AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Noah didn’t take his eyes off Chloe, who looked like she was wearing the same sparkly mini-dress she’d been wearing the night before at Eva’s birthday celebration. “Chloe tripped over Mac’s gym bag and knocked the llama off the wall.”
Soren had given the guys a picture of a llama—I still didn’t get the joke—while D still lived here. They’d framed it and hung it in the living room until Parker moved it across the hall from Mac’s room.
I looked back and forth between the three standing there. Despite the towel, Mac’s hair wasn’t wet, but it definitely looked like someone had been running their hands through it. I hoped, for his sake, he hadn’t been messing around with D’s sister, who lived across the hall now.
I’d officially moved in with Parker shortly after the first playoff game, with Eva’s blessing. She’d forgiven the guys for their door cam shenanigans once Mac admitted the truth, and I’d convinced her not to hide any revenge potatoes in the apartment where I’d be living. She’d already lined up another roommate—Chloe. None of that explained why Chloe was in our apartment.
“Chloe, what are you doing in the hallway?” I finally asked when everyone else seemed content to stare at each other in silence.
Her green eyes flicked to me, then back to Noah. “I needed some help, so I came over here to ask. I’m sorry I bothered everyone.”
I was ninety percent sure that was only a small part of the story, but I wasn’t going to grill her with the guys all standing there. Besides, Eva would get the information out of her much faster than I could.
Noah nodded at Mac. “Looks like you’re taken care of. I’m going back to bed.”
Mac snorted. “What? No, man. I'm half-assed naked.” We all stared at him until he rolled his eyes. “Like butt-assed naked but still got a towel on. Noah can help her.”
He didn’t wait for an answer, simply turned back into his room and shut the door. Mac never missed an opportunity to harass Noah. He probably had a girl in his room after all, just not Chloe.
Noah’s jaw clenched. “Parker or Riley then.”
Chloe sent us an apologetic glance. “They can’t help.”
Parker and I shared another look. Noah was the most introverted person I’d ever met, but I’d never known him to actively avoid someone before.
“Are you sure I can’t help?” I ventured.
Chloe chewed on her bottom lip and shook her head. She sent Noah a look I couldn’t read, and he sighed. Both of them were acting weird. I hadn’t known her long, but she reminded me of Eva. Small and sharp, full of sass. Not this hesitant version of herself.
Noah ran a hand through his russet hair, making some of it stand on end. “Fine.” He moved aside to let her pass.
I frowned as Noah followed Chloe into the living room, and Parker dragged me back into our bedroom.
“What was that about?” I asked him.
He shrugged. “I don’t know, and I don’t want to know because then I won’t have to tell D.”
I turned my frown on him. “You’d tattle on Chloe to her brother?”
“If she’s in trouble? In a heartbeat. But I trust Noah to handle whatever she has going on.”
The answer appeased me a little, but I couldn’t help teasing him. “What if Noahisthe trouble?”
Parker grimaced and flopped back on the bed, turning on ESPN. “I’m pretending I didn’t see all the knowing glances they were exchanging. I’d almost rather she was sneaking in to see Mac.”
I laughed and joined him on the bed. “I had that thought too. What would D do if…”
My name coming from the TV interrupted the thought. The sportscasters were rehashing the college football playoffs—which we’d won—and discussing the future of “college football’s power couple”. Harper was really good at her job, but I was still getting used to all the media attention.
Parker muted the TV and turned to me. “Have you thought about the draft?”
I raised a brow. “I thought we agreed to focus on next season.”
He picked up my hand and kissed my palm. “You can focus on next seasonandconsider your future at the same time. Hopefully a future with me.”
“Definitely a future with you.” I straddled his lap and curled my arms around his neck. “Harper says I have other options besides the draft. If I keep playing the way I have been, I’ll be a front runner for the top receiver in college football. She suggested D’s agent would be interested in me, and I could sign on somewhere as an undrafted free agent. I told her I’d consider it.”
Parker skimmed his hands up my back, taking the sweatshirt with him and pulling it over my head. “What do you want to do?”
