Page 30 of The Way We Touch
“I’m pretty sure Harry’s a junior this year,” I tell Allie. “Jack will probably make him QB-1.”
Her brow furrows, and I explain. “First-string quarterback.”
“Right, I knew that.” She nods quickly. “That makes sense if he’s a junior. Austin is only a freshman.”
“If he makes the team as a freshman, that’s a really good sign. Jack doesn’t just put guys on the team he doesn’t believe should be there.”
Her eyes are wide, and she nods. I’m not sure I made her feel better.
My eyes go to Logan. He’s on the other side of the field watching them, studying how they respond, their decision-making skills under pressure. How instinctive they are or aren’t.
Today, he’s in jeans and a white tee, and his muscular arms are crossed. His square jaw is tight, and he has that same air of concentrated leadership as my brother. It’s hot as fuck, and it makes me wonder if he was a team captain at some point in his career.
I do not think how I’d let him be captain in my bedroom.
Okay, I do, but he’s a football player. I have boundaries.
The boys break and start to move, and his large hands go to his hips as his eyes scan the players. My lips part, and I wish I didn’t fantasize about how they’d feel pressing against mine, against my skin…
I just have to be strong for a few more weeks, and he’ll be gone, back to New York with my brother. A whisper of sadness sneaks through my chest, and I exhale a little groan, tearing my eyes away from his physique.
“He’s going long!” Allie’s voice tenses.
She grabs my arm, and my attention flickers back to the field, where Austin is making a break from the line.
Garrett yells to one of the bigger boys, who makes a quick pivot to block a defensive tackle headed straight for Allie’s son. Harry rears back and fires off a tight spiral. Allie and I grab each other’s hands, holding our breaths and gripping the other tightly as the ball shoots through the air like a bullet.
Austin reaches out. My stomach pitches, and Allie whimpers as it bounces off the tips of his fingers. It looks like it’s a fumble, until at the very last second he seems to stretch an additional inch. His hand curls, and he grabs it, pulling the ball tight into his chest as he crosses the line.
“He caught it!” I scream so loud.
Allie jumps up and down beside me, coffee splashing through the top of the white lid as she cries. “He did it! He completed the pass!”
Even Kimmie Joy is jumping up and down and pumping her little fists over her head. “Austin! Austin! Austin!”
The guys gang up, slapping each other on the back. The bigger boy who blocked the tackle lifts Austin off the ground, and Garrett is right in there, giving out compliments and making constructive notes with equal measures of enthusiasm.
I’m smiling so hard my cheeks hurt, and I’m breathing like I just finished a sprint. Damn football. I wish it wasn’t so destructive, because it’s thrilling as hell.
Logan’s eyes land on mine, and a zip of electricity shoots through my stomach. He smiles, lifting his chin before jogging across the field to where we’re standing.
My breath tightens in my chest the closer he gets. I blink away from his approaching frame, and now I’m the one having trouble keeping still. I shove a lock of hair behind my ear, and I scramble, trying to think of something to say.
“Hey.” He’s not even winded when he reaches us. “Austin’s looking good out here today, Allie. That’s your son, right?”
She nods, her face glowing with pride. “He’s a freshman.”
“Jack told me that.” He glances back at the field.
“He did?” Her voice rises, and I can tell she’s pleased Coach Bradford is keeping tabs on him.
But of course, he is. My older brother might not see her obvious crush, but he knows Allie is my friend. He knows their situation, and he’s empathetic.
The big heart my oldest brother hides behind his stern exterior is one of the things I love most about him.
“He’s got a lot of natural talent,” Logan continues. “He just needs training.”
Allie is positively beaming. “He’s hoping to be a quarterback one day.”