Page 33 of Falling for the Quarterback

I let my eyes drift back to my open laptop, now dark because it shut down while I was sleeping. I bring it back to life with a touch of the track pad. The screen lights up and the words I’d written on the page reappear.

“It’s good. I think I’m almost done with the first draft. Tomorrow, I plan to edit it and then I have the meeting with the dean to submit it.”

“Nice going, Hendy.” Gracie lifts her palm toward me and I give her a high five. “I’ll be honest, I didn’t think you had it in you to pull this off.”

I scoff. “Come on now…I’m way more brilliant than the oaf you call your boyfriend.”

She squeaks incredulously and punches me in the arm. “Hey! Don’t be disparaging of my man. Killian is smart where it counts.”

I snort out in laughter and roll my eyes. “How is farm boy these days anyway? We haven’t had a chance to talk lately because of our schedules.”

A dreamy expression appears on her face and she smiles wistfully. My God, this girl has it bad for my friend. It’s kind of cute. She and Killer are complete opposites. Grace is a sweet and highly intelligent STEM student, and Killian is a big lug of a man who works with animals and crops on his family’s farm in Iowa.

“Killian’s good. He’s been super busy getting that farm updated to all the new standards, but they’ve had a great harvest this fall so far. He’s planning on coming for a visit over Halloween weekend.”

I look at the calendar and can’t believe how fast the time has gone. Since starting my new role on the football team staff, I’ve barely managed to get time to sleep. Between attending classes, coaching, and getting ahead on this brilliant plan of Grace’s to win over Lottie, I’m working my fucking ass off each and every day. It’s exhausting. But I’m following the advice of Grace and working on my plan to have Lottie in my life as someone other than my professor. As someone I’d like to call my girlfriend.

“That’s cool. Maybe by then, if she’ll have me, I can take this public, and she can come to our Halloween party.”

Gracie literally bounces in her seat and claps her hands together. “Oh my God, that would be so awesome. When’s your meeting scheduled?”

Now it’s me who wears a dopey big heart-eyes expression on my face as I think about how great it would be if my plan works out. I know where Professor Butler stands on the whole dating a student issue. Which is why this plan we’ve come up with—the one that has me breaking my back to finish my coursework—should move things in the right direction.

“It’s Monday, when Lottie returns from her hiking trip.”

Grace stands up from her seat and ruffles my hair with her hand before she heads to the door.

“I hope you can get some rest between now and then. You’ll need it.”

“Why’s that?” I ask.

She glances over her shoulder with a saucy wink. “Obvs because of the massive amount of make-up sex you’ll be having.”

My friend is a smart woman. I like the sound of that.

* * *

I sit across the deep-grained dark mahogany desk from Dean Becker, who leans back casually in his leather chair, and chat amiably with him about football while we wait for Lottie to arrive.

“You know, Hendy, I’m very impressed with what you’ve accomplished in such a short time. We are lucky to have a young man who has this much passion for achieving his goals.”

It’s funny. I used to be immune to those in authority roles doing what I thought was blowing smoke up my ass. I used to bring this university money with my starring role as QB One, after all. But now I’m just a normal guy on campus, even though I’m now part of the coaching staff and I now see it for the compliment that it’s meant to be.

I’d called and requested this meeting with the dean so I could put all my cards on the table, so to speak. I care about Lottie and don’t want to do anything to damage her reputation and career as an instructor at this educational institution. I’d rather take the hit on my own and keep her out of the fray until the time I can make my public grand gesture.

“Thanks, Dean.” I clear my throat. “The past four plus years at CFU have been the best of my life, and I’ve learned a lot about myself and who I want to be. Especially this semester in Professor Butler’s course. She’s taught me…”

How to love.But I can’t say that.

I rub the back of my neck, hoping he doesn’t see through me and the reason I’m here.

“Professor Butler has taught me to pursue the things I want most in life and how to work hard to get them.”

Dean nods, his expression indecipherable. His brows narrow, as if he’s trying to read between the lines.

Folding his hands on his lap, he smiles tightly. “That’s good to hear. As you know, Professor Butler is new to our school this year and is in her probationary period. She is being evaluated on academic course assessments, peer reviews, and of course, student evaluations.”

Just then, there’s a knock, and the dean’s eyes divert from me to the door behind me. “Come in, please.”

---