“That you had the inside track.”
“I thought you were all incensed that I was using her.” I slam the brakes a little harshly at the stoplight. “And now we’re telling the entire team Luce and I are fucking.”
“No way, brother. I told Bish the whole story about her getting kicked out of her apartment and then Ace dragging some girl home from the Gas Station.” He waves a careless hand. “Bish already knew that because apparently Ace had sex with the girl in the storage closet before they left.”
“This is why we need to be drinking at the Playground and not out and about,” I grind out between my teeth. The boys had convinced me that going to a bar on Tuesday night would be okay because there wouldn’t be many people out. But once word leaked that the team was there, everyone showed up. I dragged the defensive guys home with me when the bar started filling up.
“They better not be talking shit about Luce,” I warn.
“No. It’s all good,” he assures me. “So you gonna do it or what? Because if anyone can convince Ace to step aside for Mr. Texas, it’s his BFF.”
I hesitate. Hammer’s not wrong there. Ace and Luce have some kind of relationship, even if I’d prefer to deny it existed. But it’s strong enough to put me in the risk column even after last night. She was still holding back this morning.
But if I could present it someway to her… Hell, it would make my life so much easier. If she were to persuade Ace to move to safety, then Coach would be happy, the boys on D would be happy, and the offense would have to accept it.
The major potential downside of this is if I piss her off by even bringing up the subject. Last night, she was steamed when she thought Jack and I were talking about Ace. She clearly knows something, and if she thinks I’m trying to use her? My dick and balls would be cut off and stuffed down my throat before I could blink twice for help.
I’d even put myself in the risk assessment for that. But maybe if I just laid it out for her…like Hammer suggested. As if I was making a case for Ace, and she could decide for herself if it made sense to sway him one way or the other.
“I’ll think about it.” But the sick feeling in my stomach tells me it’s not a good solution. Obviously Ace is whispering Iago-like into her ear that the football team is full of shitty guys. If she takes this wrong, there’s no coming back from it.
Plus, I don’t like how Ace is so influential with Lucy. On the flip side, maybe she’s influential with him. But using her would be crappy.
I swing into the parking lot of the grocery store. Hammer joins me inside the store. I pick up a basket. We exchange a look and both shake our heads. I put the basket back and grab a cart.
“Let’s get our shit and get out.” Hammer heads toward the snack food aisle while I loiter in the produce section. I throw a few plastic containers of veggies into the cart and then go find some frozen fish.
“What the fuck are you buying?” Hammer asks me as I roll the cart toward the checkout aisle. “Did you get an email from the trainer?” He looks me with concern. “Shit, do we have to start earlier this year?”
“No, I didn’t get any email. This is just…” I rub the back of my neck self-consciously because I’m buying food for a woman who I haven’t even slept with. I’m fucking wooing her with broccoli heads and apples.
“Just what?” Hammer prompts.
“Just thinking I should eat better. Set a good example,” I improvise.
“Then I guess this is all for me.” The bastard shakes his bag of Doritos.
I force myself to turn away before I start drooling.
“That’ll be sixty-eight fifty,” the clerk says. She smiles prettily up at us.
Hammer leans forward. “You’re gorgeous, honey. What’s your name?”
“She’s sixteen,” says the kid at the end bagging the groceries.
The girl shoots the boy a dirty look. Someone’s not getting laid. He shrugs philosophically. “Didn’t want a Warrior to get suspended for some underage tail.”
Hammer reaches out and daps the bagger’s fist. “My man, you’re all right.”
“No problem. Want me to carry this out for you?” He lifts the plastic bags.
“We got this,“ I say before Hammer can adopt the pimply-faced kid and bring him home with us.
“Congrats, by the way,” the kid calls after us.
“Close call there.” Hammer wipes a hand across his forehead.
“Were you really thinking about picking up the checkout girl?” I ask incredulously. Maybe we do take fucks too casually. Hammer gives a tiny shrug.
“She was cute. No harm in flirting. Maybe getting her number. Townies are good for a little variety, right?”
“Right,” I say faintly.
On the way back home, Hammer lays out the plan he and Bishop have cooked up, the checkout girl already a distant memory, so far behind he can’t even remember seeing her in the rearview mirror.
Somehow I don’t think gathering a list of all the quarterbacks who never made it to the next level is going to be very convincing. On the other hand, I can’t come out and say, “Hey, your buddy Ace can’t be quarterback anymore. Want to help me convince him moving to safety is the right call? And, oh by the way, I think you’re sexy as hell. Can you introduce me to your mattress before we ruin your best friend’s life?”
I think I better get used to eating broccoli instead of chips for the next couple of weeks.