“Shit, really?” I’ve never seen Chase look so conflicted. His brow is furrowed, and he looks like he hasn’t really slept in days, but he does actually have a small look of relief on his face, too. I’m sure something this big has been weighing on him, maybe yesterday’s hit on Detroit’s QB was him taking out some frustration about this whole situation.
“Yeah. We’re always fucking careful. I have no clue how the hell this is happening to me. I even asked if she was sure it was mine, which was a fucking dick thing to do, I know, but I panicked. I’m not ready for this.”
Chase places his face in his hands and his body slumps back in the chair, he looks so defeated, I feel for him at this moment. It makes me fucking hate myself for the secret I’m keeping about his sister when he’s sharing something so damn personal with me.
“What are you planning to do?” I ask and without hesitation, Chase mans up like I’d expected he would because he’s a good guy who does the right thing even when it’s hard.
“Whatever I need to, whatever she needs. I’m just still wrapping my head around it. I need to tell my mom and Abby.”
I nod my head, realizing I’m probably the first person he’s told.
“You’ll make a hell of a dad, Chase.” I stand up and slap my hands on his shoulders, giving him an encouraging nod. If what I’ve learned from Abby about their dad, Chase had a great example of a man to model after, he’ll make an awesome father. “Whatever you need, man. Let me know.”
He nods his head. “I appreciate it. Just keep it between you and I for now.”
Not telling Abby is going to be hard, but fuck, I’m not going to be the one to spill something that serious about him to her.
Chase heads out after an hour or so of us bullshitting and putting some golf balls off the small green in my backyard. I can’t imagine the things going through his head right now, he probably sees dollar signs and is thinking the worst, that this chick is going to take him for everything he’s worth, especially since they weren’t really together, just fucking. Once Abby finds out though, after the initial shock, she’ll be over the moon. She loves kids. Shit, speaking of kids, she said there are some students of hers that she knows will be interested in coming to the Rec Center once the art room renovation is complete, so I need to remember to make arrangements for that.
* * *
“Oh, shit that’s a safety!” Liam shouts while they’re playing some Madden in my living room. After Chase’s news, I offered to have the guys over for some beers tonight. This completely goes against everything I’m normally preaching during the season, but fuck it, I’m already doing a bunch of shit I’m not supposed to or don’t normally do so might as well keep adding to the list.
“Don’t be a little bitch, Nate. I see your pout all the way over here,” Chase barks out as he watches Nate and Liam on the couch in yet another heated video game session.
Nate’s phone rings while he’s playing and he tosses it in my direction. “It’s Mia, can you grab it?”
Once I grab the phone, I realize it’s an incoming FaceTime from Mia and not just a phone call.What the hell, is this the new thing people like doing?
“Hey Mia,” I say as the screen fills with her face and instantly my attention is stolen by the green eyed beauty to her right.
“Oh, hello, Ford. Where’s Nathaniel?” No one ever calls him that, not even his family, but somehow Mia is the only one who can without him throwing a fit.
“He’s currently getting his ass kicked in Madden.” I point the phone in his direction as he flips me off.
“Hey, that better not be towards me, you jerk!” Mia yells as she sees his gesture.
“What are you girls up to?” My eyes stay trained on Abby the whole time, not even trying to hide the smirk that crosses my lips when she bites her lip and smiles at me.
Keeping us a secret is getting to be so fucking hard. I want to be able to kiss her whenever the hell I want, in front of whoever I want. It’s tough to tell if that’s what she wants though. Being friends with benefits feels too casual for what we’re doing, it feels like more and I can’t even believe I’m thinking it, but I want more. Even if it’s still in secret, for now. I want to be able to fully claim her as my girl. I can’t even technically call her mine right now, even though I feel that way, it’s not true. I do know I’d fucking pound any other guy who even thinks about touching her.
“Well, I was calling to see if you guys wanted to come bowling with me and Abby, but it seems like you’re too busy being twelve year olds tonight.” I see Abby snicker at that comment.
“Hey, watch it. Some of us are grown men,” Chase chimes in next to me.
When Chase nods his head up and down agreeing to Mia’s plan, I’m following his lead. “You know what? Yeah, if we can get a couple lanes, let’s do it.” Who the fuck am I? Jumping at going out and socializing? I’ll tell you who I am, I’m a guy who wants nothing more than to spend some time with the girl on the other side of this phone screen and maybe see if we can talk about our little arrangement.
Nate and Liam finished their game finally, so we’re headed out to meet the girls. I’m not a big bowler, but I’ll easily sit back and watch Abby strut up and down the lane. Luckily, going out in public isn’t too bad; we keep our heads down, and when someone does come up to us, we’re quick with the photos or autographs. I try really hard not to turn people down, but sometimes I have to. This night is no different, as the four of us walk in, we see the girls at the very end of the alley with a couple of lanes not surrounded by anyone else.
I’d be able to spot Abby a fucking mile away with her long legs and bright smile. She’s wearing a dress that hits just above her knees and hugs her waist so perfectly. Red is definitely this girl's color and just looking at her makes my dick hard. This place smells like feet and old popcorn, but they’re playing some decent throwback music.
“Okay, so teams! We’ll split up!” Mia gestures between herself and Abby. “Ford, you come here with Chase. Liam and Nate, go over to Abby's side.” Mia doesn’t waste any time getting everyone programmed into the computer, no matter how much I protest that I simply planned on being an observer, she isn’t hearing it.
As the frames go on, it’s clear that I’m shit at this game, but I don’t give a fuck. Abby and I end up walking up to the line at the same time and I glance her way out of the corner of my eye,
“Can you steer clear of the gutter this time, Anderson?” she whispers before she launches the ball down the lane and hits a strike. A laugh erupts in my chest and I try to be as graceful as possible when I launch the bowling ball, but there’s too much force behind it and it spins to the edge, hitting a single corner pin before falling out of sight.
“Fucking bowling,” I mutter under my breath as I turn and walk back around to the table. Abby’s seated across the table and she gives me a small grin before she licks her lips,
