Page 42 of End Game

It’s a Saturday night and we won. People are in the mood to celebrate. I know I am.

We all start walking, the girls coming along with us, and Sienna forgets all about me. Instead she’s walking beside Gav, chatting away at him while Ever is standing next to Frank and listening to him talk.

All while I glower like an asshole and try to come up with ways to keep Dollar away from her for ...

Ever.

Yeah. That sounds just about perfect.

“We just had the most major win of the season, and you look like someone pissed in your beer.” This disgusting description comes from my good friend and roommate Cooper. “What’s going on with you?”

“Nothing,” I bite out, because I still don’t know how to explain myself. “I’m just—”

“Into our roommate? I can tell, considering how you can’t stop staring at her. Pretty sure she’s into you as well,” Coop says conversationally. Like he just mentioned the sky is blue and today is Saturday.

In other words, like what he just said is no big deal.

“I’m not into her.” The lie tastes bad.

Fuck it, I’m into her. What am I doing? Why am I attracted to her? Why do I imagine her naked in my shower and jerk off to the image? Why, why, why?

I have problems. Well, one singular problem.

And she’s walking just ahead of me, unaware of my struggles.

“Whatever you say, man.” Coop is chuckling because he knows I’m full of shit. “Don’t be jealous of Dollar. She just feels bad for him. She already told him to back off, remember?”

What if she tellsmeto back off? What if she’s not into me and I’m over here wasting my time, lusting after a woman who sees me as just her roommate.

Exactly how I told myself to feel about her, but here I am. Thinking about her all the time. It gets worse as every day passes and she does something sweet, like when she offered to wash my towels when she was doing hers. When she made us dinner all week instead of just the agreed-upon three meals. When she sends one of those shy smiles in my direction—those do me in. I can’t lie. Caught her staring at me when I was out on the field before the game started earlier, and I couldn’t help myself.

I waved at her.

She waved back, and my heart tripped over itself when she did.

Silly. That is not a word I use to describe myself, but she makes me feel silly and hopeful and unsure. Which is not normal for me.

Not even close.

“I feel like I’m in middle school,” I mutter to no one in particular.

Coop laughs. “Want me to deliver a note from you to Ever that says ‘I like you’? I can do it, no problem.”

That is the most middle school thing I’ve ever heard. Might’ve done that a time or two when I was like ... twelve. Ten years ago.

I’d like to think I’ve evolved since then.

“Shut up, asswipe.” I shove him, but he doesn’t even move because he’s as big as a boulder.

My reaction just makes him laugh harder. “What are you going to do about this?”

I’m frowning. “Do about what?”

Is there anything I can do? I was just ... dealing with my feelings. Hoping that they’d pass because this is pointless.

“How you feel about ...” He inclines his head toward Everleigh walking in front of us, oblivious to our conversation. “Her.”

I watch her, my gaze lingering on her ass. She has a good one. Of course she does.

---