Page 44 of Love at Second Down

I slouch lower in my seat as Coach’s beady eyes find mine, the pixelated image of myself making another dumb rush instead of waiting for something to develop is proof of how shitty I played. We may have pulled out a win this time, but the championship game against Alabama is less than two weeks away, and everything I’ve worked for could slip through the cracks if I don’t get my head on straight.

Which is why I had to stop thinking about Avery. Focus on the game. Focus on football.

If only it were that easy.

“Damon!” Coach barks, and I jerk to attention, realizing I zoned off. Again. Not exactly the way to start the week. Still, all I can think about is my conversation with Avery at the dance last night?the way our hands brushed, and the memories she conjured.

“Sorry, Coach. I fucked up, Coach.”

His eyes narrow, and he tilts his head, clearly frustrated. “This isn’t high school anymore,” he growls, his tone heavy with disappointment. “You’re better than this, Twenty-Six. You had the pocket, but instead of stepping up, you panicked and threw a prayer. That’s not how we win the championship.” He points at the screen again, his voice cutting through the room like a whip. “Next week, you need to trust your line, trust your receivers. Don’t force the play—let it come to you. Got it?”

I nod, my stomach a tight knot, the weight of his words settling into my bones and sinking clear to the marrow. He’s right. I’ve got to shake off all the distractions, focus, and play smart. There’s no room for mistakes now.

I sigh and slouch lower in my seat while he restarts the film. The bodies on the screen begin to scatter and move like ants on an anthill while I exhale, relieved to be off the hook. At least untilhe finds another one of my blunders to point out, which won’t be too hard, considering I made a fuck-ton of them.

Chris turns in his seat, craning his head toward me. “The boys and I have been talking,” he whispers, and I groan.

“Don’t care,” I mutter, keeping my voice low so Coach won’t hear as he pauses on a defensive play, pointing out where our safety was out of position and slow to react while our linebackers were fooled by a play-action.

“We know what your problem is,” Brandon says, ignoring my indifference.

“And we have a cure,” Jace adds, from my left.

“A cure?” I arch a brow, then glance over at West on my right who’s still focused on the screen. Only the curve of his mouth indicates he’s listening.

Chris nods. “To get over Avery.”

I shake my head. “I am over her. I’ve beenover her.”

“Riiiiight,and I’m Chris Hemsworth,” Chris drawls.

“Actually, you do remind me of Chris Hemsworth,” Jace whispers.

“Really?” Chris’s blue eyes brighten. “I have the bone structure, don’t I?” He frames his face with his hands, then says, “You know, I always thought I’d make a good Thor.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose, trying my best to focus back on the film and ignore the idiots around me.

“Anyway,” Chris says, “we’re getting off track.”

“Really?” I say with a roll of the eyes. “That’s so unusual for you.”

“We’ve been thinking,” Chris says, ignoring me, “and we’ve noticed you haven’t really dated much in the times we’ve been friends. You don’t really take other girls out or go back to their place. Even at Bradd’s, you drink and dance and flirt but go home alone. So basically, we decided the best way to get over her is?”

“To get laid,” Jace says with an eye roll. “Way to bury the lede.”

“Hey, I was getting to it, okay?” Chris glares at him. “I was trying to be discreet,” he says with a huff.

I glance between the four of them like they’ve lost their damn minds. “You don’t think I’ve tried that? That I haven’t hooked up with other girls in the last two and a half years?”

Coach’s gaze jerks to the back of the auditorium, and all five of us snap to attention, our mouths clamped shut. But a few minutes later, once he’s back to bitching about the offensive line, I relax again, slumping back into my seat.

“Have you?” Chris asks, his blue eyes searing into the side of my skull.

I slink down in my seat, arms crossed over my chest while I try to control the heat creeping up my face.

“Youhavebeen with other girls since Avery, right?” Jace asks, like he’s suddenly scared of the answer.

The heat explodes, turning my cheeks to flames.

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