Page 52 of Game Changer
I’m so stunned by her use of the official term that I don’t see Derrick’s hand shoot out to whack me on the chest.
“Sheis your girlfriend?” He grabs the other boys’ attention and shouts, “Guys, this is Ethan’sgirlfriend!”
The collection of their surprised gasps makes me roll my eyes. Leave it to a bunch of thirteen-year-olds to take a hit at my ego, but I can’t blame them for foaming at their mouths when she looks likethat.
“What’s your name?” one asks.
“Has he kissed you yet?”
“Does he do that weird gargling thing with his water bottle in front of you too?”
“All right,” I groan. “That wasonetime. I’m pretty sure a bug flew in my mouth.”
“I, for one, am glad you two finally made it official,” Mark interjects. He sighs dramatically while batting his eyes. “It’s a dream come true, isn’t it?”
I scowl at him. “Please don’t tell me Cameron rubbed off on you during his visit.”
“Cameron? Nah.Leo, however . . .”
Whose idea was it to create a friend circle with a bunch of jackasses?
Oh, right.
Mine.
“So, how are we celebrating?” Maya asks, thankfully changing the subject.
“We typically go to the pizzeria on Main Street after practices. That’s the place the kids like best.” The fact that I know which pizzeria they prefer shows how much I care about them. Obviously, I’m no longer a guest here, but to say I’m an assistant coach aloud means it’s true, and that means my entire life trajectory changes. It’s a huge step, but the more time I spend around these boys, the less daunting the step becomes.
“I could go for some pizza,” she says.
The boys stare at her with wide eyes. “Is she going to eat with us?”
“Maybeif you can keep your tongues to yourselves. She’s taken, boys.” I drag my eyes down the length of her, wishing we were in bed rather than on a football field. Maya shifts her weight from one foot to another in response.
The knockout with toned legs, a heart of gold, and a smile that could light up an entire stadium is now off-limits. She did something out of her comfort zone by coming here tonight. Extracurricular activities aren’t her thing, but she still made an effort because this team means something tome.
And I’m officially the luckiest guy alive.
“We’ll meet you guys there!” I shout at Ronnie and the boys.
Maya links her arm through mine. “Lead the way,boyfriend. I’ll hitch a ride with you.”
I pick her up to wrap her legs around my waist, grinning uncontrollably when she squeals and tosses her head back with laughter. She’s a sight for sore eyes. That’s for sure. “Of course, I’ll let my girlfriend hitch a ride with me.” Then, when we’re halfway to the parking lot, I add, “You can hitch a ride on something else if you’d like too.”
“Oh my god!” She swats the back of my head. “Cameron is rubbing off onyou, not Mark.”
I pinch her ass, and as we erupt into another fit of laughter, I can’t remember the last time I’ve been this happy. And not fake happiness, like the times I had to act it with all my different masks on, butreal, genuine happiness. The type where my stomach dips and laughter is the only thing I can produce to absorb the foreign emotion.
My life is starting to fall into place, and although the puzzle pieces seem to be slowly coming together, I can’t shake the nagging fear that all of this is too good to be true.
Twenty- six
Maya
My side hustle has completely taken off. What started as one or two girls has become a full-blown client list, and my room is packed with girls waiting their turn. Ethan and Leo helped me move a few chairs in from the common area, and with Bad Bunny playing in the background of my tiny salon, I’ve never felt more whole.
I’m a machine powering through a multitude of different looks, treating each face as my personal canvas. I’m so busy that when Ethan offered to help sort the payments from each client, I couldn’t refuse him. He’s been a trooper for the past four hours, sitting on my bed and handling the cash when I’m finished, and if he wasn’t handling payments, he was keeping the clients distracted during the wait by chatting to them about their time at school and what they plan on doing with their degree.
