“I want to break up with Knox and I used you as an excuse. Sorry.” I make an apologetic face.

“Use someone else next time,” Schneider hisses. He pats his really nicely gelled blond hair. “I’m breakable.”

How did I miss Schneider was gay? I guess because I only have eyes for Knox. No one really exists for me but him.

Knox waits for me, but I see with a sigh of relief that Jack is there too. “Sorry, I can’t go out tonight. Lots of homework. My rough draft for the grant is due.”

I hurry in the opposite direction while Jack distracts Knox.

There’s one thing that will make Knox believe we are over. It’s the place I didn’t want to go, but I have to.

••• Friday

“Hi, Matty.” I drop my two grocery bags on the kitchen counters.

Matty waves his hand from the sofa. I think there’s a permanent indentation from his butt on the cushion. His dark hair gleams wet from his shower.

“Do you have your sexy costume picked out?”

“Knox picked them up yesterday.” I need Matty to get out of here.

“How come this dinner is a secret?”

Jack had Knox issue a team wide omerta—no one speaks of the fact that I came here tonight—or I wouldn’t come.

“Coach Lowe doesn’t want any distractions.” I answer. It’s true enough.

“Huh. He never said anything to us.”

“He told Jack. I don’t want to cause any trouble.” Also true.

I don’t want to be here cooking dinner for Knox and Ty. I’m not in the partying mood, but I have to see this dinner through. I have to act as if nothing out of the ordinary happened, which means I’m excited to see Ty, excited for the stupid Halloween party, excited to cook this meal.

And I have to banter with Matty even though my mouth is coated with acid and self-loathing. “I think the question is: do you have your sexy costume picked out?”

“I can’t go as sexy, Ellie. If I did, none of the other guys would get laid. All the honeys would be flocked around me and that’s damn unfair.”

I laugh, but he’s probably not far off the mark. Matty has zero problems with the ladies.

“Where is everyone?”

“Everyone or Masters?”

“Everyone. Knox will show up. After all, this is his place.”

Matty and I share a smile because we all know that Matty treats it like his place. Jack was probably right making me come here and go through all these planned events as if nothing has changed. It’s impossible not to be around the team and not laugh. They are a great group of guys.

“Knox had to do a couple of interviews. He’s famous now.” Matty wiggles his eyebrows. “Besides, I heard you were cooking dinner.”

“For Knox.” I emphasize his name.

“And his brother.”

“Is your last name Masters?”

“It might as well be. Plus, I can help you. I know how to cook.” Matty gets off the sofa and waltzes into the kitchen.

“You do?”

“Yeah. What did you bring?” He starts to dig through the sacks.

“Steak and potatoes.” I grimace. “Not very original.”

“If you don’t mind, I’ve got a good way to cook steaks. I like to baste them in butter.”

“Baste? That word sounds professional to me.”

“My dad’s a chef,” Matty admits. “I might have picked up a few things from him.”

I slide the steaks over. “Have at it, but I’m still pretending I cooked tonight.”

“No problem.” Matty knows this kitchen better than I do. He pulls out a cast iron pan and sets it on the burner. “Salt and pepper are in the cabinet by the sink.” He points to the cabinet and I trot over to pull out the spices. “You salt and pepper the steaks while I get the rest of this ready. What do you think for potatoes? Scalloped or regular baked?”

“I planned to put them in the microwave,” I confess.

Matty looks at me like I’m a heathen. “Yeah, I’m making scalloped.”

He instructs me on peeling and then slicing them while he adds more salt to the steaks.

“If your fan club could see you now, they’d be standing outside the door in a line like teens waiting for 1D.”

“What makes you think they aren’t already? I had to beat them off with a stick on the walk from Union to here.” He flashes a grin and I realize that Matty Iverson is gorgeous. His blue eyes a shocking contrast to his jet black locks, and he has a wide, infectious smile. It doesn’t hurt that he’s as ripped underneath his V-neck sweater. When Knox is around, all I can do is look at him.

“The defense played great last week,” I tell Matty. The team won twenty-four to fourteen. The offense still struggles but the defense was stifling. They are still undefeated and with only five games left, their national championship hopes were running high which is why I need to do the right thing with Knox now even though the only more painful thing would be to take

“Jack had a great game. We really need him on offense. I swear he’s the only one who can catch sometimes.” Matty bends over and throws the potato, cheese, milk, and bread mixture into the oven.

“Excited about tomorrow?”

“Yeah, the Cougars are a good team but we’re better.” He picks up a towel to wipe off his hands and looks at me with chagrin. “I worried about you and Masters at first. I thought he might get distracted and not as sharp on the field, but he’s elevated his play.”

I didn’t doubt that for a minute. Once Knox steps on the field, you can tell the only thing on his mind is eating the quarterback for lunch. There’s nothing but steely determination in his eyes. “He’s hungry for it.”

“No kidding. He watched every post-game interview, every minute of the championship celebration last year because it made him angry.” Matty winks at me. “We like an angry Masters. Besides he wants to win it this year.”

“I know. He’s declaring.” Ace knew it so I figured most of the team did as well.

“He’d be a fool not to.” His lips quirk up in a rueful smile. “I’m happy for him. It makes sense because if he stays another year, he risks injury. His draft stock is high this year so there’s no reason to wait, but shit, I’ll miss playing with him. So yeah, this year, we’ve got to win it. If we don’t win the title, our careers here will be a bust. All the potential and nothing to show for it.”

He shakes his head and the dread I managed to shelve the other night slides into my stomach.

“You’ll win.” I try to project as much confidence as I can.

“Knock on wood.” Matty bangs the cabinet above his head.

My phone buzzes. I pull it out and read the message from Knox. “They’re on their way.”

“Great. Let’s get these steaks seared.” He throws a stick of butter into the pan followed by the steaks. The smell of deliciously cooked meat fills the kitchen and I try not to gag as my guilt churns in my stomach. I busy myself with cleaning up the kitchen and avoiding Matty’s gaze. I don’t need him seeing how upset I am and then grilling me on what’s wrong until Knox shows up with his brother.

“We need biscuits,” Matty declares. He grabs my arm and pulls me over to the stove. “Keep spooning the butter over the steaks. I’ll be right back.”

He disappears down the stairs. Alone, I can only think of Jack’s words and how stupidly I’ve jeopardized everyone’s future. Not just Jack. Not just Masters. But Matty and Hammer and every other guy on this team who has sacrificed so much to have their perfect season.

I shouldn’t have come here. I should have called Knox and said it was over. Lingering over the corpse of our relationship is bad for everyone. I press my hand against my abdomen, but the knot won’t go away.

By the time Matty returns from wherever he disappeared to, the lump in my stomach has grown to the size of an elephant.

He’s got something clutched in his big fist.

“You’re making biscuits from scratch?”

He slaps a roll of refrigerated biscuit dough onto my palm. “Ta da!”

“Thank God.” I smile weakly.

“Why’s that?”

“Well, finding out you made biscuits from scratch would have totally demoralized me, so I’m glad to find out that you are merely mortal when it comes to this.”