Lorelei’s face flashed in my head, her grin and wild hair, and I shoved it away with the mental strength of an ox. “Shut up.”
His smile grew as he moved onto another machine. He was a senior on the team and the backbone of the O-line. Always the life of the party, he never let anything bother him, and most of the time, I found that annoying, but now I wished I had that talent. To notworry.
If I could push the worries away, then maybe I’d find a world in which Lorelei and I could explore this chemistry a little longer. Where I could take care of my grandma, get into the NFL with a fat check,andtreat Lorelei with the attention she deserved. Right now? All I could offer was a few hours a week. Two tops. The rest was all taken up by football.
“Dude, what the fuck?” Lawrence snapped, pulling me back from my mind. I’d stopped spotting him, and he struggled with the bar.
“Sorry.” My face heated, my jaw tensing at my mess up. I helped him right the bar after he bench-pressed. He glared at me, annoyance written over his face. “I fucked up, man.”
“Where’s your head at?” He shook his long dreads, concern replacing his brief irritation. “You’re the rock. The consistent one. I can’t have you clowning over something that doesn’t matter.”
I swallowed. “No, you’re right. I was distracted. It won’t happen again.”
“No sweat, just threw me off to seetheLuca Monroe not breathing football. I’d prefer if it wasn’t when you were spotting me, but hey, we’re all good.” He hit my chest with his towel. “Breakfast is on you today.”
“Of course.” My eye twitched, the mental math of how much breakfast would cost stressing me out. I’d gotten takeout more than normal since hanging with Lorelei since we drove to my grandma’s place, and I could feel the impact to my savings.
The realization that I could’ve hurt Lawrence because Lorelei was in my head kicked my ass into gear. I felt terrible, justified in my concentration. She had no place dominating my thoughts and focus, and I had to do whatever I could to get her out of there.
* * *
My shoulders ached, and I couldn’t stop yawning. My usual seven hours of sleep was stilted last night so I could get my fill of my quarterback’s sister, and the prickles of tiredness crept in as I walked back into our house after eight. I liked Monday nights to prepare for the week, schedule out my time, and watch film before sleeping.
I just wasn’t sure I’d be able to get everything I needed to get done. There was no ounce of regret, but I had to make up for lost time. After brewing a cup of coffee, something I never did this late, I set my stuff out at the secondhand table Callum’s sister gave us. I liked the faded blue.
My laptop sat to the left, my textbooks and planner to the right, and I put on some upbeat music and got to work. First, I set out what was due this week for school. I wasn’t a whiz, but I grades weren’t difficult for me. The problem was my grandma kept going on about me getting a degree—something she never had—but it wasn’t likely to happen if I went to the NFL. I could always go back to school, yet the lingering weight of indecision hung over me like a Midwestern storm cloud. My degree was business administration, but I didn’t have plans to do anything with it. It was a title to put on a degree.
If I had a different life, would I stay here another year?
I never let myself think about it becausemychoice didn’t matter. After scheduling my assignments, I listed what tests were next and then it was film. My vision clouded, and I rested my forehead on the table, just for a second. It’d be worthless to watch film if I wasn’t focused, andmanit felt good to close my eyes.
“Luca?”
A soft hand rubbed my neck, then moved down my back.
“Hey, wake up. This can’t be comfortable.” The same, gentle voice grew closer. Peaches and vanilla filled the air, and my skin tingled.Lorelei.
I bolted up, my pulse racing. Lorelei jumped back, her eyes wide. “What… did I fall asleep?”
She grinned and jutted her chin at my forehead. “Judging by the huge red spot on your forehead, yes.” She reached out and touched it, her face softening. “Aw, how cute. You passed out at your table.”
“I didn’t choose to,” I said, immediately hating myself. Obviously, I hadn’t planned that. I sighed, rubbed my face and stared at her again. The reason I was tired in the first place. She wore her hair in a bun and tight running pants, a shirt that missed the bottom half. Her stomach was on display, andgod,my blood heated.
Why did the world’s prettiest, made-for-me woman have to meet meright now?Two years from now? I could do this. But now… it was impossible.
“You seem busy,” she said, her voice small as she glanced at the table. “But I figured I’d wake you. I don’t want your muscles tense for the game Friday.”
“We play Iowa.” I rolled my shoulders, hating that she stood so far away. I liked having her hand on me.
“Dean’s been talking about it all day. If I didn’t have a game on Sunday, I’d try to come watch with my parents, but I’ll have to stream it on TV.”
The thought of her alone, in this house, had me on edge. While we hadn’t had a party yet, some people knew she was here. No one would be an idiot to mess with her, but seeing her fear that one Friday night unleashed a beast inside me. “Mackenzie, your friend. She should come stay over.”
“Ah, and break the no-friend rule?” She arched a brow, crossing her arms and popping one hip out. It was such a sassy stance, and I wanted her to boss me around. She could ask me to get on the ground and be her chair and I would.
“Let that go.” I rolled my eyes, my lips twitching.
She grinned, hard, and made a fist. “Yes.I got a Luca smile. Feels like a touchdown.”
