Page 50 of Second Down Darling

I’m so elated I almost miss the magazine on the stand that says “Dakota, theHot HouseDarling: An in-depth look at this hottie’s lovelife.”

18

JAKE

Grunting,I crank the treadmill. Sweat drips off my brow and down my bare chest as I push myselfharder.

Weights clank in a backdrop beat to the rock music on the stereo. I should be thinking about this weekend’s game, but my thoughts keep straying to my outing last Sunday afternoon withCharlie.

To the way her eyes danced when she got determined toskate.

To the adorable way she clung to me when she neededhelp.

To her cute little ass in thosecutoffs.

I close my eyes, hating how conflicted I feel. No one ever believes me when I say that Charlotte and I have always beenjustfriends.

Only that somehow feels wrong now. I’m not sure what’s changed on my end. Maybe it’s because we’re living together and I see her every day? Maybe it’s because dragging her out of that fire scared the fuck out of me? Or maybe it’s because she feels like my best friend again, and lately I’ve been wondering what it would be like if we were…more?

And when I thought she was going to wipe out? My heart was in my throat as I sprinted to catchher.

When I remember how she looked at me in the park, my whole bodyheats.

Fuck. I shouldn’t be thinking about Charlie likethis.

Because going there with her right now seems like a really bad idea. I promised myself I wouldn’t get involved with anyone this year. There’s too much on theline.

Except I do need adate.

Since Coach Santos took over as head coach here last year, he’s been building up our homecoming festivities, adding the bonfire, a parade—all kinds of spirit week activities—and he wants the football team to show up for a fewevents.

I figured Charlie and I would have fun and I wouldn’t have to deal with asking someone who might get the wrong idea about what the invitation meant. I’d fully intended to emphasize that we’d be going asfriends.

But then Charlie and I got talking about her going out with Kyle, and fuck. I don’t know. I didn’t want to deliberately put myself in the friendzone.

He’s picking her up tonight. She asked me if she should cancel. However much I wanted to tell her to bail, I’d be a suck-ass friend if I did. She’s never gone on dates, and if anyone deserves to be treated like a princess, it’sCharlotte.

Plus, that will incentivize me to keep my relationship with her completely platonic. It’s the smart thing to do. Especially with the scrutiny I might face from Dakota’s show. The last thing I need splashed on gossip magazines before the draft is how I jumped from one Darling sister to theother.

When Charlie pointed out that magazine at the grocery store, I wanted to shit my pants. It was a retrospective of all the guys Dakota has dated. Conveniently, she fudged the dates for when she got with Troy so they didn’t overlap with me. At least the sports reporters who cover my games haven’t asked about thatyet.

I rub my throbbing temple. Fuck, I’m tired every time I think aboutit.

My brothers will give me endless shit if they find out I’m taking Charlie to homecoming. One, they hate her family and they’ll say I’m an idiot for trusting another Darling. Two, they’ve teased me mercilessly about her for years. And three, they think we’ve been secretly hooking up since high school regardless of how many times I’ve deniedit.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spot Roxy and our quarterback. Cheerleaders aren’t supposed to be back here, but since Coach is Roxy’s dad, she basically does what she wants. And right now, that means yelling at our QB. Ezra Thomas is getting his ass chewedout.

When she spots me, she snaps her mouth shut. Turning back to him, she pokes him in the chest, hisses something I can’t make out, and stormsoff.

He makes his way into the weight room and drops down onto the bench next tome.

“You okay, man?” I swipe my forehead with atowel.

“Remind me never to tangle with Roxy Santosagain.”

I could’ve told him that. Why would anyone mess with the coach’s daughter? That has stupidity written all overit.

“You two dating orsomething?”

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