Overton ignores him and looks at me. “I’d like Nagy to shadow you here and there. He’s going for Sports Medicine as well, so getting some first-hand experience will be great for him. If you’re okay with it.”
I avoid looking at Gabe for fear that all my thoughts will show and Coach will know. Would I like an excuse to spend more time with him? Yes, it isn’t even a question. Except Coach doesn’t know we’re dating, and I don’t want to jeopardize anything if there’s a rule against it.
I’ve uprooted my life —Owen’s life— to be here. I can’t let anything risk what we’re building together. Not even the man who has turned my whole life upside down in barely a handful of days. Even if I really like him.
Chapter Ten
HowthehellhaveJustin and I never had the ‘what do you do for work’/’what do you do at college’ conversation? My mind is blown at seeing him in my locker room and blown further still at being told that he’s our new physical therapist…and also the guy I’m supposed to be tailing for my practical experience.
At least I know we get along…
The thought makes me smile as I pack up my gear and head out of the arena. We’re obviously overdue a serious discussion about how life is going to work around college, as well as his job and kid, and it’s more vital now than ever that we have that talk. But, even though seeing him today threw me for a loop, it excites me, too.
I mean, I kind of get to work with my boyfriend.Andwe obviously have more in common than either of us realized, too.
“What’s that smile for?” Marshall asks when I drop my bag inside the doorway of the apartment Iz and I share. My friends are all lounging on the couch, a box of pizza open in front of them.
My stomach rumbles at the sight of the food, but I force myself to grab a healthier snack —a sandwich container filled with precut veggie sticks and a tiny tub of ranch dressing— and I drop into my usual armchair. The melty cheese and pepperoni are out of myreach, and I tell myself the carrots taste way better than the pizza smells. (I’m lying to myself.)
Izzy leans over from the couch and smacks my knee. “You were spoken to,” he reprimands.
Crunching on a piece of celery, I chew before looking at Marshall. “Sorry, man. I was on a mission and not listening.”
He smiles widely and waves my apology away with a large hand. “Nah, I was just asking why you had that goofy smile on your face when you came in.”
“Oh,” I chuckle, “right. Turns out the guy I’ve been dating…Justin?”
“The one with the kid,” Noah mumbles with a mouth full of carbs and cheese.
I scrunch my nose. “Yeah, the one with a kid…a kid who has way better manners than you, by the way.”
Noah shrugs.
“What about Justin?” Marshall leans forward, all wide-eyed and invested in whatever I have to say.
“It turns out he’s the team’s new physical therapist. Well,” I frown, “maybe not exclusively for the team. He might be there for the football team, too. We didn’t really get to talk about it…but he’s also the guy Coach told me I should shadow for my practical credits.”
“And that’s not gonna be awkward for you?” Israel arches an eyebrow. “I mean, considering your dynamic...”
“He’s not Daddy when they’re on the ice or whatever, though,” Noah answers before I can.
The guys are all aware of my kink and they’re cool with it, even if Iz happens to be the only one who I know to also haveless-than-vanilla interests. Still, it’s a surprise that Noah seems to have done some research about it. Well, either that or a lucky guess.
“What he said,” I tilt my head to Noah, who is sitting cross-legged on the floor next to Marshall’s seat. “In the club or in our private lives, I’m Daddy, but I’m not one of those guys who gets all macho and offended if his sub or Little is superior to him in public.”
“It’s not like you’ve had to experience it yet, though,” Izzy argues. He leans into Marshall’s space so he can snag a slice of the pie before it’s all gone. Before he takes a bite, he adds, “It might be an issue without you even knowing it. And if it’s not for you, it might be for him.”
“Oh, true,” Marshall nods enthusiastically. “I read that some subs want their Dom —or their Daddy— to always be the one in control, in and out of the bedroom.” He cocks his head, his nose scrunching as his face contorts into a thoughtful expression. “Justin seemed like the kind of guy who likes it when someone else takes over for him. Well, he did when we moved him into his house. And, hey,” he pouts, “wasn’t he going to have us over for dinner?”
“He’s had a lot going on,” I assure my friend. “I’m kind of responsible for a lot of his distraction. But I’ll remind him.” If nothing else, Justin could use more friends. Friends who aren’t also his Daddy. And my friends are pretty awesome, if I do say so myself.
Marshall beams. “Please? We can do a potluck kind of thing so he doesn’t have to do all the work or spend a heap of money to feed us.”
“That’s really thoughtful, Marsh,” Izzy commends softly, taking the words right out of my mouth.
As Marshall preens under Israel’s praise, Noah and I share another one of our ‘when are they going to get theiract together?’ looks. The thing is, I’m not even sure either one of them know that they’re into men or, if not men in general, each other.
“You gonna have a slice?” Noah asks me, nudging the pizza box my way. I frown at it and dip another carrot stick into my ranch.
