Page 34 of Resisting the Running Back

“Tell me about it,” Cassie says. “But I’m seven years older than the three of you. Between mom brain and old age, my memory of that time of my life is pretty much shot at this point.”

Tanner laughs as he tosses his arm around her. “My old lady,” he teases, and she rolls her eyes as he presses a kiss to her temple.

“Call me old again, and you’re sleeping on the couch tonight,” she says with a glare, and Sophie and I laugh at their banter. She turns to Sophie. “So you’ve known these two since high school?”

Sophie nods. “Miller and I had freshman English together, and we immediately hit it off and have been best friends ever since.” She leans her head on my shoulder, and I slip an arm around her.

“And now we’re getting married,” I blurt.

I glance around and see there’s no one within hearing distance, and when I look at Sophie, she’s looking at me. I give her a nod because I see the question in her eyes.Is it okay to tell them?

Sophie leans across toward Cassie again and lowers her voice. “You asked me before about teaching high school, and the truth is…well, the truth is a long story, but suffice it to say I’m no longer teaching, and instead I’m focusing on publishing romance books under my very secret pen name that only two people knew about until a few days ago.”

Cassie’s wide eyes are accompanied by a jaw drop.

“As my parents are conservative, I kept that little nugget from them and instead told them I’m moving to San Diego because Miller and I are engaged.” She glances at me and then back at Cassie. “And then the envelope was pushed a bit when we went to my old apartment to pick up the rest of my things, and we told my ex we were getting married before next season begins.”

“We?” I say pointedly.

Sophie giggles. “Yeah, that was all me.” She puts a hand over her mouth in jest. “Whoopsies.”

“So what are you going to do?” Tanner asks, his brows pushed together as he fixes his eyes on me.

I shrug. “Get married, I guess. But maybe wait until after the season.”

“Dude, do you really think that’s a good idea?”

I glance at Sophie. Yeah. I really do. I think it’s the best goddamn idea I’ve ever had.

I let out a heavy breath, and just then, the waitress comes by with our drinks. I guess if we’re putting on the act, now’s as good a time as any.

“That’s right. I can’t wait to marry this girl,” I say to Tanner, tossing my arm around Sophie and pulling her close.

She doesn’t stiffen. She doesn’t freeze. Instead, she seems to melt into my side again, as if we’re the perfect fit. She sets her hand on my thigh, and I just need her to move about six inches up and a little to the left, and we’d be good to go.

“And I can’t wait to become a football wife,” she says. She looks up at me, and I look down at her.

As the waitress walks away, Cassie says, “Well, you two certainly have the act down.”

Because it isn’t an act.

She knows how I feel about Sophie. Tanner knows how I feel about Sophie. The wholeworldknows how I feel about Sophie.

Only Sophie doesn’t know how I feel about Sophie.

And maybe if I drink enough whiskey tonight, I’ll get up the nerve to admit the truth.

Tanner holds up his tequila, and the women each grab their margaritas while I pick up my whiskey.

“To marriage,” Tanner says.

I guess I’ll drink to that.

“And to family vacations,” I say. “That cruise we talked about taking with the Nash family. Let’s plan it. Let’s do it before next season starts,” I say. I’m not sure why it comes out of my mouth, but the thought of a vacation with all the people I’m closest to—including Sophie—is just hitting right. Maybe it’s the whiskey.

Tanner glances at Cassie, who nods. “We’re in. We’re doing a July eighth wedding, and we wanted to do a Caribbean honeymoon anyway. What’s twenty or thirty more guests? We can leave right after the wedding and be back before rookie camp.”

“Are you sure you want us tagging along on your honeymoon?” I ask.

---