The rage I’m starting to associate with one Liam Parker starts to bubble in my gut, spreading through my veins and causing the tips of my fingers to tingle.
“Listen, Eric.” Jordan’s expression changes from playful to serious as she shifts to rest her elbows on her knees. “I know technically you’re my client, but as a sister of overprotective brothers, I will not have this conversation without Kay.”
My lips twitch. I can’t help it—I’m amused. Kay told me about how E foisted Jordan upon her after the UofJ411 account confirmed Kay’s identity and her connection to E. She also told me how Jordan allowed her to call the shots on how they handled the fallout.
“Well I’m not waking her up.” E flattens a hand to his chest for emphasis.
When Bette leans forward to see past her husband, the twinkle in her eye spells trouble for me. “That means you’re up, lover boy.”
My inner coach’s voice cackles between my ears.
#Chapter52
Before I have to risk life and limb by waking up a sleeping Kay, our call with Jordan comes to an end when two miniature versions of her bombard her with hugs and squeals of “Mommy!”
Mrs. Grayson calls out that the omelet she made me is ready, and I thank her as I settle in on a stool at the island to eat. I moan as the savory flavors of the fluffy eggs and the spicy sausage roll over my tongue.
Some of the intensity of the morning dissipates as Bette corrals my teammates to a chair she set up by the back door, claiming the glass allows for the perfect lighting for hair shavings. She decreed there was no way we would be playing a rivalry game without representing our team pride properly.
Flying hawks, footballs, and numbers all get etched, along with her doling out fresh cuts. From over Alex’s head, she meets my gaze, and I nod, telling her I’m down for my own refresh. For one, it looks sick as hell, and two, Kay loves to trace the designs as much as my tattoo. It’s a win-win.
Herkie woofs and I spin to see a sleepy Kay coming down the stairs, curls a wild mess around her head, fist rubbing the sleep from an eye.
She wiggles her fingers in response to the collective “Good morning”, yawning wide as she does so.
“Why am I not surprised?” Kay points at Bette hard at work on shading out a goalpost on Noah’s skull.
“Don’t worry,” Bette says, not even looking up from what she’s doing. “I already have the red and black pulled to add to your school spirit.”
Kay accepts a mug from Mr. Grayson before walking the last few steps in my direction, settling herself between my spread knees, leaning against me with a sigh.
Around us, the guys make kissy faces and noises when I kiss the crown of her head, but Kay ignores them, sipping her coffee while I not so subtly flip them the bird. The assholes are just jealous.
“I don’t know if going to the game is the best idea.” E’s comment causes a frown to pull on Kay’s lips and a crease to form between her brows.
My muscles tense. Selfishly, I want Kay there cheering me on. It’s been a few weeks since I’ve been able to look up into the stands and see her there, and I miss it. But, not gonna lie, a small part of me wonders if E has the right idea. Kay has only just started to take steps forward in broadcasting our relationship to the general public. Could this game have us starting over from square one?
So far, things have all been contained to social media, but this weekend is a big deal. Rivalry weekend is a massive ratings boost throughout college football. With only three teams in all of D1 football—U of J, Penn State, and Alabama—having one loss, the outcome of our game against the Nittany Lions could very well determine who will get a chance to play for a spot in the National Championship.
Who’s to say the press wouldn’t eat up this extra drama with a spoon?
“Why not?” Kay asks.
E gives me a Show her look. I nod, retrieve my phone from the counter, and pull up the fucknut’s post.
The silence in the room grows until it feels heavy, nobody saying a word while we wait to see how Kay will react. It could go a multitude of ways. She could get pissed, sad, or what I fear most—scared.
I slip my hand under hers where it rests on my thigh, rubbing across the peridot band on her finger. Each bump of the ring’s gems helps slow the erratic beat of my heart, the birthstone band an anchor that ties us—not just her to me, but me to her—together.
I never expected one person could mean so much to me. Then I met Kay. She was a game changer for me, taking everything I thought I knew before and turning it on its head.
Kay’s jaw pops as she grinds her teeth, the sound of scraping enamel an audible representation of her frustration. She flicks her gaze from the screen to her brother and back again. Her chest expands with a deep inhalation and she tips her head back, the crown of it pressing between my pectorals as she looks back and up at me, storm clouds raging in her gray eyes. “Do you have a jersey with you?”
My own jaw drops; I was not expecting the question in the slightest. “No.” And fuck me if I’m not overwhelmingly disappointed by that fact.
Kay continues to hold my gaze as she thinks, mouth shifting left to right, a little V appearing between her brows as she does. “Okay.” She nods almost subconsciously. “Remind me we have a picture to take before you leave.”
#Chapter53
CasaNova87: Me, @TightestEndParker85. That’s who she’ll be rooting for—ME! #StopPostingOldPhotos *side note* Is
