Page 111 of When Wrecked Meets Ruined
“I’m sure you must have better things to do. Are you sure you have time for this?”
I didnothave the time for this, nor did I miss the underlying accusation, but I chose to ignore it. I wasn’t about to defend myself for something I hadn’t even done. And for Evie, I would make the time. “I’ve got plenty of time.”
“I’m sorry about the game, Ridge. I’ll find a way to be there, okay? You know how much I love seeing you in those tight pants.”
“Who cares how I play? As long as I look good in the pants.”
“Mmm yeah, all that big dick energy. Yum. I think I’ll treat myself to a Blow Pop,” she teased.
I groaned. The last thing I needed right now was a hard-on from the vision of Evie sucking on a Blow Pop. “Hold off on the Blow Pop and wait for the real thing tonight. I have to run. I’ll call you later.” I cut the call, tossed my phone in my locker, and grabbed my helmet.
On the way to the practice field, I shoulder-checked Nico. “Watch what the fuck you say in front of my girlfriend, asshole.”
“Trouble in paradise?”
Second thought, I didn’t like Nico.
CHAPTERFORTY-ONE
Ridge
By the timeI left the academic center, it was already nine-thirty. A forty-minute drive didn’t sound like a big deal until you tacked it onto the end of a day that started with a six a.m. wake-up call.
My muscles ached, my head was pounding, and I could have slept for a week.
I called Evie on my way to her house, but it went straight to voice mail. I called two more times before I gave up and tossed my phone in the cupholder.
Not gonna lie. The past three months were tough. I was juggling school and football, and when you threw in traveling and game days, there wasn’t a lot of time leftover. But Evie was worth it, and I had no interest in being with any other girl, so I’d sacrifice sleep to be with her if that’s what it took.
For all of September and the first half of October, we took turns driving out to see each other. I’d drive home after practice on Monday and Wednesday, and she’d drive down to San Marcos whenever she could. Friday was a travel day, and Saturday was game day, but we always spent Sundays together. It was my only free day, so she usually worked the breakfast shift and had the rest of the day off.
Nine times out of ten, she had to look after Wren on Sundays. But I didn’t mind. I loved my ‘Little Bird.’ Wren started calling me Big Bird, and Evie always rolled her eyes, trying to fight her smile.
Walker said that it was like dating a single mother. She came with a lot of baggage, but I didn’t give a shit. I loved Evie. I hated the life she’d been thrust into.
All I wanted to do was make it better. Make her life easier in any way I could. Moving her and Wren into the guesthouse would accomplish that.
I had the keys. Evie and I stayed there whenever I came home, but I called Brody as a courtesy. “Would you be cool with me moving Evie and Wren into the guesthouse?”
“Why?”
That’s all he said. Just,Why? I didn’t want to betray Evie’s confidence, but I guess Brody deserved an explanation. I trusted him and I knew he’d never say anything. “Her mom took off, and she’s trying to juggle classes, take care of Wren, pay the bills, work at the diner… she has a shitload on her plate.”
He was quiet for a beat. “You sure you can handle all this on top of football and college?”
My shoulders tensed, and I went on the defensive. “What do you mean byhandleall this? She’s my fucking girlfriend. Are you saying I should just forget about her and leave her to fend for herself?”
“No. I’m not saying that.”
Sirens wailed, and I checked my rearview mirror, confirming that the cops were on my tail. I pulled onto the shoulder and breathed a sigh of relief when they flew past me. “Well, it sure as hell sounded like that.”
“All I’m saying is that you’ve gotten in pretty deep with this girl.”
I pulled back onto the road. I was only a mile from Evie’s house now. “Not so long ago, you told me that I can’t keep hooking up with girls who mean nothing to me. And now you’re giving me shit for caring too much?”
“She can stay for as long as she wants. Me and Shy will help her out.”
“Why didn’t you just lead with that?” More sirens. An ambulance raced past, and then another. “The fuck is going on?” I muttered under my breath.
