by Max Monroe
If it was possible for my cheeks to get even redder in a matter of a second and a half, they’d done it.
I had a boyfriend and his name was Quinn Bailey, and I was no doubt head over heels for him. He probably knew, by the bumbling fuckup of a line I’d put in its place at the last minute, but at least he’d had the decency to go with it.
Sigh.
“But first, beautiful girlfriend of mine,” he said, and his smile was infectious. “How about some breakfast?”
“Sounds perfect.”
“Go get cozy in the living room, and I’ll bring everything in.”
“Oh boy,” I said with a grin and hopped off the counter. “This whole boyfriend thing is already off to the best start ever.”
He playfully spanked my ass as I walked past him, and I giggled all the way to the living room. Once I plopped my ass down onto the couch and grabbed my phone off the coffee table, I realized I had several missed calls and social media notifications.
The first one was from Instagram.
I clicked open the app to find a notification that Quinn Bailey had posted a new photo. It was a photo, of my freaking bare feet peeking out from the covers of my bed, with a caption that read: My girlfriend has the cutest little feet I’ve ever seen. #mykitten #tinypaws
What an adorable…weirdo. I had no idea when that picture had been taken, but I imagined it’d occurred while I was sleeping. Honestly, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to smack him or kiss his face off for showing the world my pink painted toes.
Before I could playfully give him hell, my phone started vibrating with an incoming call.
Incoming Call: Mom
Immediately, I tapped the green phone icon. “Hi, Mom.”
“Hi, sweetheart.” Her warm and smooth-as-honey voice made me smile. “Your father’s on too.”
“Hey, Dad.”
“Hey there, Caterpillar.”
“So,” my mom chimed in, skipping any other pleasantries and getting straight to the point. “Is there anything you want to tell us?”
I scrunched my nose up in confusion. “Tell you?”
“Yeah,” my dad answered. “Anything new going on in your life…?”
“Uh…?” I honestly had no idea what they were talking about.
“Just tell her, Martin,” my mom said eventually.
“Caterpillar, do you mind explaining why your mother and I just saw your pretty face on the cover of a magazine in the checkout line at the grocery store this morning?”
“I’m sorry…what?” I damn near choked on my own saliva.
What in the hell were my parents talking about?
“I’m feeling a little left out of the loop here. I mean, when were you going to tell us you’re dating that football star, Quinn Bailey?” my mom asked, and my jaw dropped open like I was going to start catching flies with my mouth. “Well…at least, that’s what the tabloid magazine says…” She trailed off, and my dad didn’t hesitate to pick up the conversation where she left off.
“Caterpillar, is it true?” he questioned. “You can be honest with us. We won’t be mad.”
My mom’s sigh filled my ears, and my chest tightened from the discomfort. My parents had been through all of my stupidest moments with me. I didn’t want them to think this was another one. “We just want to know what’s going on with you, sweetheart.”
“What tabloid magazine was it?” I asked.
“Uh…” my dad muttered, and the sounds of rustling filled the receiver. “It’s called U-S Weekly.”
My stomach dropped. My parents had found out I was dating Quinn through a freaking magazine in the grocery store.
I’d always loved that my relationship with my parents was close. I didn’t hide things from them. And this, well, it made it seem like I had been.
I didn’t like it one bit. And my brain hadn’t had the chance to actually process the fact that I was in a gossip magazine. That felt too surreal to comprehend at the moment.
“Oh, wow…” I said more out of shock than anything else. “Well…the, uh…the tabloid is right. And I swear to God, I wasn’t trying to hide anything from you. I wanted to tell you about Quinn in person when I came to Cincinnati for my quarterly training.”
“So, it’s true?” my mother questioned, surprise filling her voice. “That is…quite a turn of events, Catharine…”
Tell me about it, Mom. I was getting used to my life as a spinster too.
“I know, I know. I’m sorry you guys found out about it this way, but I promise my lack of telling you wasn’t out of secrecy or choice, though. It’s a new relationship.”
The line grew quiet until, finally, my dad broke the silence.
“Is he treating you right, Caterpillar?”
Quinn walked into the room and set our breakfast and fresh coffee onto the table in front of my sectional. He sat down beside me, handed me my mug, gently patted my thigh, and otherwise, left me to my call while he started eating his breakfast.
“Yes, Dad,” I answered with complete honesty. “Quinn treats me very well. And I promise when I come to Cincinnati for my quarterly training we’ll have dinner and I’ll tell you all about him.”
“I like this plan,” my mom said, and my dad agreed.
“I miss you guys so much.” Most days, I didn’t realize it because I was too wrapped up in my work schedule, and lately, Quinn, but I did miss them. I loved living near the Big Apple, but it wasn’t without sacrifice. The distance from my family was hard. “Is everything going okay back home?”
“We miss you too, sweetheart,” my mom said, only love in her voice.
And Dad quickly added, “Everything is great, Caterpillar. Your mom and I are doing just fine.”
“Good. I’m glad,” I said. “Well…I have to get off of here, but I’ll see you soon, okay? I love you tons and tons and tons.”
They both offered their love and ended the call shortly after that.
Once I set my phone down on the coffee table, Quinn looked over at me and smiled softly.
“You have to go to Cincinnati?”
I nodded. “Yeah. Four or five days from now, I can’t remember which.” He looked unhappy, and the reality of my life hit me like a brick wall. “I guess it’s safe to say I’m always going somewhere…”
My own words made me feel sad, and I watched the corners of his mouth turn down even farther.
Eventually, his eyes met mine, and a teensy tiny smile kissed his lips. “Well, you’re not going somewhere right now, are you?”
I leaned over and replaced his smile with a kiss. “Nope. I’m not going anywhere right now.”
“Perfect. Eat your breakfast, and then go get dressed,” he said with a little wink. “I’m taking you somewhere fun today.”
Somewhere fun sounded like exactly what I needed. It’d be a nice distraction from the whole gossip magazine situation that was apparently happening around me.
“Wherever we go, can we make a quick stop on our way?”
“Of course,” he said and took a sip of his coffee. “Errands to run?”
“Sort of…” I paused, hesitant over the next words that I wanted to say. “Well… Apparently, my parents found out about us through a gossip magazine at the grocery store. So, I just kind of wanted to see what exactly was written in the article…”
Or at least, I thought I wanted to see. Hell, the more I thought about it, the more uncomfortable I became. I wasn’t sure if I’d like seeing my face splashed across the cover of a magazine.
What if it was an awful photo? What if they said mean things?
“Oh, shit,” he muttered with wide, surprised eyes. “I had no idea, kitten. No wonder Nathan called me six times this morning. I would’ve answered if I would have known it was about something like that.”
I shrugged. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, by it. I mean my boyfriend is Quinn Bailey.”
“True.” A half-happy, half-sad smile kissed his lips. “But I can’t stop myself from feeling responsible f
or the fact that you got blindsided by that news, through your parents, at that.” He reached out and held my hand in his. “I’m so sorry, kitten. I’ll call Nathan after we eat and get it all straightened out.”
“It’s okay.” I leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to his lips.
The discomfort in his blue eyes hit me straight in the chest.
Obviously, I wasn’t a fan of the idea of being in a gossip magazine, but that took a back seat to seeing Quinn sad.
I nudged his arm with my shoulder. “You better eat up and get your strength, buddy.”
He tilted his head to the side, puzzled. “And why’s that?”
“Because I’m expecting you to bring your A game when it comes to the surprise of fun you just promised me.”
“Surprise of fun?” he questioned, a smile teasing his lips. “I don’t remember using those words…”
Ha. The liar. He knew he’d promised me that exact fucking thing.
“The pressure is on, Bailey.”
He barked out a laugh. “Challenge accepted, kitten,” he said. “Consider my O game face already on.”
Today was about tradition. Team bonding. Pride of membership.
Today was about bringing in a group of fifty-three men and turning them into a unit.
Today was the day we took our annual trip to Walmart.
I know. I sounded like a lunatic. But there was truth in each and every one of my words, no matter how mismatched they seemed together.
Three years ago, when Sean had been drafted to the Mavericks and become a staple in my life, we’d invented this ritual. Every year, as the structure of the National Football League rarely changed with any real significance, the order of our schedule became more and more predictable. We had an idea of when we’d have practices, when we’d be expected to do endorsement deals, when we’d have team photos and film to shoot, and when we’d be traveling and confined to team rules. But every year, in the week before the first preseason game of the year, there was always one day that managed to prevail, one day that saved itself for tomfoolery and hijinks—one day that had birthed an institution.
The Twenty-Five Dollar Challenge.
Fifty-three men. One Walmart. Twenty-five dollars. And ten minutes to make the best fucking outfit you could manage. The crazier, the better, everyone ran around like a bunch of kids, trying to find the unicorn among the mundane. I’d managed a Minion onesie last year with a pair of sparkling pink flip-flops, but I’d still tasted defeat.
Sean, the fucker, had won the game the last two years running, so I’d spent the off-season contemplating a new judging system. AKA, creating one, since before, one didn’t exist. Usually, the team just fell into pandemonium until someone declared themselves the winner and the team accepted it or not.
Of course, I’d come up with nothing but shit, because there was no one to choose who could be an impartial authority, but when I’d woken up with Catharine this morning, the answer had come sweeping in.
Get ready, boys. There’s a new judge in town.
Luckily, after we’d caused a near-riot last year, the Edison Walmart had finally learned to plan for our arrival, coordinating it with my assistant and shutting down the store. No one got in while we were in the heat of battle, and the security was tight as Catharine and I slipped seamlessly in the back door.
It made the process much more enjoyable, not worrying about who was watching or what might get posted to some tabloid site, but after all was said and done, we did a three-hour meet-and-greet with the fans. Unlike on game day, everybody won.
“Are you sure it’s okay that I’m here?” Cat asked apprehensively. I’d explained the game in the car on the way over, and once she knew it was an actual “official” team activity, she’d started to question having a role in the whole thing.
“I told you, baby. I have a job for you. No one will mind that you’re there, I promise.”
She nodded as I pulled her along the back hallway toward the aisles in the rear of the store where I knew the guys would be gathered. Starting in the automotive section, we’d decided last year, made sure no one had an unfair timing advantage.
It was a weird sight, finding so many giant humans among car oil, air filters, and batteries, but it definitely wasn’t a bad one. I loved when we were all together—especially doing stupid shit like this. It gave me an excuse to act a little bit like an overgrown kid.
“Hey, guys,” I greeted with a smile as we came to a stop just outside of their grouping. Catharine’s body melded to the back of mine, trying to stay out of sight.
Honestly, it worked pretty well for her, she was so much smaller than I was, until a peek of her feminine hand crept around the side of my body to clench the material of my shirt.
Cam Mitchell, one of the most observant of the group, noticed first, his eyebrows popping to his hairline. “You got a stowaway you want to tell us about, QB?”
Catharine’s squeak was chipmunk-worthy as I pulled her out from behind me with one swift hand.
“Guys, this is Cat. Cat, these are the guys.” With wide eyes and a circular wave, Catharine almost peed her pants when fifty-three guys said hello all at once.
“Holy shit,” she whispered quietly, but those of us closest to her heard her almost perfectly. We smiled.
“Wow,” she murmured then, and I nudged her gently with my body.
“Don’t swoon, baby,” I said with a laugh. “You’re already taken.”
She looked at me then, mischief in her eyes. “Yeah, but they’re pretty.”
I bit my lip, my eyebrows pulling down to my nose, and challenged, “So am I.”
If struggling dancers couldn’t find jobs doing backup for the newest music act, I was certain they’d be able to find work in her eyes.
“Yeah,” she agreed finally. “You are.”
Cam’s throat rattled loudly as he cleared it to get our attention. “Easy on the romance, QB. Unless you brought us companions and you’re hiding them in the back.”
Sean’s ears perked up like a fucking puppy. “You have women?”
“No,” I denied, dashing his dreams instantly. His face fell, and Catharine let out a giggle beside me. “Sorry, buddy,” I apologized. “But I brought an impartial judge.”
Sean’s and Cam’s eyes jumped to Cat and narrowed. Cam was the first to burst out laughing. “Impartial, my ass.”
“Don’t worry,” I assured. “Cat’s got an evil spot really deep inside her. She’ll probably blackball me from the win just for the hell of it.”
Cat nodded beside me gleefully.
God, I’d never seen her smile that big, her eyes that uninhibited. My heart dropped in my chest, falling a little farther into a pit with walls it wouldn’t be able to scale.
“Plus, if she does, by some miracle, pick me as the winner, the team will have to vote to confirm, majority rule.”
Sean’s smile was indulgent. “I see you’ve thought this through, bro.”
“Your streak is coming to an end,” I taunted. Sean, embodying one of Missy Elliott’s best hits, took his jazz hands, flipped them, and reversed them, wiggling his fingers in a response of Come and get me.
Half an hour later, after going over the rules and regulations with all the new guys on the team, we took off into the store at the sound of the whistle.
Cat had abandoned me, claiming she’d be providing me with an unfair advantage if she tried to help at all, and headed off in another direction.
Tunnel vision in place, I’d scoured the children’s costume section, looking for a tiara, before heading to the long underwear.
If I had a prayer of getting Cat to choose me, I’d have to make sure my dick was visible through my pants.
At seven dollars a pop, I chose a pair in a dusty rose color, about twenty sizes too small, and did my best to hoist them up to my waist. A quick glance down told me everything I needed to know. The twig and berries were definitely on display.
Sean yelled as he ran by, a quick, “Suck
it,” to keep the spirit of our rivalry alive, and then he was off to parts unknown.
“One minute!” Cat called over the bullhorn, making me realize I’d yet to grab a shirt.
Knowing I didn’t really have the time to scout one, I headed back for her without. I’d automatically be disqualified for failing to buy an entire ensemble, but if I were really sweet, maybe Cat would console me by sneaking away to have sex in the bathroom when all the judging was done.
“I can’t believe Sean won again!” I complained, dragging Cat in a very strategic direction as I did.
She came along without protest. “He had the best outfit! I’m sorry, but he looked just like fucking Katniss.”
“I’m going to have to invest in training for these guys if any of us ever has any chance of beating him.”
She shrugged. “Either that or get him kicked off the team.”
I barked a laugh, loud and riotous at her callousness. “Wow, kitten. That’s cold.”
She smiled unabashedly, and I pushed her against a shelf, well away from the guys, to put my lips to hers.
Her sigh, expelled directly into my mouth, tasted like contentment.
“Good day?” I asked her, nipping at her bottom lip while she smiled.
“Definitely.”
“You sure you want don’t want to come out to the meet-and-greet with me? I hate the idea of leaving you alone to do nothing.”
She shook her head. “I think seeing my face inside an US Weekly was enough attention for the day.”
My heart spasmed inside my chest. I still felt bad for how that went down. I should’ve answered my phone when Nathan had called this morning, but God, Nathan always called. Every fucking morning. His persistence wasn’t out of the ordinary.
I was just thankful Cat’s first dose of media attention—because let’s face it, there would be more now, she was my girlfriend—had been, if anything, a positive one.
Quinn Bailey’s New Lady Love, the headline had read, and inside were a few candid photos of Cat and me from when I’d last picked her up at the airport.