Page 117 of Trust Me Always

“Nah.” I look across the room. “Xavier and the other baseball players are already here. They should be taking over soon.”

“Why did they decide on ice cream again?” Paige asks, digging into her jacket pocket when her phone dings. “Why not hot chocolate or something?”

“It’s from the local creamery downtown. They donate pretty much everything. We got a few big tubs for the day care this morning too, and Junie was telling me about it.”

Paige sighs, and I look over to see her frowning at her screen, chewing on her fingernail nervously.

“Hey,” Payton says. “Everything okay?”

Paige looks at the two of us, her shoulders falling. “So I finally got the estimate on how much it’s going to cost to fix the damages at my studio, and it’s…insane. I was only able to buy it because it was in foreclosure, and with what I had left of my dad’s life insurance after school expenses, I knew I could only afford to keep the lights on and pay property taxes until I graduate next year, but I was okay with that. Something like this didn’t even cross my mind.”

“You couldn’t afford the insurance,” I realize, and her eyes cloud with tears as she shakes her head. “Shit, Paige. I’m so sorry.” I reach out, squeezing her shoulder.

“So does that mean you’re going to have to let it go?” Payton asks softly.

Paige blows out a long breath. “You know how my long-lost grandfather just popped up out of nowhere?” We nod, and she lets out a sad, humorless laugh. “He says I have an inheritance waiting for me.”

I turn toward her. “That’s awesome.” Payton gives me a quick look, and I rethink my answer. “I mean…that will help, right?”

Paige nods. “Yeah, it would.”

“There’s a but, isn’t there?”

“A huge, massivebut.” She shakes her head again, stuffing her phone back in her pocket. “It’s complicated, and I’m still trying to process what he’s offering.”

“I’m sure it will work out.”

Paige nods, climbing to her feet. “I have to go. I have an early lesson tomorrow.”

We nod, waving as she walks off, her head ducking as she passes the guys, who are all on their way over here.

“What was that about?” Chase looks in her direction, Deaton hanging half over his shoulder.

“Parental drama.”

He only nods, passing the little man over to Brady, who passes him down the line until Little D is smiling and sitting beside his mama, a small bowl of sherbert in his hands.

Mason helps Payton pack up her things, buckles Deaton into his stroller, and they head off. Chase hangs around a little while but then makes his way over to the other side of the cafeteria, where the other football players who came out tonight are lounging.

Brady drops down beside me on top of the picnic-style table, leaning back on his palms to mimic my position. “Kind of crazy we’ve only got a year and a half left, right? Only one more of these things.” He looks around. “Everything we do this year will be the second-to-last.”

I bump him with my shoulder. “Getting all sentimental, are we?”

He gives a half smile. “I just want to enjoy it, you know? Before real life comes in and changes things.”

Real life.

I swallow, the words twisting in my gut for some reason.

My gaze travels the room, and I smirk, shaking my head at all the team tables. Be it basketball, baseball, football, they all have a buffet of beasts hanging around—male and female. Hell, even the track team seems to have their own groupies.

I watch, chuckling when a girl slides her ice cream cone across one of the football player’s lips, leaning in with a smirk to lick it off.

Behind her, I spot Alister. He’s smiling and chatting with his teammates, his own bowl in his hands. Someone says something, and he throws his head back, laughing, the others around joining in. He glances this way then, doing a double take and catching my eye.

He smiles and I give him one in return.

From the corner of my eye, I spot Brady watching me, so I turn toward him.

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