Page 81 of A Quarterback for Christmas

“I know, man.”

That’s it. I leave my friend sitting there, wallowing in his beer, and step onto the sticky floor of the student bar. It’s a Tuesday night, so nowhere near as busy as the weekend, but with my teammates and their friends, there are enough people here to see us together. Enough people to start rumors. Rumors that will quickly get back to Coach.

I didn’t think this through before asking her here, and now we really did need to get our shit together.

Bella’s at the pool table, leaning on her cue while she waits for Reese to take a shot. Knowing Bella, she probably convinced Reese that she has no clue how to play, but I can tell she’s beating his ass from here. The disappointed look on Reese’s face only confirms it.

Pushing through the throng of people, I’m just about to get to Bella when a hand wraps around my arm, pulling me away from the crowd. The person’s nails dig so hard, she nearly breaks the skin, and I know that claw-like grip without having to look. I don’t fight as she pulls me away from the crowd. We needed to talk, and it’s only right we do it now.

She backs me into a small alcove, her blonde hair flaring wildly from the push.

“Hey, Drew,” Brianna drawls out, her gaze drawing down my shirt, straight to the button of my jeans. “Where have you been? I haven’t seen you in a while.” Her dark makeup only serves to emphasize her light blue eyes, and when she throws a sexy smirk my way, I know I need to nip this in the bud before Bella gets a whiff of it.

Brianna seemed like a good idea in my freshman year. She’s hot, on the cheer team, and had one huge asset that Bella didn’t. She could stand my presence. I gave us a fair shot back then. Dated her exclusively for a few months but broke it off quickly after. Even though we’d hang out as friends and sometimes more, I knew she wasn’t girlfriend material. It always felt like a spark was missing between us. She may have been everything I wanted on paper, but she was missing the edge that I liked from Bella. That sarcastic, hold me to my bullshit kind of mouth. Poor Brianna is as bland as a day-old muffin.

“Bri, I think we need to talk,” I say, rubbing the back of my neck and taking a quick glance over my shoulder. I can see the disappointment in her eyes, which kind of sucks. We’ve beenfriends since we were freshmen, and I wanted to keep it that way.

Brianna sighs, looking away from me, and it’s then I realize why she was such a good distraction. She looks almost identical to Bella, save for the cute little mole that Bella has on the side of her left cheek.

“No need. Word got around that you were hanging out with Bella tonight, and I kind of wanted to come out and see for myself.” She purses her lips together before scuffing her feet. “It’s funny because you always told me Bella was off-limits, but here you are, looking at her like she’s a Philly Cheesesteak, and you can’t help but eat it.”

Her eyes shimmer as she nods with the grace and dignity of a debutante, and I blow out a breath because I don’t want to hurt Brianna’s feelings by telling her the truth. “It’s a little different between Bella and me. As you know, we’ve known each other a long time, and we have -”

“History,” she finishes for me, raising her arms in surrender. “I get it. I should have known there was something there by how you looked at her when she showed up last year. You told me there was a girl back home. I guess I’m just surprised it’s her.”

I try to hold her hand, but she pulls it back. “I’m sorry, Bri.”

“Don’t be.” She offers me a small smile. “I’m not angry at you. Just at myself for wasting so many years thinking that eventually you’d come around. Should have taken the hint when you told me you just wanted to be friends as freshman.”

My heart crumbles a little for her because she should be angry at me. I’d let her tear my eyes out if she wanted because it’s what I deserve. We’ve confided in each other over the years, and although I’ve known how she’s felt for a long time - everyone has - I didn’t let her move on to another guy because I liked having her around.

I’m a jerk. A selfish jerk who kept her hanging because I never thought I had a chance with Bella.

“Kind of sucks to be second best.”

“That’s not what you are, Bri. You’re my friend. One of my best.” It’s not her fault that all I seem to want in life is the spunky girl who’d owned my balls since high school.

“Drew. Brianna.” Bella’s voice soothes the conviction in my soul, and her hand slinking around my waist feels right. As much as it hurts to let my friendship with Brianna go, I know it’s the right thing for her. “Everything good?”

Bri’s eyes widen, and she looks like a frightened puppy, but she has nothing to be scared of. We weren’t doing anything that didn’t need to be done. We were only talking, but when I glance down at Bella, her heated gaze is directed firmly at Bri.

“Everything’s good, B.” I smile, ignoring the simmering tension between the two women. “I was just coming to find you. I got you this.” I hand her a beer, and she smiles as she takes a sip. “Sorry, it’s probably a little warm now.”

“Thanks, Babe,” Bella emphasizes the nickname to piss Brianna off and tilts her head to the pool table. “Shall we get back to it?” She’s being rude, but as per usual with her, I find it hot. Seeing her aggressively claim me in front of the girl she thinks is her biggest competition is something I never expected to see, and it’s a turn-on.

“Sure.” I turn to Bri one last time, feeling a sense of finality between us. Her smile has faded and her confidence is low, but I know this is right for us in the long term. If Bella’s my future, I have to let go of my past. “Talk later, Bri?”

She purses her lips and nods on a shaky breath, and before I know it, she’s disappeared into the crowd. I don’t know when I’ll see her next, but I know I need to make it up to her somehow.

“What was that all about?” Bella asks, accusation high in her tone.

She turns to look at me with no remorse on her face. “Could ask you the same thing,” I retort.

“That was me making sure your ex knows exactly where we stand.” She wraps her arms around me, looking up with a hooded glare.

“And where do we stand?” I ask, wrapping my arms around her waist, letting my fingers graze the top of her ass.

Getting on her tiptoes, she whispers in my ear, “Together until I’m in your room alone. Then you’ll be the only one standing because I’ll be kneeling right in front.”

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