Page 25 of How to Score Off Field

DEAR DIARY…

Today was so totally embarrassing and I’ll tell you why.

Mom went out of town for a girls weekend with her college roommates and Dad didn’t want to leave me home alone even though I’m old enough, so he took me to football practice with him—LIKE I WANT TO HANG OUT WITH GRADY AND HIS MORONIC TEAMMATES ALL MORNING. Dad’s helping the coach count equipment and stuff and brought me along to help and I wanted to crawl into a hole. It was really hot and the guys practiced in just their pads and I swear to God I had actual drool coming out of my mouth. Obvi I texted the girls and Bev was all “pics or it didn’t happen” but it’s not like I can just freaking start taking pictures without bring obvious. Dad embarrassed the crap out of me when he caught me staring and had to yell my name to get my attention and like, I wanted the ground to swallow me hole.

Why couldn’t he have just LEFT ME AT HOME? UGH he’s sooooo annoying. I swear, if he takes me to the damn football field any more this week, I’ll leave. Not sure where I’d go but that’s not the point…

Xx Tess

CHAPTER9

DREW

YOU KNOW YOU’RE SINGLE WHEN YOUR REMOTES HAVE THEIR OWN SIDE OF THE BED.

“Hello?”

I hear a voice in the kitchen at the same time I hear the back patio door sliding closed and soft footsteps on the tile floor.

The remote in my hand freezes, pointed at the television.

I set it on the coffee table and rise. “Tess?”

Her head pops into the living room where I’ve been sitting on my ass all morning, bored out of my fucking mind, counting down the hours until Grady gets home from work and we can get on with this bachelor party everyone has been looking forward to since Lucas got himself engaged.

“Hey!”

She sounds cheery, but the joyful greeting doesn’t quite reach her eyes as they glance around the room.

“Grady isn’t here,” I inform her because clearly that’s why she’s here.

“I know.” She steps all the way into the room. “Um. I thought we were supposed to do something today?”

“We were?”

I’m standing here in boxer shorts and a bro tank that actually belongs to my bro. Barefoot.

Unshaven.

Tired and probably a bit hungover—not that I can recall what being hungover feels like, it’s been so goddamn long. But I’m pretty sure that’s what this is.

“Miranda told me…” She pauses. “Freakin’ A.” Her head gives a little shake. “Um. Never mind.”

Tess looks torn.

“Let’s do it. Let’s go do something,” I decide, clicking the television power off, then tossing the remote onto the couch. “Give me a few minutes to wash up and change.”

Her mouth gapes open as if she wasn’t expecting me to acquiesce or volunteer to hang out with her. Even though her friend Miranda was unabashedly pushing us together last night. For whatever reason.

Maybe she actually does feel bad that Tess and I have no one to hang out with during the day while our friends are busy. Yeah, it’s Saturday, but Grady had to run to his office for a few hours to file a permit they need on Monday, and it can’t wait.

So here we are.

Flying solo.

Together.

I wash my face, run a washcloth under my pits, then slap on some aftershave lotion and cologne even though I haven’t shaved. Then I wet my hair and style it so I don’t have bedhead.

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