Page 55 of Hard Count
“Try that in your lock,” Nash says.
“Nothing,” Eli answers this time.
“What are we missing? We’re running out of time,” Ozzy says.
I walk back into our room and look around at the clues. There’s only one we haven’t used.Stay in Your Lane. What could that be for? “Is there anything on the steering wheel?”
“I don’t think so. That’s what turned your light on,” Eli says.
“Oh wait. Look there’s a padlock on this side. I’ll try those numbers. It opened. There’s a note. The end is near if it’s love you fear. What the hell does that mean?” Frankie asks. “I’m over this. I need to get out of this tiny room.” Her last sentence is muffled as if she spoke it against the wall or maybe Eli’s chest.
Holden and Ozzy frantically look through books. “There’s this diary. It has love on the front but it’s blank. It says dear diary and has an entry date. That’s all it says.”
“The date,” I scream. “That’s their code. August fourteenth. Zero, eight, one, four.”
“You have five minutes left,” the creepy voice says over the intercom.
Frankie and Eli’s door clicks open and I rush inside to give her a hug. Eli takes the key and unlocks the main door, setting us free. He holds the door open for Frankie and she rushes past everyone and out the front door of the building. “I’m going to go ahead and take her home,” he says.
“We did it,” Holden screams and jumps into Ozzy’s arms. He looks stunned for a moment when she kisses his cheek. I glance at Nash and heshrugs.
“You did really good in there. Do you think if I set up something you could escape?” Nash asks, wrapping his arms around my waist. I drape my arms over his shoulder and lace my hands behind his neck.
“Now, why would I want to do that?” If he wanted to lock me in a room, I would stay his prisoner forever.
18
NASH
NEWHOUSE 11-0
Drew’s on the stair climber when I walk into the gym. I rush over and give her a quick kiss. It’s a cruel punishment having to leave her and not steal her away to somewhere more private. She caught me off guard the first time I found her working out here. I didn’t expect it. I can admit I didn’t like it very much either.
She looked hot as fuck doing her leg workout in the spandex leggings she practically lives in. I’m sure she thought I was being an asshole trying to get her to leave when she had every right to be here as I did. At that moment, I didn’t care. All I could think about is every guy in the gym getting to look at her and not knowing she was mine.
Because even back then, she was my girl.
The gym has become a part of our daily routine. I love that I get to see her first thing every morning. It’s the best way tostart the day. The only thing better would be waking up with her in my bed before she slips out to start her day.
Drew is a morning person by nature. She likes being up before the sun and working out in the quiet mornings. I’m up by force. If I wasn’t disciplined, I would stay up all night playing video games and sleep until noon.
I drop my bag off in the locker room and fill my water bottle. Today’s workout is going to be light. We have a long practice this afternoon and I’m still recovering from last week’s game. It was a tough one that had me laid out on my back thanks to late hits and a blitz defense. Even with Drew’s help, we barely pulled that win off. You can’t predict players when they don’t give a fuck about late hit penalties.
I find an empty treadmill, put in my ear buds, and scroll my phone until one of my favorite playlists pops up. I need something that will motivate me to stay on this thing for a few miles. I don’t know how Drew can complete a full workout and then run. I want to get this part over with as soon as I walk in the door.
After one mile, I’m already sweating. I lift the hem of my shirt and wipe the sweat off my face.
DREW:
You’re so hot.
Her text plays in my ear, cutting off my music for a moment. Grinning, I scan the gym and spot her by the free weights. Asher is with her. More than likely talking her ear off. There goes her peaceful morning.
DREW:
Will you come over tonight?
I snag my phone and send a quick text back. She doesn’t even need to ask.
