Maverick

I TOWELED MY HAIR AND checked my cell phone.

Lo: I miss you.

Smirking, I read the three little words again. I’d been really fucking pissed yesterday when Kyle called and dropped it out that Lo was looking for work.

Work.

She didn’t need a job; she needed to focus on her application to SU. Uncle Rob had money, and she was smart—real fucking smart. But it was as if thinking about the future paralyzed her. I got it, I did. She’d lost everything before moving here. Her mom. Her brother. Even a part of herself. But we were good, and if I had my way, we had a lot to look forward to.

I just needed her to see that.

After I’d cooled down, I had called her and apologized. I didn’t want to be that guy—the one pressuring his girlfriend to make decisions she wasn’t ready for—but now I was here, I needed a sign she was with me. That me being at SU wasn’t going to drive a wedge between us. Because shit, I’d done it. 

I’d really fucking done it. 

Dropping the towel and phone onto the counter, I braced my hands against the basin and stared at myself in the mirror. A few months ago, my dream playing college basketball seemed so far out of reach I never thought I’d make it. But here I was.

Steinbeck wasn’t UCLA, but it was a good school. And the Scorpions weren’t a bad team. They just needed a bit more direction and one of the best point guards in the State. 

My phone buzzed again, and a half-smile tugged at my mouth. I was hardly surprised when I saw Lo’s name again. 

Lo: It’s already happening, isn’t it?

Me: And what might that be?

I had a pretty good idea where she was going, but there was nothing more I loved than pushing Lo’s buttons. 

Lo: Maverick...

Me: London...

Lo: God, I miss you so much already. How is that even possible? It’s been two nights.

Me: If it makes you feel any better, I missed you too. So did my dick.

Lorde’s Green Light blared out, and I swiped right not even getting chance to greet her as Lo shrieked, “You can’t say things like that to me anymore,” over the line.

“I can’t?”

“Not when you’re not here to do anything about it afterward.” Lust hung heavy in her words and my dick stirred to life. Not that it needed any encouragement where Lo was concerned.

“I’m pretty sure I don’t need to be there.” I swallowed hard. “Where are you right now?”

“In my room, why?”

I padded into my room and dropped down on the bed. “What are you wearing?”

“Maverick...”

“London... come on, it’ll be fun. Are you dressed yet?”

“I’m still in bed.” It came out breathy, and I knew I had her.

Flopping back onto the mattress, I squeezed my eyes shut, imagining her lying there. “Jesus, are you trying to kill me?”

“You started it.”

“And I plan on finishing it. Touch yourself for me, Lo.” I rasped, and she sucked in a sharp breath. “Are you—”

A loud knock at my door made me jolt upright. “Fuck, someone’s here.”

“Guess you won’t be finishing anything after all.” The dejected edge to her voice was like a jagged knife to my heart, and I rubbed my temples. This was so not the ending I had in mind.

“I’ll ignore them, it’s probably just the resident assistant or something.”

Lo sighed over the line. “The moment's over.” 

“No, it isn’t.” It couldn’t be, not when I had a raging hard-on and the mental image of Lo naked in her bed. Okay, so she probably wasn’t naked, but in my head she was. “Come on, I’ll make you feel—who the fuck is that?” I growled at the knocking which was louder this time. 

“You should go deal with that. I’ll text you later. Love you.”

“Lo, I... okay.” I conceded. She was right. The moment was over. Now I wanted to kill whoever was on the other side of the room. “I love you too. Later.” Stomping over to it, I almost ripped the damn thing off its hinges. “What?”

“Whoa, dude. I didn’t realize you were taking a shower. My bad.” The guy held up his hands, and I tightened my towel at my waist. “I’m Jamie. I believe we’re teammates as well as dorm mates.”

“What's up? I’m kind of busy.”

“It’s initiation day.” His brows knitted together as I stared blankly at him. “You do know about initiation day, right?”

“Am I supposed to know?”

“Well, yeah. Everyone does.”

They did?

Well shit.

“What exactly does initiation day involve?”

“Nobody knows, man. I know a couple of the senior players but they’re keeping it tight-lipped. I heard they made the new recruits do a naked gauntlet last year.”

“Fuck that.” I wasn’t going to take orders from anyone except Coach. And I definitely didn’t intend on being hazed by the likes of Zac Lowell. 

Jamie’s eyes dropped to the floor and he clutched the back of his neck. “I, hmm, they expect everyone to be there.”

“And if I’m not?” I hadn’t shown up Friday night and the world hadn’t ended. But something about the guy’s grim expression told me he believed everything he was saying.

“You really want to find out?” He met my narrowed gaze and rose a brow.

“Where and what time?” I folded my arms over my chest, pissed that I’d relented so easily. But he was right. I wasn’t here to make enemies. I was here to play basketball. And Coach Callahan had already warned me about Zac Lowell. So the least I could do was show my face. 

“A few of us are meeting downstairs at six, if you want to come with us?”

“Yeah, thanks.”

His smile lifted. “Cool. I guess I’ll see you later then.”

I watched him walk down the hall with a spring in his step, then I closed the door and pulled on some clean shorts and my old Wreckers jersey. I had a whole day to kill before worrying about the likes of Zac Lowell, so I pushed him far from my mind and focused on the here and now.

Because I was at college, and it was the first step to making my dreams come true.

~

SU’S STUDENT UNION was buzzing when I arrived. Classes didn’t start for another week, but freshman orientation was well under way and I had a stack of flyers in my hands to prove it. The swim team wanted to invite me to their try outs, the debate team were looking for fresh blood, and the Chi Delta Kappa sorority wanted me to sign up for their first fundraiser. For someone who preferred low key, it was intense. By the time I reached Miss Bowman’s office, I was grateful for our appointment.

“Come in,” a voice filtered through the door as I rapped my knuckles against it.

“We have an appointment. I’m Maverick—”

“Prince. Come in, Maverick. Take a seat.” She pushed her glasses up her head and motioned to the chair opposite her desk. “I’m Jo Bowman, your student advisor.”

“Hey.”

“Don’t look so worried.” Her lips curved into a warm smile. “I don’t bite, despite the rumors.”

I ran a brisk hand over my head, unsure of how to answer that. She wasn’t what I expected. At all. I’d conjured up images of a stuffy middle-aged woman with photos of her grandkids on her desk. Miss Bowman didn’t look much older than me.

“I know what you’re thinking,” she said drawing my eyes back to her face. “What’s a woman like me doing in a place like this?”

“Actually, I was thinking you’re too young to be doing this job.”

“Nice, but flattery will get you nowhere, Mr. Prince.”

“No, I wasn’t...” I stuttered, and she stifled a laugh.

“Easy there. I’m just messing with you, Maverick. I’m twenty-eight, and I can assure you I’m more than qualified to be here.” Miss Bowman folded her arms on the desk in front of her and clasped her hands together. “You joined us from Wicked Bay High; is that correct?”

“Yes.”

“On a basketball scholarship?”

I nodded.

“Your stats are pretty impressive.”

“You’re a fan?”

“My boyfriend is a Lakers fan, so I guess that makes me a fan by association.”

I relaxed in the chair. Miss Bowman was full of surprises. “Your boyfriend knows his stuff.”

“Ahh, a fellow fan.” She fingered the file in front of her. “It says here you have dyslexia, and it's my understanding that until recently your disability wasn’t out in the open.”

“I’m a private person, Miss Bowman.”

“Jo, please call me Jo. And I get it, I do. Athletes in particular often find it difficult to seek support. But Steinbeck prides itself on supporting all its students, Maverick. Will it be hard work? Of course. It would be wrong of me to sit here and tell you the next four years will be a walk in the park. You might have gotten here partly on your athletic ability, but SU expects you to maintain a good grade average.”

It felt like a concrete slab pressing on my chest. I knew it wouldn’t be easy. I knew walking into SU on an athletic scholarship wouldn’t mean I could shirk classes and let my grades slide. But sitting there, listening to her lay it all out, sounded like a mountain too high for me to climb.

“Maverick,” she said, narrowing her eyes. “Still with me?”

I gulped over the lump. “Yeah.”

“I’m already losing you, aren’t I? I apologize. I’m as honest as they come, and I like my students to know my expectations from the off. Now, I know you said in your application that you’d prefer not to have any in-class adjustments, but I’d like you to reconsider. Our center for accessible education is—”

“No,” I blurted out. The last thing I needed was my class mates—my teammates—knowing my business, not when I’d no doubt have to earn my place on the team.

“Maverick.” She leaned forward, blowing out an exasperated breath. “You’re not the first athlete to sit across from me and say the very same thing. I’m no fool. I know you probably see your disability as a weakness, but it isn’t.”

Yeah, right.

I could imagine it now. My new team finding out I struggled with something so simple as letters and words.

Staring my advisor dead in the eye, I said, “I appreciate where you’re coming from, I do. But this needs to stay under wraps. I’ll work my ass off. I’ll come here or put in extra time at the library or sign up to private tutoring, but that’s where it ends.”

She rolled her eyes as if she’d heard the same thing a hundred times. “What is it with star athletes and their pride, huh?”

Shrugging, I rubbed my jaw. “I’m not a star... yet.” I smirked, and her shoulders shook with laughter.

“Maverick, I think we’re going to get along just fine. I’ll be liaising with Coach Baxter. If either of us become concerned with your grades, we will intervene.” She gave me a pointed look. “But let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.” Miss Bowman pressed her hand flat on the desk and stood up. “Your tutors will be informed of your... situation but be asked to remain discreet.”

“Thanks.” I rose. “I appreciate it.”

“Just doing my job. Now get out of here. I’m sure you have much more important things to be doing.”

I left her office feeling a strange mix of relief and uncertainty. She wasn’t going to push me to embrace all SU had in the way of student support, but she wouldn't give me an easy ride either. Only time would tell if Miss Bowman would be an ally or an enemy, but I had a gut feeling I could trust her.

I just hoped I was right.