Fourth Down Baby: A May-December Romance Read Online Free Page B

then?” Dani asks. “Last I knew, you wanted to go to that place in San Fran, right?”
    I nod, then shake my head. “No, I've got that okay too. Their financial aid offer came through, and it's really generous. Just . . . I was thinking maybe State, like you, would be better.”
    Dani looks at me like I'm crazy and tugs at her right ponytail in frustration. “You out of your damned mind, Cory? What, so you can be like a thousand other biz grads? All right, I haven't said anything since you like your privacy and all . . . but is it because of Patricia Nelson?”
    The look I give Dani is all the answer she needs, and she shakes her head in disbelief. She crosses her arms under her boobs and looks down, muttering to herself. “The fuck did I do to deserve this? First Troy, now you. Fucking Nelsons . . .”
    “Come on, Harley, it's not that bad,” I say, shaking my head. “I mean, yeah, Troy and I went stag to the prom, and yeah, I didn't do much more than a couple of fun dances, but I'm nowhere near that dude's level. Besides, I thought Whit was your best friend?”
    “She is, but you guys . . . no, you're right, you're not as bad as Troy . . . you, at least, aren't ready to be inducted into the priesthood,” Dani replies, then sighs. “I swear, you men and your bullshit are going to make me go into psychology for real. You know what you’ve gotta do, Cory. Talk to her. Notice I'm not saying it's a bad thing. I'm saying you need to talk to her.”
    I nod and look up at the ceiling. “And if?”
    Dani shakes her head. “You think I'm the person who should be giving you an answer on that, considering what Pete and I just did? Get outta here.”
    I look at Dani and see that she's in pain too. I step closer and give her a friendly hug, and she hugs me back. She's the best female friend I've got, and we've never thought about going from friend to . . . friends. I'm going to miss seeing her crazy ass around. “Thanks, Harley. Well, I can take care of that tomorrow. For now, I've got a workout with Troy. Someone's gotta make sure that idiot doesn't injure himself before he even gets to Clement.”
    “What's he up to now?” Dani says, forcing a smile as we go out into the hallway. “I mean his shirts look like they're about ready to Hulk out any second. Someone needs to get him some stretchy purple pants just to be sure.”
    “I think he hit the two twenty-five goal. We already talked, and he's going to go down to Clement a week after graduation to get an early jump on summer ball for them, but I think he's ready. He's straight up Beast Mode all the time now. The record board down in the weight room looks more like the Troy Wood Personal Best List .”
    “Well, you keep him safe,” Dani says with more emotion than I would have thought. Harley's good people, even if she does hide it behind a thick layer of sarcasm most of the time. “Do it for Whit, okay?”
    “Okay.”

    * * *
    “ Y ou got into Bay Area Consolidated. Congrats,” Patricia says as we hang the bedspread on the line outside. The spring weather is warm, a perfect day, really. It's only hard to do anything because of the storm still inside me, and I don't know how to talk about the subject. “Their financial aid package is good too. You never told me you had the grades to go with your investing brains too.”
    “I don't normally let it get out,” I finally answer, reaching into the basket and pulling out the first of the sheets. “You know how high school is. If you're a jock, you're a jock. If you're a brain, you're a brain. The two should never meet. Especially if you're a guy.”
    “True. And it's got to be easier being a dumb jerk jock than being a nice guy with a brain,” Patricia teases as we begin clipping the white sheet to the line. “How'd you keep up the deception so long?”
    “By being an actual jerk most of the time,” I joke back, causing her to laugh. “But I'm not sure I should go.”
    “What? You have got to be out of your