Unsaid Things (Players of Marycliff University #4)

by Jerica MacMillan

  Matt, on the other hand, looked proud. He urged her toward them. “Lance, Abby, this is my girlfriend, Hannah. Hannah, this is Lance and Abby.”

  Abby returned Hannah’s tentative smile and, with a glance at Lance out of the corner of her eye, gave Hannah a welcoming hug. She remembered how awkward she’d felt meeting Lance’s friends, and that was when they were both single. How much harder would it be to be in Hannah’s place—trying to break into an established group of friends? “I’m so happy to meet you. Megan’s told me all about you.”

  Hannah hugged her back. “Uh, good things I hope.”

  “Abby’s my best friend. We talk. And another girl spending lots of time in my house merits discussion.”

  Abby stepped back and smiled at Hannah, noticing how green her eyes were now that they stood this close together. “Don’t worry, it’s good. At least the stuff about you is. The stuff about Matt, on the other hand …” She rolled her eyes and glanced in Matt’s direction, who was so easy to needle.

  He immediately jumped in with, “Hey! What lies are you spreading about me, Megan?” just as Abby could’ve predicted.

  Megan laughed. More of a cackle, really. “What makes you think they’re lies? You do enough stupid stuff all on your own. I don’t need to embellish it.”

  Feeling a little sorry for him, Abby gave him a placating pat on the arm. He wasn’t placated and glared at her instead of Megan. “Aw, don’t worry, Matty. She tells me about the sweet stuff you do, too. Like all your Valentine’s Day plans.” She couldn’t resist needling him a little more by calling him Matty. She knew he hated it. It was so easy to get a rise out of him. But she did think his Valentine’s Day plans to pull out all the stops for Hannah with a fancy dinner were sweet. She and Lance had kept it pretty low key this year. He’d wanted to go out, but she’d had a hard week full of tests and essays and had convinced him that staying in would make her happier than dealing with a crowded restaurant.

  Instead of softening like she’d expected, Matt’s face shuttered, all expression gone. She looked at Hannah, who shifted uncomfortably, her smile also gone, avoiding eye contact with anyone. What was going on? Had something happened on Valentine’s Day? She threw a questioning look at Megan, who widened her eyes and gave a tiny shrug. Matt and Hannah remained frozen in their discomfort. Abby’s eyebrows came together. “What—“

  Before she could finish her question, Matt cut her off. “I hate when you guys call me Matty. My name’s Matt.”

  Eyes wide, Abby looked at Megan, not sure what to make of this whole thing. Megan just chuckled, cutting through the sudden tension that had sprung up from Abby’s innocent comment. She stepped to Matt’s other side, looping her arm through his and laying her head on his shoulder. “I know, Matty. That’s why we do it.”

  Matt looked down at her and relaxed, a low chuckle coming from him as he patted Megan’s head affectionately. “I know.”

  After that they sat down, Megan going back to the kitchen to finish getting dinner ready. They chatted some more, getting to know Hannah. Matt was so obviously smitten. Lance tried to interrogate the poor girl at one point, but Abby glared at him. “Be nice, Lance. This isn’t an interview. She’s Matt’s girlfriend, and she has Chris and Megan’s approval.”

  The weird tension from before had gone, Hannah sitting on Matt’s lap across from her and Lance on the couch, Chris in the chair by himself until Megan announced it was time to eat. She produced a bottle of wine with a flourish once they were all at the table.

  “We’re all here instead of out getting crazy drunk because Abby doesn’t like wild and crazy parties. And I’m not even sure she’s ever been drunk.” Megan said that like it was a bad thing.

  Abby just shook her head and laughed at her friend.

  “But, what’s a twenty-first birthday without alcohol? That’s just un-American. And we can’t have that. So we’ll have wine with dinner and pretend to be proper adults.”

  Matt watched Megan pouring wine into Abby’s glass first, then Lance’s. “Well, Lance and I are proper adults, with jobs and everything.”

  Megan stuck her tongue out at him. Chris laughed. “Yeah, but you still share a house with two college students, so I’m not sure that counts.”

  “Whatever, man,” Matt grumbled, staring at his glass as Megan filled it.

  Lance shrugged. “I’m okay with not being a proper adult yet. Adulting isn’t much fun. I’ll put it off a while longer if I can.”

  Abby shot him a grateful look. She didn’t want Matt’s propensity to be moody and pissy lately to bring down her birthday party. Hannah leaned over and whispered something to Matt, who gave her a look, the corners of his mouth tugging up. He kissed her. The new girlfriend really did seem to be good for him. He was here, after all. He’d been avoiding them since the spring semester had started in January. Even before he’d met Hannah. Or met her again. Abby wasn’t all that clear on the timeline there. He’d gotten more distant and moody throughout the fall semester, which she attributed to him feeling like a third wheel. But the comment about him being a real adult made her wonder if there was more to it than that. Either way, Hannah made him smile, and that was a good thing. Matt was a good guy. Laid back and friendly, she’d always known him to be ready with a smile or a joke until recently. Hopefully that came back now that he wasn’t a third wheel anymore.

  They did presents and cake after dinner. Nothing fancy. Megan got her a round silver pendant with concentric bands of filigree alternating with solid bands etched with a swirling design. It hung on a slim chain.

  Abby held it up for everyone to admire. “It’s beautiful. Thanks, Megan.”

  “A friend of mine works with silver, and I saw it and thought it was perfect for you. I’m glad you like it.” She got up and gave Abby a hug.

  “Hey! It’s from me too,” Chris put in. Everyone laughed, because it was clear that Megan had picked it out, and he’d just signed his name to the card.

  Matt and Hannah gave her an iTunes gift card. But from the look Hannah gave Matt, Abby didn’t think Hannah had been involved with the purchase.

  Matt didn’t seem phased by it. “I heard you got a new iPad for Christmas. I thought you might want some more apps or books or something. I know Lance would’ve gotten you a bunch, but you might’ve worked through it all by now.”

  So maybe it wasn’t as generic of a gift as it seemed on face value. She gave him a warm smile. “Thanks. I still have a bunch of gift card credit from what he bought, but I’m sure I can find a way to burn through it now that I know I’ve got more.” She did have a reading addiction, and it was nice to be able to splurge more on ebooks. But she was extra careful when she didn’t have a lot of credit, spacing out her purchases and using the library to get most of her books. Now she could afford to buy books more often.

  Everyone looked expectantly at Lance, who was mid-swallow on his beer. “What?”

  Abby laughed and waved a hand at their friends. “He already gave me his present last night.”

  “Go, Lance.”

  Abby shot Chris a quelling look. “Not that kind of present. He got me these earrings. See?” She pulled her hair back and tilted her head so the dangly gold pieces could catch the light.

  Megan touched one earring with her fingertips. “Ooh. Those are beautiful.” To Lance, “I approve.”

  “Thank you, Megan. I’m so glad. I was deeply worried about your approval.”

  Megan shot him a pretend glare, prompting a wide smile from him.

  Not long after that, Hannah said she was getting tired and needed to get home. Matt went with her. Abby suspected that they wanted to be alone more than anything, and going to Hannah’s place seemed like a better excuse than just going into Matt’s room.

  Letting out a groan, Megan stood up. “I better get started on the dishes or I’ll regret it later.”

  Looking forward to a gossip session now that she’d met Hannah, Abby stood too. “I’ll come help.”

  Chapter Eighteen


  Lance settled into the couch with a beer in his hand, his feet propped on the coffee table, one ankle crossed over the other. He loved living with Abby and wouldn’t trade it for anything, but sometimes he missed the space of his old house.

  Chris sat in the armchair, his usual spot, and let out a contented sigh that Lance never would’ve expected to hear from him while watching his girlfriend walk to the kitchen. Hell, he’d never have expected to be here feeling like this a year ago himself. Chris took a pull from his own beer and met Lance’s eyes.

  “Thanks for having us over, man. I know Abby appreciated it.”

  Chris swallowed. “Of course. Anytime. I think Megan had fun making dinner and cake and everything, no matter how much she likes to give Abby shit about not going out partying.”

  “I’m sure Megan wouldn’t have minded if Abby wanted to go party, though.”

  A chuckle escaped Chris before he took another drink. “True. But we all know that’s not Abby’s scene, even if she puts up with it more than she’d like for our sake.”

  Lance lifted his bottle in acknowledgment. “So, next weekend huh?”

  “Yup.” Chris popped the p in yup, looking down and pulling at the wrapper on his beer bottle.

  “Nervous?”

  He shook his head once, a half smile on his face. “Nah, man. I got it in the bag.”

  “Fuck yeah, you do.” Lance could tell he was deflecting, though. Hell, who wouldn’t be nervous for what amounted to trying out for the NFL? This was it, his big chance. If he choked or just plain had a bad day, his dreams of going pro would be over. But if Chris wanted to cover his nervousness with bravado, he wasn’t going to be an asshole and call him on it. “You got this, man.”

  Chris nodded, dropping his eyes again. Shifting in his seat, Chris finished his beer before darting a glance toward the kitchen and looking at Lance again. “So how are things with Abby and you? Any progress on that front?”

  Look at them discussing their relationships and shit. And Matt thought Chris wasn’t a real grownup. “Yeah, actually. She’s finally agreed to let me pay rent. I think things have maybe settled down enough for me to propose.”

  “That’s great, dude.” Chris grinned, but then his eyebrows crinkled together, and he cocked his head to one side. “That seems like a sudden change, though. Any idea what prompted it?”

  Lance cleared his throat, not comfortable divulging too many details. Abby didn’t really like it when he shared things about her family, even when it was necessary. But Chris knew what had been going on anyway. “Her brother came to see her at school yesterday.”

  “What?” Chris’s voice was sharp, his reaction immediate. “What the hell?”

  “I know, dude. Apparently their mom is getting sicker or something and needs some major tests that cost a bunch of money. He came to see if she could help pay for it. She wants to give him the rest of her student loan disbursement, which is what she was using to pay rent and stuff. So if she gives that up, that means she needs me to pay rent.” He pointed his beer bottle at Chris. “Which we both know I’m happy to do.” Draining the last of his beer, he set the empty on the coffee table and settled back again.

  Chris’s brows were still drawn together, and he fiddled with the threadbare seam on the arm of his chair. “Her brother came and asked for money? That doesn’t seem sketchy to you? If her mom needs money for medical stuff, why wouldn’t she ask Abby herself?”

  Lance opened and closed his mouth. He hadn’t thought about it that much, distracted by Abby’s distress and his own happiness at what he saw as her trusting him more. Fuck.

  “I take it you didn’t even think about it?”

  Shaking his head, Lance reached for his beer bottle again, then remembered it was empty.

  Chris noticed. “Want another?”

  “Nah.” He ran a hand over his face. He did want another, but since he had to drive, he shouldn’t. “Fuck, man.”

  Something like pity crossed Chris’s face. “Well, whatever. If she wants to give her brother money, that’s her business right? Even if it’s not for her mom. And she is letting you take care of her more, so that’s still good for you.”

  Lance kept his mouth closed in a firm line. “So do you think she’s lying? Or did he lie to her about why he needed the money?”

  “I don’t know, man. I wasn’t there when she told you. What do you think?”

  He went back over what Abby had told him. It did seem shady that her brother came to her at school, where he knew Lance wouldn’t be around, and asked for money. And God knew that Abby’s brother was shady as fuck. Would he lie to his sister about their mom’s problems? Probably.

  But would she accept what Aaron said at face value without talking to her mom?

  With the way she’d reacted when Aaron had shown up again at Christmas, Lance doubted she’d take his word for anything. And she’d said she hadn’t talked to her mom. “Fucking hell.”

  Chris raised his eyebrows, and Lance pushed his hand through his hair. “Why would she lie to me about that?”

  Rubbing a hand over his jaw, Chris looked thoughtful for a moment. “I don’t know, man. I would guess that her brother is the one who needs the money, and she’s embarrassed to tell you. Either because she’s embarrassed about whatever her brother needs the money for, or that she’s willing to give it to him. Or both.”

  Shit. For his reputation as a dumb jock, Chris was perceptive. Lance nodded, his mind racing, frustration and anger bubbling under the surface.

  “What are you going to do?”

  Lance shook his head. “I don’t know yet, man. Wait and see, I guess. I caught her by surprise yesterday by being home when she got there. Maybe she panicked. Maybe she’ll tell me what’s going on later. Or maybe her brother lied to her, and she thinks that her mom really does need the money.”

  “Yeah, maybe.”

  Suddenly antsy, Lance stood, checking his phone for the time. “It’s getting late. I think I’ll get Abby and head home.”

  “Sure. Of course. We still working out this week?”

  “Of course, man. I wouldn’t leave you hanging during the week before your big show.”

  Chris chuckled and walked with Lance toward the kitchen, stepping in front of him to go inside first. Lance let him. With his thoughts still churning, he wanted to make sure his face was under control. He clung to the hope that Aaron had lied to her so he could keep his simmering anger at bay. One way or another he was determined to figure out what was really going on.

  Megan cast a glance at Abby and turned the water on in the sink. “You have to know I’m not letting you clean up after your own birthday party.”

  “That’s fine.” Abby leaned against the counter. “I’ll stand here and watch you. I don’t feel like talking about training with the boys.”

  She reached for a glass to hand to Megan, who took it with a glare. “Stop helping.”

  Sighing, Abby dragged a chair over from the table and plopped down in it, close enough to talk, far enough away to be out of reach of the dirty dishes. “I mean, I love Chris, and I know the whatevers thing that he has to try for the NFL are coming up soon, and he’s been working really hard. But listening to him talk about his training schedule and personal records and stuff makes me want to go to sleep.”

  Megan snickered. “I know. I have a hard time talking about it, too. And he talks about it a lot. I’m always glad when he gets to hang with Lance or Matt, because they all get into it. I just try to keep my eyes from glazing over.” She paused while she rinsed out a pan and placed it in the open dishwasher. “I’m really proud of him, though. He’s so focused. I don’t know what’ll happen next weekend, but he’s working his ass off. And he’s on track to graduate in May, which is a huge deal, since he didn’t plan on graduating at all a few months ago.”

  “Yeah. I’m glad he’s found a direction. I hope next weekend goes well.”

  “Me too. I wish I could go with him, but there’s too much going
on with the show, and the airfare is too much this close. His dad’s going, though, so at least he’ll have some moral support.”

  “Oh, cool. I didn’t realize that. Speaking of his dad, any plans to meet his parents yet?”

  Megan tilted her head to one side. “We’re supposed to go to Port Orchard for Spring Break. I’m already nervous about it, even though Chris assures me I have no reason to be.”

  Abby chuckled. “I know what you mean, though. I’d talked to Lance’s mom on the phone several times since August, but meeting her in person was a whole other thing. I was so nervous, and flying down was the worst. I thought I might puke from the nerves and being tired alone. Add in turbulence and my first time flying, and I’m surprised I didn’t need the barf bag after all.”

  “Aw, Abs. I’m glad it went okay, though. Lance has a way of calming you down too.”

  “Yeah. That’s probably the reason I was at all okay during that trip. And then it all ended so badly. I ruined Christmas for his family.” She wrinkled her nose. “Gabby’s staying with us when she comes for her audition next week, so at least they’re not still mad at me.”

  Megan shot her a pointed look. “Of course they’re not mad at you. You didn’t ruin Christmas. Besides, they have to see that you make their son happy. That should be enough for any parents.”

  “It’s not enough for yours.” Megan wasn’t on speaking terms with her father after a big blowup on Thanksgiving.

  Megan froze, her eyes trained on her hands under the running water in the sink. Abby clapped both hands over her mouth. “I’m so sorry, Megan. I don’t know why I said that. That was awful.”

  Megan slowly moved again, finishing with the plate in her hand. She placed it carefully in the dishwasher and dried her hands, never looking at Abby. “The situation with my parents is very different. Their issue wasn’t with Chris. Not him specifically. It’s with me. Always me. You know I’m the black sheep.”