Page 52 of Never Say Never

“Come here.” He crooks a finger. “You look cold,” he whispers, reaching for me and pulling me closer. His arms wrap around me as if he’s eager to hold me, his lips are against my temple. “I’ll warm you up.”

Our bodies are so close, but it’s not enough. Somehow, I’ve become addicted to him. I wish we could shed every layer of clothing separating us, but I know this is just a quick hello. That’s all it can be, with our families nearby.

“So, I have something for you.”

I pull back, tilting my head to one side. “You do?”

“It’s just something small, but I hope you’ll like it.”

“Tucker, you didn’t need to—“

“Daisy,” he stops me. “I know I didn’t need to, but I wanted to.”

He releases his hold on me and bends down to pick up a box with a black ribbon that is leaning against the pool house. I was so focused on him that I guess I missed it.

“For you,” he says, a look of anticipation on his face. “Open it.”

I slip the bow from the box and unwrap it, then pull out a green and gold Outlaws jersey, a white number 20 and his last name, Collins, outlined in gold on the back.

“Tucker,” I stammer as my fingers glide over the material. “The number 20, for my birthday—"

“Our birthday,” he says. “I know it’s kinda silly, but I wasn’t sure what other number to put on there. Is it okay?”

I swallow down the emotion lodged in my throat. The gift feels very personal and unexpected, but what’s more unexpected is the realization in this moment that what I told myself I wouldn’t do is actually happening.

I’m falling for him.

It’s overwhelming, and scary, and I immediately remind myself that these feelings are probably one-sided. But I can unpack all of these emotions and worries later. For now, I want to allow myself to just be here in this moment with Tucker.

“I love it. And I love that you chose our birthday. It means a lot to me. So, thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

He beams, and my heart beats out of my chest, reminding me that it belongs to him.

I’m in so much trouble.

Whatever this is between us, there is a deadline on it and the clock is ticking. What will I do when our pact ends? I’ll be left to clean up what’s left of a broken heart. I’ll be ruined for good.

But it still doesn’t make me want to stop.

When it feels like we’re beginning to press our luck being out here alone, I tell him I need to go. Before I leave, I stand on my toes to press a kiss on his mouth. Tucker deepens it, stroking his tongue against mine. I practically melt into the kiss, savouring the feel of his lips against mine. I inhale his scent that is so uniquely him, the smell of pine like an addiction to me now. Reluctantly, I tear myself away from him and walk acrossthe darkened backyard back to my parents’ house before I allow myself to fall any harder.

These feelings for Tucker snuck up on me, but there’s no avoiding them now. I am way too far gone to pretend that he’s a friend and nothing more. Everything about the two of us is temporary, but for some reason, I can’t keep from holding on for dear life.

NINETEEN

NOT JUST A BOOTY CALL

Tucker

I’ve never been so keyed-up in my life.

The next few weeks were a blur for me— a whirlwind of early morning drills, watching tape in the afternoons, and gruelling practises that nearly broke my players. When they weren’t running sprints or special teams drills, they were going through position drills, all of that then followed by nights in the gym. We have been preparing mentally and physically for the massive challenge that is coming our way tomorrow night. The Division 2 national championship. It isn’t enough to practise hard on the field. My players then had to spend hours upon hours in a darkened room stretching their minds to the absolute limit watching tape. But it hasn’t been just a few weeks of hard work, it has taken a year’s worth of blood, sweat and tears to get us to tomorrow’s game and I refuse to let us back off now. The level of competition and intensity I have demanded from the team this week puts everything these guys have ever done to this point to shame. The only way to achieve success is to outwork and out-prepare the competition, and that’s exactly what we’ve been doing. It’s been all-consuming, which has left me little time for Daisy.

Any chance I’ve had, I’ve sent her a text—usually something I know will push her buttons. I’ve always loved getting a rise out of her, and I know exactly how to do it. I picture her reading them, a cute blush creeping up her cheeks.

But with the game coming up, the text exchanges have been few and far between and it hasn’t been nearly enough.

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