Page 24 of Play It Off

“She can’t tell me what to do,” Nico mutters, making me laugh.

“You sound like you’re five.”

“When I’m around her, sometimes I feel like I’m five.” Nico shakes his head. “She’s fine. I just need to get used to living with her. It’s different, having a woman there.”

“I’m sure it is.” I decide to poke the bear. “She’s pretty.”

Nico jerks his gaze to mine. “You really think so?”

“Definitely.” I rub my chin, contemplating both women sitting at the table, but really only looking at Sienna. “She’s gorgeous.” I’m nottalking about Everleigh when I say that. My words, my feelings are all for Sienna.

But I blew it with her, and there’s no going back now. That woman was willing and eager only a few minutes ago, and I turned her down. Meaning I am exactly what she said—a complete idiot.

“Back off,” Nico practically snarls, which makes me laugh all over again. The moment I do, Sienna’s gaze levels on me, and I stare right back. She doesn’t look mad or even disappointed. No, she looks fucking sad.

And that’s ten times worse than any other emotion I want to see.

“I’m not interested in your new roommate, Nico. You can have her.”

“Oh gee, you’re so generous. Thanks, QB.” Nico nudges me in the ribs, and I step away from him, annoyed. I am a big motherfucker, but Nico is bigger. And then there’s Coop, who’s the biggest of us all.

“You’re fucking welcome, Valente. If you’re interested in her, let it happen. Have a little fun.”

“No way. With my luck, I’ll do something stupid, and she’ll end up hating my guts. Then we’ll have to live together until we graduate. Fuck that. I’m not about to start something that will most likely go down in flames,” Nico says.

I understand. I’m in the same predicament with Sienna.

“You’re probably right,” I tell him, clapping him on the back. “Best to stay away from her.”

“Like you need to stay away from Sienna?” he taunts.

“Exactly.”

Chapter TenSienna

It’s Saturday afternoon. Game day—the first one of the football season, and we’re playing at home. The stadium is packed to the brim. The UCSM band is out on the field, playing a rousing version of some Metallica song I recognize, but I don’t remember the name of it. Everleigh is sitting next to me, her face fully painted with the team colors and Nico’s and Coop’s numbers on each cheek, thanks to me. My face-paint artistry has improved over the years, and I now consider myself an expert. I even painted a pretty cool dolphin on my own cheek for the game. Not sure what I might do once my brother and the rest of his friends—ahem, Gavin—graduate. Will I come to games next year?

I’m not sure.

“The air is positively electric,” Everleigh says as our team runs out onto the field to the roar of the crowd. She’s rubbing her arms, and I notice the goose bumps dotting her skin.

“It’s really just the best time ever. I have so much fun at games.” Even sitting in the friends-and-family seats.

My first year, I tried sticking to the student section, but I didn’t have many friends, and honestly? I didn’t want to reveal to anyone that my brother was out on that field. Though my first year, Coopwas benched most of that season only because they had such a strong offensive line. Right before playoffs, Coop got to go in, and he wowed everyone with his brute strength. My brother has zero hesitation out on that field. He will mow someone over with his big, burly body and make it look easy.

He makes me proud. They all do.

Even stupid Gavin. Gav. Just to irritate myself I should only think of him as Gav because oh, how I loathe that nickname. I don’t know why. Maybe because all the women that surround him call him that, thinking somehow it sounds more intimate.

While I’m the complete opposite. I feel it sounds far more intimate if I call him Gavin. Who else ever calls him by his full name? He has so many nicknames, and he answers to all of them. Some of his teammates even call him Mad Dog, and I’m like ... what? Why?

Okay, I need to get over myself.

After I gave up on sitting with my fellow students, I found my people in the friends-and-family section. Parents and siblings and girlfriends and wives all sit here, and last season, I was great friends with the wife of one of the players. They got married when they were barely twenty, and while I thought they were rushing things, they were high school sweethearts. And he was stunningly gorgeous. Like maybe even better looking than Gavin?

Nah.

Anyway, she had to lock that boy down, and I don’t blame her. He was recruited by the Broncos, and now they live in Denver. Her life has been so busy; we’ve sort of lost touch these last few months. I should text her.

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