Me: Decided to spend time at home since I haven’t been back since summer.
Danny: What are you not telling me?
Seriously?How could he know something was bothering me from a few innocuous words on a screen?
I couldn’t lie to him, but I didn’t need to tell him everything either.
Me: Derek dropped by to say hello. It was as pleasant as usual.
Danny: Fucker. That’s why you’re not out seeing everyone tonight?
Me: Pretty much. Though I truly had a good time with my family. It’s always entertaining when all three of us girls are together.
Me: How was practice?
Danny: Don’t change the subject. Are you okay?
Me: Yes. He didn’t even get out of his truck.
He didn’t haveto.
Danny: I should be home with you.
Me: Not a chance, Ace. You should be concentrating on proving to everyone why the Wildcats want to give you a football scholarship next year.
While the three dots on my screen floated and faded, I hustled off another text.
Me: As predicted, everyone is jealous that I have tickets to the game and they don’t. But they’ll be watching on TV on Saturday.
Danny: Maybe you can come back early on Friday?
Me: You know the Christmas parade is a tradition with my sisters. But I’ll have my car packed so I’m ready to jet out as soon as it’s over.
Danny: You tell me if that asshole comes around again.
Me: Can we talk about something more fun? Did you beat up on your roommates in COD?
Danny: We played Madden. Got my ass kicked.
Me: You need a better team.
I followed that with a laughing face.
Danny: I need you.
Oh, wow. When he said things like that, he turned my insides to goo.
Me: I’ll call you tomorrow.
?Chapter Twenty-Six
?Danny
Good thing Ihad work and practice to keep me busy on Wednesday after spending Tuesday night in Taryn’s bed. It barely held the two of us, which meant I had no choice but to hold her in my arms all night long. Best damn sleep I’d ever had—even if I did wake up with morning wood so hard I could pound nails.
Though I was cutting it close to make weight training on time, I’d needed a cold shower. While I’d cooled down from waking up next such a hot woman, she cooked a fried-egg sandwich for me to eat on the road. Her offering wasn’t as filling as one of Callahan and Bax’s breakfast burritos, but it was a damn sight better than nothing. That tiny gesture told me everything. Taryn was all in with me even if she wasn’t quite ready for everything I wanted—needed—with her.
Not spending Thanksgiving with her and her awesome family seriously killed me. Then she told me about Watson. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but something in those texts was off, like she was leaving something out. She said he hadn’t gotten out of his truck, but I still had a bad feeling. I took it out on the second-team defense in practice Thanksgiving morning.
