Page 39 of The Backup Plan
She smiled and waved when she saw Cam enter, but didn’t approach to talk. He couldn’t tell in the low light of the living room, but he suspected that her blue-and-white dress made her blue eyes glow, and if he saw her someplace with better lighting—if they both ended up in the kitchen again—he might forget how to form sentences.
He ached to touch her, even something innocent—a hug hello, a hand grazing her back, a brush of his fingers over her bare arm—and when he saw Isaac poke her ribs to make her laugh, his throat clenched like it had the week before. He fought it, mingling like a normal person as long as he could before he started gasping for breath and moved outside where he could blame the bonfire smoke for his hoarse cough.
Only days before, he claimed an opportunity to redeem himself with her. She wasn’t the only one whose forgiveness he needed now. He smiled for everyone trying to lift his spirits. Then he slammed two shots of whisky, chugged a bottle of water, and made it home before the liquor hit.
Hayden
Paging @CoryThatcher, where are you? It’s Sunday morning, and I’d like my victory song.
Marshall
Paging @CoryThatcher @EthanEngel
We need photo share turned back on.
Ethan
I got you.
Ethan Engel has enabled photo sharing.
Marshall
Ethan
LOOK AT YOU TWO!!!
Goddammit, paging @CoryThatcher, he loves the meetups. He gets all teary.
Hayden
That game was a dogfight. Marsh’s secondary torched us in the first half. I only logged about a hundred yards total on six completions, and my hips are fucking broken.
Cameron
Mine too, from sliding. Half of my passing plays ended in scrambles. Iowa’s no joke this year. That loss hurt.
Marshall
Your run game carried you, Hammy.
Cam, at least you got a few yards. You know they didn’t see it coming.
Cameron
Looking a little sturdy, yet agile in that pic, Marsh. Can I interest you in some soup?
Marshall
Man, I say we call them and make a deal.
Hammy here is a little too scrawny for Chunky Quarterback Soup, but the boy’s still got a little Boston accent, so he can do the chowder.
Dale
I love that you guys are buddies now. For today, anyway.