If at first you don't succeed, then level the playing field and take a second chance.
Two years ago, Ellie Harrison collapsed under the weight of her past and the fallout that caught up with her. Like a shell of her former self, she retreated away f...
A rough hand grabbed into the center of my jersey, right between the numbers, and tugged on me like a fangirl. My eyes shifted up from the black glove clenched right at my sternum to the excitement in the brown eyes next to me.
"The hell, Brooks?" I shook Seth's hand off me.
"Sorry, I saw her," he mumbled next to me, his helmet still cranked in a direction over my shoulder while his eyes roamed around the field.
"Who?" I glanced over my shoulder in the direction he gazed but only saw Ellie.
Well, technically I saw Ellie within a sea of purple Husky jerseys that included an airhorn enthusiast next to Monique, who sat hunched over forwards in her seat with her forehead cupped in her hands. The shrill sound cut through even the dulled pregame crowd noise, which I wasn't sure I looked forward to when our bench was within twenty feet from it. I also saw Mom sat very closely to Mr. Reynolds while Brody hunched over, with his elbows rested on his knees and expression like he preferred if he was buried six feet under.
"D-train!" Wes hollered out across the field at Darrius, then caught my toss.
Number fifty-five's large frame trotted right over to the sidelines we looked at, where thankfully Darrius took the air horn from a small yet fierce-looking older woman who I assumed was his mom by the way she kissed his helmet. She sat right behind my mom, who leaned in closer to Mr. Reynolds, spoke into his ear, then put her hand on his shoulder as both of them laughed.
Hmm...
"Somehow I doubt Darrius' mom is who you were talking about." I grinned at Seth.
"Nope, the smoking hot blonde from practice," he replied with his tongue practically dropped onto the turf. "On Ellie's right, bro. Gotta feeling she's a screamer."
"Blonde on Ellie's right..." I looked over again then nearly bent over from laughter when I saw Seth's latest conquest desire. After a few loud laughs that left aches in my belly, I straightened up and gasped, "You can't be serious. Harper?"
"Harper huh?" He rolled her name off his tongue like in a trial run. "You know her?"
"She's... Ellie's friend from California. Be my guest." I chuckled and tossed the ball to Wes again. "Your funeral bro."
"So you could put in a good word," he replied like I needed another good laugh, because that's exactly what he gave me.
"She wouldn't listen to a damn thing I had to say," I admitted with a grin.
Truthfully, name unknown, 'that blonde' AKA Harper Reynolds was the talk of the locker room after more guys than Seth noticed her at yesterday's practice. I'd kept my mouth shut because, first of all, Harper took care of herself. Second of all, my personal amusement factor was higher if the guys discovered her... Harper-ness on their own.
I understood the appeal because obviously Harper was a beautiful girl with her classic California-natural features. She was at least eight inches taller than Ellie but, as with anyone in a side-by-side view next to Ellie, there was no comparison for me.
"Bring her to the house party tonight," Seth apparently hadn't gotten the hint. "Ellie too, celebrate the win for once."
"Gotta get there first," I reminded him. "Gotta get there."
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