Songs for Cricket by Laine, E. (best books to read in your 20s TXT) 📗

then right. As I was making my decision, Billy rounded the corner.

He halted, us both shocked to see the other.

“You’re here.” He glanced at the door that stood closed behind me, and his eyes narrowed. “Why are you here? Aren’t you banned from campus?”

Either word of my departure was going around or Coach had explained my absence to the team.

“We aren’t on Layton’s campus now, are we?”

“That doesn’t explain why you’re here with the team.”

He looked again at the door, and I shifted so he couldn’t see the room number. Even though he’d be able to figure out the number because the other doors would clue him in.

“He’s here with me.” I turned around to see August. “The question is what are you doing up here? Your room is on the second floor if I heard Coach correctly.”

“If he’s with you, why is he coming from that room?” Billy asked, looking a little too pious.

“I guess you missed the room assignments if you came sniffing around for my sister. I just finished checking on her, but there isn’t a need. Cooper’s bunking with her. I suggest you go back to your room, or I’ll be forced to fill in Coach. I bet he wouldn’t be happy considering he told you to stay away from her. Then again, if he knew, Coop might have a better chance at playing time.”

Billy’s eyes narrowed. “You wouldn’t dare try to use this to get your brother on the field.”

“Coop’s my brother, and she’s my sister. He’s my brother too.” August raised his chin in my direction. “Remember that.”

August had moved closer to me during his speech and now had an arm over my shoulder. There was a moment when I thought maybe things were finally going my way.

Billy turned and stormed off. August waited a second before pulling away as if it pained him to be that close to me.

“Thanks,” I said. “I—”

His expression darkened.

“I really don’t want to know what you were doing in there with my sister. And don’t think this changes anything.”

“August—”

I wanted to apologize and clear the air.

“It’s obvious Cooper and Finley planned this. That’s why Coop showed up at my door.”

I shook my head. “She didn’t know I was coming. I didn’t want her to be disappointed if I didn’t make it.”

Technically, I wasn’t supposed to leave town. I wasn’t sure what would happen if I got pulled over for any sort of traffic violation.

“Can we talk about this?” I asked.

He waved me off. “There’s nothing to say. But if she sheds one tear over you, I will do my best to end you.”

Then he was gone. I steepled my hands and pressed the tips of my index fingers to the bridge of my nose. I didn’t regret choosing Finley, but it hurt like hell to lose my best friend.

33

finley

Shepard returned looking almost pale. I scrunched up my face in confusion.

“What happened?”

Had he gotten caught by one of the coaching staff?

“I ah . . . ran into Billy.”

He put the drinks and key card on the dresser.

I sat up, my shirt covering me as the sheet fell away.

“What did he say?” I asked.

“August took care of it.”

“August?” What had my brother said to him?

“It’s cool. Don’t worry about it.”

But I did. He took off his jeans and joined me in bed. He shifted my back against his chest. I suspected that move was to stop me from seeing the emotions on his face.

“I hate that you’re forced in the middle of me and August,” I said.

His reply blew over my bare skin and made me shiver. “I’m not in the middle, and even if I was, I would pick you every time. Now shh . . . I’ve kept you up long enough. I won’t be the reason you’re too tired to play tomorrow.”

I didn’t think there was any way to sleep. The relief of seeing him allowed for the excitement of my debut game to hone in. But with the guy I loved so close, his warmth seeping into me, I eventually found dreamland. But I hated the pounding on the door that drew me out of it.

“Time to get up.”

The voice wasn’t anyone I recognized. Probably someone on staff I didn’t interact with that much. I rolled over and snuggled into Shep.

“Cricket, baby, you’ve got to get up.”

I burrowed in closer. “I don’t want to.”

A chuckle vibrated in his chest.

“Yes, you do. Your parents will be here to watch you win this game for us.”

The fact that he’d said us was also a weight lifted off my shoulders. Things hadn’t resolved yet with the stupid case. But at least if he still considered himself a part of our team, he hadn’t given up yet.

“Shower with me?” I asked.

He gestured using his head with an emphatic no.

“Please,” I begged. “We’ll save on water, and I promise to be good.”

His laugh lifted my spirits more. “I can’t promise that.”

I slipped my hand down between us and took him in my hand.

“Cricket, you’re fucking killing me.”

My parents often called me stubborn, but as I stroked him, he muttered a ton of curses. Just as he reached for me, I playfully rolled off the bed.

“Shower,” I said, letting the sheet fall and stripping my shirt over my head.

I ran naked and giggling into the small bathroom.

He came and well, so did I. My nether region had never so been thoroughly cleansed inside and out. The boy had a mouth that could make any girl weak in the knees, not to mention his dick. It was a struggle to walk normally and not give myself away.

As the team sat in a private room in the hotel eating breakfast, I wondered what Shepard would do. He couldn’t be obvious about being in town.

When we got to the stadium, it wasn’t necessarily bigger than ours. But the enormity of my first game made it feel like I’d arrived for the Super Bowl. It was afternoon, so the overhead lights around the field