Page 31 of Big Dix

“Hey, Madd. I had a bit of an accident, but I’ll survive.” I look over to Atticus, whose hands lay in white-knuckled fists on the counter in front of him.

“You sure you’re good?”

“I’m fine.”

“Anyone with eyes can see that,chiquita.” Maddox gives me a wink.Sly fox.“Jen around?”

Interesting.

“Yeah, she’s in the back. Head on back there.”

“Hey, man. I’m Maddox Case.” Maddox reaches out his hand to Atticus. They do that manly handshake, fist bump shit that men do.

“Atticus Dixon.” When he says his name in that deep timbre, I swear my toes curl in my shoes.

“Oh! No shit! I thought you looked familiar. Damn, that pass you threw in 2017 against the Cougars was fucking epic! I just caught it on playback the other night.”

The tension Atticus has been holding seems to ease just a bit, and as the two new BFFs chat all things sports, I fill the vase with water and start arranging the flowers. A few moments later, Jen steps out from the back. She freezes in place when she sees Maddox, her eyes wide and uncertain.

“Jen, Maddox wanted to—” Before I get the sentence out, Jen shoots daggers at me with her eyes and mouthsno. “Talk to you?”

What in the shit?Oh, my god!She’s had sex with him! That dirty little ho! I’m so proud of her.

I raise a brow, signifying without words that I know what’s up. Jen awkwardly smiles, then pushes by me, snatches Maddox by the hand, and leads him toward the front door.

Oh, they so did it!

“We need to talk.” It’s the last thing I hear Maddox say to Jen before they vanish through the door.

I always thought something was up there, but now, I know. I wonder why she never told the girls and me? She owes me details and an explanation… but mostly details! Gah, I bet he’s a beast in the sack; speaking of beasts, I turn my attention back to where it belongs.

“I need to head out to practice. Can I call you later?”

“Yeah, I’d like that.”

He leans across the counter and plants a soft kiss on my lips. My heart flutters a mile a minute.

“Call you later, sweetheart.”

Be still my heart. He’s adorable.

EIGHTEEN

Atticus

Practice was brutal today. My mind lately always seems to be stuck on Evelyn. She was even cute in that goofy-ass man body apron the last time I saw her.

Evelyn Salinas is fun.

We’ve been messaging back and forth, and we’ve had a few phone calls the last several days, but my schedule has been too demanding to have time to actually see her. Between her schedule at the bakery and mine, I’m becoming beyond frustrated with it all at this point. My next off day isn’t until this Saturdaythank you bye week, and I’m planning to ask Evelyn on a proper date.

“Dude, you were playing like shit out there.” Trent slides his T-shirt on over his still wet head.

Usually, I take his trash talk just fine, but he’s been all over me today, one jab after another. Between shitty practices and not seeing Evelyn, my nerves can’t take much more of it.

“Just an off day.”

I slide my watch on over my hand and fasten it in place.Off day, indeed.I couldn’t stop thinking about Evelyn, no matter what I did. I overthrew, I underthrew, my aim was pure shit. If it wasn’t for my track record, I’m sure Coach would park my ass on the bench next game. She’s just all that is on my mind. I’ve never had a problem with disconnecting from real life while out on the field before. She’s got me a bit rattled.

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