Page 46 of The Penalty

“No.”

“Tyler.”

“I said no, McKenzie. I’m not taking your money. Don’t ask again.”

When we pull into the driveway, we both sit there, not quite ready to get out of our little bubble. Like walking into the house where I’ve set up rules to keep us apart signifies the end of whatever was growing between us.

It has to be this way.

“I’m sorry,” I tell her quietly. My fingers twitch because I want so badly to reach over, pull her into my lap, and hold her until she believes me.

“Yeah. Me too.”

Then she makes a run for it into the house, leaving me alone in the truck.

NINETEEN

MCKENZIE

The morning after the storm is awkward, to say the least. I stay in the guest room all morning until I know Tyler has already left for the game. Kylie drives me back to my car. Thankfully, she doesn’t ask too many questions. She had hugged me and apologized profusely when I walked in completely soaked last night. I apologized for scaring her. I truly didn’t mean to make her worry.

Once I have my car, I head straight to the stadium for game day.

Somehow, I manage to successfully avoid Tyler all day. I understand why he wants to keep his distance, and I really do want to respect it, but it really sucks. Especially now that I know how he truly feels. But the distance between us will be good. I’ll get over this. It’s not like we even had anything, really. All we did was share one kiss. A truly amazing kiss, but still. I can’t act like a clingy teenager. That’s exactly what he doesn’t want.

I get set up on the sidelines like every other game and grab a good shot of the team running out on the field. I can sense the moment Tyler walks out, and when I finally find the courage to look in his direction, his eyes are already on me. I straighten my shoulders and force myself to look away.

I keep to myself for most of the game. I don’t even interview Tyler during halftime, which will likely result in a whole bunch of questions from Professor Moore on Monday, but I don’t have it in me today. Even when Tyler looks over his shoulder at me and pauses to see if I’m going to walk over to him, I turn my attention to the field, ultimately ignoring him.

I know I’m being petty. He’s put distance between us for a good reason, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt. And with all the other stressors in my life, football and the little time I had with Tyler were the only things that I had to look forward to. Now, it seems both of those things are ruined.

After the game, where the Bobcats win by a landslide, I interview Tyler because I know I have to. I ask him the bare minimum of questions and quickly leave. I’m thrown into Hayes’s path, and he reminds me and insists that I come to the party tonight. Begrudgingly, I agree. I don’t love to party, but I also wouldn’t mind letting loose. Hayes doesn’t seem like the type who would mind if I crashed on his couch.

After the game, I head to the Danvers’ house so Kylie and I can get ready for the party. She’s more than ready to go out with me since things with the guy she went on a date with didn’t work out.

We’re gone before Tyler even gets home. We get an Uber to the house Hayes shares with a few other guys from the team, and the place is already packed with people. There’s music blaring, girls in barely there clothes, and Solo cups. Tons of Solo cups.

Kylie drags me into the kitchen and gets us each a cup of watery beer.

“There she is.” I feel Hayes’s heavy arm drape over my shoulder. “You finally came to another party. This deserves a celebratory shot.”

He’s dressed casually in sweats and a T-shirt, his hair still damp like he just got out of the shower. I have no idea how these players have the energy to party after they just played a game.

He leaves my side, grabs a bottle of tequila from one of the cabinets, and pours three shots. “To the hottest girls at La Vista U,” he says, holding up his cup. But then he lowers his voice and smirks. “Don’t tell anyone else I said that.”

Kylie and I both laugh before we down our shots.

Hayes smiles at us and then says, “For real, though, thanks for coming. Drink all you want. Have a good time. I’m sticking mostly to water.” He holds up a water bottle. “So, I’ll watch out for you two. You’re welcome to crash here later if you need it.”

“Thanks, Hayes.”

Then he leaves to say hello to another player who just walked through the door.

“Alright, let’s do this,” Kylie says. She links her arm with mine, and we make our way into the party. We mingle with guys from the team, and some of Kylie’s friends from school are here, so we talk to them for a while. We play beer pong, which we learn we’re terrible at. Quinn even makes us what he calls his specialty cocktail, but I’m pretty sure it’s just straight alcohol with a splash of Sprite in it.

When things finally start to wind down and people start leaving, Kylie and I are definitely past the point of tipsy.

We’re sitting out back around the fire pit, Kylie in a camping chair and me on a bench with Hayes, his arm draped over my shoulders. It’s friendly, and I think he finally understands that I’m truly not interested in hooking up with him.