Page 20 of For the Boys
@LexieMonroe:We can’t ask you to pay for everything.
@Brent22Jean:Look, Lexie. I make a shit ton of money that 90% of the time I have no idea what to do with. This was my idea. Let me foot the bill.
@Brent22Jean:Please.
It was a few minutes before she replied.
@LexieMonroe:Fine. We’ll keep our receipts and you can pay us back when it’s all said and done.
@Brent22Jean:Thank you! You have no idea what this means to me.
@LexieMonroe:Despite your incredibly weird and out-of-the-blue conversation with Berk a few weeks ago, I think you’re a good guy. Berk deserves a good guy.
Brent grinned and set his phone down next to him on the couch. Step one of his plan to woo Berkley Daniels was in place.
Chapter Four
Berkley
The Wednesday before Halloween was cold and wet. After running around campus all day between classes and the library, Berkley couldn’t wait to get home, throw on some sweats, and watch hockey.
Her excitement dimmed when she walked in the door to find Amelia, Kimber, and Lexie all crowded around the living room TV, watching the Warriors’ pregame.
“Make yourselves at home,” she told them with an eye roll.
She had moved into her new apartment—a two-story, two-bedroom condo—the week before. The main floor had a kitchen, living room, half bath, and laundry room, as well as access to a small balcony. Upstairs were two bedrooms, the smaller of which Berkley used as an office, and a full bathroom. The large windows in the living room let in plenty of natural light by which Berkley could study and work out. The best part about it though?
She was blessedly alone.
Most of the time.
The decision to give Amelia a spare key was proving to be a bit unwise.
“How was your day?” Kimber asked, handing her a bottle of beer. Berkley took a long swig before answering.
“Fine.” Berkley set her bag by the door and dropped into her favorite chair. Lexie and Amelia looked at each other, then at Kimber, as if sharing some mental message.
“What do you have going on the next few weekends?” Amelia asked.
“Well, next weekend is Halloween. I thought we were all going to that party in Ann Arbor?”
Berkley was a die-hard Spartan and would bleed green and white until the day she died, so the idea of walking into enemy territory didn’t exactly sit well with her. The rivalry between the Spartans of Michigan State and the Wolverines of the University of Michigan ran deep, even if Michigan fans liked to pretend it didn’t. She’d only agreed to go to the party because Kimber had begged her and also because it was a nineties theme. She would finally get the chance to dress up as Cher fromClueless.
“True,” Lexie said. “What about the weekend after that?”
“I don’t have any plans that weekend.”
Her friends shared a knowing smile.
“That’s perfect,” Amelia said.
“And why is that?” Berkley watched as Brent’s roster photo popped up on the TV screen while the announcers discussed how quiet his offensive play had been since his hat trick in the season opener.
“Um, hello, someone will be celebrating a birthday,” Lexie said meaningfully, and three sets of eyes found Berkley’s.
“Okay, okay. I may or may not have a birthday coming up. But why exactly is that perfect?”
“Well, we’ve been thinking…” Kimber began.This ought to be good, Berkley thought. “The Warriors will be home that weekend, right? So instead of doing some fancy dinner and drinks like we had planned, we should just go to The Backdoor and give Brent the chance to approach you.”
