Campus Player

by Jennifer Sucevic

  Yes, that’s exactly what it is.

  “Looks like it’s Rowan’s turn to take a ride on the coach’s daughter.”

  Annica’s obnoxious voice is like a bucket of cold water dumped over my head. And yet, it’s still not enough to douse the joy blooming to life inside me.

  “Listen here, you little bi—” Sydney growls, taking a menacing step toward our auburn-haired teammate.

  I break apart from Rowan in time to grab the back of my friend’s practice jersey and stop her from doing any damage. “Ignore her, Syd. She’s not worth it.”

  Annica smirks as if this is yet another battle she’s won. I’m really tired of this girl’s antics. I refuse to let her ruin this for me.

  “Actually,” my best friend says with a glower, “it would be entirely worth it.”

  She scowls at Annica until the other girl and her buddies move it along. Only then does the rage filling her green eyes dissipate before they bounce speculatively from me to Rowan and then back again.

  “Is this really happening?” She shakes her head as if she must be dreaming. “Someone needs to pinch me.” Before I can respond, she throws her arms wide. “How could you keep a juicy morsel like this from me?” She pauses long enough to draw in a sharp breath before firing off another question. “Exactly how long has this been going on for?”

  Rowan tilts his head as if giving the question serious consideration. “Two weeks.”

  “What!” Her brows skyrocket into her hairline, and I can almost see the wheels spinning in her head. “Wait a minute...last Thursday when I found you in the hallway and thought you were talking to someone...” she straightens to her full height and drills a painful finger into my chest. “I knew it! I knew someone was there! My Spidey senses were tingling like crazy, and you totally lied to me!”

  I wince as guilt creeps in at the edges.

  Rowan wraps his arm around my shoulders and tugs me close before dropping a light kiss against the top of my head. “Don’t be too hard on her. She needed a little time before we went public with this.”

  Unmoved by the comment, Sydney folds her arms and glares. “I’m not one of these loudmouth assholes on campus.” She presses a hand to her chest. “I’m your best friend. I’ve always been there for you.” She stabs a finger toward the locker room. “I have zero problem kicking any of their asses if I have to.”

  “I’m sorry, Syd. It was never my intention to keep this from you.” I pause for a beat. My gaze drifts to Rowan before glancing back at my best friend. “After everything with Justin and all the rumors that were flying around, I wanted to give it a little time to die down.”

  Some of the rigidity leaks from her shoulders as she glances toward the locker room again. “You didn’t need to keep the truth from me. I would have backed you up no matter what.”

  Regret slices through me. Ever since Sydney and I met in training camp before freshman year, we’ve been thick as thieves. She’s become a solid presence in my life, and I can’t imagine college or soccer without her. She’s my sister from another mister, and nothing will ever change that no matter where life takes us next year. Instead of sneaking around behind her back, I should have been honest with her.

  Needing to make this right, I slip from Rowan’s arms before wrapping mine around my bestie and tugging her close. “Sorry, girl. You’re the last person I should have worried about.”

  “I forgive you.” Sydney squeezes me in a bone-crushing embrace. As she releases me and steps away, her gaze returns to the handsome football player. “This must be the real deal if you’ve decided to break your own rules.”

  I glance at him. “Yeah, it is.” Even though it’s still early, the feelings I have for Rowan are deeper than anything I’ve ever experienced before. Maybe that’s because he’s been a steady presence in my life for so many years.

  With her arm wrapped around my waist, Sydney’s gaze narrows at him before her expression turns threatening. “I’m warning you upfront that I’ll kick your ass if you do anything to hurt my girl.”

  His lips hitch as he raises his palms in a gesture of surrender. “You don’t have anything to worry about from me.”

  Sydney shoots another glance toward the locker room. “And stay far away from that red-headed viper. If I know that bitch, she’ll make a play for you in order to hurt Demi.”

  The smile dissolves from Rowan’s face as his attention shifts to the squat building. Understanding dawns across his expression. “Is that the girl you found with Justin?”

  “Yup.” Sydney beats me to the punch. “It’s not the first time she’s gone after someone Demi has been with.”

  Rowan’s troubled gaze slides to mine. “Is she still giving you problems?”

  I shrug. I suppose that would depend on your definition of a problem.

  “She’s jealous that our girl is not only a better player but is a starter. Annica wants her position. Demi is competition, and if she can’t wipe her from the field, then she’ll destroy her off it.” Sydney’s expression hardens. “That chick is a real piece of work.”

  “There’s got to be more to it than that.” I roll my eyes as heat suffuses my cheeks. “Annica is a good player.”

  “You’re right, she is. But she’s nowhere as dedicated as you are. Maybe if she put half the amount of time into improving her skills as she does running her mouth, she’d get more playtime on the field.”

  Before I can argue with Sydney’s assessment of the situation, she untangles herself from me and hitches a thumb toward the locker room. “I need to grab a shower. I’m meeting up with Ethan for dinner.” Her lips twitch. “Guess there’s no longer a need to sneak around the apartment, huh?”

  Now that everything is out in the open, it’s like a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders. Not even Annica can ruin this for me.

  “Nope.” Rowan’s gaze holds mine.

  With that, Sydney takes off at a slow jog, leaving us alone on the field.

  Rowan closes the distance between us before reaching out and tugging me into his arms. I tilt my head until I can meet his gaze.

  “Any regrets?” he asks softly.

  It’s not even a question in my head. “None.”

  “Good.” His lips drift across mine. “I didn’t like sneaking around. I want everyone to know you belong to me.”

  The possessive sentiment sends a thrill shooting through me. “I like the sound of that.”

  For one glorious moment, all feels right in the world.

  Rowan shatters that peace when he says, “You know we’re going to have to talk to Coach, right?”

  My heart hitches.

  Dad.

  Somehow, in the chaos of the moment, I forgot about him. Is it too late to put this under wraps again? How about we consider filling him in after graduation?

  Rowan’s lips quirk. “Think I’ll get benched for the rest of the season?”

  I really hope not.

  Then again, with my father, anything is possible.

  29

  Demi

  “You need to relax.” Rowan squeezes my fingers as he drags me up the sidewalk of my childhood home. Even though we’ve been doing this since the first week of college, nothing about this particular dinner feels normal. I’m a ball of pent-up anxiety. “Everything will be fine.”

  I press my other hand to my lower abdomen as if that will calm the sickness roiling inside me. “Are you sure about that?”

  “Yup.” He lifts our entwined hands to his mouth before brushing a soft kiss against my knuckles. “Pretty sure.”

  “I don’t know.” Dad and I have an unspoken arrangement regarding the Wildcat players. It makes it easier for everyone involved. Not once, in all these years, have I been tempted to cross that line.

  Rowan has turned out to be the exception.

  I’m unsure how Dad will react to this new development.

  Will it be with shock?

  Anger?

  Disappointment?

  The last tw
o are what scares me the most. There has never been a time in my life when I didn’t toe the line. Why wouldn’t I? I had a happy home. Even with the divorce, I knew my parents loved me. Some kids want to push the boundaries and flirt with danger. I never felt the need to do that. I was too focused on soccer and school to get into mischief, or date boys who I knew would be trouble.

  Even though I have no idea what to expect from him, I can’t see Dad being hunky-dory with his one and only daughter dating his star quarterback. The very same guy he took under his wing, welcomed into our house, and treated as if he was part of the family.

  The only good thing that will come out of this evening is that I can finally come clean and get everything out in the open. My father and I have always been close. I don’t like sneaking around and keeping secrets from him. There have been two dinners since we spent the weekend together, and I barely survived either without blurting out the truth. I laughed a little too loudly and kept jumping up, fluttering nervously around the kitchen and living room. Dad jokingly asked if I had ants in my pants.

  Little does he know that it’s Rowan who is in my pants.

  Well, not literally. We still haven’t slept together, and it’s driving me bonkers.

  As Rowan reaches for the door handle, I slip my hand from his to smooth down my outfit. I’m not a girl who usually wears skirts, but I wanted to look nice this evening. All right...so maybe Sydney got her hands on me before I could walk out the door. I was informed that athletic shorts and a T-shirt are not considered dress code appropriate when you’re announcing a new relationship to your father. I’m wearing a pale, blue-colored skirt that hits mid-thigh and a tan, light V-neck sweater that hugs my curves.

  As much as I fought Sydney on the outfit change, I’m kind of glad she strongarmed me into it. Rowan’s expression was well worth the hassle. His eyes nearly popped out of his head when he caught sight of me.

  Who knows...maybe tonight will be the lucky night.

  I almost snort.

  A girl can dream, right?

  He pauses before pushing open the front door. “Did I tell you how amazing you look?”

  My lips bow up at the corners. “Only about a dozen times.”

  “Just wanted to make sure.” He gives me a wink along with a quick kiss before swinging the door wide. Barely do I have enough time to collect myself before Dad peeks into the entryway from around the kitchen corner.

  “Hey, guys!” He holds up an overflowing platter of uncooked hamburgers and hot dogs. “It’s so nice out that I thought we could grill for dinner.”

  “Sounds good, Dad,” I respond in an overly enthusiastic voice. Jeez. I really need to settle down and play this cool.

  “Hey, Coach.” Rowan lifts a hand to wave. “Need any help?”

  “Nope, it’s all good. The corn is ready to boil, and the fries are in the oven.” He glances between the pair of us. “Did you two ride over together?”

  Shoot. Maybe we should have taken separate vehicles. Does he already suspect that we’ve been seeing each other? Is he going to stomp into his home office and take out his gun in an attempt to scare Rowan away?

  I have to swallow down the nerves attempting to fight their way out.

  Before I can wrap my lips around an answer, Rowan says in an offhanded manner, “Yup. There didn’t seem to be any point in wasting gas when we’re both going to the same place.”

  Dad nods as if that makes perfect sense, and I release the pent-up air from my lungs in a rush. I’ve only been here for two minutes, and already I know that I won’t make it through an hour without blurting out the truth.

  My father’s gaze returns to me. “Wow, hun, you look nice.” His lips sink into a frown. “Is tonight a special occasion? It’s not your birthday, is it?”

  “No.”

  “Good. I’d feel terrible if I forgot.” He studies me a little more closely. “Well, you certainly look beautiful. Rowan is a lucky guy.”

  My muscles tense, and my eyes widen. “What do you mean?” Damn Sydney and her meddling ways. I knew I should have stuck with athletic shorts and a T-shirt.

  He points to my outfit. “Just that Rowan is fortunate to be escorting such a beautiful girl this evening.”

  Rowan’s lips tremble at the corners. “That’s exactly what I told her, Coach.”

  “I don’t think you’ve worn a skirt in years.” Silently he racks his brain. “Maybe for high school graduation?”

  I force out a laugh. “Oh, come on. That can’t be true.” Although now that I’m thinking about it, it probably is. “It was Sydney’s idea,” I grumble. “You can blame her for this.”

  Dad gives me a questioning look. “Why would I do that? I like it. You should wear them more often. Right, Row?”

  “Yup,” barely contained laughter simmers in his deep voice, “she looks great.”

  Unaware of the stress practically choking the life out of me, Dad waves a hand. “Let’s get this meat on the grill so we can eat. I’m starving.” With that, he heads out the slider door and onto the patio.

  “You really need to chill out,” Rowan whispers in my ear when we’re alone.

  “Yeah, that’s not going to happen.” Not until the air is cleared.

  “If you’re not ready, we don’t have to do this tonight. There’s no hurry.”

  As tempting as the offer is, I shake my head. Even though there’s nothing in his expression or voice to give away his true feelings, I know he would be hurt if I chickened out and didn’t fill my father in. I don’t want Rowan to think I’m embarrassed to be with him. “I’m nervous,” I admit. “I’m not sure how Dad will react. I’ve never dated one of his players before.”

  “In the end, everything will be fine.” He shrugs as if unconcerned with how the evening will turn out. “And if it’s not, then we’ll deal with it. There’s no reason to get worked up before we know how everything will play out. It’s a waste of energy.”

  Under normal circumstances, I would wholeheartedly agree with the statement. But these aren’t exactly normal circumstances, now are they?

  I release another steady exhalation and try to settle my jangled nerves. When I don’t budge from the entryway, Rowan’s hand settles on my lower back before giving me a little nudge toward the kitchen. It feels very much like I’m walking to my death.

  Thirty minutes later, the hamburgers and hot dogs are ready, and the three of us are sitting at the patio table outside. The oversized umbrella is up, shading us from the evening sun that peeks over the tree line. I grab a hamburger and load it with the works. Rowan and Dad strategize nonstop about the upcoming game. If Rowan weren’t an all but surefire draft pick, I think Dad would love to bring him on as an assistant coach.

  It’s kind of funny. In the past, their banter and closeness annoyed me. Their relationship is easy. Maybe I was even a little jealous of it. Dad and Rowan can talk about football until the cows come home. Then they can talk about it some more.

  Sure, I love the sport. I grew up with a football in my hands before it was swapped out for a soccer ball. That being said, there’s only so much I can talk about it before my eyes glaze over.

  “Is something wrong?” Dad cuts into my thoughts when he points to my untouched plate. “You’ve barely eaten a bite.”

  “Oh.” I suck my lower lip between my teeth and shrug. It’s on the tip of my tongue to blurt out the truth, but the words refuse to budge. “I guess I’m not very hungry.”

  With a frown, he studies me more closely. “Are you feeling okay? Burgers are one of your favorites.”

  I shake my head, feeling like the world’s biggest chicken for wimping out. “I ate a big lunch.”

  “Huh.” He takes a bite of his burger before chewing and swallowing it.

  I pick up my water and guzzle down half the glass. My throat is parched. If I’m lucky, it’ll wash away all of the anxiety eating me alive, and I’ll find the nerve to tell him what’s really going on.

  “So,” Dad says conversationall
y, “you’ve been here for more than an hour. When were you two planning on spilling the beans about your relationship?”

  The water goes down the wrong pipe, and I sputter before spitting it all over my plate. Tears fill my eyes as I have a coughing fit. Dad reaches over and gives my back a few good whacks, which doesn’t help alleviate the situation. A full sixty seconds tick by before I’m able to catch my breath. “What did you say?” I wheeze.

  “You heard me.” Dad sits back and folds his arms across his chest. He’s wearing a black polo with a Wildcats emblem in the left upper corner. A matching black ball cap sits low over his eyes. “When were you gonna tell me that you two are seeing each other?”

  “Ummm.” My wide gaze skitters to Rowan before I clear my throat. “We were going to tell you tonight.”

  Dad’s gaze bounces between the two of us. I have no idea what he’s thinking. My father has spent years on the sidelines perfecting his poker face, and right now, it’s all but killing me.

  “Coach—”

  Dad turns his attention to Rowan, and I brace myself for all hell to break loose. “You made a move on my daughter?”

  Oh, shit.

  The younger man inhales before forcing it out and straightening his shoulders. “I did, sir.”

  “Well, I didn’t think that would ever happen.”

  Rowan’s brows draw together as if he didn’t hear him correctly. “I’m...sorry?”

  A slow grin moves across my father’s face. He flicks his gaze in my direction and shocks the hell out of me when he asks, “You’ve liked her for a while, haven’t you?”

  There is no hesitation from Rowan. “Since the very beginning.”

  “That’s what I thought.”

  Even though my heart is galloping uncomfortably under my breast, a mixture of joy and relief bursts through me like a firework. It never occurs to me not to reach out and slip Rowan’s fingers into mine. When I squeeze them, he glances over and flashes a smile. The tension that had settled in his shoulders evaporates.

  “All I have to say is that you better treat my daughter better than some of the other knuckleheads she’s been out with, or you’ll answer to me.” My father’s tone might be mild, but there’s an underlying threat buried beneath the surface.