“Right!” Lily agrees. “Okay, I’m taking off. Have a safe trip home. Call me when you get back or call if you need to talk while you’re there.”
“Yeah, I’m not looking forward to any of this, but I need to get it over with. I’ll talk to you on Monday, okay?”
“Okay. See ya.”
“And, Lily-kins? When we get back, I want to hear about you andHanky,” I yell after her.
“Definitely! I can’t wait to tell you all the gory details.” She laughs.
I grab my bag and pick up my phone to order an Uber to take me to the car rental place. As I leave my room, I see that Brooke’s door is still closed, thank goodness. I open the front door quietly and tiptoe out into the hallway and come face to chest with an enormous guy.
“Alex?” I say, surprised.
“Stella, you left without saying goodbye. I had to stop and think what I’d said to you before my shower to make you take off like that. I still can’t figure it out,” he says sadly.
“Oh, I’m sorry, Alex. I didn’t want to make you late for the game. I don’t want to distract you from football or from school. I would feel terrible if I had anything to do with?—”
“Pix, you misunderstood my meaning when I said that. You are not a distraction for me. You make everything better.”
“But you need to focus if you want to go to the NFL.”
He chuckles. “I’m not a Neanderthal, sweetheart. I can focus on multiple things at once.” He smirks while reaching out to wrap his arm behind my back. “Besides, it’s nice to think of something beautiful, soft, and sexy.”
I roll my eyes because his words are sweet, but they make me nervous. “Well, I?—”
“Listen, Pix. Yes, I love football, but I know there’s more to life than that.”
“You do?”
“I do.” Leaning down, he kisses me softly. “I’ve gotta say, though, I can’t wait for you to see me play.”
“Oh? Why’s that?”
“So you’ll finally admit that you’re with Alex Emerson––Football God.”
I snort out a laugh. “All right. If you say so.”
“And…” He pulls me closer. “If anything, you make me more determined than ever to strive for the NFL. I want to make you proud to be with me,” he says, resting his hands on my hips.
He wants to make me proud? “I have no doubt you’ll make it.”
“I’ll miss you this weekend, Pix,” he whispers sweetly.
“I’ll miss you too, but I’ll be sure to watch the game today with my dad. He’s a rabid fan, and he’ll be tuned into the Big 10 Network. If I have questions, he can answer them for me.” When he asks when I’ll be back, I tell him about my parents’ annual Labor Day barbecue and that I won’t be back until Sunday night. “This barbecue is a Matthew’s family tradition.”
“I wish I could go with you. I’d like to make sure dumbass stays far, far away from you.”
I laugh. “He’s not going to do anything. He was already here this morning.”
“What? Did he touch you?” Alex asks angrily.
Shaking my head, I pat his forearm. “It’s okay. I sent him away.”
“Okay, good. Hey, be careful driving. I hate to think of you driving all that way there and back alone.”
“I’ll be fine. It’s not far, and I know how to drive.”
“I’m sure you do, but I can’t help worrying.”
