We’ve got enough people to play with two full teams and a couple alternates. Rauthruss and Heath end up on my team and Adam and Mav on the other with Bryan.
“We’re just waiting on my dad,” Adam says and glances toward the house. “Ginny, did you see him when you came out?”
“No, I haven’t seen him this morning.”
Adam’s brows scrunch together. “That’s weird.”
“He probably had to run to town for something Mom forgot. Let’s just start, I’m sure he’ll show up.”
Adam doesn’t budge.
“I will go check on him.” I nudge Heath playfully. “Don’t screw up my winning streak, Payne.”
I hurry back up to the house and to the kitchen where I can hear Mom and her sister, Zoe, talking and cooking. Mom’s wearing a half apron chopping onions while Zoe sits on a stool peeling potatoes.
“Hey.”
They both look up as I enter.
“Morning. Game over already?” Mom asks.
“No, we haven’t started yet. We’re waiting on Dad. Do you know where he is?”
Mom and Zoe exchange a look.
“What?” I ask when neither of them immediately answers.
Mom shakes her head. “I don’t know where he went, but it’s not like him to miss the big game. Start without him, and I’ll text and let him know the team’s missing him.”
I grin. “Okay. Thanks, Mom. Are you staying for dinner, Aunt Zoe?”
“No, your uncle Wyatt and I are heading to his mom’s. I’ll stop by Sunday before you head back to school.”
As I go out, Dad’s pulling into the driveway. I run to him, pleased to see he’s dressed to play in an old T-shirt and shorts. “You’re late.”
“How’s the team looking, kid?” He gives me a one-arm hug as we walk toward the game.
“We’ve got a few ringers thanks to Adam and his friends.”
At the next break in play, Adam finds us on the sidelines, and he and my dad hug. Adam’s taller and broader than him now, which is just another way things have changed over the last three years.
“Good to see you, son.”
“You ready to get your ass kicked, old man?”
Adam and my dad smack talk like they’re both twelve, but it’s so good to see them together. Our whole family home at the same time.
“You’re on Ginny’s team,” Adam tells him.
Our team huddles up, and Dad and I substitute in.
As we play, I have this sublime feeling of total completeness. Like I’ve never been this happy. Maybe it’s just nostalgia and the sense that this is a rare moment. Adam will graduate, become a doctor with insane hours, and get married or move far away and who knows when we’ll all be here again. Maybe another three years. Maybe longer.
Heath isn’t as good of a QB as Bryan, as painful as that is to admit, and Adam is way better than I remember. While we grab water, Heath gives me a rueful smile. “You might want to think about a trade if you want to keep that winning streak.”
“I would never leave my team in the final quarter,” I say, faking shock then wrapping my arms around his sweaty neck. He grins and I kiss him in front of everyone. I definitely got the better QB and I’m not shy about letting the other team know it.
30
Heath
Ginny’s ex is a piece of shit. Hello, jealousy, nice to meet you. But come on, this guy? I don’t miss the way he tries to flirt with her or the little inside jokes he tosses out. I want to throw the football in a perfect spiral directly into his face… or maybe his balls.
I remind myself that Ginny referred to sex with this guy as blah. My jealousy? Petty as hell.
Adam makes the game winning touchdown and his team celebrates as I approach Ginny with a rueful smile.
“Sorry, baby doll.”
My girl has a competitive streak I find as amusing as I do sexy. Her mouth pulls down in a disappointed pout. “It’s fine. I was due for a loss. Besides, I was distracted more than normal.”
I worry for a second that she means because of Bryan, but then her lips twist up and she fists my shirt to pull me closer. “You threw me off my game, Payne. Usually you’re covered in layers of padding and I can’t really see you when you’re on the ice, but out here I could see every drip of sweat.”
“That padding keeps me alive.”
She brings her lips to mine and hums against my mouth. “Necessary evil.”
“QB looks but missing that QB arm.” Maverick places both hands on his hips when he stops beside us.
“Yeah, well, I’d like to see you get a pass through Adam and Rauthruss,” I grumble.
Ginny drops another quick kiss and then steps back. “I better go check on my mom in the kitchen.”
After everyone else leaves, the guys and I sit in the yard drinking beer. Adam and his dad are tossing the ball back and forth. They have this easy way about them. Like I can tell Adam respects him, but his dad has stopped being the hard-ass parent now that his son is older, and they just seem to enjoy being around one another.
I never got that. Never even knew it was a thing until now. I had lots of good times with my dad, but I was still a kid—we didn’t talk girls or life, none of that. Losing a parent is one of those things that as soon as you think you’re over it, something stops you in your tracks and the wound is as fresh as if it just happened. I have a feeling it’ll be like that the rest of my life. But as sad as it makes me for what I missed out on, I enjoy being around Ginny’s family. It’s the first holiday I’ve had in years where my worries are only the limitations of my stomach and how much food I can stuff in it.
“We’re eating in thirty minutes,” Ginny says as she rejoins us outside. She’s freshly showered and dressed in jeans and a ruffly shirt with a deep V-neck that’s going to make it impossible to keep my eyes off her boobs while I feign the role of respectable friend.
She hasn’t held back with the PDA since I showed up last night, but I still want to respect that Adam’s not exactly on board. She takes a seat on my lap and I glance around to see if anyone shoots daggers at me, but Mr. Scott and Adam barely seem to notice.
“I should shower.” I’m dirty and sweaty and probably not presentable for a Thanksgiving table.
“Yeah, we all should get cleaned up,” Mr. Scott says as he tosses the ball to Adam one last time and heads for the house.
“Adam, do you have some clothes I could borrow?” Mav asks. “I was so excited when I packed all I managed to grab were socks and boxers.”
Adam chuckles but nods. “I’ll see what my dad has.”
They all head in, but Ginny doesn’t budge to let me up.
“I can think of a few things to do while you wait for the shower.”
“Oh yeah.” I put my finger in the V of her shirt and pull the fabric away from her chest so I can look down it.
“Mhmm.”
She presses her lips to mine and then pulls back so we’re nose to nose. “I, uh, decided something last night.”
“What’s that?” I ask and kiss her again.
“I don’t want to wait anymore.”
“Wait for what?”
“Sex, dummy. I’m ready.”
A few months ago, I would have thought going without sex this long would have been a real sacrifice, but Ginny’s sexual appetite is ravenous… just without the actual sex. When we first started hooking up, I couldn’t wait to get inside her, but Ginny’s creative and I can’t pretend to have been anything but satisfied with our hookups. However, now that she’s giving me the green light, I am ready to skip dinner and just have her instead.
All the blood is rushing to my cock with all the new things this opens up for us. I can’t freaking wait. I kiss her hard, giving her a taste of how excited I am about her news.
“Payne,” Adam bellows from the house. “Quit sucking face with my sister and get in here.”
I smile into her mouth as our kiss stops.
We walk up to the house and Ginny goes to the kitc
hen to help her mom. I grab my overnight bag and Adam and I head upstairs.
“You can take a shower in my room. Should have everything you need in there.” He stops outside his room and motions for me to go ahead.
“Thanks, man.”
“No problem. Lock the door on both sides.”
“What?” I ask, confused.
“You’ll see.”
I walk in and set my bag on the floor and then wander to the bathroom. There’s another bedroom on the other side and I grin as I get my first peek at Ginny’s childhood. I go all the way in and turn a circle. The walls are painted teal and the bed has a white comforter with a thousand throw pillows piled on top. Framed photos line the top of a desk. Even without walking closer, I can tell Bryan is featured in a lot of them.
Her ex-boyfriend might be better at football, but Ginny barely even looked at him the entire game. I know it sounds conceited to say she’s totally into me, but I know she is. I’m totally into her too. Still, I turn the largest frame around so I don’t have to stare at their happy faces.
As I’m coming back through the bathroom, Adam walks in his room with brows furrowed. “Do you have any extra clothes Mav could wear?”
“Nah, man, I just brought the one change of clothes.”
He goes to his dresser and rummages through the few items inside. “My dad doesn’t have a single item of clothing in their closet.”
I shrug and so does he as he says, “Guess Mav will have to wear some vintage duds of mine.”
By the time I shower and head back down, the Scott’s dining room table is filled with food and the guys are already sitting around practically salivating. There’s an empty chair between Ginny and Mav, and I take it.
Mrs. Scott sets a final dish on the table and smiles. “I think that’s everything. Dig in everyone.”
For five minutes no one speaks except to compliment the food between bites. Even my sweet little Ginny, who barely fills a plate most days, eats her weight in mashed potatoes and turkey.
I feel like I can’t eat another bite, but then Mrs. Scott brings pies to the table and I can’t help myself.
“I think I’m gonna be sick,” Mav says after his second piece, leaning back and rubbing his stomach.
“What are you wearing, Mav?” Ginny asks. “Is that Adam’s high school homecoming shirt?”
He looks down and shrugs.
Adam speaks from across the table. “Yeah, Dad. I went in your and Mom’s closet to loan Mav a shirt, but I couldn’t find anything. Did she finally take over the entire closet and ban your clothes to the basement?”
Adam laughs at the idea, but then an uncomfortable silence follows as Mr. and Mrs. Scott share a nervous glance.
My skin prickles with awareness even before I’ve put it together. I’m good at reading bad news. Ginny’s confused expression is heartbreaking, and I rest a hand on her leg under the table.
Mrs. Scott frowns and then says, “We wanted to wait until after the weekend to tell you.”
“To tell us what?” Adam asks, his tone hardened in anticipation.
Uncomfortable silence falls over the room.
“Your mother and I have separated,” Mr. Scott answers finally.
Mav goes into a coughing fit, unable to hide his surprise and I elbow him hard in the ribs. He grunts loudly, but no one is paying him any attention anyway.
“Separated?” Adam questions. “You’re getting divorced?”
Mrs. Scott looks around the table. “Maybe we should talk about it later.”
“Mom?” Ginny’s voice wavers and my chest… my chest fucking aches.
Mrs. Scott’s mouth pulls up into a smile, but it’s sad as hell. “We love you both very much. That hasn’t changed and it won’t. We’re still a family.”
Rauthruss clears his throat. “Maybe the guys and I should give you some time to talk.” He glances to me and Mav, and we start to stand only to have Adam beat us to it.
“No, you guys stay. I need some air.”
Ginny pushes back her chair so quickly it scrapes against the wood floor. “Me too.” She disappears after him.
“Holy uncomfortable Batman,” Mav whispers.
“I’m going to talk to them,” Mr. Scott says and looks to his wife, maybe for approval. She nods and he follows them out.
It isn’t until Mrs. Scott stands and excuses herself that the guys and I take a breath.
“Fuck, man, that was rough.” Rauthruss grimaces. “What do we do?”
“No clue,” I tell him honestly.
31
Ginny
Adam and I sit in the garage after Dad leaves to go back to his place.
“He has his own apartment. How weird is that?” I ask, mostly to myself.
“You really had no idea?” Adam looks to me again like I should have known and warned him. Maybe I should have, but I didn’t.
I shake my head. “I didn’t know. Dad was in Scottsdale for work when I got here earlier this week.” I think back, not only to the days since I got home for Thanksgiving break, but over the last few months. “They were going on trips and…” It hits me then that those trips were probably a last-ditch effort to save their marriage, and I feel like throwing up.
At some point, my brother grabbed a bottle of wine from the kitchen and we are well on our way to finishing it off. Adam’s drunk the lion’s share. He seems to be taking this harder than me. I feel numb, but he… well, I haven’t seen my brother so devastated since the day I got locked inside the pantry. He’d been nine then and took on the big brother protector role with a dedication second to none. Since then I’d thought of him as unbreakable.
He can’t protect me from this though, and I can’t protect him. Everything is going to be different whether we like it or not.
Rauthruss walks outside with his hands in his pockets about the time Adam is tossing the empty wine bottle in the trash. “Are you guys okay?”
“Getting there.” Adam holds up his wine glass and takes a healthy drink.
“We thought you might want to stay another night, head back in the morning?”
Adam nods and his expression softens. “Yeah, thanks, I appreciate it. Sorry for the family drama.”
Mav and Heath walk out. Heath’s blue eyes fixate on me.
“You guys wanna go out?” Adam asks. “I need to get away from here for a bit.”
They all agree, and I stare down into my wine.
“You coming, Little Scott?” Mav asks.
“I think I’m going to stay.”
Heath hangs back as the rest of the guys head for Adam’s Jeep. Rauthruss climbs into the driver’s side, thankfully. I know he’ll make sure they’re safe.
“Do you want me to stay?” Heath offers.
“No. I think Adam needs you more than me right now. I’m going to check on my mom.”
He squeezes my hand and drops a kiss to my forehead. “Sorry, baby doll. Text me if you need me and I’ll come back.”
I offer the biggest smile of appreciation I can, which probably isn’t that big. He jogs off, hops into the Jeep, and I watch them pull away.
I find Mom in the kitchen wiping down the counters. She stops when she sees me and offers a sad smile. “Are you okay?”
I slide onto the stool in front of her. “Funny, I was going to ask you the same thing.”
She lets out a sigh and nods. “Yeah, it’s the best thing for your dad and I, but I know that’s not easy for you and Adam to understand.”
“What happened? Is that weird to ask?”
Her smile is soft and warm, and she holds her arms out. I hop off the stool and go to her, stepping in and letting her wrap me into a reassuring embrace. “It wasn’t one big thing, honey. We grew apart and started seeing our futures differently.”
I tilt my head up to look her in the eye and she runs a hand along the back of my head like she did when I was a little girl. “I love you. Your father loves you. We’re still a family, even if it looks a little different now.”
“It’ll be weird to go back to Valley and not think of you and Dad together here.”
“I so get that. It’s taken some getting used to being here by myself.”
I glance around the kitchen wondering if she’ll even stay here in this big house without him. I’m not brave enough to ask. I can’t take another blow today.
“I promise that we’ll both still be there for you and that we won’t be those awful parents who can’t be in the same room together.”
My heart hurts imagining any scenario that looks different than what I’m used to. Everything’s changing.
“Adam’s wrecked.”
“Your brother is a romantic.”
I huff a small laugh. “Adam?”
“It’s true. He is. From the time he was old enough to talk, he’d tell everyone he wanted to be a husband when he grew up, just like his daddy.”
“I don’t remember that.”
“Middle school happened, and that’s when he decided he wanted to be a doctor, but he hasn’t changed.”
“But he goes through girlfriends faster than anyone I know.”
“He’s a romantic, but he’s still a young man.” She smiles and I notice how tired she looks and wonder how I didn’t see it before. “I should talk to him.”
“They went to the bar.”
“Even Heath?”
“Yeah, he offered to stay, but I figured Adam needed him more than me.”
She touches my face. “You’re a good sister. I’ll talk to him before he leaves, but he’ll be okay. We all will.”
I hope so.
“I was going to have some pie in bed and watch It’s a Wonderful Life. Want to join me?”
“Is there any pumpkin left?”
“You didn’t really think I put all the pies out on the table earlier?” She smiles and shakes her head as she goes to the oven and pulls out a pumpkin pie.
I barely ate earlier and my stomach growls at the delicious smell of pumpkin and nutmeg. “In that case, I want two slices.”
Mom and I eat pie curled up on her king-size bed. As I lay there, I can still smell my dad in their room and wonder if she can too. I’m sad, but I know my parents didn’t come to this decision lightly, so I do my best to not let it show too much.
Secret Puck (Campus Nights Book 1) Page 18