Page 8 of First Down Promise

“Dane Fredrickson? Number seventy-one?” I reply. Her lips form an O-shape, and she nods.

“A few of the girls like him, and I’ve overheard a couple talk about number sixty-one.” Coop. “Half are into your brother, but I don’t get the hype, respectfully.”

I laugh again. “It’s all good. He, um, knows who he is, for sure. That’s all I’m going to say about that. Anyone else?”

“I think almost everyone is obsessed with, um…” She blushes, and a small giggle escapes her. “Number eighty-one.” Heat rises to my cheeks, and we haven’t started working out yet! “He’s just charming and kind of a big dork.”

I force out a laugh. It’s not news to me that Josh catches the female gaze, but dammit, I’ve been thinking about how good my name would sound with his last name for years.

“Yeah, he’s a huge dork. Coop might be worse,” I say.

“So, they don’t just roughhouse all the time?”

“No, they’re usually pretty tame. So, what about you? Any you’re into?”

She scrunches up her face. “I mean, Josh is cute and so is one of the defense guys, but they’re not really my type.” Phew. “I don’t want to know what they must smell like after a game.”

It’s not pleasant, but the thought brings me back to last season’s first game, which was away in Florida. I met Pete on the field afterward, and Josh came up from behind and bear-hugged me and even lifted my feet off the ground as he was high on their win. He smelled an intoxicating combination of grass, sweat, and musk, but his arms around my torso might have distracted me from his post-game condition. He only lifted me for two seconds, but I could have sworn it was longer.

“Yeah, they stink,” I quietly say. “But my brother’s friends are good ones. Any girl would be lucky with them.” But I only mean Coop and Dane.

“I believe you. Just not into football players,” she blurts out. Well, one less girl interested in Josh…

“Can I ask you a question?” I ask, and Sadie nods. “Why do I feel like the other girls hate me?”

“If I’m honest, they might think there’s some nepotism at play. I’ve seen you at practice, and I can tell you made the squad on skill. But they don’t see it that way,” she answers.

“You might be the only honest one.”

A small, reassuring smile touches her lips. “Sorry. So, are you dating anyone?”

The head cheerleader, Carissa, interrupts and gives us directions to go out to the field before I can answer. As we walk down the hallway, I glance at the posters lining the painted concrete walls. One is of Pete holding a football in front of him, then Coop smiling big like he usually does, and Josh…arms bent and holding the neckline of his jersey, flexing of course.

“I’m not,” I finally answer Sadie.

“What?”

“Dating. I’ve never really dated anyone before,” I reply.

“Really? But you’re so gorgeous. Whenever you’re ready, I’m sure you’d find someone fast,” she says. I grin at her, but something aches in the back of my mind. The healthy thing to do is simply move on.

After practice, I change into fresh clothes and sling my small duffel bag over my shoulder. I push through the front doors of the training facility toward my car, greeted by the heavy late-summer heat. I put my hand to my forehead to shield my eyes, mentally kicking myself for leaving my sunglasses in the car, and keep pressing the unlock button on my key fob as I approach. The headlights flash with each press until a voice I’d recognize anywhere stops my thumb.

“Abby!” I glance over my shoulder to confirm the voice belongs to Josh. I look past my car and notice his giant lifted truck parked a row behind me. “Hey, how was practice?” he asks breathlessly as he catches up to me. His face is as red as a tomato, and his hair is plastered to his forehead with sweat.

“Um, fine, I guess. What about you?”

He rubs the back of his neck, keeping his smile locked onto his lips. “Kicked my ass.”

“I believe it,” I say as I open the door to my car, and he rests his forearm on top of it before wincing at the hot metal. “Um, I need to get home.” I toss my duffel bag onto the passenger seat.

“Yeah, same. I’ll catch you around?”

“What?” I ask with a faint laugh.

“Sorry, I combined see you around and catch you later,” Josh replies, dropping his gaze to the ground and lightly shaking his head.

“Okay then, dork,” I tease as I take the driver’s seat and shut the door.