Page 9 of Playing By The Rules

“Maybe he isn’t interested. Maybe he just said that for…whatever reason. I don’t know what to think. But it’s hard for me to put myself out there like that. I mean, he’s the freaking college quarterback, and he’s gorgeous. Everyone knows who he is. He could have whomever he wants, and I’m just—”

“You’re Blair fucking Maguire, that’s who you are. Have you taken a good look at yourself lately? You’re smart, you’re kind, you’re gorgeous. Cam would be an idiot not to be interested in you.”

We may have fought like cats and dogs when we were younger, but Ruby is the best hype woman ever. “I wish you were here right now.”

“Me too. I’d make you talk to him tonight. I’d probably make you text him right now, if I was with you. In fact, you should totally do that.”

“I don’t even have his number,” I mutter.

“One text to our brother and you’d have it.”

“Along with a ton of questions I don’t want to answer.”

“True that.” Ruby’s smile is soft and encouraging. “Just go out with your wild roommates to that bar and see what happens. You might run into him.”

“And then again, I probably won’t. Or he’ll be there surrounded by a ton of gorgeous girls and he won’t even notice me.”

“Please. How could he not notice you?”

After I get off the call with Ruby, I venture out of my bedroom to find Rita and Cheyenne in Rita’s bedroom, Cheyenne lounging on the bed on her phone, while Rita searches through her closet. I stand in the open doorway, take a deep breath and announce, “I’ll go out with you tonight.”

Rita whirls around, a giant smile on her face. “You will? That’s great!”

“But I have one condition.”

“What is it?” Cheyenne asks.

“I’d love to introduce you to my brother.” Not really. That sounds like torture. But I have to say this. “But I can’t guarantee it’s going to happen. Or that he’ll even be there.”

“He goes to Logan’s a lot,” Rita says with complete confidence. “And hey, I get it if you can’t help us meet Knox. He’s a popular guy.”

“Right.” Was that an insult? “Let’s just go to Logan’s and have fun, and if we run into Knox and his friends, well, lucky us, right?”

“Lucky us!” Rita does a little shimmy, waving her hands above her head. “We need to pre-party first. I refuse to spend too much money on alcohol.”

“Perfect. I’ll go make us some shots.” Cheyenne is off the bed and out of the room in seconds.

“Hey, Blair,” Rita calls when I’m about to turn and head back to my bedroom.

I glance over my shoulder. “Yeah?”

“Thanks. I know sometimes we can be…a lot. And you probably think we’re just using you for your connection to the football team, but I swear we’re not. We like you.” Rita smiles and I smile in return. “You’re a true homie though, going out with us tonight.”

“Thanks for including me,” I tell her before I go to my bedroom, shutting the door behind me and leaning against it.

I want to believe Rita, but there’s a tiny part of me that makes me think she is just using me to get closer to Knox. It’s happened before. Actually, it used to happen all the time when we were in high school. That’s the main reason I like keeping my friend circle small.

Hopefully, my instincts are wrong.

FOUR

CAMDEN

I should’ve never goneto Logan’s.

I’m here with Derek and a bunch of other guys from the team, including Ace, my backup quarterback. The kid is amazing. Fast. Not afraid to run the ball if he can’t find anyone to throw it to. He’s taller than me, wider than me, and charismatic as shit. I refuse to let this kid make me feel less than, but it’s tough. The one thing to my advantage?

I’m on top of my game and set to play the best season of my football career.

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