“What did I just witness? You filming a TikTok?” He chuckled and tossed something into his room before joining me. “You gotta get one of those ring lights and a stand, Lolo.”
My brows went up. “Lolo?”
“Shit. Is that… Dean always calls you that, so that’s how I picture you in my head. What do you prefer to be called?”
“Lolo is for people I’m close to, usually. Lo for my teammates.” The tingling of a blush started at my head and spread down to my fingers. “Lo is good. Lo is mature. Lolo makes me seem like I’m six years old again.”
“I hate when people call me Cally boy for the same reason. Like, I’m six four and grown, do I look like aCally boy?”
Laughing, I shut my bedroom door. “Hey, do you have any Tylenol? I know I have some, but it’s become lost in the move. I have a game in a few hours and need to get rid of this damn tenderness in my left shoulder.”
He frowned. “Yeah, downstairs. I’ll show you.”
I followed him down the two flights of stairs. I always liked his easygoing vibe and soft eyes. We weren’t friends or anything, but every time I talked to him the last two years, he’d been kind. Even now, he didn’t glare at me for moving into their house.
“We have a cabinet in the kitchen with this shit. Tape, meds, a brace or two. It’s a little drugstore area.”
“Ah, perfect.”
He opened it, shuffled around some bottles, and pulled out a white one. “There you go, Lo.”
“See, better. Don’t feel young anymore.” I grinned, taking the meds from him. “Thank you.”
“Sure thing.” He ran a hand through his messy hair and eyed my arm. “Are you sore near your neck?”
“Yeah, right here.” I pointed to the spot just above my collarbone. Callum frowned and stepped closer. He smelled like sweat and laundry, and while it wasn’t a pleasant combination, it wasn’t bad. It reminded me of Dean and football camp growing up. “Why do you ask?”
“Want help?”
“What do you mean?”
“Give me your arm.” He jutted his chin toward my shoulder and held my bicep with one hand. His other hand came down on my collarbone, and he gently pressed his fingers on the tender muscle. “My trainer showed me this a few weeks ago. You’ll obviously need to work with your team’s trainer, but if I massage this—”
“Oh my lord,” I groaned, closing my eyes. “Yes, this feelsugnnn.”
“Whatare you doing?” An angry voice penetrated the air, the tone I knew belonged to my dear, wonderful new housemate. “Remember the rules.”
The temperate chilled, and I fought the urge to cringe.Luca.The protein bar I ate earlier churned in my gut, like I was guilty of something. But what? I’d done nothing wrong but exist.
“Lo has a knot in her shoulder. I’m helping her out before her game,” Callum said, his voice hesitant. His gaze flicked from Luca to mine, a line forming between his eyebrows. He didn’t say anything more, but the question lingered in the air.
Why had Luca yelled at us?
Also, whatrules?What had Dean done?
The giant grump didn’t respond, but his retreating footsteps indicated his anger. I exhaled, letting out a nervous laugh. “He hates me if you can’t tell. Probably yelled because he doesn’t want my gross germs on you.”
I wanted to ask about therulecomment but refrained. I was pretty sure it involved Dean, and I already had a list of reasons to discuss with him later. This could be added on.
“Mm, not sure if that’s true.” He pressed my muscle three more seconds before releasing. “That looser?”
I moved my left arm in a circle, over my head and behind my back. “Oh yes. Much better.”
He looked smug, his chest puffed out and victory dancing in his eyes. “Good. Glad to assist.”
“Thank you. I could play with the pain but can’t risk pulling anything.”
Callum ran a hand over his jawline, his gaze moving toward the back of the kitchen where Luca had stormed out. “Luca is…intense. I’m sure he doesn’thateyou, but this is just a blip in his routine, and he never strays from it.”
