Page 73 of Unrivaled

Once we’re outside, I collapse against the porch railing, uncaring that it’s cold enough to see my breath. “Oh my god. I feel like I’m in high school again with my parents inspecting my date. I’m so sorry about that. He’ll eventually get over it. I hope.” The last time he acted anything remotely like that about a guy was when Carter and I started dating. But that was understandable, since I was only fourteen.

Now, though? Now it just seems ridiculous.

Grinning, Gray reaches for me, pulling me close and settling his arms around me. “I don’t mind. It’s kinda funny, in a way.”

I shake my head and return his grin. “I’m glad you think so.” My smile fades. “He doesn’t really believe you. That you didn’t know. He’s still mad about the way everything went down.”

Bending his head, Gray kisses my lips softly. Once, twice, and then he straightens, the warmth in his eyes driving away the chill in the air. “I can’t blame him, I guess. You didn’t believe me at first, either. And it’s not like he’s had the chance to get to know me the way you have.” He glances at the front door. “Give him time. He’ll come around.”

But that’s the thing, I think but don’t say.We don’t actually have time. Not much, anyway. Nowhere near enough. Soon he’ll go to the combines, then just over a month later, it’ll be the draft. Graduation is a few weeks after. And then …

Everything after that is a big question mark. We have a couple of months. Even if Dad comes around during that time, what good will it do?

“Hey.” Gray’s fingers touch my chin, tipping my face up to his. “We’ll figure it out, okay? Whatever it is that’s making you look worried, I promise we’ll find a way to figure it out. Together.”

I press up on my toes and brush a kiss on his mouth, then force a smile and nod. “Okay.”

He seems to accept my response, stepping back and taking my hand in his to lead me to his car in the driveway. It’s not until I climb in the open door he holds for me that I let my smile slip.

I wish I could borrow some of his confidence. Because even though things between us working out for the long term sounds ideal, I don’t see how it’s possible.

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Gray

Since this is not only our first date, but also since regular dates aren’t necessarily an easy option for us, I decided to go all out tonight. We have reservations at The Waterway, a high-end restaurant downtown. I’ve never been, but my parents go there for special occasions—anniversaries, milestone celebrations, things like that. It seemed fitting for tonight.

I want to spoil Tiffany. To show her that she’s important to me, and that even though things between us haven’t gone according to any kind of normal schedule, I don’t want anyone else.

Not that there’s been anyone else in quite a while. I wasn’t supposed to get involved with anyone. But I’ve always been the kind of guy who goes all in, and if things are going to work out between Tiffany and me, I can’t see a better way of accomplishing that. Her drive and dedication to pursuing her goals fits right alongside my own, even if her goals are different. She’s smart, funny, and so sexy. I wish I could spend even more time with her, but our schedules make that difficult.

I know she still has big reservations about us. And my goal between now and graduation is to lay as many of her doubts to rest as possible, even though I haven’t figured out a way around the biggest one—how to make anything work between us when she still has two years left of her degree and I’ll be leaving after graduation.

As the hostess leads us to our seat, I hold her hand, enjoying the way she looks around, taking in the sleek bar in black and dark wood, the tables covered in white tablecloths, and the warm, low lighting as we wind our way to a table near the back.

“Oh my god,” she leans in and whispers over the top of her menu after the hostess leaves. “I wasn’t expecting anything this fancy.”

Smiling at her, I shrug. “You deserve something fancy.”

She presses her pretty pink lips together and examines my face, her eyes briefly tracking down to my chest. I left off my suit jacket, but I’m wearing the tailored shirt my mom insisted I’d need for the draft and have on the vest that comes with the suit. I opted for no tie and left the top button undone, cuffing my sleeves at the elbow.

It seems to be the right choice, because ever since I took off my coat, Tiffany’s eyes keep roaming my upper body.

My lips quirk in a grin as her gaze lingers for a moment before returning to my face. “Thank you,” she says at last.

“You’re welcome.”

Fortunately any awkwardness she might feel about the fanciness of the restaurant is short lived, and after we decide on what we want, we settle into the kind of easy conversation we’ve had more and more of as we’ve spent time together.

Originally the plan was for me to get Ben on my own more, but now? Now I want them both with me. All the time. Well, at least as much as reasonably possible.

The image of the two of them living with me pops into my head, and try as I might, I can’t shake it. Throughout dinner, even as I keep up my end of the conversation, I can’t help imagining doing this with her and then picking up Ben and going home all together.

Not my apartment, though. It’s too small for all of us. We’d need at least a two bedroom. And since I’ll be leaving shortly after graduation to an as of yet unknown location, moving now would be dumb.

Doesn’t mean I don’t want to, though.

Giving up the NFL at this point would be foolish. I know this. I don’t think my parents would let me get away with it—though I am an adult and I suppose they couldn’t actually stop me if I made up my mind.

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