Page 84 of Thunderstruck
It’s not easy, but I try to ignore the fire that runs through me under his gaze. “She said Moxie is out of surgery and everything went well. She’ll be here tomorrow.”
“Great.”
“That was good of you.” I nod toward the corridor behind him. “I think Wyatt is too used to being underestimated.” I feel like I’m baking beneath Cole’s stare, so I start cleaning up the room and pretending I can’t still feel his eyes on me. “Are you worried what Coach will do if he finds out you’re empowering the guys?”
Cole huffs a laugh. “One, that can only make the team better. And two, the coach happens to think I’m something special because I used to be a pro quarterback, and I don’t think he would risk the publicity of turning against me. I don’t know if you know this, but I happen to be pretty famous.”
He sounds so smug, but when I look up at him, his smile is nothing but playful and amused.
“You’re famous?” I ask in mock surprise. “Do I know who you are? Are you that fancy movie star that everyone likes to hang posters of on their walls?”
That breaks Cole’s smile, replacing it with fear that almost looks real. “Please don’t tell me you have a Derek Riley poster on your wall.”
I laugh. “No, I’ve never had Derek on my wall. Liam, on the other hand…”
After a quick glance into the hallway behind him, Cole rushes forward, grabbing me and lifting me onto the table so he can pin me on my back with his giant arms, leaving me breathless. “You take that back,” he growls, a spark flickering in his eyes as he fights a smile.
I try to look innocent as I start singing Liam’s most popular love song under my breath. I’m tempted to tell him that while I don’t have a Liam poster on my wall back home, I do own records of all three of Liam’s albums, including the newest one. I even spent the extra money to get asigned copy. But maybe I should take it easy on the poor guy, so I finish the chorus and grin up at him.
Cole growls again and steps back, setting me free. “You’re really a fan, huh?”
I laugh and sit up. “How could I not be? His music is amazing.”
“So I shouldn’t tell you that he’s playing in Portland the night after we play the Pathfinders and he sent me two VIP tickets to his show?”
I scream, clapping a hand over my mouth after it’s too late to hold it in. “Are you serious?” I whisper right as a few sets of footsteps pound down the hall.
Sharkie, Tink, and French Roast stumble through the door with ready fists, but all three of them look extra confused when they see me sitting on the table with Cole standing several feet away.
“Uh.” French Roast—Grayson—furrows his brow. “Everything okay, Rizzo?”
I grin. “Cole saw a spider and got spooked.”
“That…” Tink—Noah—cocks his head at Cole. “That was you who screamed?”
Cole’s jaw is so tight that it looks like he might snap a muscle. He’ll obviously deny my claim, but it’s fun to see him squirm. But then, to my utter shock, he says, “Yep. Hate the things.”
The guys snicker, muttering to each other, and then Sharkie—Loren—says, “Anything we can do for you, Miss Carissa?”
Goodness, I thought they were attentivebeforeI caughtHot Scoop’sattention. I smile and shake my head. “No, but thank you, boys. Actually, Cole and Wyatt were just talking about new plays, and Cole was wondering if anyone else had any ideas to try out in practice this week before we slaughter the Pathfinders.”
That seems to catch them off guard, but it only takes a second for Grayson to perk up and say something about how to fix their lineout issue. That’s when they throw the ball from the sidelineand catch it high in the air—I’m learning—but I never would have guessed they had an issue.
Cole listens attentively as Grayson offers his ideas, suggesting they try it out at practice tomorrow. The other guys apparently have ideas too, and as the four of them start talking strategies, Cole looks over at me and offers the warmest smile I’ve ever seen. It practically melts me from the inside out, leaving me a puddle of goo on the table as I watch this manfinallyfind his place on his team.
And hopefully he can find a place with me too. I know we’re waiting on the right timing, but…
I’ve never been known for my patience.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Cole
After a week ofgrueling practice full of new plays, more time spent in the weight room, and convincing Coach that I have a whole strategy for winning Saturday’s game, I am so ready to crush Portland and spend a well-earned day with Carissa before we fly back home.
Our previous two games were at home with our own crowd, which usually amps up the energy of the team more than when we’re on the road, but our last game was when Moxie got injured. As we make our way into the hotel Friday night, the guys seem to be buzzing with something new. I don’t know if it’s the new strategies we’ve been trying or if it’s because we’re determined to prove ourselves after that doozy of a game, but we’re clearly here to win.
The guys are loud as they pair off to go up to their rooms, though it sounds like many of them plan to head to the pool to wind down beforehitting an early bedtime. A couple of them ask if I’m joining as they pass me, which is a miracle unto itself. While I’d much rather decompress in my room, I probably need to keep up the momentum of this whole bonding thing. Freya hasn’t said anything about my homework, but I’m sure she will.
