“Okay, let’s go find the guys and play some games of our own before dinner. I’m ready for a little friendly competition.”
Sam and Blake found the rest of their buddies in the game room. Logan and Zack were already involved in a heated foosball match, complete with a stack of dollars on the side of the table. He played a few games of foosball when the table came open and lost a round to Jordan, who buffed his nails on his Rebels jersey afterward, like beating him had been a walk in the park. That naturally led to a head-lock and some wrestling—all of which felt good.
After dinner, the kids gathered into the dorm’s main lounge with the coaches to hear Sam give a talk on mental conditioning. Blake had asked a few of the guys to talk about the physical and mental aspects of the game, which he believed was as important, if not more so, than the drills and scrimmages.
That night, the guys went back to competing in pool and darts while a baseball game played on ESPN. Blake sat on the couch and watched Brody and Hunter laugh like crazy over Zack’s scratch ball at the pool table.
For Blake, being back amid football—even flag football with a bunch of kids—was like walking on a sidewalk riddled with cracks. He wouldn’t be returning to his team.
Sam sank onto the couch next to him. “You’re brooding.”
“Yep. Being on the field today…it kinda got to me.” He picked up his water bottle and chugged it. They’d all agreed to a no-drinking rule around the kids. Coach Garretty had been right on that score.
“Well, that’s perfectly understandable. It’s been part of your whole life.”
“One of the best parts,” he said, making a basket with his bottle in the recycling bin.
But there was another best part, and he could go visit her. Being with Natalie reinforced every reason for the sacrifices he’d made. Rising from the sofa, he leaned over so only Sam could hear. “I’m leaving. Don’t tell the guys.”
He rolled his eyes. “Like they don’t know where you’re going.”
Sure enough, he was halfway to the door with Touchdown when Jordan called out, “Have fun, Ace. Tell Nat baby hi for us.”
Spinning around on his heels, he eyed the bunch. “You all look like a bunch of grinning hyenas.”
“We’re happy for you,” Zack said. “But still, it seems like you should have to sneak out or something. Maybe try the window.” He tapped the face of his watch. “It is past curfew.”
“We’re on the first floor, you moron.” He exited the room, smiling.
Even though he was anxious to leave, he walked to the stairwell to check on the boys. While he was certain the chaperones had everything in hand, he felt a strong investment in these kids, in this camp, and he wanted to make sure everything was all right. When he stopped on the second floor, he heard music, laughter, and raised voices. On the third floor, he was delighted to see a makeshift hacky sack game being played in the hall.
Good, everyone was having fun. That’s what camp was all about.
He and Touchdown headed home, or what he now thought of as home. The two-house situation was beginning to seem weirder the closer he and Natalie became. After spending the night with her, he sometimes wanted to destroy the bridge he’d built so he couldn’t go back to his own place in the morning.
He wanted to live with her again, full time. Not shuffle back and forth.
He was feeling a little out of sorts by the time he parked in his garage. Touchdown followed him in the house and immediately went for his water bowl. A shower took off the grime from playing, but it didn’t restore his mood. He’d spent the day ensuring everyone else was having fun, so maybe now he needed to have some fun. He was getting too serious about the camp, his future after it, Natalie. Putting too much pressure on himself.
Zack’s joke about climbing out the window to break curfew came back to him, giving him an idea. Natalie’s bedroom was on the second floor of her house. He could climb into hers. And give her a little fantasy.
He dug out the Fraser kilt and loose white shirt he’d ordered online a week ago. He figured if wrapping a simple plaid throw around his waist like a kilt was enough to turn Natalie on, how might she react to the real thing? The wool itched against his privates because—of course—he had to go bare-ass naked under this getup to complete the fantasy. The green and navy plaid socks looked ridiculous, so he had to dig out some dress shoes to make it more…presentable. When he was finished, he bypassed the mirror. All that mattered was she thought it was smoking hot.