Right of First Refusal by Dahlia Adler

Author:Dahlia Adler
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: lacrosse, college, basketball, sports romance
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Neither of us says a word until we’re safely inside his room—a single, same as all the other varsity basketball and football players in Shamblin. Then we both erupt at the same time.

“I’m sorry last night was such a shit show,” I say, at the same time he says, “You fucked Mason, didn’t you.”

Clearly we’re in different headspaces, but we both laugh. It feels good.

“I know last night wasn’t your fault,” he says. “You were doing me—us—a favor, and it got out of control. It was a stupid thing for me to attempt. There’ll be a time for me to be in a normal relationship, someday, maybe, but this isn’t it.”

“That’s so fucking bleak.”

“Life is fucking bleak,” he says shortly, hanging up his jacket and then holding a hand out for mine. “I’m lucky to have whatever privilege I have. I’ve got a scholarship, I like my teammates, I’ve got a single and will for the next two years—if all I’m giving up for that is having a boyfriend for a couple of years, I’m way luckier than plenty of other guys.”

I just nod. What can I say to that? We’re lucky, as athletes. I know that. NCAA rules may bar us from getting paid, and our schedules may be absolute murder, but we get to play. We do what we love, and we get free rides to a good school to do so. I know what it’s like now to feel like I’m constantly on the verge of having that taken away from me, and it’s hell. So I can’t exactly tell him giving it up for a guy would be no big deal.

Would I give it up for a guy? For Mase?

“You didn’t answer my question.” He drops onto his bed and grins up at me.

“I’m not dignifying it with a response,” I say, slipping off my shoes.

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

“You can shove that yes up your ass,” I grumble, and he laughs.

I settle into his desk chair, examining the few photos that fill the space. His family. The team. None of Troy, not that I’m surprised. He may have his own room, but Shamblin’s basically one big open-door policy, unless you’ve got a sweatband hanging from the knob. “So what happened last night?”

“Exactly what you think,” Jake says with a sigh. “Troy completely bailed to leave me with the crowd at Q, and has been ignoring every single one of my calls and texts since. I’ve spent the last twenty-four hours feeling like shit and eating so many chips it’d probably give Coach a heart attack. I haven’t even left my room to go farther than the vending machine until I went out tonight. And that was just to find you.”

“To find me?”

He holds up his phone. “A couple of guys on the team texted me that my girlfriend was running around by her lonesome.”

“How nice of them to babysit me in your absence.”

He laughs. “Hey, at least I know they’re loyal, right?” Then his

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