Page 38 of End Game

As if he can read my mind, Nico looks in my direction from where he stands on the field, Gavin right next to him and Coop flanking him on the other side. Our gazes lock. Hold. His mouth curls into a small, closed-lip smile, and he lifts his hand in the subtlest of waves that has me positively giddy.

I smile in return, wiggling my fingers at him once. Just as subtle as he is, and he eventually looks away, getting caught up in conversation with his friends. His teammates.

While I’m sitting here squirming in my seat like I can barely contain myself.

“How do you know Nico?”

I turn toward the snide-sounding voice to find a beautiful blonde sitting behind me and to the left, her expression full of disbelief. Like she can’t wrap her head around the idea of him knowing someone like me.

Maybe I’m taking this too personally. But she has a snotty expression on her face, and that makes me think I’m not overreacting.

“We’re friends,” I say, not about to confess that we’re also roommates. No one needs to know that.

“Really?” She snorts in disbelief.

“You saw him wave at me, right?” I shrug, smiling. Reveling a little in my status. I guess it’s a big deal to know Nico Valente, though I kind of already assumed that from just being here.

Sienna wasn’t wrong. There are all sorts of women filling this stadium with his number painted on their cheeks. Or on their backs because they’re wearing his jersey. Like the blonde I’m talking to. She’s got eighty painted on her cheek just like I do.

“You’re a Cooper fan too?” She nudges her friend with her elbow, both of them smiling, though they’re not very friendly. “What do they do, pass you around?”

“Hey, blondie. Fuck right off.” I glance up to see Sienna standing there with a giant bucket of popcorn in her hands. She’s glaring at the blonde and her friend, and their smiles fade at the death look on Sienna’s face.

“We weren’t—” the blonde starts, but Sienna cuts her off.

“Cooper is my brother, so you better watch what you say.” She sits in her seat, offering me the popcorn, and I take some, shoving it into my mouth. The blonde and her friend completely back down, wearing matching sulky expressions, and I’m relieved that it didn’t turn into something more.

“Some women act like they own these guys. It’s ridiculous,” Sienna mutters.

I lean my head close to hers, lowering my voice. “She didn’t believe I was friends with Nico even though he just waved at me from the field.”

“He waved at you? Well, well, well.” The sneaky smile on Sienna’s face has me nudging her in the side.

“It was nothing.” I refuse to let her get my hopes up even more. I already did that well enough on my own.

“Uh-huh.” Sienna smirks.

I decide to change the subject. “Thanks for the popcorn.” I lean my head against hers for the briefest moment. “And for rushing to my defense.”

“These fangirls need to back off my new friend,” Sienna says, her fierce voice warming my heart.

It feels good to be here,I think, as we settle more deeply into our seats, ready for the game to begin.

For once, I feel like I belong.

Chapter Fourteen

EVERLEIGH

We’re in the fourth quarter of the game with only five minutes left and ...

The Dolphins are freaking losing.

If they lose, it will be the first one of the season, and then they can’t afford to lose another. Two losses and they’re pretty much out of championship contention. Everything hinges on these final five minutes.

“I’m literally biting my nails,” Sienna complains as she smooths the ragged edge of her nail with her thumb. “This is freaking stressful.”

“I feel guilty.” I refuse to look at her, keeping my gaze on the field. The other team currently has the ball, and they’re doing everything they can to drive it down the field.

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