Page 83 of The Midseason Fakeout

Aidan and I both freeze, clutching one another.

“This is the Warner Police Department. Please make yourselves decent and meet me at your car. Don’t bother running. I know it’s you, QB1.”

Shit.

23

AIDAN

“Well, this is awkward.”

My idea to make light of the situation isn’t working on Bails. Her fingers shake while she frantically yanks her clothes on, her face stricken.

“It’s okay.”

My attempt to comfort her fails. The look she gives me tells me I should just shut up. She slips her feet into her shoes. “How do you figure?” she finally snaps, whisper-yelling at me. “Aidan, we were having sex in public. Only our second time, by the way. Oh my God.” She runs her hands through her hair. Going to her, I wrap my arms around her. She’s shaking from head to toe.

“I’m sorry,” I state, pulling back enough to tug my shirt on over my head. “It was reckless.”

“It was my idea. I’m mortified. What’s he going to do?”

The truth is, I have no clue. I’ve never been in a situation like this. I could see it going badly but, honestly, I could also see us getting away with a slap on the wrist. He knows who I am. Leniency might be in the cards.

“Do you think he saw anything?” Tears gather in her eyes.

“No,” I growl, taking her chin to make her look at me. “I promise you, he didn’t.” I’m not going to lie, the image of ripping this cop’s eyeballs from his head crosses my mind at the thought of him seeing Bailey like that. “He didn’t see anything, and even if he did, your back was to him.”

“This is so bad.”

Her eyes are wide with fear. Shock. I don’t know how to calm her down other than keep trying to soothe her. “I’ll take care of it. You stay here, okay? He won’t even see it’s you. I promise.”

“Like there’s some other girl you’ve been dating that you can pretend it’s her. We’re Baidan, Aidan.”

“Maybe he’s not a football fan at all?” I offer, shrugging. “Just stay here, okay? I’ll take care of it.”

I squeeze her hand and take a deep breath. What a fucking reality check. One second, pure passion. The next, the deepest horror.

Holy shit.

I swallow, trying to force down the nerves that are bubbling to the surface. Tree branches claw at me as I take the path back to the road. As soon as I exit the path, he shines his flashlight on me. It doesn’t hit me in the eyes but directly at my chest, as if he’s got me ensnared and there’s no way to get out.

“Fancy meeting you here,” he says. There might be a hint of a smile, but it’s shadowy, and now that I’m staring at a man in unform who has the power to take me away in handcuffs, my stomach twists, and it’s taking everything in me to focus.

“Sir, I’m extremely sorry. My girlfriend and I—”

He points his flashlight down the path. “Where is she?”

“Waiting back there. She’s upset. We both are. I told her I would talk to you.”

The police officer turns off his flashlight and leans against my car, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “Local kids come here all the time. We have to break up parties regularly, but I was surprised to find you here.”

“It wasn’t my best decision,” I tell him, giving him an attempt at a rueful smile and scratching the back of my head. My skin feels like it’s on fire. I’ve never been in trouble like this before. Judging by Bailey’s reaction, neither has she.

“Do you know there’re such laws as public indecency? Lewdness? Disorderly conduct? They’re all misdemeanors, QB1. I’m a friend of Coach’s, and I really don’t think he’d like hearing about me catching you here.”

My stomach falls out from under me.

“Your girlfriend got folks?”

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