And Dawson realized they’d discussed this before. How often had Cam sat with these two at lunch?
“Ride or die,” Jack agreed and then fist-bumped with Duke.
Dawson tried not to blush. “You’re exaggerating.”
“Dude, we’re really not.”
It was Cam’s turn to flush bright red. “Guys,” he warned.
“He’ll go to bat for you, no matter what,” Duke said, sounding amused. “He practically wrote a presentation about it. Showed us a whole YouTube of all your career highlights.”
Cam cleared his throat. “We don’t need to talk about that.”
It was very stupid. Dawson shouldn’t feel any kind of way about this. But he was touched. Thrilled. In a place he hadzero businessfeeling a thrill when it came to the rookie.
“I think we do,” Dawson joked.
Cam looked so fucking earnest. “You’ve just made so many money kicks, in important spots. You’ve won championshipgames and even a Super Bowl. Like you are lights-out, Daws, and nothing’s changed.”
It felt good, being glazed like this, the rookie gazing at him with those sweet brown eyes and that even sweeter face.
He wanted to bask in it for a moment longer.
“Thanks,” he said.
A month ago, he might’ve argued, but it was true. Hehadwon championships and there was a Super Bowl ring in the drawer next to his bed, at home. A Super Bowl he’d brought home with a fifty-four-yard field goal.
“I—we—got your back,” Cam said, patting him on it.
For a split second Dawson wanted to ask if he’d meant what he’d started to say: thathehad his back. Not the team. Not the collective table. Buthim.
But that would be insane and Dawson was trying to not be insane today.
Still, after he finished his food, he caught Aidan by the trash can.
“Hey,” he said, “is that dinner invite still open?”
Aidan looked at him bluntly. “Yes.”
“Count me in.” Dawson hesitated. “For two spots, actually.”
Raising an eyebrow, Aidan asked, “Who else is coming?”
“I’m gonna bring the rookie,” Dawson said.
Aidan’s eyebrow notched even higher. “Oh, yeah?”
“Don’t,” Dawson said. His face was burning brighter now than it had when Cam had been praising him. “It’s just . . .it’s not like that.”
“Like what?” Aidan asked innocently.
“Like whatever your suddenly dirty mind is thinking.”
Aidan lifted his hands in mock surrender. “I wasn’t thinking a damn thing, Daws, but if you want to bring him, the more the merrier.”
“Someone has to look out for the rookie.” Dawson hated how self-conscious he sounded. How defensive.
Itwasn’tlike that.
