Page 48 of Hard Count
“I didn’t know there was a one on one tutoring option. Where do I sign up for that?” Trey asks. If he keeps pushing me, he’s not going to like what happens.
“There was only one slot available and it’s mine,” I say, placing Drew on the ground.
He tilts his head eyeing Drew from head to toe. “Looks like she has a few other slots open that I can fill.”
My fists clench and the muscle in my jaw ticks as I take a step forward. Drew jumps in front of me and cups my face in her hands. “He’s not worth it. My dad won’t give you a second chance.”
“He also wouldn’t want someone disrespecting his daughter.”
“You’re right he wouldn’t. And I don't want you solving this problem with your fists either.”
“I can’t let this go unchecked. You’re mine and I won’t let anyone talk about you like that. Don’t worry, I’m just going to have a word with him.” I kiss the top of her head and walk over to Trey. He’s standing straight with his arms crossed like the tough guy he thinks he is.
Bumping Trey’s arms with my chest, I knock him off balance. “Her name doesn’t leave your mouth. You don’t talk about her. You don’t think about her. If you need to ask her a question, you tell Eli and he’ll ask her if he thinks it’s necessary. Drew is my girl and if you so much as breathe wrong in her direction I will see that you never play football again. Do you understand?”
He laughs humorlessly. “Are you going to run and tell her daddy on me?”
“No, I can handle you myself.”
“He may not, but I won’t hesitate telling Coach about you not being a team player as well as being disrespectful. Get it together or you won’t see anymore playing time this year,” Eli says.
“You might as well kiss your NFL career goodbye if that happens,” I add before walking away.
“Feel better?” Drew asks when I drop my arm over her shoulder and tuck her into my side.
“Nothing a little time with you can’t fix.” I kiss the side of her head.
I drop our bags on the floor as we enter my room. She walks around noting the photos on my dresser. “Your sister?” she asks, pointing to me and Sydney after one of my games last year.
“Yeah. That’s Syd.” Moving behind her, I wrap my arms around her waist and kiss down her neck and over her shoulder.
“Who are these guys?”
“That’s Hart, Wyatt, and Koa. And this”—I point to another frame—“is Marco and Enzo. I went to high school with those guys. They are Hart’s girlfriend’s brothers.”
“You’re a close group.”
“We are.”
“He’s the one with Sydney, right?” she asks, pointing at Koa.
“How’d you guess?”
“He’s looking at her and not at the camera like everyone else. I’m also pretty sure his hand is on her back.”
“Huh, I never noticed that before.”
She leans her head back and kisses my chin. “That’s why you have me. I see everything. We should get started. I only have two hours until my first class and I still need to stopby my place and change.” Stepping out of my arms, she climbs onto my bed and sits with her legs crisscrossed. She sets the timer on her phone before tossing it aside.
“I don’t have anything until after lunch. Are you going to let me walk you to class?”
“That sounds like somethingmy manwould do. Come stand in front of me. Close your eyes and clear your head.”
I move as instructed and close my eyes. Clearing my head is another thing. The image of Drew on my bed is burned in my brain. I can’t mentally shift to football with her in my room.
“You’re on the field and Coach wants you to do a comeback route. Call the play just like you would in a real game.”
“I don’t know if this is going to work.”
