Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 152064 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 760(@200wpm)___ 608(@250wpm)___ 507(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 152064 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 760(@200wpm)___ 608(@250wpm)___ 507(@300wpm)
“Yeah. Someone figured out her schedule.”
“This is borderline psychotic. I’m on the way over to the arts building,” Chase says. “I’ll meet you at the back entrance, closest to Prince Street. Brody’s place is only a ten-minute walk from there. I’ll escort you.”
I wring my hands. “What if there are more reporters at the back entrance? What if they see us on the way to Brody’s?”
“There’s a hidden path, so we can stay off the sidewalks. I’ll message when I get there, stay in the bathroom until then.” Chase hangs up.
Cammie and I stare at each other.
“I didn’t think it would be like this.” What if his teammates turn on him? What if my dad freaks out, too? “I don’t want Flip to end up traded over me.”
“Your dad wouldn’t jeopardize the team like that.”
“They are his favorite child.” I wish I was joking.
“I’m sorry.” Cammie hugs me. “Let’s get you out of here, then we can deal with whatever we need to.”
Cammie and I trade hoodies and I try not to dive back into the panic spiral while she messages with Chase. When we get the all clear, I tuck my hair into her Tilton baseball cap and we slip into the stairwell and descend, popping out at the back of the building.
Chase is the only person there. “You two okay?” he pants and runs a hand through his sweaty hair.
“Slightly traumatized and highly annoyed that we can’t soak up some vitamin D in the quad, but fine otherwise,” Cammie assures him.
“How did you know about this exit?” I stay pressed against the wall, still anxious that we’ll be bombarded again.
“Sometimes Brody uses it to avoid the fangirls who have a class after him,” Cammie explains.
“Poor guy.”
“It’s hard to have a famous brother and be following in his footsteps,” Chase says. “I let Brodes know we’re coming. He said to stick to the path.”
“Okay.” I nod, my throat tight as anxiety takes hold again.
“I’ll go first, and, Cammie, you fall in behind Tally, so she’s guarded, yeah?”
“You got it, babe.” She tips her chin up and puckers her lips.
He dips down to kiss her.
Cammie has a black belt in karate, and Chase is a six-four hockey player, so despite my trepidation, we should be safe.
Chase leads us to a trail that runs parallel to the street, through the park behind a few off-campus subdivisions.
“Are there already videos online?” I ask as we speed walk down the path. “I should probably call Phillip. He might worry.”
“He’s on his way to Brody’s,” Chase calls over his shoulder.
“How does he know to go there?”
“I had Brody call him.” Cammie squeezes my hand. “He called while we were in the bathroom.”
“Oh my God.” It starts to come together. “He called while I was having a panic attack.” What if he thinks I can’t handle this? What if he breaks up with me?
“He wanted to come get you, but we thought this would be better. He’s worried about you. We all are. The fucking media need a new hobby.”
Seven minutes later, Brody lets us into his backyard through a gate I didn’t even know existed. His brow is furrowed as he closes it and secures the latch. “You okay?”
I nod. “Just rattled. Thanks for letting us hide out here.”
“It’s no problem.” We follow him through the slush, a few patches of grass showing now.
Gage and Mac are chilling on the back deck.
“The media are really frothing at the mouth over you and Madden, eh?” Gage sets his phone face down on the side table beside his half-finished beer.
“Unfortunately,” I agree.
“You all want something to drink?” Brody asks. “We have a cooler of fun stuff and soda, juice, and water in the house.”
“And milk,” Mac adds.
“No one wants milk unless it’s going on cereal or in coffee,” Gage mumbles.
“I like chocolate milk.” Chase jumps to Mac’s defense.
“Water would be great for me, please.” My mouth is dry from all the anxiety and the adrenaline.
Chase accepts a beer and Cammie a soda.
We form a circle of Muskoka chairs. I wish I could relax, but I’m paranoid that a horde of reporters are going to ambush me again.
“Where’s Fee?” Mac asks.
“She was at the café with Enid,” Cammie says.
“We were supposed to meet them until we got mobbed,” I croak.
“I’ll just invite them here,” Mac says with the enthusiasm of a golden retriever.
Brody and Chase return a minute later with drinks.
“Dating a Terror player is a lot when you’re still in university, huh?” Mac muses.
“Today it is.” I’m emotionally exhausted from this ordeal and the level of attention we’ve gotten over the past week and a half.
“The prying questions are too much.” Mac’s voice is full of empathy.
“They’re really digging up his past.” Gage frowns at his phone. “Some of the pictures floating around are four years old.”