Page 211 of Most Valuable Players
“What are you doing on campus, old man?” Heath asks. “Shouldn’t you be at the gym making guys run sprints or something?”
“Not for another hour.” His smile is big, and his eyes crinkle up at the corners. “I’m meeting Blair for lunch.” He takes a step past us and turns. “Hey, nice season, by the way. I’m hoping to make another game soon.”
“Nathan’s coming up in two weeks for the game against Western Michigan.”
“Yeah? I’ll have to call him and give him shit for not telling me himself. I’ll see ya later.”
He heads off in the opposite direction and Heath and I continue across campus. I slide my glove-covered hand around his and squeeze.
“Coming over tonight?” he asks, swinging our arms lightly between us.
“Yeah, but I need to do some laundry first. I’ve barely been at my dorm all week.”
“I don’t see a problem. Should just pack your stuff and bring it to my place.”
I slow. “You’d give me a drawer?”
“I’ll give you as many as you want.”
I laugh lightly at how easy it is for him to share himself and his space. Although that’s not really new. Heath may not have experience in being a boyfriend, but he’s always gone out of his way to give me anything he thought I might want. But all I really want is him. No one has ever made me happier and I’ve never had more fun than when I’m with him.
It wasn’t exactly my plan to fall for someone first semester, but I can’t wait to see what new adventures the next one will bring.
* * *
“Mav, these burgers are amazing,”Reagan says with a groan of pleasure.
“They really are,” Rhett adds. “I bow down to the grill master.”
Mav waves his hand and dips his head in a mock bow.
The guys bought a patio heater and we’re outside having dinner. Me, Heath, Adam, Rhett, Maverick, Dakota, and Reagan—we’re like our own little dysfunctional family.
My brother is leaned back, beer in hand, smiling as everyone eats and talks. He seems happier. I know our parents’ separation hit him hard, but I think he’s coming to terms with it. So am I. Things will look different now, but at least we’ve got each other.
It’s so weird to think that if I’d come to college with Bryan, so many things would have been different, but the thing I’m the most thankful for is how close Adam and I are again.
Heath and I huddle under a blanket, eating and bumping shoulders occasionally since our hands are full.
“We should play sardines tonight,” Rhett says as he crumples his napkin and sets it in the middle of his plate.
“We’ve got an odd number without Taryn,” Adam says. “You guys play, I’ll hang back.”
“What, no way,” I protest. “We can have three on a team.”
“Mav needs two people to keep him in line anyway.” Rhett nudges him. “Who’s going with Adam?”
“Reagan,” I say too quickly, and my friend’s eyes get large as if she’s afraid I’m going to out her. “Mav helps cancel out some of Rhett’s hiding skills.”
It’s perfectly good logic and Adam nods. “Yeah, that makes sense. What do you say, Reagan?”
“Sure, I guess that’s okay,” she says, barely looking at him.
We head to campus. Heath and I are slower than the others, stopping to kiss every few steps and generally being the obnoxious happy couple.
“Who’s hiding tonight?” Dakota asks.
“Should be Rhett and Reagan, so let’s go with Adam and Reagan,” I say.
