Second Down (Moving the Chains Book 2) by Kata Čuić Page A

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    I chew on my lip, trying to ignore the stares of the students still loitering outside the building. Not one person has said a word to me about Rob. If I’m supposedly his girlfriend, that seems odd. Or maybe everyone knows he dumped me already.
    I still can’t wrap my head around that. Yeah, we got close since the beginning of the school year, but… I’m his Dream Girl? All his sweetness makes so much more sense. The cupcakes, the coffee, the amazing backrubs. How stupidly blind I’ve been.
    “For someone who said she didn’t know what to think, I can hear your brain from here.” Mike flashes me a smile as he unlocks his car.
    “I mean, I have thoughts; I just can’t organize them.”
    He waits until we’re both seated in the car to respond. “Yeah, concussions will do that to you. What’s your number one concern?”
    I gaze out the window and breathe through the pain in my skull. It makes it harder to think coherently. “Alex said Rob’s had a crush on me since freshman year. Is that true?”
    “Yep.”
    That makes sense, but I can’t fathom why. It’s like I know it, but…I don’t. “Why didn’t you ever tell me?”
    Mike grimaces at the windshield. “You’re like my sister. I wanted to be sure he was good enough for you. I wanted him to prove himself.”
    “Do you think he has?” It sure doesn’t seem like it since he can barely look at me.
    “Yeah. He has.” His voice is steady and firm. “Do you really think he’d be this broken up if you were no one to him? I guess…even I didn’t know what you mean to him. I’m sorry.”
    “Why are you sorry?” I’m so fucking sick of hearing how sorry everyone is.
    “All this time I thought I was protecting you from being with a dumb jock like me. Rob’s a good guy, don’t get me wrong. Alex always tried to help him, but I never did. Maybe I should have. I know it wouldn’t have changed anything that happened to you last week, but it might have kept Eddie out of the picture.”
    A surge of memories about that night rushes to the surface. “Oh my God. That’s why you called Rob the night you picked me up?”
    He shifts in his seat, clearly uncomfortable. “Yeah. That’s why. On the other hand, maybe it’s a good thing you hung up on him. He might have killed Eddie too.”
    “He didn’t kill Jackson.” I hope. Surely someone would have said something by now if that were the case.
    “No, but he could’ve,” Mike grinds out. “No less than the bastard deserves.”
    “Do you know anything about that? Is that something else everyone is hiding from me?”
    His sigh fills the tiny cabin of his sedan. “Last I heard, he was transferred to the county lock up.”
    “On what charges?” My voice wavers. My name might not have been used on television since I’m a minor, but Jackson definitely isn’t. Maybe the sexual assault isn’t as secret as I’d like to believe.
    “Attempted homicide. Why?”
    Relief floods my muscles, then they tense again. “Is Rob going to be charged with the same thing?”
    Mike casts a curious glance my way. “Not that I know of. It was justified. I haven’t honestly talked to him much since I’ve been juggling you and Chelsie. Jeremy might know, though.”
    “Why have you and Alex been spending so much time with me if Rob’s doing so badly? I asked Alex, and all he told me was that Rob would want it that way.”
    “Yep.”
    I close my eyes and rest my head against the seat. What am I going to do with all this new information?
    “Evie?”
    “Yeah?”
    “You don’t have to make any decisions today. Rob’s not going anywhere. Whether he realizes it or not, he’s freaking the fuck out because the guy loves you. I know you don’t want to talk to anyone, but maybe talk to him. Test the waters and see what you think now that you know everything.”
    My snort is less than becoming for the supposed girlfriend of the school’s star quarterback. “How am I supposed to talk to him if he can’t