Page 122 of Trust Me Always

“Hi. Love you, but where’s your man?”

“In the shower. Everything okay?”

“Brady isn’t there too, is he?”

“No, it’s just Mason. Want me to ask him something?”

“No, it’s all good. Thanks.” I hang up and try the other.

Chase answers on the first ring. “Who died?”

“Why does everyone keep asking me that? I have woken up early before, you know!”

Chase laughs in my ear, and I glare at the wet grass as I take a shortcut around the English Lit building. “What’s up?” he asks.

“Are you home?”

“I am, but I’m about to head out for a meeting in the business office.”

I stop, brows drawing in. “For what?”

“Just some…you know, I don’t really know. What’s up, though? I’m walking out the door right now, but I can call you when I’m done if you need something.”

“No, no.” I shake my head. “But is Brady home?”

Chase is quiet for a few moments, and I have to look to thescreen to see if he hung up in his rush to leave, but we’re still connected.

“Chaser.”

“Uh…” There’s some mumbling in the background, and then he says, “Nah, he’s not here.”

My eyes narrow, and I pick up the pace. “Who was that?”

“No one, just a teammate. I should be done in about an hour or so. I’ll call you then, okay?”

I nod even though he can’t see me and hang up the phone. I hold it in my hand in case it rings and make my way toward the football house because something tells me Brady is, in fact, there.

I’m just passing my dorm when a familiar voice calls out.

I look over to see Alister sitting on the benches not thirty yards from the entrance.

My stomach muscles clench with unease, and I’m tempted to tell him I can’t talk right now, but he’s already jogging this way. I don’t want to be an ass, so I quickly text Brady one more time, telling him to call me, and look up just as Alister comes to stop in front of me.

“Hey.”

“Hey,” he whispers, glancing from my phone to me. “I, uh… You’re up early.”

A light laugh leaves me, and I nod. “Yeah. Junie needed someone there with her for the early morning drop-offs. The other girls bailed on her.”

He nods, sliding his hands into his pockets. “Did you have coffee yet? We could go get one?”

“No, I—” I cut myself off, not wanting to mention the last twenty minutes to him. “Were you waiting out here for me or…?”

He nods, looking anywhere but at me. “Yeah, I, uh…” He meets my gaze. “I didn’t expect you to be out this early.”

“So were you just going to wait until I popped out?” I tease.

“Yes.”