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"Hey, guys," I said, butting into their conversation.
"Subtle," King said and Kassie and Zariah snorted.
"We love the outfit." Kassie beamed at me.
They know.
All three of them knew I was puppy love obsessed with Piper. I couldn’t think of anything more excruciating. Did everybody know I’d lay down on a puddle for Piper? Fuck me.
Piper could literally lose her job. And I couldn’t let that happen.
Every waking decision I’d made in the last few years had been one impulsive trip after another. Telling Piper I loved her had to be done right. Because, we just had sex, and Piper didn’t even want to stay in bed long enough to answer a text message. If she found out how I felt about her right now? Everything could go to shit.
I wasn’t stupid enough to think she felt the same way. I worshipped the ground she walked on. There was no way she felt the same. But I was stupid enough to hope that with time, she could like me half as much as I loved her.
My voice was strained. "I wore this for the optics."
"Sure, you did," Zariah giggled.
Kassie raised an eyebrow. "Gold star."
"That’s the commitment we’re looking for. Nice job, Adam," Ryan said and kissed Kassie’s hair.
My team captain, the only one who hadn’t caught on.
"Yeah. For the optics," I echoed, with a purposeful look at all three of them. "And I don’t think the optics need to know how much I did this for them. And you three are close with the optics and I don’t think the optics need to know. Strictly need-to-know, classified shit. Right?"
All three of them understood but Ryan frowned.
"I don’t think you’re saying what you mean to, Adam," Ryan said. "I don’t think you’re using optics right."
"Oh my god. Gray Sweatpants." Zariah sucked in a breath. "I just figured it out."
King kept his voice low with another knowing look. "You’ve been dedicated to the optics all semester."
Fuck. They know everything.
"Optics doesn’t know that," I muttered.
"Optics is going to find out," Kassie pressed. "It’s only a matter of time."
"Is optics an acronym?" Ryan asked. "Is this one of those technology acronym things? I hate those."
"If optics finds out right now, I’m—" My throat tightened and I cleared it. "I’m kind of thinking optics will hit the road. And I can’t have that happen." I slipped off my hat and ran my hand through my hair, glancing back at Piper at the petting zoo, talking with a couple of kids. "I haven’t been in this position before. You’ve got to cut me some slack here. I need time. Please."
Kassie and Zariah shared a look but King sighed.
"Well, I think you’re doing great with the optics," Ryan assured me.
If I thought fucking Piper would put everything to rest - I couldn’t have been more wrong. If anything, it was worse. Morning, noon, and night, she was at the front and center of my thoughts. Everything revolved around her. If I wanted to walk across the street, she had to be on the other side.
Which is why I found myself shelling out nine hundred goddamn dollars for professional-grade cowboy boots.
The rodeo at Marrs University was packed full of people. Select players of the Romans football team were corralled to nod and smile behind the governor of Houston, shake some hands, kiss some babies, the regular thing we did every year. But this year was different. I had the trick. Piper got spiked hormones with cowboys and I passed Cleo my credit card to commit to the look.
The dark rancher jacket, the washed jeans, nine hundred dollar cowboy boots, and the fucking cowboy hat to finish it off. All top-of-the-line, all custom-made. The belt buckle was the interception in a close fucking playoff game. Top of the top.
I looked good as hell.
