Page 6 of What are the Risks
“Enjoy the game?” I checked.
Jaz nodded. “Totally. I mean, I know fuck all about football, but the atmosphere was cool.”
Daisy grimaced while offering an apologetic shrug. “I’m a hockey girl through and through. Sorry.”
I simmered at that admission. My track record with hockey players wasn’t great.
Bri picked up her drink, a playful smile on her face. “My highlight was witnessing Ruby turn into a football fan. I’ve never heard so many cuss words coming from our little pocket rocket.”
Ruby nonchalantly shrugged the comment off. Knowing how vocal she could get from the living room couch, I had an idea. Like mine, Ruby’s family was a big football family.
These days, the college stadiums I played in were too big to hear her. But back in high school, I could make her out clear as day, shouting from the stands. Sometimes it fired me up exactly when I needed it.
“Are you all good?” Ruby checked. “You got sacked hard near the end.”
“I’m okay.”
Her blonde brows lowered. “You sure? I felt the ice pack strapped to your ribs when you hugged me.”
“I’m fine, Rubz. Just a little sore. That’s all.”
“If you’re offering to play nurse with my captain, he’ll take you up on it,” Pat drawled as he appeared beside me. “We need him in fine form for the backend of the season.”
The rest of the guys had followed him over, each already clutching an icy cold beer.
Smiling, Ruby climbed over me to edge out the booth. “Girls, this is Brady, Evan, Kyler and Pat.”
Pat rested his arm on the table, flexing. “And you all are?”
“Bri, Jaz and Daisy,” Ruby filled in. “But to you it’shell no, absolutely not,anddon’t even think about it.”
The insult rolled off Pat. With a subtle nudge, he all but yanked me from the booth before sliding into the spot beside Daisy.
The rest of the guys – minus Brady who was staring at his phone, likely chatting to his girlfriend, Tori – wasted no time getting acquainted.
“Have you ordered yet?” I asked Ruby. “I’m starving.”
She grimaced. “We were actually about to leave.”
“What? I only just got here.”
“It’s getting late and the drive home is long.”
I pouted like a kid being told he couldn’t have a new toy. I wasn’t above stomping my foot and throwing a tantrum either.
“I’ve barely seen you, Rubz.”
Ruby’s face softened. “I know. I guess meeting at one of your games doesn’t actually leave much time for catching up.”
In high school, I’d all but begged Ruby to apply to the same colleges as me. Though given I’d been offered a full scholarship to multiple football schools, it hadn’t exactly helped her in knowing where to apply.
I’d also known she’d always dreamt on going to Columbus for their nursing program, and if she wasn’t giving up that dream to follow Noah to Miami, it was off the table for her to abandon it to come to Philadelphia with me.
“Stay for dinner at least.” I gestured to our friends who were all chatting, seeming to be getting along nicely. “How often do we get to spend time like this together?”
While mine and Ruby’s lives were fully interconnected back home in Detroit, our Philadelphia and Columbus worlds didn’t often cross paths. Our friends were never all in the one place.
“Come on, Rubz,” I pleaded. “It’s the least you can do for your fake boyfriend.”
