Page 60 of Play Maker

Luis answered the door and waved me toward the kitchen. “Alex is in there. Pulled pork sandwiches on the counter. I’m going to Wildcat to study.”

He hopped past me down the steps, looping his messenger bag over his head. I considered asking him to bring me a hazelnut latte, but I hopefully wouldn’t be here when he got back.

“You here, X?” After one unfortunate incident where I didn’t knock loud enough and Alex had pulled a kitchen knife on me, I’d learned to announce my presence well in advance.

“Back here.”

I found him at the kitchen table hunched over his laptop with two notebooks, three pairs of headphones, and an uneaten bagel on a plate next to him. He didn’t look up at me as I made a beeline for the crock pot of pulled pork.

When Alex was in the groove, it was best to leave him alone until he hit a breaking point. Unless Luis needed him. Luis could get him to do anything. Despite Alex texting me to come over, I knew where I stood on his priority list.

After I’d stuffed half a sandwich in my mouth, he leaned back in his chair and stretched his arms out behind him, grinning. “We got it.”

I almost dropped my pulled pork. “What? The competition? I thought we were waiting to send in our entry until your perfectionist brain was happy.”

“We did. I spent a couple of hours polishing it after our last session and submitted it. They emailed me today.”

“The fuck, man? And you didn’t think that would be relevant when you oh so casually asked me to stop by.”

He chuckled and stood to grab another plate, covering it with meat without bothering with the bread. “I thought it would be more fun this way.”

I checked my phone to make sure I hadn’t missed a day somewhere and frowned. “I thought the deadline wasn’t for another week.”

Alex resumed his seat and shoved the bagel aside to make room. “It isn’t, but they’re not limiting the number of finalists, so if you’re in, you’re in. We’re in. They loved our sample, and they can’t wait to hear us perform live.”

I sank down across from him, shock stealing some of my appetite. We’d been working on the sample all summer, but I’d never really considered what would happen if we made it to the next stage.

“I’m gonna be real here. I didn’t think we had a shot in hell. I’m kind of freaking out right now.”

He set his fork down. “Well stop. Sending in a demo is one thing, but playing it live in its entirety is another. We have a lot of work to do still.”

“Right.” I ran a hand through my hair and tried to wrangle my thoughts into some kind of order.

“Are you ready to tell people?” he asked.

I thought of Shaw’s face when he’d asked what was fucking with my head and Blue’s when she’d asked why I hadn’t told anyone about my love for music. The risk was real if I told them. I could fuck up, fail, ruin everything for Alex… I didn’t want another set of responsibilities piling on. Another place where I had to be Mac even though I was losing it inside.

No reason to add that pressure before we knew anything. If we won, I’d have something concrete to tell them. I’d have to because my life would change. Suddenly, I’d have an opportunity besides football to build my future, and I’d have to find a way to make space for it.

“No. I want to wait.”

Alex shook his head. “If you insist, but you’re the one swearing Luis to secrecy this time. I had to clean the bathrooms all summer. Maybe he’ll go easier on you if you try it with your shirt off.”

I laughed, despite feeling like I’d stepped off a cliff. “What can I say? He has good taste.”

22

“Miss me?” The familiar refrain was accompanied by Adam sliding his arms around me from behind.

We’d made it through finals and half of training camp to arrive at Mom’s first official wedding event. A lunch celebrating their engagement. I’d let her pick out my dress, and shown up with a dapper-looking date, as requested. Adam looked fantastic in his suit, but I preferred him at home in his ratty gym shorts.

I rested my hand on his and leaned back against his chest. “You were gone for five minutes.”

“It felt like a lifetime with Dr. Blum talking to me about mutual funds.”

I hid my smile with a sip of champagne and glanced around at the people mingling in the large ballroom. Mom had warned me her engagement luncheon would take place at a hotel, but I’d assumed in one of the restaurants.

Not fancy enough for Rob though.

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