“Malik, you said he can’t leave for a few weeks. You still have time to convince him to stay,” she said.
“But he won’t have any money, and I can’t help him.” I bit back tears. My parents weren’t poor, but they’d never be able to fund the training for two football players trying to enter the draft. “His only hope for the draft now is to do what his father wants.” Of all the shit excuses he’d made, that was the one that made the most sense.
“I don’t know, sweetheart, but don’t give up hope. You love each other. Hang onto that. After this semester, maybe you’ll find each other again.”
I rolled my eyes. “That’s doubtful. His father will make him date more women.” As heat swarmed my chest, I fisted my free hand. It wasn’t fucking fair.
Lowering her voice, she said, “Malik, you need to come out to your mom and dad. They’ll understand, and you’ll need their support when you come home for Christmas.”
“I know, Shimá, I know. I need to let this settle first, though.” I inhaled a ragged breath. I’d lost my shit as soon as I’d heard her voice. I didn’t need to go through it again with my parents.
Rapping cut through the room. “Uh, Malik? Can I talk to you?” Tex said through the door.
“Just a minute. I’m talking to Shimá.” I took a hard swallow. He was probably wondering if I’d ever want to eat the breakfast he’d made.
“Um, no, I think you should come out now,” Tex said. “Casey wants to talk to you.”
Fucking hell, was it about his agent? “Yeah, okay.” Into the phone, I said, “I’m sorry, Shimá, but I have to go. I’ll talk with you later.” I pushed up from the bed and stepped off, taking my phone with me.
“Sure, let me know what happens. Love you.”
“Love you too.” Ending the call, I popped the door open. “What?”
Tex stood there with a shit-eating grin on his face, his phone in his hand and set on mute. “So, I’ve stopped by your room and Grey’s room like five times to see if you wanted breakfast.”
“And?” I planted my hands on my hips, willing the ache in my heart to lessen. I wasn’t sure I could eat right now.
“And, well, I overheard what happened with Grey’s dad.” He grabbed my arm and hauled me through the hallway, the main room and into the kitchen, stopping at the door to the garage. After swinging the door open, he said, “Look.” He wagged his brows.
“What? It’s Grey’s car.” I tilted my head. Had he gone mad?
“Does he own the title?” Tex giggled and covered his mouth with the back of his hand. “Casey and Ryker think it’s worthalmost eighty-thousand and Ryker wants Casey out of his BMW. It’s been breaking down again.” With a shy grin, he said, “I already sent them photos and gave them the mileage.”
As I realized what he was alluding to, my eyes widened. “Holy fuck, that’s enough to get Grey through graduation and the draft.” My pulse skyrocketed. Would he go for it? Was the title in his name? “Fuck, Tex, keep Casey on the phone. I’ll be right back.”
I sprinted to Grey’s room and flung his door open. “Grey.” An ache crushed my heart as I studied him, face down on his bed, his shoulders shaking with quiet weeping. “Oh, babe.” I rushed to his side and shook him. “We might have a solution.”
With a sniff, he swiped his face and rolled to his side, his eyes red and swollen. “What?”
“Do you own the title to your car?” I braced myself.Please say yes…
He nodded. “Yeah.” As his brows furrowed, he sat up, throwing his legs off the bed. “Why?”
“What would you say if I told you my friend Casey is interested in buying your car? You know his boyfriend is a mechanic and, fuck, it’s a long story, but they have the money. Casey got a fat advance with his NFL contract last summer.”
He stared at me, slack-jawed for a moment, as we both stood. “Y-you mean, your friend could buy my car and then I’d have the money to stay here and, and?—”
“Yes.” I grabbed his shoulders. “You’d stay here, finish school and train with me, and we’d go to the draft. Then we’d both have the money to do whatever we wanted. We’d be together, and we’d be free.”
His eyes filled with fresh tears. “Are you shitting me? Could this really happen?”
Shaking his shoulders, I said, “Is it what you want? Would you sell your car for?—”
“Fuck yes. Hell yes. Every damn day and every time I’d sell my car if it meant I could tell my dad to fuck off, and I’d have you.” He threw his arms around my neck and pressed a harsh kiss on my lips. As he broke the kiss, he smiled and said, “You’ll have to drive me around.”
“Gladly.” I seized his hand and hauled him into the main room, my heart soaring. We found a way. Well, Tex found a way, the wily bastard.
“Oh, here they are now.” Tex, sitting at the dinette, set his phone on the table. “Casey, Malik and Grey are here. I’ll let you work out the details.”