Page 77 of First Down Promise

“Like I want to do it all the time.” I pause and knot my fingers in my lap. “It’s just hard with Pete not knowing.”

“I had a feeling Pete didn’t know if I didn’t. When are you going to tell him?” she asks.

“At the end of the season, Josh is going to talk to him.”

Sadie nods. “That’ll be interesting.”

“No kidding. All right, let’s get some room service ordered, so I can take that shower.”

We giggle together as we break out the room service menu. We don’t go overboard with ordering since it’s just the two of us, but we mutually agree that the Stallions losing justifies a cheat day. We order burgers and fries and split a chocolate shake. Watching trash reality TV, we take turns dipping our fries in the shake.

“I haven’t done this since I was a teen,” Sadie says.

“Me neither!”

My phone buzzes on the bed next to me, and I roll over to grab it while chewing on a French fry.

Josh: Back at the hotel.

Me: Feeling okay?

Josh: Yeah, that hit looked worse than it was. Coming up soon?

Me: Eating with Sadie. Thirty minutes?

Josh: 10-4.

Josh: Can’t wait to see you.

“Is that Josh?” Sadie asks.

“Yeah, he’s back,” I tell Sadie, tossing my phone to the side. “And said he’s okay.”

“Good. Now, go get dicked down.”

“Will you cover for me if Pete comes by or anything?”

“Of course! I got you.”

I give her a smile and race my ass to the shower as soon as we finish eating. I don’t need the full everything shower, but I want to freshen up after traveling and the game today.

After rushing through my post-shower routine, I pull on an oversized Stallions hoodie with biker shorts and nothing underneath. Josh never seems to care much about what sexy underwear I wear, anyway. But then I remember Friendsgiving when Josh noticed the thong under my skirt and called me on it.

I gesture to my outfit in front of Sadie and unclip my hair. “I have to be decent in the hallway.”

“I get it. Have fun and don’t worry about me. I’m looking forward to sleeping,” she says.

“Thanks, girl. Sorry for leaving you hanging. If you need anything, Pete’s card is on file.”

She shrugs. “I’m good, really. I’m going to keep watching this trash that I can’t watch with my daughter around and take some melatonin. But don’t forget we have to be at the airport by nine.”

I nod. “Got it. I’ll have my phone if you need anything.”

She picks up hers and wiggles it. “Likewise.”

I tuck my room key into the side pocket of the shorts and keep my phone in my hand. I peek both ways before slipping down the hallway toward the elevator, half expecting Pete to materialize around a corner. Déjà vu hits me as I wait for the elevator, but this isn’t Milwaukee. And I’m far from the girl I was then.

When Josh answers his door, he has an ice pack secured to his side with a flexible wrap from a different hit. “Hey, baby.” He pulls me into his arms and shuts the door.