Page 25 of Stalked By the Linebacker

“Relax. You look like you’re about to pop an aneurysm. He knows she’s taken,” he murmured and became eerily quiet when a girl approached. There was something familiar about her, but I couldn’t put my finger on why.

“You think?” I asked, never taking my eyes off my girl. Libby looked around, and the moment our eyes met, I could see her physically relax. Just like that, I did the same. That green-eyed monster that had reared his head earlier started to withdraw.

“See how she looks at you?” Dyl pointed out. “Not one of these motherfuckers, sober or not, misses the way she looks at you.” That made my shoulders drop, but it didn’t last long. “Question is, my man, what are you going to do about it?”

“What do you mean?” I frowned, taking my eyes off her for a second to turn and look at my buddy and teammate.

“Bro, is she yours, or is this just for the summer? A fun fling?” His hands rose between us with innocence. “No disrespect or judgment. You know I got your back either way.”

“She’s mine,” I answered without a bit of doubt.

I knew just how decisive you had to be when it came to shit that mattered. How dangerous it could be to lose sight of what was important. Sometimes, on the field, it could be a matter of life and death. Just like on the operating table I hoped to save lives on one day.

I glanced back at my girl, who was still staring at me, and winked in her direction. Even from a distance, I could see how she blushed before she wiggled her fingershibefore turning her attention to the girl I knew somehow.

“Who is that?” I asked. Dylan stayed quiet. “Dyl?” I glanced at him. He had a look on his face I wasn’t used to.

“Mattie,” he muttered.

“Mattie?” That’s when it hit me. “We took that sports medicine course with her, didn’t we?” He grunted but didn’t look away.

The girls sat together, and Mattie said something that made Libby laugh. They leaned in, and long forgotten was the stupid rookie pitcher. Luckily for him, he left and they just kept chatting away.

They looked thick as thieves instead of two women who just met. But that was girlhood, like Blanca and Gris liked to say.

“Does she know that?” Dylan asked, and I turned to him again. His blue-green eyes focused on mine, and again I knew he didn’t mean to be offensive.

“That she’s mine?” He nodded with a shrug.

“We’ve known one another since you transferred here and been roommates for the last two years. I know you. As much as you try not to admit it, we’re even friends.” I rolled my eyes.

“I don’t have a problem being friends. Jesus.”

“Really?” he challenged.

“You wanna braid my hair next”? I muttered, raising the water bottle in my hands to my lips.

“Maybe later, shithead.” He laughed. “I’m just saying, girl like her? Don’t waste your time, or especially hers, by dilly-dallying?” I scowled at him and realized he was staring in the direction of my girl.

That’s’ when it hit me.

He wasn’t watching Libby like his life depended on it. Nope. He was staring at Mattie.

“Dilly-dallying?” I asked, deciding if he wanted to tell me about her, he would. “Is that some kind of midwestern thing?” I teased, and Dylan playfully shoulder-checked me.

“Fuck you, man. We couldn’t all be cool and born and raised in Southern California.”

“You’re right about that.” I laughed and shook my head. “I get what you’re saying, though.” I cleared my throat.

“Good.” He nodded, and his attention drifted back to the two women who were now talking to a third. “Lock it down because shit can change in the blink of an eye.” As if feeling our gazes on them, the girls looked in our direction. Mattie stared, but I knew she wasn’t looking at me when she mouthedhi. Dylan chin nodded. A muscle at his jaw twitched before I tapped his shoulder.

“So, you two…”

“Nothing. Drop it,” he growled. My lips twitched.

“Okay, then,” I mumbled. I knew he had to be into someone with the way he was hardly ever home. “Guess I’m the only one who had to share.” I was definitely poking a bear, but fuck that; he’d made me talk.

“It’s… it’s complicated.” He sighed, clearly unhappy.

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