Playing Hard to Get(36)

Jo Jo. Her friend Natalie sitting beside her.

“No problem.” Cam’s gaze is still locked on the stands. “Anything for your sister, am I right?”

“As long as you treat her like she’s your little sister and nothing else, I’m good, bro.” We head for the sideline, my gaze lingering on Joanna as we run past her section, but she doesn’t even notice. She’s too busy chatting with her friend.

Instead of letting that little fact get inside my head and ruin my focus, I tunnel all of my energy into the game. The team we’re playing is nationally ranked, just like we are, and there is a lot on the line for both of us. The outcome effects both of our teams’ standings and, of fucking course, I want us to move up instead of descend.

A loss today is unacceptable. We have to beat these assholes.

“How’s the knee?” Cam asks me, pulling me out of my thoughts.

“It’s good.” I started physical therapy this week, slotting it between everything else I’ve got going on, and while it hurts like a bitch sometimes, it’s also helping. I can already tell. “Getting stronger.”

“Good.” Cam slaps the back of my helmet. “We need you on top of it today. They’re going to guard you like crazy.”

“I know. I’m ready for it.” We’ve played this team before and they’re always all over me. In our last game against them the previous season, Cam could barely throw to me, I was so well-covered. Something we’ve already strategized for—Cam is going to throw to everyone else but me, the entirety of the first half, unless he absolutely has to.

“I am too.” He holds up his hand and I slap it, grinning at him. “Let’s do this.”

“Bring it, QB.”

The game is just as intense as we predicted during the first half. Their defensive line is impressive—and frustrating. They’re barely letting anything slip through, and by halftime, we’re down by three.

The second half is when it gets interesting. Cam throws a forty-yard pass, and I catch it, running the ball into the end zone with three motherfuckers nipping at my heels. The crowd goes wild when I make the touchdown, but we’re still barely ahead, so I can enjoy it for only a few minutes before it’s back to business.

The opposing team rallies and gets a field goal, but we get two more touchdowns and secure the win. I gained a lot of yardage, despite only scoring one touchdown, and my knee isn’t bothering me too badly, so all in all, it was a solid game.

Helped that I had the girl I made out with sitting in the stands, watching me. I did my best not to pay attention to her, but my gaze would drift in her direction, every once in a while, to find her focused on the field, Natalie doing the same. I swear at one point I saw them talking to my sister, but I blew that off, thinking there’s no possible way.

I don’t care if Joanna does talk to Blair, but then again, I don’t know if I want them together—talking about me. What if Joanna tells her we kissed and then Blair casually mentions it to Cam? He said kissing doesn’t count, but my cover will be blown and I might have to pay up.

Though I’d try to get out of that shit. My definition of remaining celibate is no sexual penetration. Everything else is fair game. We just can’t actually do the deed.

Stupid but true. Meaning my options are completely open for what Joanna and I could possibly do…

We stay out on the field after the game is over, reporters clamoring for our attention. Cam is speaking with a cute blonde from ESPN, his hands on his hips as he speaks into the mic, always our confident leader.

“Knox Maguire! Can I have a few minutes of your time?”

I turn to find a tall, attractive brunette woman standing before me with a mic in her hand, a cameraman lurking behind her with his equipment. “I’m with Sports Magazine and was hoping we could chat.”

“Sure.” I shrug, waiting while she gets everything set up with the camera guy. “What do you want to know?”

She speaks into the camera, saying her name and mine before she thrusts the mic in my face. “What’s it like, being such a legacy player on the field?”

I frown at her, not sure what she means. “Legacy how?”

“Son of retired Bronco Owen Maguire. Nephew of Super Bowl legend Drew Callahan. Cousin to the hottest quarterback in the NFL Jake Callahan. Named after your father’s best friend and another superstar on the field, Wade Knox.” Her brows lift. “Need me to go on?”

“Okay, you’ve got me. I’m related to a lot of great players. And I was named after a pretty great one too.” I rest my hands on my hips, just like Cam did. “There are a lot of expectations resting on my shoulders, which I can’t lie—it’s kind of tough.”

“I’m sure it is. Despite all of the pressure, you played a fabulous game today. You’ve been great this season so far. But how is that knee holding up? There’s still some speculation it could hold you back.”

Always got to bring us down a little bit, don’t they? “The knee is fine. I feel stronger than ever.”

“It’s apparent that you are, with how quickly you moved on the field. Good job on today’s game.” She smiles, and so do I.

“Thank you, ma’am. I appreciate it.” I nod at her, noting the little scowl that appeared when I called her ma’am. She’s probably only about three years older than me tops.