Her eyes light up. “Did you see her in her security outfit? She hates that outfit.”
I think back to the outfit she was wearing this morning. I can see why she wouldn’t like it, but she made it look good. I focus on Evie’s question. “I ran into her this morning.”
“Really?”
“Bet she didn’t look as bad as she thought she did, right Slate?” Quint asks with a grin.
I ignore him. Again. “Yeah, she was at the gym this morning when I got there...with a guy,” I add.
Evie’s brows knit together. “Was it Connor?”
My anger rises quickly at the name. “No, it wasn’t Connor,” I bite out. I strongly dislike that guy, the guy that dared to touch my mate. I should have ripped him apart.
“Slate,” Zane says in a warning voice. I crack my neck, trying to keep my calm. The image of him touching her and telling her he’d meet up with her flashes through my mind again. But the real gut twister was when she touched him. I’ve never felt her hands on me, and he did. A growl rumbles in my chest. “Slate, dial it back,” Zane says again, with more warning in his voice this time.
I take a deep breath. Normally, I’d just go for a run; but I’m not leaving my mate here. So, that option is out. “Slate,” Evie says, snagging my attention. My eyes meet hers, and I see the compassion there. “What can we do?”
I crack my neck again. “I have an away game this weekend. Will you keep an eye on her?” I ask Zane. I hate the idea of leaving her on campus and being several hours away.
Evie turns to Zane. “You don’t have a game this weekend, right?”
“Nope,” Quint answers for him. “We have a free weekend.”
“Can we go to Slate’s game and take Tessa with? I mean if she’s not working.”
He rubs her shoulder. “Sure. Where’s it at?” he asks me.
“We play Alabama this weekend.”
Zane thinks a minute. “That’s like what a five-hour drive?”
“Road trip!” Quint adds, pumping his fists, and promptly inviting himself along.
“I’ll ask her,” Evie starts, but she glances at me. “I just don’t know—” she pauses.
“If she wants to,” I add, answering for her. My hope deflates just that quick. I run a hand over my head. “I didn’t mean to scare her.” I hate that I scared her, hate that she would be afraid of me. It makes me sick to even think about.
“Let’s not decide for her,” Zane says, the voice of reason. “Just ask her. If she says no, she says no.”
“I mean the girl is sports-obsessed,” Quint pipes up. “So, she might want to.”
Evie laughs. “That is so very true.” Then she looks at me and stands. “She loves you, Slater Thorne, at least in her sports loving mind just like she loves Zane and Quint and Reid and most of the players at—”
“You can stop now,” I grind out. “This isn’t helping.”
“Oh, sorry. I just meant that it won’t be hard to get her back to being your biggest fan.” She eyes me critically. “Maybe just don’t be so...so...” I cock an eyebrow.
Zane stands and walks over to me. “Just be you, Brother. If she doesn’t love you like we do, then she doesn’t deserve you.”
“Yeah. We love our little Slatey,” Quint says, totally ruining the moment.
I pick up a pillow and throw it at him. He dodges it, laughing. “I can’t wait to watch you try to win her back. Big man Slate has to grovel. You haven’t done that here ever.”
I turn to him. “Are you still talking?”
He grins. “I’m just here for the show.”
“I’ve got to get to work,” Evie says as she stretches.
