Page 61 of Their Greatest Strength

A loud thump in the hallway has Jamie lunging out of the room. Even looking like he’s been out at a bar crawl all night, he’s alert, his reflexes sharp.

“Jesus, Nate. You scared the hell out of me,” he pants.

“Did you say I could look through your old jerseys? And that we get to watch the game tomorrow on thefield?” Nate rambles, exposing his eavesdropping.

I swallow a laugh and lie back in bed, tucking the chilled covers beneath my chin. It was only a couple of hours ago that I snuck out of Jamie’s bed and into this one. God, how mortifying would it have been if he’d come home and seen me sleeping in his bed?

I’d only meant to stay there for a little while. He wasn’t home, and I knew he wouldn’t be for hours. It’s my fault for not napping like he suggested and instead forced myself to the brinkof passing out at the kitchen table after dinner. My bed wasn’t working, so on a whim, I went to his.

I fell asleep in only a few minutes, surrounded by dark sheets, expensive cologne, and a deep sense of safety.

Fuck, it was so creepy of me to go in there. He may have offered his bed to me, but he could have just not thought I’d use it. Like one of those offers you only make to avoid feeling bad while hoping it’s never taken.

With a sigh, I think back to the glass patio door and the glimmer of backyard lights on the walls of his bedroom. If I hadn’t been so exhausted, I’d have gone outside to lie on the grass and count the stars without wondering if I was going to be accosted by someone. With the tall fence around me, I’d have felt safe the same way I do in this house.

“Are you coming, Blakely?”

I blink, focusing on Nathan as he stands beside the bed. Jamie is a few paces back, watching us while pretending not to.

“Yeah, give me a minute to get dressed. We don’t have too much time this morning, Nate. You’ve got school in an hour,” I remind him.

Nate beams at me, more excited than ever. “Yeah, yeah, I know! We’ll wait in the hall.”

I ignore the soft expression on Jamie’s face and slip out of bed, grateful for the flannel pyjama pants I slipped on when I got back to my room. If he knew I wore only an oversized shirt and panties in his bed, he’d be unbearable.

Right now, I doubt he even wants to look at me. I’m not a pretty sleeper, so combine the mess that is my hair with ratty old PJs, and I’m sure he’s trying to hold back from tearing out of here in disgust.

I move a little faster now, pulling some clothes out of my old bag sitting atop the gorgeous white wood dresser.

“You can unpack, you know. You’re going to be here for a while,” Jamie notes.

Nate hovers beside him by the door, frowning at the bag as ifhe’s just now realized that I haven’t taken my clothes out of it. He’s been unpacked from the hour after we got here the first day. That’s just how he is, though.

When I’m bursting with fear and doubt, he’s calm and sure. This move was easy for him while terrifying for me.

“I’ll do it soon,” I mutter.

Jamie doesn’t push it further. “Alright.”

Lifting my clothes in front of me, I arch a brow at the two guys. “If you wouldn’t mind?”

“Right. We’ll be in the hall,” Jamie blurts, walking backward out of the room and taking Nate with him.

Once they’re both gone, I shut the door and take my clothes to the ensuite. A few minutes later, I’m watching Nate root through a giant bin of old football jerseys with wide, wild eyes. There must be at least fifty of them, all of which have apparently been worn before.

I’m not sure if that’s cool or disgusting.

“Are you sure I can choose any of them?” Nate asks, finally pausing his search with a white-knuckled grip on an orange jersey.

Jamie nods from his spot beside me, his hands tucked in his pockets and posture loose. “Yeah, buddy. All they do is sit in this bin now.”

“I choose this one, then.”

Nate stands and yanks the jersey over his head before tugging it the rest of the way down. It’s a few sizes too big, but from the cheek-splitting grin on his face, it’s obvious he doesn’t care one bit.

“Do you want to wash it first, Nate?” I ask carefully.

“Shit, do you think I put all my sweaty gear into bins to save for later? Have a little faith in me, Bandit,” Jamie jokes through a low laugh. “They’ve all been washed.”

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