hair, I kill the fire by pouring a pot of cold water over it and enter my tent. We’re all pretty spaced out, so I’m sure my rustling isn’t going to wake anybody up.
I strip down into just my boxers, staring at the roof of my tent. The material is flimsy, and my sleeping bag offers little comfort. I just know this is going to be a long night—torturous having Mae so close yet out of reach.
