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Chapter 23: So we're doing this
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Keeping Score Chapter 24: No one said it would be easy
NATEI knew something was wrong the minute I opened my eyes that Friday morning. Hot. Hurting. Can't breathe.My eyes wouldn't stay open, no matter how hard I fought. I'd just let them drift shut again when I heard my mother's voice, coming as though she was a long way away. She was saying my name, the worry in her voice growing each time she spoke.Nate. Nate, come on, it's time to ...Nate? Baby? Oh, God ...Nate, come on, honey, wake up. Just before I slid into oblivion, I remembered that I was supposed to ride to school with Quinn today. She'd texted me late last night, saying she had the car and asking if I wanted a lift. Quinn. Yes, I want ...Quinn.The tightness in my chest was getting too much to bear, and I let go of my tentative grip on awareness. The last thread of consciousness that slipped through my fingers was her name. Quinn.***QUINN"Well, someone looks bright-eyed this morning." My mother poured her coffee and smiled at me. "I heard you come in last nig
Keeping Score Chapter 25: Just like Romeo and Juliet
QUINNBy lunch time, apparently word about Leo and me had swept over the campus. I might not have noticed if it hadn't been for the cheerleaders being more hostile toward me than usual and more than a few curious looks from other students. Still, nothing really bothered me until we were in the cafeteria. Leo met me at my locker, coming up from behind and startling me with a kiss on my neck as his arms circled my waist. "Hi." He released me, grinning. "Did you have a good morning? How was the math quiz?"I smiled back. "Morning was good, quiz was so-so. I hate math so hard."Leo laughed. "Some things never change, huh?" He slid his hand down my arm to link our fingers. "C'mon, let's eat. I'm starved.""Some things never change," I teased back. "Are you still the guy who's going to take my slice of pizza when my back's turned?""No." He touched the tip of my nose with his index finger. "I'm the guy who's going to buy us each an extra slice so I can eat them." He patted his flat
Keeping Score Chapter 26: Why didn't I give in months ago?
LEOI hated this fucking hospital. We'd been coming to it for way too many years, almost always to see Nate; although I'd had my share of broken bones and mild concussions, none of them had called for a hospital stay. "I hate this place," I muttered to Quinn. "It smells funny and people die here." As soon as I said the words, I could've bitten off my tongue. I knew how worried she was about Nate. But to my relief she only smiled and shook her head. "Tell you what. If you're a good boy, I'll give you a treat when we're finished here." The sideways glance she shot me gave a hint about what that treat might be. Oh, baby. The ICU was on the fifth floor. We were silent in the elevator, although Quinn gripped my hand a little tighter the closer we got to that floor. I could practically feel her nerves. "Baby, remember, I need to use this hand for catching the football tomorrow night. Don't break my fingers, okay?""I'm sorry." She tried to tug her hand free, but I wouldn't let her
Keeping Score Chapter 27: Go big or go home
QUINNNighttime football games had a special kind of magic to them, and tonight, the energy was heightened: this was an important game, one that would determine whether or not the Eatonboro Eagles would advance to Round Two of the conference playoffs. We were underdogs, for sure; Gatbury was one of the best teams in our area. Gia had saved me a seat, so I sat on the bleachers about halfway up from the field, mashed between two girls. I wasn't complaining; it was especially chilly tonight, and I was glad for the extra body heat. "So how does it feel to know it's your boyfriend playing out there tonight?" Gia grinned and poked me. "Pretty exciting, huh? Are we going to see some spontaneous cheers about the Lion roaring?"I rolled my eyes. "Don't hold your breath. I might be dating one of the team's stars, but I'm here for the game, not just to moon over the players." "Oh, check her out. It's all business. That's our Quinn-she's a tough cookie." Gia laughed. "Give her a few weeks,
Keeping Score Chapter 28: This is news I didn't need
NATEMy recovery from the virus that wouldn't quit was slow. I was in the ICU for nearly a week, and then spent another five days in a regular room, arguing with whoever would listen that I wanted to go home. And even once I was released and got home, I was still so weak that I couldn't go back to school right away. It was frustrating as hell.The only bright spot during the whole time was that Quinn came to visit me every day. She didn't stay long, but she was always there, entertaining me with stories and making me laugh. I was glad to see that she seemed to have gotten over the whole deal with Leo and Sarah Jenkins. As a bonus, she rarely mentioned Jake Donavan, which I hoped meant she'd stopped dating him. I hadn't been sure what was going on between the two of them, but more competition was not something I needed. There was something different about Quinn, though. She was somehow softer, and there was a glow in her eyes that I'd never seen before. I was afraid to even think
Keeping Score Chapter 29: You've been warned
NATEAs it turned out, Leo came over that evening, after he'd dropped Quinn at her own house. I hadn't seen him in weeks, and I couldn't remember the last time he'd actually been at my house. He looked bigger than ever when he appeared in the living room where I was sitting, and that irritated me. Leo had a way of making me painfully aware that although I was technically older than him, I looked younger. I always felt immature and behind the curve when he was around."Nate." He hesitated in the doorway, as though he was afraid I wouldn't let him come all the way in. "You look good.""Thanks." I motioned to the sofa. "You can sit down if you want."He sank into the couch, right in the center, spreading out in that way he had. He just sort of sprawled, then sat forward with his elbows resting on his knees. "I'm glad you're better. You scared the shit out of all of us." I shrugged. "It's all part of the disease." I was echoing what I'd been hearing the doctors say for the last mon
Keeping Score Chapter 30: Patience is a virtue
QUINNAfter the euphoria of the round one game, the rest of the conference playoffs felt anticlimactic. Eatonboro rolled through games two and three, and we were riding high when we reached the championship match up, pitting us against Franklin Township once again.I saw Leo between practices and team meetings, brief snatches of togetherness sandwiched by football. On days when it worked out, he'd pick me up for school, and we'd sit in the car, in the parking lot, talking a little and making out a lot. We ate lunch together, still with the football team; most of the guys seemed to have accepted me, although I noticed that Matt Lampert didn't talk much when I was around. I knew he and Leo were close friends, so I tried to draw him out, but he kept stubbornly silent."Don't worry about him, babe." Leo nuzzled my neck, touching his tongue to the pulse that thrummed at the base of my throat. "Matt's just ...he doesn't have a lot of people in his life he can count on. He's a little posse
Keeping Score Chapter 31: Tonight it changes
QUINNNate had returned to school about a week before the championship game, and he'd agreed to sit with me at the stadium. I knew Sheri was worried about him being out in the cold, but the day had actually dawned a little more temperate, and although the air was still chilly, the sun was warm. I promised Sheri that I'd keep my eye on Nate and get him home if he began feeling bad. It felt as though the entire school was crowding the stands, but Gia had saved seats for us. The girls greeted Nate as though they were all long-lost friends, although they didn't know each other well."Dude, about time you're here." Gia folded Nate into a hug. At first he stood stiff, but no one was immune to Gia, I'd found, and in a few seconds, he patted her back, smiling faintly.I introduced him to Gia's friends, and then there wasn't time for anything else. We stood for the anthem and stayed on our feet for kickoff. This time, there wasn't any drama on the field. Matt and Leo played the game as t
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Keeping Score Chapter 131: Days of You and Me
QUINNThe party was in full swing, with music blaring and the dance floor crowded. I was sitting on Leo's lap, with his arms circling my waist as we chatted with Zelda and Tucker. "Hey, did you see that?" Zelda nodded toward the crush of dancing couples. On the very edge, Gia was slow dancing with Tate Durham. She stared up into his face as he murmured to her, and I glanced back at Zelda with raised brows. "When did that happen?" I'd spent quite a bit of time lately with Zelda and Gia, who were both my bridesmaids, but Gia hadn't mentioned anything about Tate Durham. I didn't even realize she knew him, although thinking back, they must've met at Carolina, when we used to go see Leo and Matt."Got me. But they look mighty cozy.""She deserves a little happiness. And Tate's a good guy." Leo, who had been talking to Tucker about how brutal mini-camp had been this year, picked up on my last words. He followed my gaze to Gia and Tate and smirked. "Well, it's about time." "Hey.
Keeping Score Chapter 130: The best choice I ever made
QUINNThanks to the security team that we'd hired to keep the media and the curious public at bay, I could only barely see the people lining the perimeter of the roped-off section of the beach. I knew they were there, but it was okay; today of all days, I wanted to share all of my happiness with everyone and anyone. Behind me, the folding chairs that had been arranged on the portable wooden floor-and who knew they had such things!-were filled with our loved ones. We had quite a crowd, for what we'd both termed a small, intimate wedding, but then we were very blessed with both friends and family. My mother sat in the front row, flanked by Joe and Lisa on one side and Mark and Sheri on the other. Leo and I had dispensed with the silly idea of the bride's side and groom's side. We shared so many friends that making them choose which one of us to support would have been crazy. And our parents had decreed early on that they were all going to sit together, forming a united front. The
Keeping Score Chapter 129: We earned this happily ever after
QUINNWe'd been waiting in the empty, echoing corridor outside the locker room for twenty minutes. The guard had kindly but firmly told us that we couldn't go any further, but after Ellie had cajoled him, he'd promised to give us any update he heard and to talk to the trainer about letting us in as soon as it was possible. People swooshed through the hall, to and fro, but none of them showed us the least bit interest. A couple of reporters straggled down, but a non-life-threatening injury to a second year player who was only just beginning to show his strength wasn't exactly breaking news. I tried not to be bitter about that, thinking of all the times the press had hounded us about stupid stuff since Leo had been in college. One of the journalists was live streaming the game on his phone, with the volume pumped. Apparently the Rebels had made the extra point after Leo's touchdown, but New York had come back to score ten points after that-a fast touch down and then a field goal. Th
Keeping Score Chapter 128: Number 22 is down
QUINN"There's my boy!" Joe clapped his hands and whistled as the Rebels took the field for their first possession in the second half. We were up by two field goals, but with a team like New York, that wasn't quite a comfortable margin. "I told him we wanted to see him score today." Lisa nudged me. "Both times, it's happened when we weren't at the game. It's starting to give me a complex."I laughed. "I missed one of them, since it was on the road. So don't take it personally." Down on the field, the center snapped the ball into Gideon's hands. The quarterback stutter-stepped backwards, looking for an open receiver and then fired a pass downfield to a wide receiver, who caught the ball and took off. The crowd jumped to its collective feet, cheering him on. He made it to the twenty-eight-yard line before he was forced out of bounds by a New York player. We sat back down as the chains moved, and Joe patted my back. "This is going to be it, this next play. You watch. I've got a
Keeping Score Chapter 127: Family reunion
QUINN"I never knew it got so cold down south." Lisa Taylor wrapped her scarf a little more securely around her face. "I'm glad I remembered my gloves."On the other side of me, her husband leaned over. "Well, it is December, Lisa. You can't expect beach weather. Virginia isn't that far south."I bit my lip and tried not to laugh. Leo's parents had been down here for the last three days, visiting on what Joe called a 'pre-wedding mini-vacation' and what Lisa referred to as 'Joe's attempt to keep me from killing people'. Although they never really argued, they sniped at each other all the time, which made it less than fun to be around them. Apparently, being the parents of the groom was almost as stressful as being the bride's family. Simon had called us last week, griping about the tensions between Justine's parents and his own."You've got to take them off my hands for a little while, Leo. Please, I'm begging you." Neither of us had ever heard Simon sound so desperate. "All of the
Keeping Score Chapter 126: This is our time
LEOThe past and present jumbled for a moment in my mind. I had a sudden flash of memory, the feel of those legs wrapped around my back as I sank down into her, the weight of her breasts in my hands, the taste of her ...it was all so vivid and so immediate that I gave myself a little pinch to make sure she was really here now, and that I wasn't in the middle of some psychedelic mind trip. Then she smiled at me and spoke, her voice low and teasing, and I knew this was real. "Are you going to say something, or are you going to just lay there gaping at me? You're kind of freaking me out. I'm starting to worry that you're second-guessing the whole forever thing.""Babe. Never." I sat up and crooked my finger. "Come here. I'd go to you, but I seem to have lost the feeling in my legs."Quinn took a few steps closer to me, just beyond my reach. "You know, I realized something while I was getting changed.""Oh, yeah? What's that?" My eyes were glued to her fingers playing with the hem of
Keeping Score Chapter 125: For the rest of our lives
LEOI let her body slide down mine until her feet hit the floor. Looping my arms around her waist, I held her to me. "Mia, I know we've still got things to work out. I want to keep at it. I don't want to bury our shit under a rug or pretend we're perfect. But I want to deal with all of it together. I want us to be together, and not just for now, not until we see if things are good. I want you to live with me here, in this house I picked out because I could see you all over it."Quinn rested her cheek against my chest. I felt her tears soaking into my shirt, and I could only hope and pray that they were the happy kind. Swallowing hard, I went on, laying everything on the line and going for broke. In the back of my mind, I heard the old Eatonboro High Eagles chant: Go big or go home."Mia Quinn." I dropped to my knees and held both of her hands tightly in mine. "I love you beyond my ability to express it. I've loved you for so long that I can't remember when my heart didn't beat for y
Keeping Score Chapter 124: Redux
LEOThe last time Quinn had been in my house, I'd been in agony, wanting her and yet knowing the timing wasn't right yet. So as I led her up the steps and to my front door, I was determined to erase all the bad memories and replace them with only good ones.Before I turned the doorknob, I paused, gazing down at her. "The day I found this townhouse, I'd been looking at places all day. My mom was with me. Everyone had told me not to buy right away, in case I didn't last the season in Richmond or if I got traded or whatever, but I had a hunch. I knew I wanted to buy a place to live and not be just renting. I was ready for something permanent."She nodded, expectant. "I couldn't put my finger on why none of the houses seemed quite right. Then I realized it was because I couldn't see you in any of them. When I stood here for the first time, though, I turned around and looked at the neighborhood, the front lawn ...the view." I steered Quinn by the shoulders, pulling her back against me
Keeping Score Chapter 123: About time
QUINNBy the second half, Leo seemed to have found his rhythm. He caught several more passes and ran for a decent amount of yardage. When the clock hit all zeros, Richmond had won by ten points. I was ready to sprint down to the locker room, but Ellie caught my arm. "There's no rush, honey. Look." She pointed to the field, where the players were still milling around. "They'll be out there for a bit, doing some on-field interviews, and then they'll be in the locker room for a while before the post-game press conference. I doubt either Leo or Corey will be part of that today, but still-we don't want to be hanging out in the hallway until right before they come out. It's a mess. The press is there, and the jock junkies." She wrinkled her nose. "Okay." I sat down again. "So we just ...stay up here?""Yeah." Ellie lifted one shoulder. "Most of the wives take off and wait in the parking lot or meet their husbands at home. Corey and I have a tradition of meeting in the hall, so I don't
