Considering I didn’t have to take Eli’s mom back to her house, I was at a loss for what to do. All of my friends were still up at the cabin Jackson rented. Like…all of them. I didn’t want to drive all the way up there, only to have to turn around and head back down the hill to get Eli’s car to him.
Then I realized they were all going to the football game since most of their boyfriends are playing, so I made plans to meet up with them at Hayden’s apartment so we could get ready together. Killing some time before they arrived, I went to the mall real quick and bought a new pair of jeans, some panties and a really cute sweater at American Eagle.
They always come in clutch when I’m needing something new to wear.
By the time I show up at Hayden’s apartment, I’m sleepy and in need of a nap. She takes one look at me, clutching my AE bag in one hand and a Starbucks in my other hand, and her expression turns suspicious.
“What have you been up to?” Hayden’s brows shoot up.
I stride into her apartment when she opens the door wider, waving at Gracie, who’s sitting on the couch. “Where’s Ellie?”
“Still with Jackson. They’re coming to the game later. Together.” Gracie rolls her eyes. “Those two don’t do anything without each other.”
“I think it’s cute,” I say, automatically defending my best friend.
“Oh, so do I. I guess I’m just jealous since Caleb’s been so busy with football lately. Though she should know about sitting on the sidelines watching her boyfriend perform.” Gracie laughs. “Ignore me. I’m acting like a jealous troll.”
I set my bag on the floor and collapse on the couch, feeling the exhaustion settle deep in my limbs. “I’m so tired.”
“Why, hmmm?” The look Hayden sends my way tells me she’s not going to let this go. She definitely suspects I’ve been up to something. “Where did you disappear off to last night?”
I go over the events from last evening. The call Eli received about his mom. How we went to the hospital and she was injured but nothing too serious. I don’t mention the potential drunk driving charge. Why bring that up when it might not even happen?
“Ellie didn’t mention anything to you guys?” I ask them. “I texted her after we left to let her know.”
“No. But she disappeared with Jackson eventually too so…” Gracie shrugs. “Everyone was up to something except for me.”
“I was at the hospital,” I stress.
“All night?” Hayden asks.
“Eventually we went back to Eli’s apartment.”
“Is that why you’re dressed like that?” When I frown, she laughs. “Like a hobo wearing her boyfriend’s old sweatshirt and socks and some ratty-ass leggings he dug out of the bottom of his closet that you owned like…three years ago?”
I burst out laughing. “You pretty much nailed it.” I kick out my foot toward Gracie, waving the Adidas slides. “These belong to you. Snagged them out of Caleb’s room.”
Gracie shakes her head. “Those are my ‘I have nothing else to wear on my feet’ shoes.”
“They’ve worked out pretty well. And this is why I went shopping earlier. I needed something to wear tonight to the game.”
Eli mentioned he’d leave tickets for me at will call.
Can’t wait to watch him play again.
Gracie snatches up the bag and peeks inside, pulling out a blue and green printed thong. “Nice,” she says, twirling them on her finger. “Wearing them for Eli later?”
“Why do you need new panties, hmm?” Hayden asks. “I’m guessing you’re not wearing any at the moment.”
“No bra either,” I confirm with a laugh. “Might’ve had an—encounter or two with Eli last night. Well, more like the middle of the night.”
And earlier this morning. Oh and right before we left the apartment.
“Are you two back together or what?” Gracie asks.
“We are.” I bite my lower lip. “I mean, it’s not official or anything. We haven’t labeled our relationship yet.”
Hayden’s brows shoot up. “I would say if you two are having sex, you’re back together.”
“Unless it’s hate sex, which can be fun,” Gracie adds.
I think of the night in the back seat of his car. That was definitely pent-up, I want you but I hate you sex.
“He told me he loved me,” I confess.
“When he was inside you?”
“Gracie!” Hayden yells.
Gracie shrugs. “Just asking. That’s when they tend to say it the most.”
“Yes,” I admit. “That’s exactly how it happened.”
“Ugh, men.” Gracie shakes her head.
“You’re not allowed to be mad at men in general. You’re the one in a solid relationship with the reformed horn dog,” Hayden tells her best friend.
“We’re not talking about Caleb and me,” Gracie says, her gaze on mine and her cheeks the faintest pink. “We’re talking about you and Eli. Just—be careful, my friend. Eli is a great guy. I adore him, but he’s also impulsive. I don’t want him to hurt you.”
“He won’t. I know what I’m doing when it comes to Eli,” I say assuredly.
Her words of warning linger in my brain as we start to get ready, though. I take a quick shower and change into all-new clothes, right down to the thong and a new bralette. I even bought shoes—a pair of new slip-on black Vans, which I’ve been wanting to replace my old ones for a while.
“You’re not wearing Bulldog gear,” Gracie chastises when she sees me in my jeans and new black sweater.
“I refuse to buy a new team T-shirt or sweatshirt when I have so many at home,” I say, as I walk up to the standing mirror sitting in the corner of Hayden’s bedroom. “I like my fit. I’ll wear this sweater on repeat all through winter.”
“It’s cute,” Hayden agrees, coming up behind me. She’s got on a white Bulldog sweatshirt and jeans, her hair pulled into a high pony. She’s grown it out over the last year and it falls past her shoulders now.
“More for Tony to grab,” she joked with us, which made me laugh.
And blush.
I think about it again. Eli has pulled my hair a few times during sex, but never hard enough to really hurt.
That sounds kind of fun.
Any type of experimental sex with Eli sounds fun. I feel much bolder with him this time around. He really enjoyed that blow job earlier this morning. Again, he’s all about the visual. I could put on a little show for him tonight, if he’s not too tired.
I could ask him to do a few things with me. To me. He might be interested.
Knowing Eli, he’ll be extremely interested.
By the time we make it over to the stadium, the first quarter of the game has already started. Considering we have seats in the reserved section for the girlfriends and wives—crazy that some of the members of the team are married, but a few of them already are—we don’t have to worry about where we sit, and we always have great seats.
We grab some snacks and something to drink, since none of us have eaten much today. Once we’re settled in our seats, I immediately find Eli on the field, and I can tell, even from the distance, that he’s not happy.
My heart sinks and my appetite disappears. An unhappy Eli on the field means an unhappy and potentially angry Eli off the field too. And that’s the worst. I’ve dealt with his moods before. I was almost glad I wasn’t around much last season—his worst season by far. He was constantly beating himself up.
The team gets into position, Eli getting ready to throw the ball, and I notice his frenzied movements. As if he doesn’t know who to throw to. Diego is trying to catch his attention, but he’s also being blocked by a big dude from the other team.
Eli throws the ball and it sails high into the sky, landing…
In that big dude’s equally big hands.
“Oh shit!” Gracie exclaims, clapping a hand over her mouth when she catches me looking at her.
His disappointment is palpable. He’s mentally beating himself up. And it’s like this the entirety of the game. At halftime, I have high hopes he can readjust and get his head back into the game.
But it doesn’t work. And at one point early in the third quarter, I swear it looks like he’s about to get into a fight with…Diego?
What the hell?
My mood—as well as my friends’—becomes more and more somber. We toss most of the food we bought, too upset to eat it. By the time we’re nearing the end of the fourth quarter, I’m completely discouraged.
We’re going to lose. The second loss of the season—and it’s at home.
I’m sure Eli is devastated.
Somehow, during the final seconds of the game, our boys are able to drive the ball down the field, but unable to score a touchdown. They’re close enough for a field goal, which the kicker makes.
Now we’re tied.
Holy shit.
“We’re going into overtime,” Hayden says. “Oh my God, I hope we can win.”
I say nothing. It’s like I can’t. I’m too choked up and filled with worry. We must win.
We have to.
The game ends with the score tied, and after a few minutes, the team captains walk out onto the field for the coin toss. I watch Eli and Tony walk out together, my chest expanding with pride. Hayden reaches out and grips my hand, not saying a word, but I can tell she’s nervous.
So am I.
We win the coin toss and they choose the opposing team to receive first. Perfect. I sit perched on the edge of my seat, my entire body tense as I watch our defense play. Gracie is rowdy, constantly screaming for Caleb, which makes me and Hayden laugh, but it’s nervous laughter. We can’t fully get into it.
We’re both too stressed out.
The other team gets a field goal, which devastates me. If our boys can’t score, they’ll lose. The pressure just turned up even more, and from what I’ve seen today, Eli isn’t handling it well.
At all.
“He did this last week,” Gracie announces, causing both Hayden and me to look at her.
“Who did what?” Hayden asks.
“Eli. At practice though. He messed up again and again and their coaches pulled him off the field. They had the second-string quarterback play for a while, and Caleb said he was pretty good.” Gracie nods toward the field. “That’s why they probably had him play earlier. Just to test him out.”
“They usually never do that sort of thing when they’re losing and they’re only in the third quarter,” I say, busting out some of my coach’s daughter knowledge.
“True that,” Hayden says with a nod.
They go out on the field and…I don’t see number one out there.
“Oh, Hatfield went out,” Gracie says, her voice full of disappointment.
My gaze frantic, I spot Eli on the sidelines, his helmet off, his expression one of bitter disappointment as he stands next to Caleb, their gazes on the field.
I’m dying to know what happened. But then again…
I’d rather not know anything at all.