Chapter 4

" I still can't believe that the Knight Patrick personally invited you to Jock Jam," Dani sighed dreamily. She and Vicky were clad in oversize matching basketball jerseys that they'd modified to fit like shift dresses along with coordinating Jordans. They were both huge sports fans and had about passed out when Lila had told them that the Knight Patrick not only invited her to the party of the year but had also asked for her number. Add in that he'd actually sent her a couple of texts? They seemed in total awe of her.

Wren was sprawled across Lila's bed, hair in two French braids, dressed in her signature boyfriend jeans and tank top with a zip-up hooded sweatshirt to complete the look. "I'm a boxer in training," she'd said in explanation when she arrived.

"You're more than welcome to ride with us," Lila replied, pulling on white knee socks with a couple of navy blue stripes banding the top. Thankfully, it was unseasonably warm for September, with temps in the 50-60s at night, so she could get away with wearing the knee socks with a pair of short navy bike shorts and a long-sleeved white thermal crop top. She threw an unbuttoned Yankees jersey on to complete the look.

"Thanks, but we have to make a pit stop to grab some dinner first," Vicky replied. "But we'll text you when we get there."

Dani and Vicky said their goodbyes and headed out, leaving Lila and Wren in Lila's room. Thankfully, Becky was out on one of her twelve-mile runs, so her weird energy wasn't invading their space.

Lila took one last look in the mirror while donning a white Yankees hat and turned to her best friend. "Well, how do I look?"

"Like every athlete's little fantasy come to life."

"Stop teasing."

"This time, I'm serious." Wren got up and crossed over to where Lila was standing. "You're what we call a late bloomer, my friend. And you're blooming like whoa right about now. Own the hotness."

"Thanks, friend. And thanks for taking one for the…team…to come with me tonight."

"Your pun is noted and thoroughly appreciated, and it is my pleasure to be your wing woman during this night of athletic debauchery."

"I owe you DDPs for life after this." Wren's drink of choice was a Diet Dr. Pepper, always and forever.

"You just might," Wren agreed.

They heard the party before they saw it. Wren had grown up in this college town, so she knew all the sneaky, free places to park. They were about a block away from the nondescript side street that housed the majority of Bradley U's star athletes. Everybody referred to said street as Jock Row, which was basically a narrow half street that ended in a dead end that featured a string of houses that had unofficially become athletic housing because of their proximity to the university's sports facilities and its state-of-the-art gym.

They entered the party from the east. Based on his directions, Knight's house sat at one corner at the end of the road, and Jason and King's house was directly across the street on the other corner. A parking lot stretched between the two houses next to a high cinder block retaining wall that ended the street. That space between had become the center of the party, with large speakers pumping out music. The kegs weren't out in the open, since not everyone attending was over 21, but they were accessible if you knew which houses to enter. Not that Lila had any interest in keg stands.

Wren smiled because if there was one thing she did love to do, it was dance. "Come on, Li, they're playing old school Missy Elliot."

Lila allowed herself to be dragged into the fray and started dancing with her friend. After a while, she felt her phone vibrate from the belt bag she was wearing cross-body style. It was a text from Dani. After sending her their location, Lila shot a text to Knight as well. Might as well let him know they were there.

Since her phone was out, she decided to wrangle Wren into taking a selfie, with the promise that she'd only post it on her Insta stories.

"A selfie isn't a selfie unless it's a Knight Patrick selfie," a jovial voice boomed from behind them before he ducked down into the frame. Lila snapped the photo and then spun around just in time to be lifted up into a hug by the massive football player. "Hey there, Li. Glad you could make it. You better send me that pic." He set her back down and motioned his head toward Wren. "And who is your friend here? I'm assuming your name's not Rocky?"

That actually evoked a small smile from Wren as she introduced herself. Knight put an arm around each of them as Dani and Vicky walked up to them. "Ooh, more friends, Li?"

Lila laughed at his exuberance and at the stunned expressions from her roommates. "Yup. Knight, this is Vicky and Dani. Ladies, this is the Knight Patrick."

"Nice to meet you." Knight grinned, and Lila swore their panties melted right off. He dropped his arms and held out a hand to Lila. "Now, if you three will excuse Lila and me for a moment, I do believe she promised me a dance." He motioned his head over to what Lila assumed was his front porch. "You ladies are welcome to head over to the house and grab a drink or whatever. We'll meet you there?"

All Dani and Vicky could do was nod, and Wren smirked her signature smirk and smacked her friend on the ass. "See you two dancing queens in a few."

Knight pulled Lila deeper into the crowd just as a remixed Dua Lipa song began. "All right, Li, let's see your moves."

Lila laughed as they danced together, Knight always maintaining a respectful distance. They even worked out a little routine which they performed once they realized a circle of people had formed around them.

"Hot damn, you're fun." Knight smiled as they made their way over to his house after a few songs. "I can see why he's interested in you."

"Wait, huh?" Lila sputtered. "What does that even mean?"

Knight winked and flicked a glance toward a solitary figure leaning against the side of the house. King.

"Hey Li, be a friend and see if you can actually get my boy over there to dance, will ya? He's being so antisocial tonight, and I think you might be able to cheer him up. I'll make sure your girls are good."

"Um…you're not, like, pulling a Jason so I'll embarrass myself, are you?"

"I swear on a stack of footballs," Knight intoned.

"Can you even stack footballs?"

Knight grabbed the bill of her cap and gave it a little shake. "Stop stalling and get your cute self over there."

Lila split from Knight and shot Wren a quick text before heading over to the left side of the house. She tried to calm down her nerves and prayed she wouldn't make a fool out of herself as she approached. His eyes assessed her silently.

"Having a fun time propping up the house?" she asked.

"Something like that."

Lila leaned against the house so they were facing each other. "So why are you out here all by your lonesome? Hiding from all the jersey chasers?"

King's laugh was short but made Lila's stomach somersault nonetheless. "They are always lurking around at these things."

"And you don't like all that attention?"

"Not tonight."

"Still gonna see if I can handle your dance moves? I'm pretty sure they're playing ‘Get Low' right now. I'd love to see you drop it like it's hot."

King chuckled and looked down at his feet before raising his eyes back to Lila's. "Girl, I know you can't. But I have a better idea. Follow me?" He pointed to the backyard of the house.

"You're not planning on murdering me or anything, right?"

"Naw, I only murder on Mondays."

"Nice call on the one-day-a-week murdering. And on the alliteration. It's still a little too murdery for my personal taste, though."

"Fair enough." King pushed off the house and tilted his head. "You coming?"

Lila nodded, her eyes tracing the slope of his broad shoulders as he led her down the path that led to the backyard. There was a full moon out, so the night was surprisingly bright, which was helpful once they reached their destination.

From what Lila could see, there was a cement pad with a few chairs and a grill that was set up against the house, along with a small patch of grass that was surprisingly well maintained for a house full of college boys.

"Be back in a sec," King said, launching up the couple of stairs to a back door. A porch light flicked on, bathing the backyard in soft light. He reemerged with a couple of water bottles in hand and gestured to a couple of lounge chairs that were set closely together.

"Water?"

"Sure, thanks." Lila tried to ignore the strange ways that her nerves fired when her fingers brushed his. She definitely needed to get out more. They both stretched out on the chairs and opened their waters, taking a few pulls in silence.

One of the byproducts of Lila's shyness was that she tended to overcorrect when she felt uncomfortable, meaning she'd become inanely chatty, something she was desperately trying to avoid around King. But as the silence stretched into space and wrapped around them, she felt the familiar itchiness that came right before a bunch of embarrassing word vomit.

Just as she was ready to break with something pathetic like, So you like to play soccer, huh? King popped the awkwardness bubble.

"You a Yankees fan, Lila?" His gaze flitted from her hat down the length of her jersey, and Lila felt every heady second of his undivided attention.

"Mostly just an Aaron Judge fan," Lila joked. "My high school ex played baseball and liked the team, and it just so happened that I liked the jersey and the hat and the aforementioned Aaron Judge, so I decided not to throw them out once things were over. Which came in handy for an impromptu-ish party such as this."

"Well, you look good, so I think you made the right decision."

Lila was glad that the light was dim enough that King wouldn't notice the pinkening of her cheeks. "Thanks."

She let herself take a moment to scan over King's plain white T-shirt and navy joggers. "I take it the people who throw the party are absolved from following costume rules? Except I do recall that Knight was wearing a jersey."

"Knight's all about this kind of thing…"

"And, let me guess… You're not?"

"Not always. But hey, we match, so that's gotta count for something."

"I guess you're right. Though, I will admit, I was very much looking forward to your dance moves."

"Like I said, La, you couldn't handle the moves. Not even a little bit."

"La, huh?"

"It suits you."

"Most people shorten my name to Li; this is the first time I've gotten a La. I don't hate it."

"That's good, I guess, because that's what I'm calling you from now on." He leaned in to examine the delicate yellow gold necklace she was wearing. "Is that a crown?" He motioned to the tiny charm that hovered over the center of her sternum.

Lila fingered the small three-pointed crown charm subconsciously. "Yeah. It was a high school graduation gift from my favorite grandma. She said it was to help me feel powerful as I went out on my own for the first time. I rarely take it off."

"I like it," King said with a sexy half smile that made Lila feel all sorts of things. "My name is King, after all. Crowns kind of come with the territory." He winked, and she had to suppress a gasp. Because who knew a wink could be anything other than cheesy?

The longer the two continued to talk, the more they had to say. Lila lost track of time and was finally snapped out of her conversation by the vibrations of her phone. It was Wren, saying that she was tapped out on wing woman-ing for the night. Lila was shocked to see that over an hour had passed since she'd approached King.

"My ride is ready to go, so…" Despite the ease of their conversation, Lila all of a sudden felt awkward again as she stood. King got to his feet too.

"I'll walk you out," he said. He seemed to hesitate, just for a minute, before he spoke again. "So I was wondering if I could get your number? Maybe we could hang again sometime next week, if you're game."

Lila nodded and gave him her number, trying her hardest to play it cool. Unlike with Knight, who she could appreciate was stupidly attractive but who only gave her friendship-type vibes, King created an emotional war of feelings that tore through her body like a gunshot.

They walked side by side up to the front of the house, where Wren was waiting with a grinning Knight.

"Later, La," King said before turning to go into the house.

"Later," Lila managed to eke out to his retreating form.

Wren and Knight shared some sort of a look that they probably assumed Lila wouldn't notice, and then Lila and Wren said their goodbyes to Mr. Charisma himself.

Once they were locked in the safety of the car, Wren turned to her friend. "Okay, Li, spill it right now. Where did you go? And what happened with the inscrutable soccer star?"

Lila shifted in her seat and explained what happened, how Knight had practically pushed her into King's lap. How they ended up talking and laughing together. How he asked for her number.

"So he's, like, taking you on a date?"

Lila hummed. "I don't know. He made it sound like maybe we'd hang out or something. Honestly, it's all still sinking in. The past little while has been absolutely surreal on the social front."

"Like I've been saying, babe, you're blooming. You're hot AF, so of course all of those muscled specimens are going to take notice."

"Thanks for being my wing woman tonight, Wrenny. You know you're the best."

"Eh, it wasn't so bad. I got roped into a game of beer pong, and Knight was decent enough to swap out my beer with DDP because he knew I was driving tonight. And underaged. He's not a bad guy to have in your corner."

"Knight coming through with the DDP. Sounds like it wasn't too bad of a night for you."

"It really wasn't." Wren pulled out onto the road. "So, Denny's Grand Slam and then my place?"

"Obvi," Lila laughed.