“Krusty’s?” Jack offers.
A few hourslater and I’m bundled up in Luke’s sweatshirt with Caden’s away jersey over it on the sidelines as the guys take the field to warm up.
“You good, Davidson?” Coach Turner asks.
I hold up my clipboard and pen. “All good, Coach.”
He nods before going over to join the others. They really should use a tablet or something electronic to keep track, but this is the old school way and I don’t mind. Pretty sure it’s just busy work for me to have a reason to stand on the sidelines instead of sitting in the stands where Zach can find me.
I don’t mind. The guys come off the field and get water before the game begins. I ignore the team, including my guys, since being a distraction will get me booted off statistics taking and back in the bleachers.
The game begins. The cheerleaders and the crowd are loud behind me. I focus on the players and what I need to keep track of. The first quarter flies by with us scoring a touchdown and running in the extra points.
“Hey, Harper.”
I look up to find Brandon standing next to me. “Hey.”
“How’s it going?” He looks like he hasn’t been out on the field yet.
“Just doing my work.” I lift my clipboard and pen.
“Cool.” He nods as his gaze remains on the lineup.
The crunch of pads hitting makes me flinch every time. No one usually comes over to talk to me. I’m not sure why Brandon is here.
“So, does Kenz talk about me?”
My eyes widen and I look at him like he’s an alien. What the hell is happening? “What do you mean?”
He shrugs, which is weird in shoulder pads, and glances at the stands. “She just seems distant lately.”
“You should talk to her about it.” I notice Coach Turner looking over here. I gesture to the field and take a step away from Brandon. “I’m supposed to pay attention to the game.”
“Oh, yeah, sure.” He nods and moves back over to the bench.
Obviously, I need to talk to Kenz and see what’s up with her and Brandon. She has been able to hang out more, but that’s during practice. I shake it off and get my head back in the game.
Just as the other team brings down someone right on the sideline in front of me. My heart races. I jump back as the player for the other team jumps up and gives me a crooked smile before running off. Nico tosses the ball to the referee. Brandon holds a hand down to Nico, helping him to his feet.
“Fucker hits like a Mack truck.” Nico shakes his head and runs back out to the huddle.
When I glance at the other team, the guy from the tackle is near our sideline. He winks at me and makes a kissy face. My cheeks heat.
WTF.
I look down at my clipboard and write something down. How do you tell a guy you already have five boyfriends? Especially in signals.
Luke calls out the numbers and I look up to watch the play. He falls back with the ball and launches it into the air toward Nico again. The Mack truck is right there and as soon as the balltouches Nico’s hands, the guy takes him down. Nico keeps the ball and they land in a heap.
The guy jumps up and grins at me before running back to his sideline. What an asshole. My gaze follows him, but then the coach runs past me and so does the athletic trainer.
When I turn back, Nico is still on the ground and the others are over next to him. My heart stops. I take a step in that direction, but Brandon steps in my way.
“You can’t go over there.” His voice is quiet as we both watch to see what happens. It feels like the whole stadium is holding its breath, waiting for Nico to stand.
I grab onto Brandon’s jersey. “Is he okay?”
“Don’t know. He could just have the wind knocked out of him. He hit the ground pretty hard. Concussion is always a possibility. They’ll check him for that before they let him stand.”
