Through His Eyes
Page 23
“There should be more to life than all that.” I grab the remote and switch the television on to Sunday football. “Money doesn’t buy happiness. It just buys shit.”
“You wouldn’t understand,” Celeste says, her voice serious. “Because you’ve never been without money. You’ve never had to worry about the electric or water being shut off. If you want to go to Colorado to ski, you go.”
I don’t even know why I bother to argue with her. It’s always the same shit. I’m rich and my life is perfect…She’s poor and her life sucks…
Celeste continues, “You’ll see. All those broken hearts you’ve had because you keep thinking with your heart. Once you’re in the NFL and making bank, you won’t have to worry about all that. I guarantee once you’re making your own money, girls like Samantha will be begging to be with you, but it won’t be your heart they’re after.”
“They can come after me, but that doesn’t mean I’ll be with them.”
“Let’s be real here, Nick. Those that are poor, want to be rich, and those that are rich, only want to be richer. Plus, you’ve had how many failed relationships in high school and college? You should just quit while you’re ahead.”
I turn my head to Celeste and glare at her. “When I throw a shitty pass, I don’t quit playing. I keep throwing until I get the pass right.”
Celeste laughs. “You know what they say the definition of insanity is? Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
“You’re such a bitch.” I laugh, and Celeste hits me in the face with my pillow. “I’m going to find her…One day I’ll find a girl who’ll love me and won’t want shit from me other than me.”
“Okay…how about we make a pact?” She smirks. “If you haven’t found love by the time you turn thirty, you’ll admit I’m right. Money makes the world go round.”
“Okay…” There’s got to be more to this.
“And we get married.”
At this, I crack up laughing. “Wasn’t that in a movie once?”
“So?” She hits me with another one of my pillows.
“I’m pretty sure it didn’t work out for them…”
Celeste rolls her eyes. “It was a movie. What do you have to lose? You have ten years to prove me wrong.”
“Are you serious? You and me get married?” I rake my eyes down her body. Sure, Celeste is hot, in a Victoria Secret model sort of way, but she’s not exactly my type. I prefer my women with a little more T and A if you catch my drift.
“Don’t give me that look. I’m not attracted to you, either. If I haven’t found a rich guy yet, we get married and do it my way. Not for love, but for money. I mean, c’mon…just about every NFL player you know has a model attached to his arm.”
Before I can respond, my best friend, roommate, and teammate, Killian Blake, walks into our dorm, slamming the door behind him.
“What’s up?” he asks, throwing his gym bag onto his bed.
“I caught Samantha fucking Jesse. Apparently she’s been cheating on me with him all damn summer.”
“I told you that bitch was money-hungry.” Killian shakes his head as he plops down on his bed across from us. I groan internally because apparently everyone saw it but me.
“And Celeste wants to make a pact.” I laugh. “If I don’t find love before I’m thirty, I marry her.”
“You can’t seriously be considering this?” Killian sits up, his eyes trained on me, not even acknowledging Celeste is in the room. Killian and I met our freshman year of college, when we were assigned to the same dorm room, and clicked immediately. He’s a wide receiver, and I’m the quarterback. This will also be our third year sharing a room, and if my dad has it his way, it might be our last. “You realize you’re making a deal with the she-devil, right?” he adds, and Celeste glares at him.
The two of them have never gotten along. Celeste has never hidden the fact she wants a man who has money, and for that reason, Killian thinks she’s a gold-digging bitch. The funny thing is, she’s never denied it, never once tried to be someone she’s not, and oddly enough I respect her for that. At least she isn’t constantly getting her heart smashed on like I do.
I let out a low chuckle as I consider her proposition. For years, my mom and Beatrice have said Celeste and I will one day get married. I think deep down my mom is rooting for Celeste to get out of her situation like she did, but only because she’s her best friend’s daughter. Any other girl in Celeste’s situation, my mom would be looking down on. But Celeste, she’s always had a soft spot for. Like the daughter she never had.
“And what if I do find love?” I challenge Celeste.
“Well, then you’ll restore my faith in love, and I’ll stop looking for a rich guy and find myself a man to love.” She snorts in disbelief at her own words.
“Yeah, right,” Killian scoffs. “You wouldn’t know what love looks like if it smacked you in the head with your high heel.” I laugh, and Celeste shoots daggers his way.
“You’re too young to be this jaded,” I say to her.
“I’m only four years younger than you, and if we go by life experience, I’m actually ten years older.”
Killian groans and falls back onto his bed, covering his face with a pillow.
“So, do we have a deal?” Celeste grins, extending her hand out to me.
“Fine,” I say, and we shake hands. If by thirty, I still haven’t found the one, maybe it will be time to admit Celeste is right…but I’m not ready to give up on love yet. Plus, the thought of finding love and Celeste having to give up on her ‘marry-a-rich-man plan’ to find her own true love will make it well worth it. “Better be ready.” I smirk.
“For what?” she questions.
“To find your happily-ever-after. Once I find true love, it will be your turn.” I shoot her a wink, and she rolls her eyes.
“You guys have lost your minds.” Killian laughs. “Party tonight at Jase’s new place. You down?”
“Hell yeah,” I tell him. Jase Crawford has been a friend of mine since high school. We played football for two years together at Piermont Academy and then another two years at NCU before he graduated last year.
“I’m down,” Celeste agrees, and Killian gives me a hard stare, telling me to shut it down.
“Not tonight,” I say apologetically to Celeste.
“Really?” She scoffs. “It’s like that?”
“Yeah, little girl, it is,” Killian says. “You might have a fake ID that says you’re older, but you’re still only sixteen, and we’re not going to be responsible for you. This is an adult party.”
“Whatever.” She stands. “I’ll catch you later. Have fun at your adult party.” She saunters out of the dorm room with an extra sway to her hips.
“That girl is nothing but trouble,” Killian says as we watch her close the door behind her.
“Don’t I know it.”
One Click -> The Pickup (Secret baby)
Other Books by Nikki Ash
All books can be read as stand-alones
The Fighting Series
Fighting for a Second Chance (Secret baby)
Fighting with Faith (Secret baby)
Fighting for Your Touch
Fighting for Your Love (Single mom)
Fighting ‘round the Christmas Tree: A Fighting Series Novel
Fighting Love Series
Tapping Out (Secret baby)
Clinched (Single dad)
Takedown (Single mom)
Stand-alone Novels
Bordello (Mob romance)
Knocked Down (Single dad)
Unbroken Promises (Friends to lovers)
Heath (Modern telling)
Through His Eyes (Single mom, age gap)
Clutch Player (Coming 2020)
Fool Me Once (Coming 2020)
Imperfect Love Series
The Pickup (Secret baby)
Going Deep (Enemies to Lovers)
On the Surface (Second chance, single dad)
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br /> Acknowledgments
First and foremost, I need to thank my children. For being my biggest fans. For supporting my love and need to write. For talking plot with me and helping to approve every cover. I wouldn’t be able to do this without you two.
To everyone involved in making this book the amazing story that it is, thank you for taking this journey with me! Ashley, Stacy, Juliana, Brittany, Andrea, Lisa, Krysten, and Tabitha, thank you! Ena and Amanda, with Enticing Journey. Thank you for keeping my life together.
To Kristi, for listening to me every single day. For showing me what true friendship means. Thank you!
To the bloggers, who continue to take a chance on me. Thank you! There are thousands of authors, and it means the world to me that you choose to read and review and share my work.
To my Fight Club peeps! You are my safe place. Thank you for riding along on this journey with me.
To my readers, you are the reason I get to continue to write books. Thank you!
About the Author
Nikki Ash resides in South Florida where she is an English teacher by day and a writer by night. When she’s not writing, you can find her with a book in her hand. From the Boxcar Children, to Wuthering Heights, to the latest single parent romance, she has lived and breathed every type of book. While reading and writing are her passions, her two children are her entire world. You can probably find them at a Disney park before you would find them at home on the weekends!
Reading is like breathing in, writing is like breathing out.– Pam Allyn
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