Page 48 of Then There Was You

I smack him gently on his arm. “Shhh, she’ll hear you.”

He laughs. “Have you been to a football game before?” he asks.

I screw up my nose. “Maybe once or twice in high school.”

“You like football, though?”

“Not really.”

He chuckles. “So, Paisley’s made you come, then?”

“Something like that.”

“She’s come to see all the hot football players,” Paisley says from the front of the truck.

I flick my eyes to Seb, who’s watching me.

“I hope that’s not the reason you’re going,” Nash says to Paisley, tickling her side.

She giggles and pushes his hand away. “I have a sexy cop. Why do I need a football player?”

“Right answer,” he says.

“I’m not going for the hot football players. I’ve no idea who any of them are, other than Wyatt.” I steal another look at Seb, who’s still watching me.

“I’m messing with you, Tay,” Paisley says over her shoulder. “I know you’re not interested.” Her gaze goes to Seb, but he doesn’t notice, his eyes still fixed on me. I wish I knew what he was thinking, but his expression gives nothing away.

“Well, I hope you’re all up for explaining the rules of football because I have no idea.”

“Seb’s your guy,” Nash says. “I watch football, but Seb used to play alongside Wyatt.”

I raise my eyebrows in surprise. “I never knew that! You played professionally?”

“I played college football.”

“What happened?”

“I fucked up my knee. Tore my ACL and my MCL.”

“Were you going to play professionally?”

He nods. “I was waiting to be drafted.”

I frown and reach across and take his hand. “I’m so sorry, Seb. I had no idea. That must have been so hard.”

He shrugs. “It feels like a lifetime ago.”

“Is it hard to watch Wyatt play?”

“Not anymore. It used to be. Wyatt was always the better player, though. He was always going to go further than me.”

“You were just as good, Seb,” Nash says from the front. “Don’t put yourself down.”

“What position did you play?” I ask, my fingers still tangled with his.

He smiles. “Would you know if I told you?”

I laugh. “Probably not. Tell me anyway.”

---