“Not all of us will be bringing in pro football paychecks in less than a year, people.” Marisa waved her hands like none of us had noticed she was there.
“Not all of us is right,” LJ mumbled beside me, picking at the label of his beer.
Marisa sighed. “I can put in thirty-five cents and a handwritten back massage coupon.”
“No need to break the bank, Ris. I’m sure Reece will be touched you’re digging deep for him. And if Marisa wants to kill our joy and support for the former Brothel resident by denying the TV purchase, Nix said we can watch any of the games at his place with a free food bonus.”
My already full stomach rumbled thinking about the saucy pasta dishes he used to make when he lived here. “Do you think he regrets not going pro?” He’d been better than all of us—hell, probably all of us combined—and had walked away from the game just before the draft last year.
“Nah, he’s got Elle and the restaurant. He’s thinking about getting surgery on his shoulder to help with the pain now that he knows he’s not going to be getting knocked around on the field again.” LJ took a long drink from his beer.
Going pro was my future. I’d do whatever I needed to make that happen. It was a short career at best, but I’d invest my money wisely and never have to worry about ending up on the streets again. That looming fear lingered in the back of my mind. Gnawing hunger that made it hard to think and clothes with non-manufactured holes in them. That I’d end up back in some shelter or wake up and find this was all the dream of a thirteen-year-old kid living in a group home, sleeping on top of his meager possessions to keep the other kids from stealing them.
I didn’t need sneaker deals or a car dealership. I’d take that money and finally have a home. Find someone to share it with. Make a family. A huge one with kids who never had to worry about being kicked out. I’d do it right, at least as right as I could figure out with no clue how a real family worked.
My phone buzzed in my pocket. I tugged it out and the screen lit up.
ALEXIS: Berk, I need you.
My muscles tensed in that old fight or flight response programmed in me from years of being in the system. I needed to find her and save her from whatever situation had her sending me a message. It was almost always, ‘there’s a raging inferno of madness around me, please help me put it out.’
LJ tilted his head when he spotted the name blazed across the screen, and made a sharp sound of disapproval. “Don’t.”
“Alexis needs me.” I pressed my lips together, shaking my head, and jumped up from the couch. Taking the stairs two at a time, I ducked into my room and grabbed my keys.
“What’s the deal with Alexis?” Keyton asked as I hit the top of the stairs.
I could feel LJ’s eye roll from downstairs practically shift the foundation of the house. “Long story.”
Hustling down the steps, I didn’t look at them. At least Nix and Reece weren’t here to add to the pain in the ass levels. “See you guys later.”
“Do not bring her back here.” LJ stood behind me like he was standing sentry over the house.
I slammed the door behind me. They didn’t understand. Couldn’t even begin to understand what it was like to be the only person someone could count on.
4
Jules
“He was there when Laura showed up. And he was like, ‘yeah, sure I’ll go.’” I put on my best superhero swooping in and saving the day voice.
“I’d have loved to have seen her face.” Elle laughed and scribbled something down on her tablet, wiggling her painted pink toenails.
Elle had moved into an apartment over the summer, leaving me back at the house all on my own. It was so quiet without her and our ghost roommate, Zoe. Any time she’d popped into our place it was from a changing of the boyfriend guard. It only lasted a few days at most before the next guy on deck swooped in. He’d show up on our porch and she’d bounce out of the house again with her bags packed.
Most people would be happy to have a house all to themselves. A three bedroom by myself didn’t exactly scream wild and crazy senior year, but if felt weird looking for a new roommate, and Zoe’s checks still cleared, even after I emailed her about the rent hike since we’d only be splitting it two ways.
Pictures were hung up all over the walls of Elle and Nix’s apartment, which had been freshly painted a light gray. Great shots of me and Elle and Nix with the rest of the guys from The Brothel, including Berk. Nix’s grandfather owned the restaurant downstairs and had been using the apartment for storage until the guys had fixed it up.
It was cozy and I’d never seen Elle happier. It probably helped living in a place where you weren’t afraid part of the ceiling might cave in on you at any minute and there was a hunky boyfriend to snuggle up to and cook delicious food all the time.
I snorted. “I wish I’d had a camera, but I’m sure my face was just as shocked.”
“It shouldn’t have been. Who wouldn’t want to be tucked away in some country estate with you all weekend?” She waggled her eyebrows.
“This weekend is not even a little bit like that.”
“Maybe it’ll be the perfect time to tell him about how well you two actually know each other.” She kept her gaze trained on her screen.
“No, absolutely not.”
She set the tablet down beside her. “He deserves to know you’re The Letter Girl. And you two are friends now. Tell him. He’ll be so happy.”
“More like crushingly disappointed.”
She grabbed onto both of my shoulders and stared into my eyes. “Jules, you’ve got to stop. No one would ever be disappointed in having a sexpot, pole-dancing baker as their secret sex pen pal.”
“Have you seen the girls at the parties at The Brothel and the ones at the FU games?”
“Do you remember me dating the all-star quarterback who was a sure lock for the first round draft pick and had just won the national championship?”
I tapped my finger against my chin. “Doesn’t ring any bells, sorry.”
A pastel blue pillow whacked into the side of my face. “Pain in the butt.”
“Maybe you knocked something loose, it’s coming back to me now. Regardless, it’s different… You’re objectively gorgeous.”
“He was so over that scene by the time I arrived. It’s not about looks. Do you think I’m with him for his glorious ass, sinewy arms with veins that pop out a little while he’s cooking, and abs made for washing laundry?” She got a faraway look in her eyes and bit her bottom lip.
“You’re not helping.” I returned the pillow straight to her head.
The door to Elle’s apartment opened, keys jingled.
“Honey, I’m home.” Nix walked in with a huge smile on his face and his arms loaded with containers. Garlic, butter, and cheese smells combined and my stomach made an attempt to climb out of my mouth to wolf down the contents.
Leaping from the couch, Elle clapped her hands together. “You’re a saint. I’m so hungry.”
He kissed her, trapping her between him and the counter and setting the food he had in each hand down without even looking. “I told you to come down an hour ago.” His fingers trailed over her cheek.