“Like how?” Nick squints at me.
“I’d take a bullet for him.”
Jeremy jerks his head up. “Woah, easy there, bro. That’s intense.”
I smile back. “It’s only a figure of speech. You know what I mean.”
Nick raises an eyebrow. “Are you gonna tell him?”
I nod. “Uh-huh. I will in a bit. Like, I know it’s still early, so I’m gonna sit on it for a while. But it’ll slip out soon.”
“What if he says it to you first?” Nick asks.
“Yeah, he might steal your thunder,” Jeremy adds.
Scoffing, I pretend to tie my shoelaces so I don’t have to look either of them in the eyes with a blush on my face. “He wouldn’t steal my thunder. That’d only make me fall for him even more.”
When I straighten back up, Nick is rolling his eyes while laughing, and Jeremy makes a short, mocking gagging noise.
“Dude, you’re gonna give me a hundred cavities. Stop it.” Jeremy tries to punch my shoulder, and I dodge, making him slam his fist into the wall instead. “For real, though, I’m glad you two found each other. You seem way happier now.”
“That’s ‘cause he is,” Nick says for me.
And it’s true.
Surprising nobody, the hour-long ride up to Boston turns into two, thanks to traffic. Callum has an afternoon class, so I don’t text him, and I spend the bus ride reviewing the incoming freshmen who’ve already decided to join our team next year.
Hunter from Michigan and Oscar from Taiwan. They both seem solid, and Hunter went to the same high school as Jeremy did, so it’ll be good for him to have a friend on the team right from the start.
The five minutes it takes me to review their stats passes in a blink, and then I’m back to staring out the window. At least it’s kind of pretty outside, or as pretty as I-95 can get in Southern Mass.
Callum’s face is prettier than some dumb trees.
Fuck, I miss him. He tried to say sorry for getting “mad” at me before I left, which I had to shut down in a hurry. He wasn’t mad, and he wasn’t being unreasonable at all. He’sallowedto do what he wants and to stand his ground, and that’s what he did. The last thing I want is for Callum to go along with everything I suggest and bottle up what he actually thinks. That’d be plain unhealthy.
At least I’ll be back home in two days so we can return to our normal life of classes, games, and waking up next to each other.
Grr. I need my strong-armed morning hugs like nothing else.
We pull up to our hotel in Back Bay, which is way swankier than the dingy suburban pit-stops we’ve holed up in so far. Playingagainst Boston University College does have its perks, especially with their neighborhood connections.
As usual, the team hangs around in the lobby while the team admin staff hand out our keycards. I stick next to Nick since we’re rooming together, and the rest of the team filters up to their rooms, leaving us behind.
Finally, Coach Ramirez gets to the last card, and flicks his eyes to Nick. “Russell, you’re in 405. That’s it.”
That’s it?What am I gonna do, sleep on someone’s balcony? I shoot a confused look at Nick, and he shrugs, a weird half-suppressed smile on his face. I’m about to ask him what the hell he’s thinking when he sends a nod to someone behind me, before heading for the elevators.
Then there’s a tap on my shoulder, and I turn around.
And I almost trip backward over my own feet.
It’s Callum.
Callum’s here.
“Holy shit, it’s you,” I blurt out.
Jesus, I couldnothave come up with a worse welcome line. He came all the way here for me, all adorable, kind-eyed, and smoking hot in that blue Henley, and I greet him withdisbelief.
