Page 70 of Offsides

Her shoulders droop as she wraps her arms around herself and shakes her head. “Just go, Luke. It’s over.We’reover. Even if I weren’t with Eli, I wouldn’t want you back. You’ve fucked me over for the last time. Just leave.” A fine shiver makes her look like she’s trembling.

Without even thinking about it, I strip off my coat and step forward, dropping it around her shoulders. She glances back at me with a distracted smile of thanks, one of her hands covering mine on her shoulder as she refocuses on Luke.

He sneers at the both of us. “How fucking sweet.” He says it like it’s a dirty word. But he finally turns and walks toward the car parked across the street, shaking his head and muttering, “Bitch.”

When I start pulling my hand away, taking a step after him, Dani tightens her grip on me and shakes her head. “Let him go. Let him have the last word. It’s all he has left, after all.”

It grates, because I’m not okay with anyone calling Dani names, least of all that complete toolbag, but I clench my jaw—and my fists—and force myself to stay put and keep my mouth shut.

Once he’s climbed into his car and gone, a police cruiser pulls up.

Dani sighs, releasing my hand to rub the spot between her eyebrows.

An officer climbs out of the car, a tall, light-skinned man with a bit of a paunch, his eyes wary and his hand on his sidearm as he approaches us and scans the street. “I got several calls about a disturbance?” His eyes flick to me, but he addresses Dani. “Is this young man bothering you?”

She shakes her head. “No, officer. He’s my boyfriend.” There’s a slight hitch before she saysboyfriend, and I know the officer catches it too, because his eyes flick to me again, his eyebrows raised. But when Dani continues, his suspicions are—hopefully—laid to rest. “My ex came and was harassing my roommates and refusing to leave until he spoke to me. I spent the night at my boyfriend’s.” She nods to me, and I step close, placing my arm around her to demonstrate my support. She leans subtly into me, but her back stays straight and proud all through her explanation of what happened to the police officer.

He asks a few more questions while jotting down notes in his notebook, then approaches the house, where he interviews everyone inside.

The whole process takes far longer than I’d like, because I really want to get Dani alone to figure out what the fuck happened.

I mean, I know the broad strokes, obviously. But the important question for me is, why didn’t she tell me? Why did I have to find out what was going on from Jackson?

She called me her boyfriend, but that brief hesitation makes me wonder what she’s really thinking.

Was that a title chosen for expedience? We haven’t discussed labels before now, so I suppose it’s fair that she might be uncertain, especially claiming me that way in front of me without knowing my thoughts on the matter. Which, incidentally, are yes, absolutely we’re together, even if I think the terms “boyfriend” and “girlfriend” sound entirely juvenile and far too pathetic to encompass the feelings I have for her.

But it’s possible the hesitation was because she just went with the most succinct explanation. Plus it’s more socially acceptable than calling me a fuck buddy or similar, especially since she’s filing a police report against her ex. Having a boyfriend is more respectable than me just being a friend with benefits, and after being called a bitch and a whore by her ex only moments ago, surely she’d be extra aware of the need for her to look as respectable as possible.

When the officer finally leaves, after assuring Dani there’ll be a record in case Luke decides to repeat the behavior, there’s a palpable release of tension as everyone sags in relief.

Dani and her roommates exchange looks, and Ellie and Piper stand together. “I’m starving,” Ellie says. “One slice of coffee cake wasn’t enough. Piper and I are going to go pick up some pizzas. Today started off so stressful, we all deserve some cheesy, carby comfort food.” They both hug Dani before putting on their coats and boots and leaving.

Autumn glances between Dani and me and clears her throat before turning to Jackson. “Didn’t you say you needed to go get something from your place? We should do that now.”

His brow rumples in confusion, but then clears when she gives him a pointed look. “Oh. Yeah. Right. That, uh, that thing. For sure. Let me change into pants, and then we can go.” He lifts his chin at me before disappearing down the hall, reappearing a moment later wearing track pants in place of the athletic shorts he had on when I arrived, his keys in his hand.

And then we’re alone. Finally.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

Dani

Once everyone’s gone, I turn to face Eli, my lips twitching with suppressed amusement. “I guess they thought we needed privacy.”

His face stony, Eli crosses his arms and dips his chin in a nod. “Yeah.” His voice sounds like he swallowed gravel.

My brows wrinkle. I hadn’t expected Eli to be … mad? Is he mad? I thought he’d share my amusement.

But as I take in the tension still radiating from him, I realize I must be the only one who didn’t pick up on it.He’sthe reason everyone cleared out. They all could tell he was … angry? Frustrated? Maybe both? And left to give us the time and space to sort things out.

I’m just … a little bit lost about what the problem is, exactly.

But I’m not in the dark for long.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

The question is quiet, but no less forceful for it.

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