CHAPTER SIXTEEN

SEPTEMBER

Marin

I rushed out of the building where I worked. It was still hot as hell in Alabama, so the pants and blouse I wore to work stuck to my skin as I hurried across campus toward my Group Counseling class. My phone rang in my pocket. I slipped it out and my cousin Jerry’s name filled the screen. Since CJ returned from his father’s last month, I hadn’t spoken to Jerry which gave me hope that Charles realized it was hard work being a single parent. I lifted the phone to my ear. “Hi, Jerry.”

“Hey. Sorry I haven’t been in touch. But things have been at a standstill until now.”

“Until now? What does that mean?”

“Charles wants you to call off the divorce.”

A huge belly laugh burst out of me. I needed to stop at the nearest bench to sit and control my laughter. “That’s hysterical. Does he want us to renew our vows too?”

“He’s serious,” Jerry said, his grim tone stopping my laughter. “He’s contesting the divorce.”

I stilled. “What does that even mean?”

“It means you can move forward with the divorce, but it’ll take time and money to respond to the petition, and gather subpoenas and depositions. I’m not gonna lie. It’s stressful and will end with a judge and a hearing.”

I sat there staring out at the blur of students passing by. What I wouldn’t have given to be an undergrad again. To have no worries. No responsibilities. No ex who won’t disappear. “He can do whatever he wants,” I told Jerry. “Just make it clear I’m not calling off the divorce.”

“He seems ready to drag it out,” Jerry warned.

“Then let him. It’s still over.”

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Trace

Caden and I walked into the bookstore with the list of books we needed for our classes. Gauging by the line wrapped around the store, most of the school had returned to campus and headed straight there.

Heads turned as we made our way down the first aisle, passing the anatomy, anthropology, and astronomy books neither of us needed for our majors. We were used to the attention we received. All the stares when we entered a room. All the whispers when we passed by.

Grady, our annoying as hell right tackle, appeared out of nowhere and squeezed between us, throwing his arms around our shoulders. “Have you seen all the fresh meat in here?”

Caden and I made fast work of ducking out from his arms.

“Caden’s taken, dude,” I said, trying to distance myself from him. “And Finlay would kick your ass if she heard you talking like that with him.”

Grady grimaced. He and Finlay, who was not just Caden’s girlfriend but also the team’s water girl, had gotten off on the wrong foot last year. And she was the only one I ever saw put the three-hundred-pounder in his place.

“And what about you, Grady?” Caden asked him. “Thought you and Yvette had a thing going?”

“Yeah, well, she found some statistics geek she said she has more in common with.”

“No way?” I pretended to be surprised.

Grady shrugged. “Ah well, that just leaves me available for all the hot freshmen who need an older guy to show them the ropes.”

“More like the way to the dining hall,” I said as Caden burst out laughing.

Grady’s attention quickly moved to a cute little redhead that walked by. He abruptly ditched us to follow her in the opposite direction.

“He can be such a douche,” I said.

“Ah.” Caden pulled a book off the shelf and checked the price on the back. “He’s not all bad.”

“Hey, Forester.”

I glanced to my right. A girl I’d hooked up with last year stood beside me in her shorter-than-short cutoffs that would undoubtedly reveal her ass cheeks once she walked away. “Hey.”

“Tara,” she offered.

“I knew that,” I lied.

She shot me a knowing grin, probably because not only did she know it was a lie, but she also knew what I looked like naked. “We should hang out again some time,” she said.

“Oh...yeah.” I fumbled for the words. I hadn’t considered how to maneuver when it came to all the willing females I’d be around. Did I make it known I was in a relationship, or just keep myself out of awkward situations? I’d never had a girlfriend before. These were uncharted waters for me. “I’ve got your number,” I assured her, like that said it all.

“Yeah. I hope you use it.”

I smiled, feeling like a complete douche. I wasn’t purposely letting on that I was single, but I didn’t come right out and tell her it ain’t happening either. Was I not ready to be committed to only one girl? Was I purposely sabotaging what Marin and I had? Were my feelings not as strong as I thought they were?

“See you around,” Tara said, walking away so I could get a clear shot of her ass cheeks.

Caden shook his head. “The Forester charm never ceases to amaze me. I’ll meet you at the registers.”

“All right.” I turned to the shelf beside me and scanned the titles for the book I needed for biochemistry. Thanks to the guilty knot twisting in my gut, I suddenly couldn’t focus. I had a good thing going with Marin. But I hadn’t considered what it would be like to be back on campus. In the past it was a free-for-all. I had no one holding me back. Is that what Marin meant when she sat me down? Did she realize what school would be like for me? All the girls? All the temptation? Was she already braced for the end?

I liked to believe I was a stand-up guy, but would keeping it in my pants be more difficult than I initially thought? I wasn’t some manwhore. I didn’t need sex every night. Well, maybe I did, but I could control the urge because I wanted this thing with Marin to work. It had been so easy at home. But would the distance destroy us? I’d worked so hard to get her to want to be with me. I’d be no better than her ex if I wasn’t strong enough for her. For us.

Once I found my biochemistry book, I headed three aisles over to find my sports medicine book. My phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out, smiling when I saw CJ’s name on my screen. I lifted it to my ear. “What’s up, buddy?”

“Hi, Trace. I won my flag football game today.”

“Buddy, that’s awesome.” I still couldn’t get over the fact that he’d signed up for football because he wanted to be like me.

“Yeah. I almost had a touchdown but some big kid pulled my flag on the five yard line.”

“That’s okay. You’ve got plenty of time to score touchdowns.”

“That’s what Mom said.”

I couldn’t wipe the grin off my face. “I’m so proud of you.”

“That’s what Mom said, too.”

I laughed to myself. It was killing me to miss his games. I wanted to be there for him. Wanted to be there for Marin. It had been two weeks since his first day of school. Since I’d seen them in person. And every day was getting more and more difficult.

Caden rounded the corner and stared at me with furrowed brows. What had he heard?

“Well, I just wanted to tell you the good news,” CJ said.

“Okay. Thanks.” I wanted to ask to talk to Marin, but the way Caden was watching me, I didn’t want to open myself up to questions. I had a big mouth for a mother. I kept my personal shit to myself. Good or bad, it was mine to tell.

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Marin

Trace ran down the field in Tennessee on Saturday afternoon, nabbing an amazing pass over his head on the thirty yard line. CJ and I leapt off the sofa screaming and jumping up and down as Trace ran with a group of opponents on his tail past the twenty-five yard line...the twenty...the fifteen...the ten...the five...and right into the end zone.

Even though they were in enemy territory in Tennessee, the crowd still erupted. Trace spiked the ball into the end zone as his teammates jumped all over him.

I stood there staring at him on television. I was so incredibly proud of him. Not to mention hot and bothered. I’d seen him naked. I’d touched him in every place imaginable. I’d had him inside me. Now he was this larger-than-life superstar on television elating the entire state of Alabama.

My attention moved to CJ who danced around the living room with his hands in the air shaking his little butt around. It was adorable. I recorded him and sent it off to Trace so he’d see it as soon as he returned to the locker room. I dropped down onto the sofa, so eager for the offense to be back on the field so I could see him again.

A couple hours later, I was snuggled on the sofa having already put CJ to bed when Trace’s name appeared on my phone. Those same anxious butterflies I got every time he called fluttered wildly. I tried to be quiet but I couldn’t contain my excitement as I answered the phone. “Hi.”

“So what’d you think?” he asked.

“You were amazing.”

He laughed. “See? What have I been telling you?”

I chuckled at his unyielding ego. “Did you get the video?”

“Yeah. It was awesome.”

“He was so proud of you,” I assured him.

“He the only one?”

I rolled my eyes at my empty room. “No.”

His voice lowered to the same deep tenor he used when we were in bed. “Did it turn you on?”

Shivers rushed up my legs as visions of him in those tight pants and body-hugging shirt that gripped his biceps flooded my brain. “And then some.”

There was background noise on his end and then silence. Was someone there? His roommate? A girl? “Can I call you later?” he whispered.

The sudden halt to our conversation filled me with nervousness. “Yeah. Of course.”

“Okay.”

“Okay,” I echoed.

When he disconnected the call, an uneasy pit formed in my stomach. He’d called as soon as he could which meant he was thinking of me, so why the quick brush off? Who was there with him? Why couldn’t he talk in front of them? I’d never considered Trace would cheat on me. But then again, I’d never expected Charles would either.

It had been so much easier when Trace and I could see each other. And sleep next to each other. And love each other.

Love?

Shit.

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Trace

“Who were you talking to?” Caden asked as he stepped out of the bathroom. The steam from his second shower of the night billowed out into our hotel room.

I tucked my phone into my pocket and got comfortable on my bed. “A friend.”

“Same friend you were talking to in the bookstore the other day?”

“Fuck off.”

“Don’t worry. I’m hitting the gym later so you can call whoever it was back.”

“Is that what you and Finlay are calling it this year?” I asked.

“Dude, we really were in the gym last year.”

“I thought it was the pool?” I said, trying to push his buttons.

“Fine. And the pool.”

“Actually...it’s not where you were I’m doubting. It’s what you were doing.”

He laughed.

Truth be told. I was only busting his balls out of jealousy. His girlfriend traveled with the team. He got to see her whenever he wanted. I didn’t have that luxury and it was beginning to suck.

When Caden left a couple hours later, I slipped out my phone. It was late, but I promised to call Marin back, so I wanted to at least text her. My thumbs went to work on the screen. I need to see you again.

It took a minute, but the dots indicating she was typing popped up. I need to see you again too.

I smiled, practically hearing her raspy voice. I’ll try to come home soon.

I’ll be here.