by Cotton, L A
“I know what you’re thinking,” she said drawing my eyes back to her face. “What’s a woman like me doing in a place like this?”
“Actually, I was thinking you’re too young to be doing this job.”
“Nice, but flattery will get you nowhere, Mr. Prince.”
“No, I wasn’t...” I stuttered, and she stifled a laugh.
“Easy there. I’m just messing with you, Maverick. I’m twenty-eight, and I can assure you I’m more than qualified to be here.” Miss Bowman folded her arms on the desk in front of her and clasped her hands together. “You joined us from Wicked Bay High; is that correct?”
“Yes.”
“On a basketball scholarship?”
I nodded.
“Your stats are pretty impressive.”
“You’re a fan?”
“My boyfriend is a Lakers fan, so I guess that makes me a fan by association.”
I relaxed in the chair. Miss Bowman was full of surprises. “Your boyfriend knows his stuff.”
“Ahh, a fellow fan.” She fingered the file in front of her. “It says here you have dyslexia, and it's my understanding that until recently your disability wasn’t out in the open.”
“I’m a private person, Miss Bowman.”
“Jo, please call me Jo. And I get it, I do. Athletes in particular often find it difficult to seek support. But Steinbeck prides itself on supporting all its students, Maverick. Will it be hard work? Of course. It would be wrong of me to sit here and tell you the next four years will be a walk in the park. You might have gotten here partly on your athletic ability, but SU expects you to maintain a good grade average.”
It felt like a concrete slab pressing on my chest. I knew it wouldn’t be easy. I knew walking into SU on an athletic scholarship wouldn’t mean I could shirk classes and let my grades slide. But sitting there, listening to her lay it all out, sounded like a mountain too high for me to climb.
“Maverick,” she said, narrowing her eyes. “Still with me?”
I gulped over the lump. “Yeah.”
“I’m already losing you, aren’t I? I apologize. I’m as honest as they come, and I like my students to know my expectations from the off. Now, I know you said in your application that you’d prefer not to have any in-class adjustments, but I’d like you to reconsider. Our center for accessible education is—”
“No,” I blurted out. The last thing I needed was my class mates—my teammates—knowing my business, not when I’d no doubt have to earn my place on the team.
“Maverick.” She leaned forward, blowing out an exasperated breath. “You’re not the first athlete to sit across from me and say the very same thing. I’m no fool. I know you probably see your disability as a weakness, but it isn’t.”
Yeah, right.
I could imagine it now. My new team finding out I struggled with something so simple as letters and words.
Staring my advisor dead in the eye, I said, “I appreciate where you’re coming from, I do. But this needs to stay under wraps. I’ll work my ass off. I’ll come here or put in extra time at the library or sign up to private tutoring, but that’s where it ends.”
She rolled her eyes as if she’d heard the same thing a hundred times. “What is it with star athletes and their pride, huh?”
Shrugging, I rubbed my jaw. “I’m not a star... yet.” I smirked, and her shoulders shook with laughter.
“Maverick, I think we’re going to get along just fine. I’ll be liaising with Coach Baxter. If either of us become concerned with your grades, we will intervene.” She gave me a pointed look. “But let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.” Miss Bowman pressed her hand flat on the desk and stood up. “Your tutors will be informed of your... situation but be asked to remain discreet.”
“Thanks.” I rose. “I appreciate it.”
“Just doing my job. Now get out of here. I’m sure you have much more important things to be doing.”
I left her office feeling a strange mix of relief and uncertainty. She wasn’t going to push me to embrace all SU had in the way of student support, but she wouldn't give me an easy ride either. Only time would tell if Miss Bowman would be an ally or an enemy, but I had a gut feeling I could trust her.
I just hoped I was right.
Chapter 4
Lo
REFUSING TO SPEND THE day moping over Maverick, I plucked up the courage to call Hitters, and Gus, the owner, invited me down for an interview. But when I arrived, the place was deserted.
“Hmm, hello,” I called out, scanning the bar for signs of life. “I’m here about the—”
“Job.” A silver head of hair popped up from behind the sleek black and chrome counter. “Lo, right?”
“That’s me.” I smiled, shifting awkwardly on the balls of my feet as the man stood up, stretched out his arms and then made his way around to me.
“Sounds like you’re a long way from home,” he said, extending his hand.
“I moved here last year from the UK.” We shook hands and he smiled. I noticed the way his eyes dropped to my tattoo.
“You don’t say. Don’t think I’ve ever had a Brit working here before.” My shoulders sagged. If he’d heard any of the rumors about the Stone-Princes and their British cousin, he sure didn’t act like it. “I’m looking for someone to cover the tables, take orders, that kind of thing. Do you have any experience?”
I shook my head and the knot in my stomach tightened. It wasn’t going quite how I’d hoped. “But I’m an excellent learner.”
He studied me, rubbing his stubbled jaw. “How old are you?”
“Eighteen. I’ll be nineteen in a couple of months.”
Shit. It hadn’t occurred to me I wouldn’t be able to work behind a bar. Back in England, the legal age to drink and serve alcohol was eighteen. This whole thing was turning out to be a disaster.
But then Gus said, “Don’t look so worried.” His expression warmed. “I can put you on a minor’s permit. We serve food one thru eight, and I need someone to cover tables in the evenings. We all pitch in and work the weekend rota between us. Usually works out you have to cover two out of four.”
Two out of four weekends. Weekends I hoped to spend with Maverick. Crap. But he’d have away games and team stuff too, and I couldn’t put my life on hold for him.
“Sounds good,” I said. “But don’t you want to interview me?”
“Do you have references?”
“I, hmm, I have a character reference from my school guidance counsellor and I’m sure my dad would be happy to provide a reference.”
“Funny, I like it. When can you start?”
“Just like that?” I gaped at the man unable to believe it could be so easy.
“Well you’ll have to pass a probation period but in my experience there’s no better interview than getting stuck in and doing the job.”
“I can start today,” I blurted out and his chest rumbled with laughter.
“Tomorrow. Come back tomorrow and I’ll get Sarah to show you the ropes. And if you could bring your details and reference that would be great.”
I nodded, my chest swelling with excitement.
A job.
I had a job.
All I had to do now was break the news to Maverick.
“YOU DID WHAT?” KYLE stared at me wide-eyed, his mouth smacking open and closed with disbelief.
“I got a job at Hitters.”
“Yes, I heard you the first time. I just wondered what the hell you were thinking?” He brows hit his hairline, but Laurie elbowed him hard.
“Hitters, that’s the sports bar on Sunset Drive, right?”
“Yep.” I popped the p avoiding Kyle’s thunderous expression.
“Cous, come on. There are a hundred places you could have applied, and you chose a skeezy sports bar.”
“It is not skeezy. Gus, the owner, seems like a good guy and he’s really short on staff. Besides, they serve food so it’s not like it going to be full of drunken groups of
guys or anything.”
He rolled his eyes and said to Laurie, “Will you please talk some sense into her?”
“I agree with Lo, babe. Hitters is upmarket. Besides, if Lo wants a job that’s her prerogative.” She gave me a little smile, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.
“You think this is a bad idea too?”
“I don’t think it’s a bad idea at all, but I don’t think Maverick will see it that way.”
“Seriously? It’s a bar. It’s not Hooters. I have it on good authority I can keep all my assets covered.” I rolled my eyes. “And he’s at college. College, guys. He’s practically surrounded by naked boobs.”
Kyle snorted, and Laurie shot him a stern look. “What?” He protested with a shrug. “She said boobs.”
“Oh my god,” my best friend groaned at him.
Kyle managed to compose himself. “But for real, Cous, have you told Maverick?”
“I don’t need his permission, Kyle.”
“No, you don’t. But imagine if he went and got a job in...” he paused a beat, his eyes creasing with concentration. “A place where lots of drunken girls were. Would you be okay with that?”
“It’s just a bar,” I said but Kyle’s words hit their intended target. “Fine. I’ll call him later.”
“Yeah, you will. Because I do not want to be caught up in an argument.”
“I just wanted to do something for me, you know?”
Kyle came over and slung his arm around my neck. “I know, Cous, but sometimes you gotta think before you act. Hitters is a cool place. I’m sure it’ll be great. But talk to Maverick. He deserves to know your plans.”
“I said I’ll call him later.”
Kyle nudged me, and I grumbled, “Fine, Fine. I’ll call him now.”
Slipping out of his arm, I retrieved my phone from my back pocket, my stomach in a tight knot. I hadn’t told Kyle and Laurie we’d already had an argument.
“Lo?” Maverick’s voice was barely audible over the racket in the background.
“Maverick? What’s going on? I can barely hear you.”
“I’m at a team thing.”
“A team thing? You didn’t mention any team thing.” I flinched, annoyed at the trace of insecurity in my voice.
A chorus of cheers drowned out his voice, and I breathed out, “Are you at a party?”
“No, it’s just the team and...” his voice got lost in the noise again. “Listen,” he sounded clearer this time and I heard the soft click of a door. “Can I call you back later? If they see me using my cell phone, they’ll confiscate it.”
“Confisc—”
“Hey, who’s in there,” a muffled female voice came over the line.
“I thought you said it was a team thing.” Sarcasm dripped from my words.
“It is. Kind of.” He sighed. “It’s a long story. I’ll tell you all about it when I call you later, okay? I promise.”
“Yeah, whatever.” I hung up, clutching the phone in my hand as I tried to work out what the hell had just happened.
I didn’t want to be that girl; the one obsessing over every little thing her boyfriend was doing at college. It hadn’t yet been seventy-two hours and I was already going out of my freaking mind. Now I had to deal with the mental image of him at a party surrounded by drunken scantily clad college girls.
“Everything okay?” Kyle’s voice filtered down the hall. When I didn’t answer, his head peered around the corner. “How bad is it?”
“Is what?”
“Come on, Cous, this is me you’re talking to. How bad have I got to fuck up my stepbrother for hurting you?”
“He didn’t... who am I kidding? He’s at some team thing. It sounded a lot like a party to me.”
“Okay.” Kyle sauntered over, leaning against the wall. “And that’s a problem because...”
“There are girls there.” I cringed at how pathetic I sounded.
“Please tell me you are not worrying that Rick would even so much as look at another girl, let alone touch one. He is completely committed to you.”
“I know.” And I did. I trusted him completely. But I didn’t trust girls. Especially not drunken horny college girls.
“Say it again. Just so I know you mean it.”
“I trust him, Kyle, I do. I’m just... this will take some getting used to. We spent almost every second of the summer together and now he’s gone.”
“I get it.” He ran a hand down his face. “I was in a bad place even thinking Laurie wasn’t going to apply to USC. We all know I lost my shit for a second there, but you’re strong, Lo. You and Rick are the real deal.”
My lips pulled tight as I tried to smile but instead, I blurted out, “We had a fight.”
“About the party?”
“No, yesterday. He asked me about college and I froze.”
“Whoa, okay, start from the beginning.”
I filled Kyle in. On the silly disagreement yesterday morning, and my reservations about following Maverick to SU. When I was done, Kyle looked at me, understanding glittering in his ocean-blue eyes. He blew out an exasperated breath. “Jesus, it’s me and Laurie all over again.”
“Not helpful.”
“Okay.” Kyle straightened. “Answer me this. You want to be with him, right?”
I nodded, and he continued, “And you look into your future and see the two of you together. Am I right?”
“I guess.”
“So what is stopping you? I know you haven’t given college much thought. But it’s college, Cous. It’s not a prison sentence. And SU is a small school with a good Arts program.”
“You know,” I said around a meek smile. “For someone who struggles with doing serious, sometimes you speak a lot of sense.”
“What can I say? I’m awesome.”
“Yeah, yeah you are. Thank you.”
“You don’t need to thank me, Cous. You just need to name your first born after me.”
“Kyle!”
“What? I think it’s a fair trade.” He said it as if his job here was done. But the knot in my stomach told me this was probably only the start of what was going to be the longest year of my life.
“Wait though.” Kyle frowned. “Would that make me the little guy’s uncle and cousin? That’s some crazy shit.”
“Step-uncle and second cousin, I think.” I shook my head, annoyed I was even playing along. “Stop being so weird.”
“What? It’s a valid question. When it happens, we’ll need to draw a family tree or something, get that shit nailed down.”
“Kyle, seriously. Shut. Up. I’m far too young to be even thinking about babies.”
He looked shocked. “You mean you don’t picture little Rick’s running around the place?”
“You do?”
“No, I picture little Kyle’s, obviously.” He grinned, and I punched his arm.
“You are such a freak.”
“But you love me.”
“What is going on back here? I’m waiting to start the movie.” Laurie’s head appeared around the door.
“Lo’s having Maverick’s baby and naming it Kyle,” he deadpanned, and I choked on my saliva.
“You’re pregnant?” Laurie’s eyes grew to saucers.
“No, I’m not pregnant. Jesus, I need fresh air.” I stomped past her and out into the living room and away from their special brand of crazy.
Before they rubbed off on me.
Chapter 5
Maverick
“WHO’S IN TH—”
The girl’s eyes bugged as I stared down at her, anger rolling off me in unmistakable waves. “I was taking a piss,” I ground out, my cell phone burning a hole in my jean pocket.
She steeled her expression and ran one hand up the door jamb, her mouth curved in a seductive smirk. “You weren’t texting your girl, were you? Because you know the rules.” She arched her brow waiting for my reply.
It didn’t come.
“Move,” I barked. It was bad enough my own
girlfriend was pissed with me. I didn’t need to take shit from a complete stranger too.
“It’s true what they say about you then,” she mused.
“And what’s that?”
“You’re a moody sonofabitch.”
“Whatever,” I grumbled. “The guys are waiting.” I flicked my eyes to her limb-barricade, and she dropped her arm. But she didn’t budge an inch, so I squeezed past her.
“And Prince?”
“Yeah?” I glanced back.
“I’m Dana, see you around.” Her eyes glittered all kinds of shit I wasn’t interested in and I kept on walking.
The ‘team thing’ turned out to be a party and so far, there had been no sign of the stupid fucking initiation tasks Jamie had mentioned. But I wasn’t dumb. Anticipation rippled in the air. The new guys kept an eye on their surroundings and the senior players smirked on.
Everyone felt it.
Tonight was about giving us a false sense of security. Welcoming us to the team and then ripping the rug out from under us. I’d watched Zac Lowell all night. The guy was as shady as fuck. Walked round as if he owned the place and everyone in it.
“Hey, Prince.” Speak of the devil. “Get over here. I want to introduce you to some people.” Zac gave me a smug look waiting to see what I did. But if he was expecting a fight, he was shit out of luck. I came here tonight to play by the rules and feel him out. Not to start a war.
Even if I was itching for a fight.
“Vinnie, Balor, meet Maverick Prince.” He slung his arm around my neck as if we were old friends and his two friends tipped their chins in welcome. Interesting, they didn’t tell him we’d already met.
“What is it they say about you?” Zac went on. “Best point guard out of Wicked Bay?”
“State.”
“What’s that?” he said sporting a dismissive grin.
“Best point guard in the State.” Okay, so maybe I wanted to rattle his feathers just a little. But who could blame me? The guy was a complete dick, and although he was team captain, his track record was nothing to shout home about.