Page 81 of I Want to Know What Love Is

I nod.

“So we’re the last to know?” Jasper says, anger seeping into his voice.

I sink down on my bed.

“Have a seat, boys. I’ll tell you all about why.” So I proceed, protecting Amanda’s reputation as much as possible, emphasizing that she didn’t want me to do it, begged me not to and was ready to throw herself—or at least her career—on a sword to save me from expulsion or worse.

“All this because Emily walked in on you…” Jasper says. I heave a breath and Shelby shakes his head because he knows better.

“No,” I say. “I would have transferred even if she hadn’t found out and threatened to report us. But I would have told you first, would have done it right. I had no idea it would get out in social media so fucking fast. I still don’t know how the hell that happened, who could have leaked—”

“It was the Boston College coach,” Shelby says. He reported it first thing this morning on a Boston sports talk show. Likely to save his ass. He needed some good PR for the program. That’s what got the social media shitstorm rolling.” I swipe my hands through my hair, trying to think straight about all the implications.

“That’s a helluva story, man,” Jasper says. “I feel you. I get it.” He pats me on the back and I see forgiveness and deep understanding in his eyes. “I have a girl I would do just about anything for.”

“Fuck,” Bane says. “I hope I don’t ever fall that bad for a girl—but I can see how Coach Lake is pretty exceptional.” He nods at me, almost in congratulations.

I turn to Shelby and I heave a breath, my gut rolling, because I know he gets it because he was there for me this weekend, but I know he feels deeply hurt and devastated. I feel the devastation of losing him, all my teammates and this place crashing in on me.

“It’s going to be so fucking hard to leave here.” My voice breaks.

“Don’t look back now,” Shelby says. “You can make it work. And Boston’s not that far away—if you measure by miles and not program quality.” He smirks at me, a resigned crinkle reaching the corners of his eyes. I give him the finger and snort a laugh.

“And one season of football isn’t that long,” I say looking at each of them. “Not when you count it against the lifetime of friendship I’m expecting we’ll have. Even with you, Bane.” I curl one side of my mouth up in a wry smile at his grateful grin.

Trey and a few other guys come by after they hear an abbreviated version of the story from Shelby because I’ve appointed him official spokesperson for the endless questioning by every person I encounter at BMOC House by the end of breakfast. Dooley calls and I hand him off to Shelby. He takes exception until I explain to him it’s a football team thing. When Shel hands the phone back, I thank Dooley for everything.

“Wow, deserting us for a woman. Dramatic. I couldn’t have written a better ending to this love story. But what about Emily? She could ruin—”

“Fuck. I have to call Heather. Thanks for the reminder, Dools.” But before I can call her as I’m walk out the back door, she burst into the kitchen through the dining room with Shelby and I stop.

“Heather, I—”

“Good news, Dylan,” she’s beaming and happy. “I talked to Emily—”

“Sweetheart,” Shelby says, “Let’s take this upstairs.” We all hustle up the back stairs and I know I’m going to be late for Finance 101 this morning, but this is too damn important. My blood rushes and my adrenaline pumps, but I try and hold off the premature excitement until I hear what she has to say. I want to believe it too much, but I can’t. Not yet.

We pile inside my room and I shut the door. Heather stands in the middle with a Cheshire cat grin on her face.

“The mission is a success,” she says. “Emily is a romantic after all and I was able to convince her that you and Amanda are like a modern-day Romeo and Juliet. Except you’re not going to kill yourselves and it would be a real shame if Emily was going to be the one to kill you—metaphorically speaking.”

“And she bought that?” Shelby says, but he’s grinning and Heather laughs and swats his arm. They’re like a grade school couple the way they flirt and I wonder if they even sleep together.

“What makes you think she won’t change her mind? She was pretty damn upset with me.” I don’t want to say because she had a crush on me and Amanda knew it and she felt betrayed because I’m not sure how much Heather knows about that backstory.

“She was upset. She had a crush on you, you know. And I told her how I understand completely, but you’re so much more complicated than she could guess, that she doesn’t really know you deep down and neither did I.”

“That worked?” It’s my turn to be skeptical, but I’m not teasing.

“Of course.” She takes a peek at Shelby. “I told her that there are other guys and she needs to find one who’s perfect for her. And…” she hesitates and blushes. Shit.

“And what?”

“I might have promised that you would help fix her up—”

“Me? Fuck—I mean, sorry. Pardon my French.”

“Well you know lots of guys, but of course I’ll help.” She turns to Shelby. “You too?”