Page 69 of Rival Summer

"I let her have the bed in my room," I said, trying to keep my voice steady despite the hammering of my heart.

Relief washed over Parker's face. "Oh, thanks for looking out for her, man."

I nodded, the guilt gnawing at me. He had no idea what his sister and I had really done, and after last night, I knew I had to tell Parker how I felt about her.

Reese took a seat, shooting me a subtle smirk—just enough to suggest that he somehow knew what had gone down between me and Chandler. It felt like silent approval, even though I couldn’t ignore the fact that he’d once had feelings for her. Maybe he still did.

The bus rolled into the Blue Devils' lot, the familiar sight of the field stirring everyone from their slumbers. Chandler shifted beside me, her head lifting from my shoulder where it had beenresting during the ride. As if on cue, Bailey's eyes met mine from across the aisle, his expression a mix of amusement and annoyance. That glare could only mean one thing—I still owed him for the underwear fiasco.

"Sorry, man," I mouthed to him, offering what I hoped was an apologetic grin. He just shook his head, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Hey," I whispered to Chandler, leaning in so only she could hear. "I had fun with you this weekend, pretty girl."

Her tired hazel eyes gleamed as she turned to me, a soft smile curving her lips. "I did too."

The bus came to a gentle stop, and everyone around us began to stretch their limbs and gather belongings. Seizing the moment, I continued, "Are you going to dollar beer night tonight?"

"Possibly," she replied.

"Okay, Parker’s going," I said, feeling the weight of the previous night's events pressing between us. "I think I might try to find a way to talk to him, if you're okay with it. After last night... I think he needs to know that I really do care about you."

She hesitated for a moment, biting her lip in thought, then nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine with it. Just not sure how he'll feel about it."

"Just leave it to me," I assured her, reaching out to tenderly rub her cheek with the pad of my thumb. Her skin was soft against the roughness of my hand.

As if on cue, everyone started to stand up. We rose together, caught in the flow of everyone eager to get off. "See you tonight, then," I said, stepping aside to let her pass.

"See you," Chandler echoed, her gaze lingering on mine before she turned to join the others.

Tonight was more than just dollar beers for me—it was about being honest with Parker, and maybe even taking a step forwardin whatever this thing with Chandler was turning into. I just hoped he would understand.

Later that evening, Parker threw an arm around my shoulder as we made our way inside the bar, his laughter booming above the chatter and clinking bottles.

"Man, I missed doing this with you this past year," he said, scanning the crowd for our teammates.

"Same," I agreed, before signaling the bartender for a couple of beers.

Parker grinned, accepting the frosty bottles with a nod of thanks. We navigated our way to the back tables where our teammates were scattered either playing pool or throwing darts.

"Reese!" Bailey called out, a lopsided grin plastered on his face. "You ever gonna tell us the details about this blonde you hooked up with?"

The room erupted into a mix of snickers and curious glances, everyone suddenly all ears.

"Bailey, why are you so obsessed with my sex life? You want to see my dick? Just ask," he quipped, taking a sip of his drink with a nonchalance.

“Maybe I am asking.” Bailey shot him a nod, his smile never wavered.

Crew lined up his shot, a sly wink aimed at Bailey before the sharp crack of the pool ball echoed through the chatter. "I hooked up with two blondes," he boasted, chalking his cue after the successful pocket.

"Yeah twins, you sick fuck," Bailey tossed back, shaking his head but chuckling all the same.

I leaned against the wall, amused by the banter, watching as Parker wandered over, beer in hand, about to interject something in this ridiculous conversation.

"Speaking of hook-ups," Parker began, his gaze directed at Bailey. "What’s the deal with you and Willow? Christ, were those her panties you wore at practice?"

Bailey sent a glare my way before he answered Parker. "Man, I wish I could say they were," he confessed. "But I can promise you those panties weren’t hers. And we all know a gentleman doesn’t kiss and tell, anyway."

"Here's to women Bailey hasn’t hooked up with," I toasted, raising my drink with a small smile.

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