Page 18 of When to Call a Blitz

Elara turns back toward the house. “I need my bathing suit!”

“No!” I yell, panic surging through me. Absolutely no way I’m sending the girls in there.

“Elara?” a voice calls through the crashing of waves against the sand.

Our heads whip in the direction of the sound, and I watch as Isla’s friend Heidi comes out of the house, towels in her arms.

“You guys want to swim?” she asks them. When the girls nod, she gives a questionable look back toward the house before sighing and heading back in.

I assume makeup sex hasn’t wrapped up yet.

The girls head to the small outdoor bathroom as Heidi heads back out, swimsuits in hand. They take turns getting changed in the stalls before we head out onto the beach, Heidi falling into step with me on our way.

“Are they usually so,” she pauses. “Loud?” With a fake shiver, Heidi places the towels on the ground as the girls run ahead of us into the waves.

“I have no idea,” I tell her simply.

I’ve seen Heidi a couple times. She’s come to a few games with the girls, always sitting in Leo’s box with Isla. She’s also been watching Elara, and she and Briar seem to love her.

But there’s something about her that makes me uneasy, and I’m not sure what.

“It’s a beautiful afternoon,” she says almost to herself as she leans back in the sand, propping herself up by her elbows.

I nod. “It is.”

We watch the girls play in the waves for what feels like ages before she speaks again.

“What’s your story, Big Guy?” she asks suddenly, taking me by surprise.

And it’s when I look back at her that I’m hit with a sudden realization that I don’t think I want to tell her anything about me. Nothing at all. My fight or flight is kicking into gear, and all I want to do is get out of there.

Heidi lays in the sand, her jean shorts rolled up to expose the slight curve of her ass just slightly, her white tube top rolled up to expose her pale, soft, freckled stomach, her arms folded behind her head as she looks at me through her dark sunglasses, her hair a halo around her in the sand.

She’s golden.

And I freeze.

8

EMMETT

“I’m not sure, I think that Cooper could beat him so god damn fast it’s not even funny.” Owen says it with such conviction I almost start to believe it myself.

“Are you fucking kidding me, man?” Leo asks, tightening the towel around his hips. “Do you know who the fuck I’m used to playing?”

When Cooper opens his mouth to argue, Leo smacks his hands together in his face. “A six year old. Do you know how fucking ruthless six-year-olds are, Cooper? I swear to god the entire time I play anything with her I have to constantly check behind my back. I am being hunted. I bought the kid a damn Switch the other day so we could slow it down and play Stardew Valley. I washunted.”Leo’s voice breaks at the last word. “Do you know how hard it is to feel hunted playing that game? It’s hard, man.”

Cooper sinks into his locker, eyebrow raised. “I don’t know, Leo.”

Leo throws his hands in the air. “You know what, forget about me. I think you need to play Elara. I’m only trying to protect you.”

Owen nods solemnly. “He’s unfortunately telling the truth,” he tells Cooper. “Saw the kid in action the other day and holy shit. She’s a cold-hearted killer, that’s for sure.”

“I mean crap, I’m new around here and I’ve still heard the story of the kid delivering the final blow to Leo two seconds before he finally defeated Vader,” Noah says as he peeks around Owen. He’s one of our new, rookie offensive linemen that has been getting closer and closer to us. We all love him, but he and Coop have developed a strong bond in a short time.

“It took me hours to get over,” Leo nods, eyes wide.

“You’re a fucking idiot,” Cooper rolls his eyes, standing as he grabs his coat.

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