Preston

I’m in the exercise room, halfway into my routine, minding my own business when Jamie approaches my bench. He shoves a hand through his hair, tugging at the ends, and glances down at me.

“Want some company?” He sits on the open bench next to me and plays with the seam of his mesh shorts. “We could take turns spotting each other.”

“Yeah, I guess.” I push the bar above my body once more, feeling the burn. “Think you can keep up? You looked like some washed up has-been on the ice earlier.”

Jamie rolls his eyes at me, and then helps me set the bar on the rack. “I just need to focus.”

“It’s all the drinking you’ve been doing with Tuck and Trent over at Delta Sig. They can get away with having a few beers, but you’re not like them. Stay away from that shit during the week. If you guys spent as much time practicing as you do chasing around sorority chicks, you’d be giving me a run for my money at MVP this year.”

He leans forward, balancing himself on his elbows. “I’ll be fine by the game on Friday. Stop worrying. You sound like my dad.”

I shrug. “I’m the captain of the team for a reason. Someone has to keep your ass in line.”

He holds out his hand to silence me. “Whatever. Don’t start with me. I’m not in the mood. I had two hours of sleep last night, before I had to get up for practice.”

After I wipe my face with my towel, I sling it around my neck. “I’m only looking out for your career. We can’t make it pro together if you’re too busy drinking and running around campus trying to get your dick wet.”

“Says that guy who has a crush on Coach Bryant’s daughter.”

I shake my head. “That’s never gonna happen.”

“She looked pretty into you last night. You could be tapping Bex right now. That eye-fucking I saw in Gio’s went both ways.”

Jamie follows me to a leg press machine. I stop next to one, waiting for one of our forwards to finish up with his workout.

Jamie stands beside me with his hands on his hips. “We should go watch Bex play sometime, maybe scout some of her teammates.” He winks at me. “We can always use new recruits.”

I fold my arms across my chest and smirk. “I was kind of hoping you would help me with Bex. I need you and the guys to make nice with some of her teammates, or better yet, her roommate. She said something to Coach about him having rules. I want to know what she means by that. It seemed like she was referring to his players and that being around us was somehow breaking them.”

“Why don’t you stalk her online like a normal person?”

I laugh at his ridiculous comment. “I looked last night. I couldn’t find her anywhere. I checked them all—Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. It’s like she doesn’t exist.”

“Maybe she’s an Android,” Jamie jokes.

“You’re such a nerd.”

He shrugs, unaffected, a silly expression on his face.

I never knew much about Coach’s daughter, other than he had one. He kept her under his thumb, never letting any of us near her. Until last night.

Jamie shoves his hands into his shorts pockets. “I can take one for the team. I’m sure Tuck, Trent, and Drake will, too. What do you want to know about her?”

I consider his question. “Find out if she has a boyfriend. Where she hangs out. Who she’s friends with, other than her roommate. Whatever you can get out of her teammates.”

“I don’t think she has a boyfriend. I’ve seen her on campus before but never with any guys. She always hangs out with the same girl.”

“Coach probably doesn’t let her date.”

“Nah, Bex didn’t act like she’d just seen her first naked man. She seemed uncomfortable walking through the locker room, but she wasn’t terrified of all the dicks hanging out. And you heard her. Nothing she hadn’t seen before.”

“I think that comment was meant for me.”

He laughs. “Maybe. She doesn’t seem to like you very much. What did you do to get under skin already?”

“Nothing. She’s been like that with me from the second she crashed into me in the locker room.”

“Yeah. But she’s meeting your mom. She loosened up a lot after you offered to take her with you on Saturday. You forgot to mention the games last all day.” He chuckles. “Wait until she finds out she’s spending the entire day with your mom… and my dad.”

“You should come, too.” I lean over to steal a paper cup from the holder on the wall next to the water fountain and pour some for myself. “It’s going to be a long day. Bex will need someone to talk to when I’m busy helping out with the kids.”

I down the cup and fill it again, before Jamie is at my side, helping himself.

“Depends on how drunk I get on Friday night after the game.”

I frown at his comment. “Dude, we just talked about this. For a smart guy, sometimes you’re so dense. Stay in and play video games with me instead. Your dad’s new game is pretty sick.”

“Oh, I know. Right? I was playing Mage Wars last night, drunk off my ass. The graphics were insane and even better with a good buzz going.”

Jamie’s father is a video game developer. His company, Foxy Industries, is one of the largest tech companies in the world. He named the company Foxy, after the nickname he calls Jamie’s mom. His parents have weird names for each other.

Once the leg machine is free, Jamie plops down on the seat before I have the chance. But he needs it more, so I let it slide. He removes the towel hanging from his pocket and wipes down the equipment.

“We should play later,” I say, and he peeks up at me with a wicked grin.

“Think you can keep up with me?”

I throw my hand out at him and laugh. “Please. More like can you keep up with me. Seriously, though, you should stay in with me after the game, kill off a few levels with me, and come to the games on Saturday. If you’re there, Bex might lower her guard more. She’s probably thinking it’s a date or some shit.”

“I guess,” Jamie says after a long pause. “But I’m not leaving the house at the ass crack of dawn with you. I’ll meet you and Bex for the second half of the games. Maybe Bex has some hot friends she can bring along for me. And I’ll warm up to her… do some recon for you.”

I slap him on the back, and he groans. “I knew I could count on my wingman.”

He huffs. “You know, you could just ask Bex whatever you want to know. Stop acting like such a pussy.”

I let out a frustrated groan. “Whatever. I’m going to go hit the showers. I’ll catch you later.”

“I’m making dinner later,” he says, out of breath from lifting the bar. “Make sure you’re home.”

I narrow my eyes at him, confused as fuck. “You’re making dinner? In the microwave? You don’t know how to cook.”

“One of the girls I met last week is coming over after she’s done work. Since she’s making dinner for me, by extension, she’s now cooking for the entire house.”

“Sounds good. Don’t do anything stupid. I don’t want my food poisoned.”

He laughs. “Nah, Shannon is cool. You should see the body on this chick. She’s a dancer.”

“Explains a lot. So, you’re paying a stripper to make us dinner? I think I’ll take my chances with the cafeteria.”

Jamie snorts. “I’m not pathetic. Give me some credit, Prez. She’s in some dance contest this weekend at The Sixth Floor. There’s a cash prize for the best female dance group. You should come.”

I raise a curious eyebrow at him. “I don’t know. A dance competition? Sounds kind of lame.”

“It’s at a nightclub.”

“I’ve been to The Sixth Floor before.”

He grunts after his last rep, straining himself to lift the bar. “Oh, right. We went there last year for a Thirsty Thursday special. Anyway, the contest is open to the public. Don’t tell me you’re going to turn down the chance to look at a bunch of half-naked girls working their way through college.”

“Anyone we know going?”

He sets the weights down with a loud grunt. “Some of the girls from Kappa will be there. It’s a sorority thing. I think.”

“Are Drake, Tuck, and Trent going?”

He shoots me a look, as if I’m crazy. “Are you kidding? They’re all over it. You should be, too. A club full of drunk, horny girls? Who would want to miss that?”

“Why are you going with this chick who’s cooking us dinner? She’s going to cockblock the shit out of you, and probably us, too.”

“Whatever,” he growls. “Shan’s pretty cool. You’ll like her. Her friends are hot.”

“Are they stripping? What kind of contest are we talking here?”

“Nope, I wish.” He licks his lips. “I’d pay good money to see that. There’s a five-hundred-dollar prize for the best group.”

“And it’s all girls?”

“Yeah, it’s kind of like Coyote Ugly, you know how they dance on bars in the movie? Shan said they have to dress up. Sounds hot. You should take out your tampon and come with us.”

I make a fist and tap his arm, not enough for it to hurt, but for his stupid remark.

He laughs and shakes it off.

“Hot chicks and beer.” I wink at him, slinging my towel over my shoulder. “That was your sales pitch right there, and I’m sold. See ya at home.”

Jamie counts out a few reps. “Later.”

I walk toward the locker room wondering if I can convince Bex to come out with us on Saturday night. I have to find a way. Because Jamie is right about one thing—I have it bad for my coach’s daughter. And I can’t get her out of my head.