Chapter Eight

W e won the game.

I knew we would. How could we not? We have some of the best players in the country on our team. Plus, the Kendall University Ducks have had a rough go of it. After their coach left unexpectedly, they are now rebuilding their program.

"Wow, how exhilarating. Did you see how well your boyfriend did?" Cora asks.

I roll my eyes.

She's been calling him my boyfriend since I showed up in his jersey.

I wasn't going to. I was going to wear Kellan's like normal, but this morning some guy delivered me the jersey, the tickets, and some flowers. Lilies, to be specific. My favorite.

It just makes me smile because I only mentioned it to him once. Three nights ago, when we were studying, he made a comment about wining and dining with roses, and I told him my feelings on that particular flower. Then he asked what I preferred, and I told him lilies.

When they showed up, the smile on my face wouldn't leave. He's out to prove a point, and he's doing it well. Kellan has known me for years and didn't remember my favorite flower, but I told Clay once, and he did.

The note was cute too.

Shorty,

I know you wear Cooper's jersey usually, and you still can, but if you decide you want to show me some love too, I wanted you to have the option. The tickets will put you next to my mom and sister. I hope you take them.

-C

How could I say no to that?

I did hesitate with the jersey. I've never worn anyone but Kellan's jersey.

Then I remembered how every time I've been free this week, he hasn't.

I shouldn't hold it against him. Sometimes it was class and others it was practice, but Clay has the same schedule, and he made time for me.

It made me realize Kellan isn't in love with me. He's in love with the idea of me.

"He's not my boyfriend," I remind Cora.

Clay's mom, Louise, just smiles.

"You are a girl who is his friend, so the label stays. Are you going out to dinner with us?" Cora asks.

I look at Peyton, who shrugs, then I look back at his mom. "Are you sure you don't want to spend time with him?"

"We will be, and we want to get to know you two better too. We want to know more about Clayton's life up here," she tells me.

I found out during the game that Clayton grew up in a small town about an hour and a half south of here. His mother doesn't get to make it up to games a lot, but she tries.

Knowing money is tight, I nibble my bottom lip.

"Honestly, I think I'd like some home -cooked food. How about I cook you something?" I ask them.

Peyton's eyes widen. "Um, babe, we don't have a kitchen."

I laugh. "No, but Clay does."

Cora snorts, then mumbles, "Not his girlfriend, my ass."

"That would be lovely," Louise answers.

"Great."

Peyton clears her throat before pulling me a little ways away. "Girl, the guys usually throw a hockey party there after a win."

"I know, but Clay asked the guys to do it somewhere else tonight so his mom and sister could stay the night. It's clear, I promise."

She looks relieved.

Just then, the guys start to emerge from the locker room.

We join Cora and Louise again. Kellan makes it out of the room first, moving to me, opening his arms for a hug.

I give him a tight smile, but I hug him. He lifts me, spinning me.

I hear Cora ask Peyton who Kellan is, but I ignore it. When he sets me down, he smiles.

"You coming to the party?"

I shake my head. "I'm going to make Louise and Cora dinner. We still on for lunch tomorrow?"

He nods. "I won't miss it this time. Promise."

His promises have been meaning less and less recently. I don't say that, though. I just nod, turning back to my group as he leaves.

"Is that your boyfriend?" Cora asks.

"I don't have a boyfriend, Cora. I told you that."

"Boring. He was kinda hot, though. Is he single?"

"Cora Ann. Enough of that. Your brother would kill you if he heard you talking about one of his buddies like that."

"Which buddy is she hitting on now, Mama?" Clay hugs his mom before hugging Cora.

I about choke. He definitely does not think of Kellan as a buddy.

"The one who was just hugging your girlfriend. What was his name?" Cora asks me.

I give Clay a tight smile. "Kellan."

Clay's jaw works as he moves toward me, but he hugs me gently like he always does.

"Kellan is a good player, but trust me, Cora. He's a love 'em and leave 'em guy." Clay pulls back, looking for me to disagree.

I mean, it's not exactly true, but I get what he's saying. He wants him as far away from Cora as possible. I don't blame him.

He's seen only the negative in him.

"Is there even a guy on your team you would trust with your sister?" Peyton teases.

"Wyatt. He's young, but he's a good kid. He has focus. He'd treat Cora well," Clay answers right away.

My mouth falls open. "Seriously? I thought you'd say none of them."

He shrugs. "As much as I wish Cora wouldn't date until she's sixty, I know that's not feasible. So if I had to choose, I'd want someone like Wyatt. He knows what he wants out of life, and he's going to make it happen."

"He also happens to be the most quiet of the bunch. It's a goalie thing," Beckett, one of Clay's roommates, says as he wraps his arm around Clay, winking at Cora.

"I will dick punch you right now if you don't stop flirting with my sister," Clay warns.

Louise gasps. "Clayton Kenneth James, you are not too old to wash your mouth out with soap."

I giggle, trying to hide it, but from the sly smile Clay sends my way, I fail.

"Sorry, Mama."

"It's my fault, ma'am. I like to rile your boy up. I'll let y'all get to your dinner plans. We are going to the football house tonight, so if you want to join later, just give me a call," Beckett says.

"You know I won't," Clay tells him.

It's not because of his family either. He doesn't like to party. I love that about him. It's something else we have in common.

"Where do you want to go for dinner? I have a little extra money." Clay asks.

"Actually, your girlfriend offered to make dinner. Isn't that right, Grace?" Cora blinks at me innocently.

I don't even bother to correct her this time. "I figured I could run to the store and grab a few things. It wouldn't take long. I can make anything. Fish, steak, chicken, pasta. Whatever you want."

As I list off the items, I watch Louise's eyes light up.

"I love fish, but it's so expensive," she almost whispers.

"Fish it is."

Clay fishes out his car keys. He takes one of the keys off, handing it to his mom and sister.

"You two go get settled. I'll take the girls to the store and meet you there. Do you want some wine, Mama?"

"That's too much."

"Not for you. Be there soon."

"I'll go with them. I want to get to know Cora more," Peyton says, winking at me.

Of course, she will. She's been on me all week about my relationship status with Clay.

As soon as we get into his car, I turn to him. "You know Peyton and Cora are going to come up with some way to torture us."

"Oh yeah. My sister is devious on her own. Having Peyton here is like having two of her. Peyton still doesn't believe you?"

"She says we might think we are friends, but that friends don't hang out the way we do. I reminded her that me and her hang out just as much, but all she said was that if I was into indoor plumbing, then maybe she'd be concerned, but she knows I'm more into dick."

He chokes on his spit. "What?"

I roll my eyes. I forgot that he thinks I'm innocent. I mean, I am, but I can curse.

"Get over yourself, Casanova. Now drive."

He laughs. "I just wanted to hear you say dick again. It was kind of hot."

I lightly slap his arm. "Stop making fun of me. Ass."

After a few moments of silence, he taps my knee, causing tingles to spread through my body.

"Thanks for wearing my jersey. It meant a lot."

Now that I think about it, Kellan didn't even notice what I was wearing. Another reason I'm glad I wore Clay's.

"Anytime."

And I mean it. I will be wearing his jersey from now on.

Grocery shopping with Grace was actually fun. She was so serious as she picked everything out. She wanted everything to be perfect.

She made me call my mom three times to see if she liked something she wanted to buy, even though I had already told her she would.

Watching her barter with the seafood counter for the perfect cut of red snapper was adorable. Then she bought some random spices even though I told her I had some. Admittedly, we are a bunch of guys, though. I'm pretty sure we have salt, pepper, and some all-in-one seasoning.

When we were finally done, she pulled out her debit card, refusing to let me buy a thing. Then she waited in the car when I ran into the liquor store to pick out my mom's favorite wine.

I forget sometimes that Grace is only eighteen. She seems so much older. She could easily be twenty-one like me or even older. When we made it back to the house, I thought I would help, but I was told to sit at the table and watch.

Then my mom and the girl who is not my girlfriend stood in the kitchen and cooked while Cora, Peyton, and I played a game of rummy.

I lost many hands, but that's because the scene in the kitchen was much more interesting. There's something so domestic about it. It scares me a little that I like the view as much as I do.

The idea that Grace could be my girlfriend has been playing in my head all night. It has to be because Cora keeps referring to her that way, and I noticed that Grace stopped denying it.

Shaking my head, I focus back on the game at hand.

"Seriously, Clayton. Are you even trying? You used to be so much better at this," Cora teases.

Peyton laughs. "I think he's been a bit distracted."

"Oh, I'm sure. I wish we were playing for money. He'd be broke by now," Cora quips.

"Ha. Ha. Cora. I'm going easy on you," I lie.

"Sure."

"Dinner's done," Mama calls out.

"Good. Let's clear the table," I tell Cora.

She sticks her tongue out at me. "You're only so happy to give up because you were losing."

"I think he just wants his girlfriend back at his side," Peyton whisper-shouts, making Cora laugh.

"You two should have never met. I am going to regret this." I groan.

Grace comes in holding two made-up plates, setting them at the table. "You'll be okay, tough guy. Besides, if Cora ends up coming here next year, at least she will already have two friends to watch her back."

"Especially if you plan to declare," Mama says as she brings another two plates.

"Let me go get the other plate," I tell them, avoiding the draft question.

I take my time grabbing the other plate and the bottle of wine that Mama already opened. Bringing it to the table, I set it in front of her before setting a plate at the seat next to her. I notice that Grace is sitting next to me, even though when we were playing cards, Peyton and Cora were in the two seats closest to me.

"Would you girls want one glass of wine? I know you aren't quite old enough, but one glass won't hurt," Mama offers.

They all smile and nod. I jump up, grabbing more plastic cups.

"Sorry, I don't have a wine glass for you, Mama," I tell her, handing her the glasses.

"You are a college-aged boy. If you had wine glasses, I would wonder where the hell you got them. Besides, aren't these cups a staple in colleges?" She holds up the plastic cup.

"For parties, yeah. We had some actual glasses, but the guys were bad about cleaning up after themselves, so they ended up getting thrown out. Hence the paper plates," I tell them.

"I'm surprised you have real silverware," Cora jokes.

"Yeah, well, after breaking as many plastic forks as we did, we decided it's best to just clean the silverware," I say as I take a bite of my food.

It's delicious. By the way everyone is digging in, I think they agree.

Mama shakes her head. "You boys. You never had issues doing dishes at home."

"I didn't mind cleaning up after you and Cora. Especially for all you do, but them? I'm not their maid."

"So you just use the paper stuff too?" Grace asks.

Turning to her, I see the humor in her eyes. She knows the truth. She's been in my room.

"You know I have one set of dishes in my room that I use and clean. I just didn't have enough for everyone."

She burst out laughing. "The first time I saw it, I couldn't believe it. Your son has a few neurotic tendencies."

Mama nods. "I know. I think it's the way he was raised. He took on a lot of responsibility in the house as he was growing up."

"Mama, it's not your fault."

Mama laughs. "I didn't say it was my fault, child. I only meant that's where you get it. It's not necessarily a bad thing. The fact that you like things clean and orderly means you will make a fine husband one day."

My neck heats. "I might never get married. We don't know."

Mama gives me a knowing look before flicking her gaze to Grace. Not her too. Why are the women in my life intent on hooking me up with Grace? I'm trying to be a good friend to her. Nothing more.

"I get it. Especially with all the puck bunnies hanging around," Grace says, saving me from any further embarrassment.

"Exactly. How am I supposed to know what they are actually interested in?" I throw up my hands.

"He's telling the truth, Louise. I've seen it with my own eyes. Not only with him, but with Kellan. Girls will throw themselves at them not because they like them, but because they want the paycheck they might have in the future."

"Oh? Is that the boy from earlier?" Mama says, but I know she remembers his name.

"Yeah. He dates around a lot, but some of them would try to use me to get to him. They either wanted him for his future career or his popularity. I assume it's the same for Clayton." She takes a bite of her fish as she finishes.

Then Cora, my sweet baby sister, goes and says the most embarrassing thing she could possibly say.

"Oh, Clayton wouldn't know. He's never had a girlfriend."

The entire table goes quiet before Peyton laughs so hard there's tears in her eyes. Grace only looks at me curiously.

"Cora Ann, that was not appropriate," Mama scolds her.

Cora only smiles wider. "You told me to always tell the truth, Mama. It's the truth. He never dated anyone in high school."

Mama shakes her head, looking at Grace and Petyon. "I'm sorry, girls. I raised her better than this, I swear."

Peyton shakes her head, still laughing, trying to catch her breath.

Grace is the one who speaks, but her eyes are on me. "Don't apologize. Telling the truth is important. Besides, I never had a boyfriend in high school either. There's nothing wrong with that."

I appreciate what she's saying. I know she went on a few dates in high school before Kellan shut it down, but she's stretching the truth to make me feel better. I appreciate it.

I give her a smile before changing the subject. "So, what is the small-town gossip?"

The rest of dinner is spent laughing as Mama and Cora tell us all about life in small town Hendricksville.

It's really the perfect night.