Page 72 of Pretty Broken Promises

I hide my face in his chest. “Oh my God. Do you really think that’s why?”

He gives me a look like he thinks I’m adorably clueless. “She called me a sex god the first time she met me and left us alone the day we arrived to relax in your room. I’m positive that’s why.”

I groan, which only makes him laugh. The moment of levity passes quickly though, and he becomes quiet and contemplative again.

I prop myself up on my elbows so I can look at his face not just his profile. “What’s bothering you? Is this still about what happened last night? I’m really sorry I scared you. I?—”

Ford leans forward and brushes his lips against mine. “I know you’re sorry. You don’t have to keep apologizing. I do want you to be safer in the future. You could have gotten hypothermia, but that’s not what’s on my mind right now. I told you I realized something last night. There’s something I wasn’t completely honest with you about when we went to that athletic department disaster.”

My body goes rigid. I try very hard to put our past behind us and leave it there, but I struggle with it sometimes. I do trust Ford, but I guess I don’t believe our relationship can survive a strong challenge. I’m always worried what he’ll do if he were forced to choose between me and his future.

Maybe that’s not fair. It’s not exactly the same thing he did before, but there was always something better than me keeping us apart. I’m equally to blame, but I put him first at the expense of myself, and he let me every time.

“Just tell me then,” I say. My tone is flat, but I can’t manage to fake being okay right now. After what we’ve shared today, I’m far too emotional and open to him. He made me one big raw nerve, and now he’s poking me.

He inhales and says, “Coach Greer has informed me that the athletic director wants me to present myself to the public as single.”

“That’s why we left before dinner was served,” I say.

He nods. “Yeah. I really haven’t thought anything about it. I mean I have, but only that it was fucking stupid, and they can’t make me do shit.”

“But Coach Greer knows you, and he knows how you’re going to react,” I comment.

Ford taps the end of my nose. “I should have thought of that before yesterday. I also should have noticed that the other guys were leaving right after the study session, and I was the only one who was asked to stay two and three hours longer than everyone else. That’s partly because the first week several of the other guys new to the team stayed too, but last night I realized it was only me. I confronted him, and then I left.”

“That’s why your phone is off today,” I say.

He nods. “Yes. He’s dragged me in two Sundays in a row now, and that is against the rules. I know he’s trying to push you to your limits so you’ll do the dirty work for him. I don’t know what else he’s going to try and pull.”

“Do you think he’s going to try and make it look like you’re cheating?” I ask. It makes me feel sick to even imagine him being put in those kind of situations, but I have to choose to trust him, or we will never work.

“He told me that he stood on integrity in Ocean Bluff and lost his job. This time he’s going to toe the line and do as he’s told. I think that means he is capable of doing just about anything that the AD wants.”

“I don’t understand why you being in a relationship is such a big deal. You haven’t even played your first game with them yet, they can’t possibly know if the fans are going to flock to you.” What am I saying? Of course they would.

“He told me that they want me to appear to be available to bring more female fans to the games.”

“Other players are in relationships and that doesn’t stop them from having a large female fanbase,” I point out.

“You’re right. I don’t understand where they’re coming from.”

I bite my lip. “Unless?—”

He scrunches his eyebrows. “What?”

I exhale. “Do you think it’s because technically I’m your stepsister?”

“Well, fuck. That actually makes sense.” He tips my chin up to make me look at him again. “I want you to listen to me really good right now. I don’t give a shit what they want, or what they think. You are my forever. Football is a game. If they try and make me choose between it and you, I’m going to choose you.”

I nod. I want to have faith and believe him with no doubts. Like he’s told me several times now, I just have to give him time. I hope he means what he says, because I fear this time we are going to be tested.

ChapterTwenty-Nine

FORD

Keepingmy promise to Tessa comes at a cost, but one I’m more than willing to pay.

Monday morning I enter the weight room about quarter to seven, like I do six days a week, that is the last normal thing about the day.

---