Page 56 of Unforgettable
My house was teeming with people as night set in. Lucas and I had decided to invite a few friends over to our house near campus, including the football team, to celebrate our big win that day.
Not all our teammates could make it, but the tight-knit group of Ajax, Erik, Vin, Lucas, and me were gathered around the kitchen island while other invited guests lounged out by or in the pool.
I was still high from our win. I couldn’t believe we’d actually won. I’d had my doubts, especially when I’d walked out onto the field. My nerves had been in my throat, my stomach had been queasy, and my legs had felt like Silly Putty. It had taken me a few plays to get in the groove. Even then, I hadn’t been myself. Getting sacked had stymied me, and it had taken all Coach had had to get through to me.
Despite all that, as the game had progressed, I’d started to lose my nerves and the nausea. By the last two minutes in the game, I’d felt normal again, particularly after the win, which was what I’d needed.
When Lucas had said football or the game would be good for me, I’d had my doubts. But I felt like a weight had been lifted off my stomach. Coach Chapman had been pleased but not thrilled. We still had many games to play, and hopefully the next would be easier for me.
Vin handed me a shot while the guys picked up theirs. “Toast.”
I pinned a look on Vin, Ajax, Erik, and Lucas, sighing with relief at how they’d had my back on the field, how they would always have my back. Because of that, another weight was lifted.
Vin raised his shot of whiskey. “Here’s to Ryker. Man, we know it’s been hard for you. We know that this game took all the muscle you had, but you did it.”
I held up my hand. “Before we drink, I want to say something. Vin is right. It’s been fucking hard as hell for me the last month and a half. Sometimes I don’t know if the sun is up or not. Sometimes I don’t want to even get out of bed.”
A partygoer walked into the kitchen, but Erik shoved him out. “Closed meeting, dude. I’ll let you know when you can come in. If you want a drink, the coolers are out on the patio.”
I glanced out the sliding glass door that Lucas got up and locked. A muted beat of music pumped out of the speakers we had hanging from the house outside.
“Continue,” Erik said, coming back to join us.
“Look, I’m sure I’m going to have more dark moments. So please don’t give up on me. Today was refreshing, but tomorrow could be something else.” I had no idea how many ups and downs I had to get through before I didn’t feel like the world was crashing down around me.
“You need to get laid,” Ajax said. “When was the last time?”
I cocked an eyebrow. “I don’t need any of you to be my pimps.”
Everyone chuckled.
“I swear,” Erik said. “A good fuck will help cure you in more ways than you can imagine.”
I chuckled, almost teasing that I couldn’t get a hard-on to save my life, but that wasn’t true anymore, not when Haven was around or I was thinking of her.
“Leave my sex life to me. Now, drink and then get the fuck out of here and enjoy yourself.”
We knocked back the shot, then some of the guys shook off the burning alcohol. As for me, the whiskey didn’t burn at all. That should’ve worried me, but I didn’t want to analyze anything that night.
The guys scattered.
Lucas slid his phone over to me. “Check it out.”
Brandi:The headline for the paper will read: “Haven Hale will be part of the Chelsea auction in late October.” Send me the list of all the names, and I’ll add that to my story.
I shrugged, grabbing the bottle of whiskey. I really wanted that bottle of scotch that Franklin had given me, but that was at my parents’ house. “I guess that plug we put in with the reporter on the field did the trick. Now you have your list.”
A laugh rumbled out of his chest. “Why do I get the feeling you’re disappointed? I thought you wanted her in it.”
“Dude, you wanted her to participate more than me. I only started the whole ‘add a female’ thing because I wanted to fuck with her head and her old man.”
“Speaking of her old man, he’s donating ten grand to the charity.”
I didn’t know how to take that one. “I wonder if he’s trying to make up for screwing with my old man.” I doubted it, but it was a thought.
“Or maybe Haven coaxed him into it,” Lucas said.
My stomach did a flip at the mention of her name.What the fuck?
