The Wrong Quarterback: Chapter 5

Gray’s hand was warm around mine, our fingers laced tight as we walked toward the dining hall. The sun cast everything in a golden light that made the campus look like a picture out of a brochure.

It was hard for me to focus on the view, though. My thoughts kept bouncing from Parker Davis to the fact that Gray’s hand was currently tangled around mine.

There was a dissonance in the air between us. I could feel it buzzing beneath the surface.

“So,” Gray said after what seemed like forever, his voice casual but forced. “How do you know Parker?”

The question caught me off guard. I glanced at him, his eyes fixed on the path ahead, jaw tight. He wasn’t looking at me, but the way he said it—sharp, edged with something I couldn’t quite name—it almost sounded like he was…jealous.

“I don’t,” I said slowly. “He’s just…my TA.”

Gray snorted. “So why was your TA talking to you in the hallway like that on the first day of class?”

I licked my lips, trying to figure out what to say, because I was as confused as Gray was about what had just happened with Parker back there.

“I’m not sure. Introducing himself, I guess,” I finally murmured.

He let out a dry laugh, and I glanced up at his face. He looked anything but amused at the moment. “Right,” he muttered. “Just introducing himself.”

“Are you mad at me?” I asked hesitantly, stopping in my tracks and pulling on my hand so he would let me go.

But he didn’t let go. Instead, he pulled me back to him, cradling my hand in both of his as his gaze searched my face. “Casey, Parker Davis runs through girls like they’re nothing. He’s left thousands of miserable women around campus, with no one to pick up the pieces.”

Thousands. The word hit me, the significance of them sitting heavy in my chest. I mean, of course a god like that could have absolutely anyone that he wanted. But for some reason it hurt to think about. I tried to keep my face blank, though, like I didn’t care at all about what he was saying—because why should I?

“Why are you telling me this? I don’t know him, Gray. He was probably just being nice. I knocked my chair over and made a big scene at the start of class—I’m sure he felt sorry for me,” I told him, trying not to remember how Parker’s gaze had seemed to caress my skin. And how sparks had spun down my spine at the sound of his voice.

Gray exhaled, the tension in his posture breaking just enough for me to see it. “Because, Case,” he said, his voice softer now, “you’re…you’re beautiful. Guys are going to want you. You stand out in every crowd. It’s impossible not to want you.”

My pulse jumped, and I swallowed hard, the unexpected words settling somewhere between my ribs, warm and confusing. “You think I’m beautiful?” I whispered, my cheeks flushing.

A memory rushed back, as vivid as if I were standing in that sun-soaked backyard all over again. I was maybe eight, trailing behind Ben and Gray with that relentless determination only a little sister could muster. They’d been trying to build something—a rickety tree fort or some kind of “boys only” club. I hadn’t cared what it was, I just wanted to be part of it, to bask in their laughter and feel like I belonged.

“Casey, stop following us!” Ben’s voice had been exasperated, more bark than bite, but I’d ignored him, trudging along, my ponytail bouncing as I struggled to keep up with their longer strides. Gray had glanced back, a grin on his face that always seemed to say I’m glad you’re here.

“Come on, Ben, let her stay,” Gray had said, throwing me a wink. He’d always been the patient one, the one who never made me feel like I was just the annoying kid sister tagging along.

And then my foot had caught on a stray root, and I went down hard, the sting of the fall spreading across my knee, followed by the slow, hot trickle of blood. Tears pricked my eyes, but before I could even let out a cry, Gray was there, dropping to his knees beside me.

“You okay, Case?” His voice had been soft, calm, a balm in itself. He didn’t wait for me to answer, gently brushing dirt off my scraped knee and pulling a crumpled bandana from his back pocket. The fabric was warm from being pressed against him, and I watched, wide-eyed, as he tied it around my knee with careful fingers, like I was something fragile.

“There,” he’d said, giving me that smile that made everything hurt a little less. “Good as new. Ready to get back at it?”

I’d nodded, sniffling but feeling brave again, like that simple act had mended more than just my skin—it had sealed something in me, too. Gray’s eyes, bright with that easy warmth, had lingered a moment longer, and then he’d stood up, offering me a hand to pull me to my feet.

I’d been in love with him from that moment on.

The memory dissolved as quickly as it came, leaving me standing there with the echo of a million memories, of the way his presence had always meant safety. Gray wasn’t just some boy in my past. He was a part of me in a way that felt carved into my bones.

Gray suddenly groaned, and his eyes searched mine, intense and a little desperate. “Of course, I think you’re fucking beautiful,” he admitted, his voice raw and exposed. “I want you, Casey. I think I’ve always wanted you.”

The world seemed to tilt, the noise of the campus fading into the background as I stared at him. The way he said it—like he’d been carrying it around for longer than I knew—made something inside me crack open.

“Gray…” My voice barely made it past my lips, caught between disbelief and a rush of emotions that swirled around inside me.

“I always kept my distance…for Ben,” he continued. “And now I feel like a fool, because knowing how much Ben loved you…maybe he would have understood. I at least should have tried.”

My breath hitched, the weight of his words sinking in, heavy and real. I’d wanted these words for so long…I was having trouble believing he was actually saying them.

He moved closer, his hands letting go of mine so they could slide up and cup my face, his thumbs brushing against my cheeks. “I’m probably saying this all wrong,” he said, eyes locked on mine. “But I need you to know that it’s you, Case. It’s always been you.”

The honesty in his voice, the way he looked at me like I was the only thing that mattered…this was it. This was really happening.

I let out a shaky breath, the realization that my dreams were actually coming true winding its way into my consciousness, and I nodded. “Okay,” I whispered, not sure what else to say.

A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

“So are we doing this, Casey? Are you finally going to be my girl?” he asked, his voice low, almost shy, like he wasn’t sure what my answer would be.

For a brief second, someone else’s face flitted through my head. But I pushed it away.

This was real. This was what I had always wanted.

“Yes,” I whispered, barely able to get the word out before he closed the gap between us, pressing his lips to mine. The world around us faded into a blur, and for a moment, it was just us, tangled in a promise that felt like it had been a long time coming.

Before I could fully melt into it, someone shouted his name from across the lawn. “Gray! Are we eating or not?”

He pulled back immediately, and I looked over his shoulder to see a group of guys and girls approaching.

Gray let his hands drop and he turned, the easy smile he had with his friends slipping back into place as if nothing had happened. “Come on, let’s go eat,” he said, grabbing my hand and tugging me along.

I followed, but the moment was already fading as he launched into a conversation with one of his friends about the party they were going to after the game tomorrow. Squeezing his hand, I tried not to let the shift bother me, but the way his focus had moved on so fast had the warmth in my chest fading. I felt like I was still standing back there, in the emptiness that he’d left.

And Parker’s face was in my head again.