“Gouge me?” I asked. “Like you’re trying to do now?”
He grinned huge. “You’re smart.”
“Yeah.”
“Okay then. Out of respect, I’ll skip the bullshit and play this straight.”
“I appreciate that.”
“We want you to throw a game. We’re willing to pay you fifty thousand dollars.”
I stared at him, not sure what to say.
That was a lot of money. Fifty thousand dollars sure as hell beat five grand, and it would be enough to give Avery and the baby a seriously good start to their life.
But throw an entire game?
I couldn’t imagine it. Throwing a half was bad enough, but throwing an entire game, even just one single game, could fuck my career. Depending on the opponent, Coach might bench me completely, and then I’d be done.
Throwing a game was dangerous, but the money equaled the danger.
“I have to think about it,” I told him.
“Okay, okay. I hear you. I didn’t expect you to say yes right off the bat. But listen, we’ll even let you choose which game to throw. How’s that sound?”
I shrugged. “It sounds better.”
“Okay then. You think and you get back to me. My card is in the bag.”
“Will do.”
He nodded, turned, and got into his car. He started it up, backed out, and slowly drove away.
I stared after him, my mind warring with itself. I needed that money, but I couldn’t throw a game. Or maybe I could if it was the right game and the season was going a certain way. Maybe I could throw a game if it just didn’t matter all that much in the long run.
This was dangerous, so fucking dangerous, but as I headed back toward campus, I hefted the bag in my hands.
Five grand. No matter what, I had this money and could use it on Avery and the baby. Every dime of this was for them.
I got out my phone and sent her a text. It was almost eleven, but maybe she’d still be awake. I felt elated, excited, and conflicted. I needed to see her, and I still felt her ringing in my blood.
Campus wasn’t far away, and neither was Avery.
18
Avery
“Listen, I think we should go out.”
I looked up at Harper and slowly shook my head. “I don’t think so.”
“Come on, I won’t drink, either. We can be the sober losers standing in the corner.”
“What’s the point?”
“You can’t keep just moping around here. So he had to go. So what?”
I sighed and shook my head. Gibson had disappeared the second we kissed, and I just had no desire to go out. I was tired and lonely and frustrated, and I had no interest in going to some awful house party. Those were barely fun when I could drink; I couldn’t imagine what they’d be like sober.
“It’s not just that,” I said. “I’m just a pregnant weirdo. I don’t feel like going to a house party.”
She sighed. “Okay then. Suit yourself. I’m going out, though.”
“Good. Have fun.”
“I’ll try. But seriously, call or text me if you want me to come home.” She shook her head. “I hate leaving you’re here like this.”
I laughed. “Harps, it’s okay. I’m the pregnant one. At least you should have a good time while you can.”
She smiled. “Great point. See you later.” She left the apartment, and I was alone.
I didn’t mind. I really did want her to have a life. Just because I was pregnant and couldn’t have fun anymore didn’t mean she needed to sacrifice her life for me. She was already an incredible help with everything. At the very least she should go out on a weekend night.
Besides, I had everything I needed: comfortable clothes, comfortable couch, comfortable blanket, and entertaining, comfortable reality TV all night long. What else could a pregnant college girl need?
I stared at the television but kept thinking about Gibson. I didn’t know what that kiss meant or what could have been so important to pull him away in that moment. His lips had felt incredible against mine, and everything about him drove me absolutely wild. But there was something else going on with him, something he wasn’t telling me about. That was pretty obvious.
The image of his ex-girlfriend kneeling down in front of him came back to me. I couldn’t help but wonder if it was her who had called him. Or maybe he had a bunch of girls like that. It wouldn’t exactly surprise me, considering how he walked around campus like a hero or something.
But he did end up at my apartment, and I did hear him turning her down pretty loudly.
I was sitting there, frustrated and lonely, when my phone started to buzz. I ignored it at first, assuming it was Harper feeling bad for leaving. That girl needed to spread her wings and fly away to the closest place serving beer, and stat. She was a good friend, but really, there were limits.