“No guts, no glory,” I say, dragging him with me to the conga line. My brothers join in, and it seems their cooling-off period is over. Everyone is celebrating. Parker has his hands on Elise’s waist, and we scream and snake around the event.
Finally, it’s over. The guys load up Matt’s truck with the gifts. Birdie and Sutton insist that I go home and that they’ll clean up since it’s my day.
SEVEN
NOELLE
An odd but strangely satisfying day.
Outside, the breeze is soft, and Matt opens the passenger door for me. The ride is mostly quiet. My window is down, and the whirring of the engine and the rustling of the leaves make me comfortable in the silence. But after a few minutes pass, I say, “Thanks for putting up with all this.”
Matt glances over with a close-lipped smile. “No problem. I didn’t mean to get in between you and Brooks. But when he… I just lost it.”
“Don’t worry. Sometimes I just say what comes to mind instead of thinking about the consequences. It’s almost like I’m scared I won’t be able to say it later because that person may not be there.”
“Like your mom?”
I nod, thinking about what she would have worn to my graduation. What would have been different about today? “To be honest, you played the part perfectly. You made today fun for me, and I haven’t truly felt that in a long time.”
He turns into my driveway, opens my door, and startsfilling his arms up with presents. Turning the key, I open the door and say, “Just take them to my room, last door on the left.”
“I know where your room is.”
“Oh, that’s right, you picked me up from the party last weekend.” My lips curve and I can’t help the giddiness inside me.
I nod as I set a stack of presents in a corner. After he gets the last load, he asks, “How long do we need to fake being a couple?”
Shrugging, I answer, “At least a month. Maybe longer.”
“Let’s make some ground rules.”
“I agree. There must be rules.” I salute him like he’s in charge.
“No catching feelings. I don’t do girlfriends. And only until Brooks believes it and turns his focus somewhere else. Men want what they can’t have.”
I force a grin, ignoring the way my heart does a stutter step. “Deal. What should we do to seal the deal?” I joke.
He holds out his hand. “Shake on it.”
“Boring. You are old.” I press to my toes, kissing him on the cheek. “Your turn.”
“You want to seal the deal with a kiss on the cheek? Maybe you’re the one that’s boring.”
“Well, if you want more, all you have to do is ask?” I say, teasing, loving how his face gets red.
He leans down, and his breath floats over my skin, which instantly prickles. It’s as if he’s teasing me before he finally opens his lips and gives me the best kiss on the cheek ever.
EIGHT
MATT - KENTUCKY
Damn, it’s loud.
If there’s anything louder than a stadium packed with screaming fans, it’s a pack of ten-year-old boys playing football, each trash-talking more than the next. I never thought I’d be more afraid of a birthday piñata than I was when a defensive end barreled at my blindside, but here I am—dodging water balloons and neon cupcakes in suburban Kentucky.
After playing professionally for a couple of years, I became the quarterback coach for the Stallions, where Logan Warren was the quarterback. Then we were together at the Louisville Heavyweights until I needed to make a change and ended up with the Armadillos. I’ve been lucky in my career to coach top talent and create bonds of friendship, which is why I’m here.
Logan catches me watching the chaos and claps a big hand on my shoulder. “Admit it, Matt, you’re reminiscing about the glory days when we won the National Title and the Super Bowl.”
