Diamonds, стр. 29

“Come in.”

She pushed open the door. “Coach Galloway, it’s so great to see you again.”

“Bryna, how are you?” He stood, shook her hand, and gave her a dimpled smile.

“Great. It’s so good to be back on campus.”

“Glad to hear that. Why don’t you sit down?”

She took him up on his offer and sat in the chair opposite his desk.

“How is your father doing?”

Bryna held back her sigh. “He’s filming on location in New Zealand, so he is incredibly busy.”

“It was unfortunate that he couldn’t attend the homecoming game this year. And we’re missing him this weekend.”

“So am I.”

Everyone always asking about her dad. Between Gates and her dad, people were going to know who she was on campus all right. It made her second-guess the decision to bring Gates along…and second-guess this meeting as well.

“I’m sure he’ll be around next year when I’m cheering on the sidelines.”

Coach Galloway laughed jovially and nodded. “I’m sure he will.”

A knock on the door sounded, and she turned around to see who was interrupting.

“Hey, Coach. You called for me?”

“I did. Bryna, let me introduce you to our student representative.”

Bryna’s smile brightened. “Eric Wilkins.”

He turned at his name, and she drank him in. Six feet tall, dark brown hair, light honey–hazel eyes. He was still built as if he had never blown out his knee beyond recognition last year in the middle of his touchdown interception that won them the game during the national championship.

“I shouldn’t be surprised you recognize him. Eric is training underneath me as a student coach,” Coach Galloway told her. “Eric, this is Bryna Turner. Her father is Lawrence Turner, nineteen eighty-eight National Championship winner.”

Eric nodded appreciatively and walked over to shake her hand. “I love his movies,” he told her. “Clever work.”

“Thanks,” she murmured.

“If you don’t mind, Eric, I’d love for you to show Bryna around. Her father is a very esteemed alumnus.”

Bryna stared back at Coach Galloway in surprise. They really were bringing in the big guns if they were getting Eric Wilkins to show her around. She wondered how many millions of dollars her dad donated every year for her to be getting this kind of treatment.

“Of course, Coach.”

“Well, I have some more business to attend to here. It was great seeing you again, Bryna. I’ll probably make a surprise appearance at the Sunday send-off brunch, so we’ll talk again there.”

Bryna took that as her dismissal. She shook the coach’s hand again and then left the office with Eric.

“So, what are your plans today?” Eric asked. “Campus tour? Sit through an information session on the school? Tour the dorms?”

She cringed. “No, thanks. I’d rather do what students actually do on campus.”

He laughed. “Get drunk and play football?”

“Sounds like my scene,” she told him truthfully. If she made friends now, then she would be one step closer to taking over the school.

“Then, we need to go to Posse.”

BRYNA MET UP WITH GATES AND ERIC on campus later that evening to go to Posse. The guys seemed to size each other up when they were introduced. They were about the same height, but Eric had a bigger build. Gates had lost some of the insane definition he had needed while on set for Broken Road.

After a few seconds, they smiled and shook hands.

They walked off campus to the club Eric had recommended. Gates and Eric talked easily the whole way while Bryna was lost in thought.

If her father hadn’t forced her to come to this recruitment weekend, she would be locked away in Jude’s apartment, discussing everything they had been holding back. Instead, she was on campus, being escorted by two guys who would probably sleep with her with a snap of her fingers.

She wasn’t looking forward to explaining all of that to Jude once they finally made their confessions. Then again, it was nothing compared to the fact that she was seventeen and still in high school.

“This is the place,” Eric said.

Posse was a colossal building with a bright green neon sign on the front. Eric got them past the bouncer and inside. The interior was a giant open space with multiple bars and tiered balconies overlooking the dance floor. A DJ blasted hip-hop music. Outside, there was a pool with several swim-up bars. The room had an energy that she couldn’t explain. It was hypnotic.

She and Gates followed Eric through the crowd to one of the bars. He shook hands with a bunch of huge football players, and then he introduced them. She got a couple of appreciative looks and just kept her smile on her face. This was what she wanted to be doing next year—cheering on the sidelines, hanging out with football players, and overall, being the most desired person at the school. She needed to push Jude out of her thoughts tonight and enjoy her time here.

“Drink?” Eric offered.

“Yeah,” she said, leaning her chest against the bar. “What’s good here?”

He smiled down at her and pressed himself into the space between her and the guy behind him. They were nearly touching.

“Everything.”

She glanced away from him and back toward the bar. She knew he was only flirting with her because the coach had told him to accommodate her. Couldn’t lose any of their booster money. But still, he was good at it.

“I’d like a dirty martini,” she finally told him.

“If you like martinis, I’d recommend the Peppermint Posse.”

“I’m in.”

Eric flagged the bartender, and she scooted out from the bar. If Jude weren’t in her life, she would have been all over Eric. But not tonight. When the bartender appeared in front of him, Eric ordered her martini and himself a beer. Gates already had one in hand from another blonde bartender. She must have recognized him because her mouth was dropped open in surprise.

Her Peppermint Posse drink was not only delicious, but it was also potent. She could feel her buzz setting in quickly.

By the time their group walked outside, she lost count of how many martinis she had consumed. Eric was talking to a couple of football players nearby. They kept shooting glances in her direction. Gates was by her side but talking to another blonde. She kept looking at Bryna as if wondering her relationship to Gates and how soon she could get him away from Bryna.

Bryna ignored the girl and motioned for another martini from a passing waiter. The waiter brought her the drink, and she started downing it. God, this stuff is amazing.

“Gates,” Bryna whispered, leaning into him.

“Bri, not right now.” He moved closer to the other girl.

“I’m going to call Jude.”

He furrowed his brows. “Not a good idea. You’re drunk.”

“I’m fine,” she slurred.

Her eyes wandered back over to Eric. He met her gaze and smiled before continuing to talk to the other players.

“Oh, and, Gates?”

“Yeah, B?”

“Don’t you think Eric is hot?”

Gates sighed and shook his head. He excused himself from the girl he was talking to and walked them a short distance away. “I don’t think that’s a good idea either. You’re really drunk.”

“Do you think he thinks I’m hot?” she asked. Her head felt beyond fuzzy. She could barely keep her eyes open. What the fuck was in those drinks?

“Every guy in this place thinks you’re hot, Bri. Because you are. And if I didn’t know you loved someone else back in Los Angeles, I would drag you out of this bar, back to our hotel room, and fuck you.”

Bryna softly patted his cheek. “That sounds fun.”