Page 104 of Second Down Darling

Frustrated, I rub the back of my neck. “Charlie dropped by the apartment and left me a note saying she was staying at Roxy’s and needed some space.” It also said,FYI, I’m not pregnant. I never was. Bet you’rerelieved.

I deserved thatdig.

I’m trying to look on the bright side. At least I got the note this time. And at least she didn’t transfer schools to get away from me. And, hey, she didn’t tell me to fuck offexactly.

Yes, my sense of humor is grim rightnow.

“You want my advice?” he asks as he reaches over to grab my granolabar.

“You’re going to give it to me whether I ask for it ornot.”

He wags his finger at me. “You’re catching on.” After mowing through the rest of my food, he leans back. “Honestly? You’refucked.”

I stare at him. “You’re adick.”

The asshole chuckles. “I’m teasing. Seriously, man, you got some groveling to do. Charlie loves you. It’s in her eyes. Instead of pupils, she has little dancinghearts.”

“So what do I do, man? I love her. She means everything to me. She’s literally the woman I want to marrysomeday.”

He chokes on his water. “Whoa, bud. When someone says ‘marriage,’ my balls shrivelup.”

It’s my turn to laugh. “Didn’t realize you had commitmentissues.”

His head jerks back. “Me? Nah. Just… I’m cautious.” I’d call bullshit, but he looks freaked out. “Anyway, is Dakota out of your hair for good or should we expect her to pop out from behind a potted plant with her filmcrew?”

“Her show wraps up in a few weeks and then she claims she’ll be back. This is where things get weird. She doesn’t want me to see Charlotte. Says she’s gonna take me to court and sue me for custody if I don’t comply. I don’t have that kind of money. Neither does my family, and they’d cough it up in a minute to take her down. Plus she wants to hang out ‘as a family’ with me and Asher, and I get the feeling that if she doesn’t get her way, she’ll hold custody over my head for thattoo.”

“Are those empty threats or do you think she meansit?”

“She has money to burn, so if she wants to blow it on attorneys, she can afford it. Whereas I do not have those kinds of funds.” At least, not yet. If I get drafted, then I suppose I’d better hire the best lawyer I canfind.

“Fuck, thatsucks.”

“And I’ve left Charlie a million messages, begging her to call me back so we can talk this out. She finally texted me and says she thinks Coach is right and we need to chill, and that she’ll talk to me when the season isover.”

“Regular orplayoffs?”

Good question. I’m guessing she didn’t mean after this weekend’s game. “Fuck. If I have to wait until January to talk to her, I’m gonna lose my mind. I know she’s hurt, and it kills me that I’m the source of thatpain.”

“Actually, Dakota is thesource.”

I wince. “No, this was my doing too. When I thought she was pregnant, I pretty much almost passed out.” I had to sit my ass down and breathe until the spots in my vision disappeared. “There’s no way Charlotte’s not beating herself up right now. She’s absolutely comparing this to how things went down with her sister when she got pregnant with Asher. And when you tack on that stupid viral video and the shit that happened to her at last weekend’s game, I’m not surprised she’s pullingaway.”

Which reminds me… “Did you know she got heckled at the NTU game? Did you know when we got back on the field for the third quarter? Is that why you asked me if I wasokay?”

He looks sheepish all of a sudden. “Sorry, dude. Thought it would fuck up your head, and you’d been having such a great game. Didn’t want you bolting. I heard she got into the ambulance on her own, so it’s not like shedied.”

I roll my eyes. “If I haven’t told you lately, you’re anasshole.”

“Not gonna deny that.” He pauses to grab a sandwich from his backpack. “So what’s the plan to win back our girl? ’Cause you’d better have a goodone.”

“Noshit.”

I’m not totally sure, but I have an idea where tostart.

43

CHARLOTTE

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