Page 2 of The Biggest Secret
Sophomore year of college–Fourteen years ago
“Come on, man, we’re going to be late. It’s not a good look on our first day.”
“Relax Adam, we’re football stars at this college, we can do anything we want.”
I watch my best friend and roommate pick up a shirt, smell it, shrug and toss it on. I shake my head at him. “You’re such a pig.” Bending down, I grab my backpack, sling it over my shoulder and grab a water bottle from our mini fridge. “And you’re the football star, I need to graduate. So come on.”
I shove him out the door and we begin to trek our way across the quad to our business marketing class. Jackson is going to get recruited to the NFL, it’s only a matter of time, but I’ve come to the conclusion that after graduation, I’ll return home to work with my dad at his construction company. Would I love to be in the NFL? Sure, but it’s not in thecards so I’ll accept my role as eldest son in my family, head home and take over for dad.
Approaching the class hall, I can already hear the professor beginning his lecture. Elbowing Jackson and giving him the ‘I told you so’ look, we slip in quietly and take seats at the back of the room.
“You two in the back, you need a syllabus.” The professor points us out, which earns Jackson another elbow. “Chelsea Jo, please pass them back.” A girl sitting in the front row stands, grabs a couple sheets of paper, and begins climbing the steps toward us. She looks up and I’m instantly awestruck. She’s easily the hottest chick I’ve ever seen. Dark auburn hair, eyes that glow with long lashes that frame them, pink cheeks, she’s simply gorgeous in a natural, girl next door way.
Her jeans are tight around her hips and fan out at the bottom over her chucks. She’s got a baby doll tee shirt on with a Rainbow Brite logo. She’s cute as fuck but sexy in a secret way. She hands me a sheet, then one to Jackson.
“Thanks, Chelsea Jo.” I let the name roll off my lips and her smile lingers, her sweet scent hanging in the air, intoxicating me. As she turns and heads back to her seat, I have to bite back the whimper trying to escape my lips.
That. Ass.
Fuck. Like a fucking peach, round, juicy and makes me want to take a bite out of it.
My arm slips from the desk, Jackson having knocked it off. “Stop fucking staring bro, you’re going to scare her away.” He’s got a smug grin. When I turn to him, he laughs. “Don’t worry, I know you saw her first. She’s all yours.” He slouches back in his seat, taking out a pen and a notebook.
I do the same, but I’m only going through the motions. There’s not a chance in hell, I’m concentrating on a word that comes out of this professor’s mouth. I need to know who she is and I need to know everything about her.
And then I need to make her mine.
Chapter Two
Adam
Present Day
“Does Grace know you’re in love with your best friend?” My youngest brother Billy loves to push buttons and get a reaction. He never lets a chance go by to add his two cents, and if there isn’t an opportunity, he creates one. The guys and I are sitting around together enjoying a beer, razzing Jackson about tomorrow’s playoff game. I was praising the guy, he is my best friend after all, and the baby of the family has to always throw a wrench into any conversation. I reply with a flip of the bird and a simple, “Fuck off.”
“When is she coming in?” Jackson asks.
“She got delayed, said she’d drive out first thing in the morning. I didn’t want her driving at night.” I keep my eyes down, and my voice steady.The guys don’t care for Grace, so I try to not bring her up in conversation. Britt really doesn’t like her, so I try to avoid bringing her around altogether.
And honestly, I don’t want her driving back here at all but I’m toonice to say that. I mean, she does live here in town. I can’t exactly tell her to stay away.
However, avoidance is my go-to when having to deal with a sticky relationship situation.
And when that fails, work is my go-to.
I watch my sister step through the back door and enter the backyard. She greets us all with ‘Hey, boys’ but only has eyes for Jackson. She passes right by me and falls into my best friends’ lap. Yeah, that was a hard pill to swallow. My ultimatums made them dance around each other for years until their pull towards each other was too strong.
When my sister moved back from the city, Chess and Gage couldn’t stay away from one another. They hid their relationship in plain sight, acting like boyfriend and girlfriend, though proclaiming it was fake, to help his reputation as the former bad boy NFL quarterback.
Yes,thatGage. Jackson Gage, #5, former starting quarterback for the Carolina Warriors. Also, my best friend since we were eight years old.
So, when I found out they were dating, I was none too happy. I mean, what about bro-code, right?
But as I’ve slowly been learning, I don’t get to make decisions for other people, no matter how much I think I’m in control, or how many times they’ve put me in control. I can hardly make decisions for my own personal life. I had to let it go, and even though I cringe when I see Jackson's hands on her, he makes her happy. And she makes him happy. I’m talking over the top, won the Superbowl happy.
I know that feeling.
I’ve had that feeling.
