Chapter 5

Cole

I’ve taken hits from defensive linemen that felt like getting run over by a truck.

I’ve had my helmet cracked so hard my ears rang for two days.

I’ve played through a separated shoulder, a sprained ankle, and a concussion that probably should’ve kept me on the bench.

None of those things prepared me for Maya.

Specifically, Maya in that red dress.

Standing three feet away from me.

Looking nervous and annoyed and beautiful all at the same time.

That combination should be illegal.

Because every instinct I had was telling me to move closer.

And for one terrifying second…

I thought she wanted me to.

Then Coach Daniels showed up.

Which honestly felt personal.

Now I was standing in the middle of my own living room while my entire football team looked at me like I was about to be publicly executed.

Coach Daniels stood in front of us with his arms crossed.

Beside him was his wife, Linda.

And somehow she looked even more disappointed than he did.

Coach looked angry.

Linda looked like she was reconsidering the value of higher education.

The room was completely silent.

Nobody moved.

Nobody breathed.

One idiot still had a red cup in his hand.

I watched him slowly set it behind his back like that was going to help.

Coach’s eyes landed on me.

“Ryder.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Do you know what time it is?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Do you know what day it is?”

I already hated where this was going.

“Yes, sir.”

Coach nodded once.

Then he gestured toward the house.

Toward the music.

Toward the fifty people currently pretending they weren’t here.

“Then explain this.”

Good question.

I would’ve loved an answer myself.

Coach took a step forward.

“I have a meeting with the athletic director tomorrow morning.”

My stomach immediately dropped.

Uh-oh.

“And on my way home,” he continued, “I happened to drive past this house.”

Nobody spoke.

Nobody was stupid enough to speak.

Coach pointed toward the front door.

“There were students lined up outside like this place was giving away free money.”

A guy beside me quietly muttered, “That’s actually kind of impressive.”

Coach’s head snapped toward him.

The guy immediately stared at the floor.

Smart choice.

Coach looked back at me.

“You are the captain.”

“Yes, sir.”

“The leader.”

“Yes, sir.”

“The example.”

I knew what was coming.

I still didn’t enjoy it.

“And yet somehow your house looks like the opening scene of a documentary titled Bad Decisions: A College Story.”

A snort escaped somewhere behind me.

Coach slowly turned his head.

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Linda pinched the bridge of her nose.

“I told you this would happen,” she muttered.

Coach nodded.

“You did.”

Then his attention returned to me.

And suddenly his eyes narrowed.

Uh-oh.

That look never meant anything good.

“Ryder.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Am I interrupting something?”

The entire room froze.

My soul left my body.

Because technically?

Yes.

Absolutely yes.

You interrupted me standing two inches away from the most interesting girl I’ve met in years.

You interrupted me trying to figure out whether she was going to walk away or stay.

You interrupted me before I could find out what would’ve happened next.

Unfortunately, I enjoy being on the football team.

So I said, “No, sir.”

Linda immediately laughed.

Actually laughed.

Coach looked at her.

“What’s funny?”

She pointed directly at me.

“That boy looks like someone interrupted something.”

The room exploded into choking noises.

I closed my eyes.

Just for a second.

When I opened them again, Coach was staring at me.

Hard.

“Ryder.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Whatever is happening behind those eyes right now…”

I immediately regretted every life choice I’d ever made.

“…I don’t want to know.”

Fair.

Very fair.

Coach finally sighed.

“Shut this down.”

“Yes, sir.”

“And if I hear about another party before Friday?”

Nobody moved.

Nobody breathed.

Coach pointed toward the field.

“I’ll make practice so miserable you’ll start seeing dead relatives.”

A collective groan swept through the room.

Linda smiled.

“Goodnight, boys.”

Then they left.

The second the front door shut, chaos erupted.

“What the hell just happened?”

“Who called him?”

“Coach’s angry jacket is real!”

“Dude, Linda totally knew.”

“Ryder got caught!”

I ignored all of them.

Because I only cared about one thing.

Maya.

I was already moving before anyone finished their sentence.

“Where are you going?” somebody shouted.

I didn’t answer.

I took the stairs two at a time.

Then three at a time.

Then nearly ran over one of my teammates coming down.

“Watch it!”

“No.”

“What?”

“No time.”

I kept going.

The hallway finally came into view.

And there she was.

Still here.

Thank God.

I hadn’t realized how worried I’d been that she’d leave until that moment.

Maya stood beside Bree with her arms crossed.

The second her eyes found mine, something in my chest loosened.

Which was ridiculous.

I barely knew her.

So why did seeing her still standing there feel like winning a game?

Bree noticed me first.

Of course she did.

The woman had the survival instincts of a shark smelling blood.

“There he is.”

I narrowed my eyes.

“You’re still here?”

“You’re welcome.”

“For what?”

She looked offended.

“I gave you privacy.”

“You abandoned her.”

“Tomato, tomato.”

“Those are the same word.”

“Exactly.”

Maya laughed.

Actually laughed.

The sound hit me harder than it should have.

Because I’d spent most of the night trying to make her smile.

And there it was.

Natural.

Easy.

Unforced.

My favorite thing I’d heard all week.

Which was probably a problem.

Maya pointed toward the stairs.

“Your coach is terrifying.”

I groaned.

“You have no idea.”

“The angry jacket thing was real?”

“The angry jacket thing is very real.”

She laughed again.

God help me.

I was in trouble.

Real trouble.

The kind that had nothing to do with football.

“You should go home,” I said.

The words surprised both of us.

Her eyebrows lifted.

“Excuse me?”

I rubbed the back of my neck.

Because that came out wrong.

Very wrong.

“I mean…”

Great.

Smooth.

Excellent recovery.

“I don’t mean leave.”

“That’s literally what you said.”

“I know.”

“You’re not helping yourself.”

“I know.”

Bree looked delighted.

I wanted to launch her into traffic.

Maya was smiling now.

Trying not to.

Failing.

And suddenly I realized something.

This was the first time all night she looked relaxed around me.

Not nervous.

Not defensive.

Just…

Comfortable.

Which made me want to keep her here longer.

Dangerous thought.

Very dangerous thought.

“Maya.”

The smile faded slightly.

She looked up.

And just like that, the noise disappeared again.

The hallway.

The party.

The people.

Everything blurred.

It was just her.

“I meant what I said earlier.”

Her expression softened.

“About what?”

“Don’t disappear.”

For the first time all night, I wasn’t joking.

Wasn’t flirting.

Wasn’t trying to get a reaction.

I simply didn’t want this to end.

Didn’t want her walking back next door and becoming another almost-moment.

Something flashed in her eyes.

Surprise.

Confusion.

Maybe a little uncertainty.

Good.

Because I felt exactly the same way.

For once in my life, I had absolutely no idea what I was doing.

And somehow…

That made me want to see her again even more.