Chapter 374 - Normal Again

Chapter 374: Chapter 374 - Normal Again

Roxie was still half buried under the blanket when Zac finally stopped moving beside her.

She had one leg hooked over his, her hair was all over the pillow, and his hand rested lazily against her thigh. Neither of them had bothered getting dressed yet, and after the morning they had just spent together, Roxie had very little interest in changing that anytime soon.

She traced one finger over his chest. "So when do you actually get the money from the scholarship?"

Zac looked down at her. "Once everything is official and I’m enrolled. They start processing housing and the allowance after that."

"So right now you’re still poor."

"We’re still poor," he corrected. "Besides, I still have savings."

"Woe is us."

He laughed. "I have more money than you did a year ago."

"That’s a very low bar."

Zac pinched her side and Roxie laughed, twisting away until he pulled her right back against him.

"I’m serious," she said once she settled again. "When does all the football stuff actually start getting crazy?"

"It already is."

"You filled out paperwork for two days."

"That wasn’t the crazy part."

"Dylan made it sound like a national emergency."

"Dylan thinks every email needs a response within thirty seconds."

"That’s why you need him."

Zac rolled his eyes, but Roxie meant it. Dylan going to Tennessee too made the whole thing easier to picture. Zac would already have someone there who knew him, someone who understood football and could train with him while Roxie was still figuring out what she wanted to do once they moved.

Zac rubbed his hand slowly along her thigh. "Coach wants me back on a full training schedule now. Conditioning, weights, throwing, recovery. I’ve been slacking more than I thought."

"You have not been slacking." Roxie grinned at him. "You’ve got stamina and energy."

Zac looked at her for half a second before his mouth curved.

"Oh, fuck off."

"What?" He pulled her closer. "I thought you wanted evidence."

Roxie giggled when she felt him responding again and grabbed his hair. "Stop. We’re going to be late if we keep this up."

"You’re the one talking about my stamina."

"You’re annoying."

She gave his hair another playful tug and Zac laughed, but when he settled back against the pillow the smile didn’t last.

Roxie noticed.

"What?"

He looked toward the ceiling before answering. "I’m quitting the coffee shop."

Roxie blinked. "What?"

"I’m quitting."

She pushed herself up on one elbow. "You can’t."

Zac frowned. "Why?"

"The place will close."

"What?"

"You’re the reason half those girls go there."

He stared at her.

Roxie continued like she was discussing an actual business crisis. "Who’s going to make their drinks now? Some normal looking guy?"

Zac covered his face with one hand as he laughed. "You’re a menace."

"I’m worried about the economy."

"The economy will survive."

"I don’t know. You’ve built a very loyal customer base."

"You mean the girls who order one coffee and sit there for two hours?"

"Exactly. Community."

Zac laughed again, but when Roxie settled back against him, he became quiet.

She watched him for a moment. "You already told them?"

"Not yet. I’m going to today."

"Then why are you acting like somebody died?"

"I’m not."

"You are."

Zac sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I need the time. If I keep working evenings, I’m going to train like shit. Coach already wants us doing extra conditioning and Tennessee keeps adding calls and meetings. Once reporting starts, I’m going to be dead anyway."

Roxie nodded. "Then quit."

He looked at her.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You’re looking at me weird."

"I thought you’d say something about money."

Roxie frowned. "Why?"

"Because I won’t have anything coming in."

"You just said you have savings."

"I do."

"Then what’s the problem?"

Zac looked away.

Roxie watched him long enough for it to click. "Oh."

"What?"

"You’re worried I’m going to pay for everything."

"I didn’t say that."

"You didn’t have to."

He shifted underneath her. "I can still cover my own shit."

"I know."

"I’m serious."

"So am I."

"I’m not quitting because I suddenly expect you to pay for everything."

"Zac."

"What?"

"You live here."

"I know."

"You eat here."

"I also cook."

"That isn’t currency."

"It should be."

Roxie almost laughed, but Zac was still serious enough that she stopped herself.

She rested her palm against his chest. "I have money now. A stupid amount compared to what I’m used to. We have no rent. Groceries aren’t going to bankrupt me."

"I know."

"You keep saying that like you hate it."

"I don’t hate it."

"You hate something."

Zac was quiet for a few seconds before finally admitting, "I just don’t want to sit around living off you."

"You’re not sitting around. You’re training."

"That doesn’t make money."

"It will."

He looked at her.

Roxie smiled. "Eventually. Hopefully. If you don’t get tackled into retirement. I expect to be the trophy wife someday."

Zac’s expression changed. He reached up and touched her face, his thumb moving over her cheek while he looked at her closely. "I’d like that."

Roxie’s smile softened.

There was something about the way he said it that made the joke feel a little less like a joke.

She moved closer and rested her chin against his chest. "You’re doing what you’re supposed to be doing right now. You have Tennessee. You have football. If working is getting in the way, quit."

Zac still looked bothered.

Roxie poked his chest. "And if you get weird every time I buy groceries, I’m going to start buying expensive ones just to piss you off."

"That sounds like something you’d do."

"It is."

He finally smiled properly.

Roxie relaxed against him again, but after a moment another part of what he had said caught up with her.

"So you’re going to be gone more."

"A little."

"That means I’m waking up alone again."

The smile stayed on his face, but Roxie could see the sadness underneath it.

"Hey."

"I know."

"You’re doing it again."

"Doing what?"

"Looking guilty."

"I’m not guilty."

"You look sad."

Zac wrapped both arms around her and pulled her fully against him. "I’m going to make you breakfast before I leave."

Roxie laughed. "Every day?"

"Every day."

"Even if practice is at six?"

"Yes."

"You’re going to wake me up at five?"

"You said you didn’t want to wake up alone."

"That is not what I meant."

"Too late."

Roxie groaned and buried her face against his chest while Zac kissed the top of her head.

"I’ll cook. You can go back to sleep after."

"You’re ridiculous."

"You love me."

"Unfortunately."

He held her there for another minute before finally sitting up.

Roxie immediately grabbed his arm. "Where are you going?"

"To make breakfast."

"You said before practice."

"I’m practicing."

"Cooking?"

"Getting used to feeding you every morning."

Roxie stared at him as he climbed out of bed completely naked.

"You’re naked."

Zac looked down at himself. "You’re very observant today."

"Put something on before you burn yourself."

"That’s your concern?"

"Yes."

"Not modesty?"

"I saw everything already."

Zac laughed and grabbed his boxers from the floor before heading toward the kitchen.

Roxie stayed in bed another minute, listening to cabinets opening down the hallway and Zac moving around the kitchen like he already owned the place.

For once she had no interest in thinking about anything complicated.

Tennessee was happening. Zac was going, and she was going with him.

That was enough.

By lunch, school had gone back to feeling almost normal too.

Angela sat beside Roxie while Karen sat across from them with Mason, who apparently had decided their table belonged to him now.

Angela picked at her fries. "Why are you here?"

Mason pressed a hand against his chest. "Why shouldn’t I be here? We’re friends, right?"

Roxie glanced toward the table where the football players usually sat. "Zac, Dylan and Kyle are training, so Mason’s been abandoned."

Angela pouted dramatically at him. "Poor baby."

Mason laughed. "That’s the beauty of being an heir. I can survive hardship."

Karen snorted. "Heir to what? Your farm?"

"Why, yes." Mason leaned toward her. "So if you want a life of luxury, you should tie me up before somebody else does."

"I’d tie you to a post."

Roxie laughed, and even Angela started choking on one of her fries.

Mason looked delighted instead of insulted. "See? She thinks about tying me up."

Karen stared at him. "I hate you."

"You say the sweetest things."

Angela reached for her drink and accidentally knocked it against Karen’s hand, splashing a little across the table.

"Jesus," Karen muttered as she grabbed a napkin.

Angela blinked. "Sorry."

"I know."

Her answer came sharper than it needed to.

Roxie looked at her.

Karen caught it immediately. "What?"

"Nothing."

"Then stop looking at me."

Roxie raised both hands. "Okay."

Mason leaned toward Roxie. "She’s been like this all morning."

Karen kicked his shoe under the table.

"Ow."

"Good."

"You’re violent."

"You’re annoying."

Mason smiled like she had complimented him.

Roxie shook her head.

Karen had been irritated all morning, but that wasn’t exactly unusual enough to start interrogating her in the cafeteria. Maybe she was tired. Maybe Mason really had been bothering her since first period.

Roxie let it go.

After classes, Zac found her near the parking lot with Dylan already beside him.

Both had changed into training clothes, and Dylan had a bag hanging from one shoulder while Zac looked like he had accepted whatever suffering Dylan had planned for him.

Roxie looked between them. "You two look serious."

Dylan pointed at Zac. "He’s about to suffer."

Zac frowned. "You’re training too."

"I’ve been training."

"Fuck you."

Dylan laughed.

Roxie smiled because Zac already looked different from the way he had that morning when they talked about quitting the coffee shop. Football did that to him. He could complain about it all he wanted, but this was where he looked certain.

"What are you doing?"

"Conditioning first," Dylan said. "Then throwing."

Roxie looked at Zac. "Try not to die."

"That’s your goodbye?"

"You promised breakfast tomorrow."

"I’ll survive."

Dylan looked at Roxie. "I’ll make sure he gets home."

"Thank you."

Zac stared at her. "You trust him more than me?"

"With scheduling? Yes."

Dylan looked far too pleased with himself.

Zac muttered something under his breath before pulling Roxie against him and kissing her.

"Later."

"Later."

Roxie watched them walk toward Dylan’s car, already arguing again.

She smiled to herself.

She was glad Dylan was going to Tennessee too.

Zac would be leaving everything familiar behind, and even with Roxie coming with him, football was still going to be his world. Having Dylan there meant Zac wouldn’t have to walk into that part alone.

Roxie headed home without thinking much more about it.

That evening Zac was still training when her phone rang.

Roxie glanced at the screen and smiled immediately.

Ethan.

"You’re alive."

"Barely."

Roxie settled deeper into the couch. "That sounds dramatic."

"The Grill is boring as hell."

"That sounds personal."

"It is. You quit and now I’m surrounded by people I don’t like."

Roxie laughed. "Your uncle will hear you."

Ethan chuckled.

It had been a while since Roxie and Ethan actually talked without something happening around them. Hearing his voice felt familiar enough that she didn’t think twice about getting comfortable.

"So what are you doing now?" Ethan asked.

"Nothing."

"That sounds depressing."

"I’m resting."

"You don’t work."

"Exactly. I’m exhausted."

"From what?"

"Being beautiful."

Ethan laughed. "There she is. My narcissistic friend"

Roxie smiled.

They talked about the Grill for a while. Ethan complained about customers, one of the cooks and a woman who apparently still kept asking when Roxie was coming back.

"She still asks for you every Thursday."

"Tell her I retired."

"You’re eighteen."

"Early retirement."

"Must be nice."

"It is."

Ethan laughed again before the conversation drifted somewhere else.

"So what happens after graduation?"

Roxie looked toward the clock.

Zac had been gone almost two hours.

"Tennessee."

There was a short pause.

"You decided?"

"Yeah."

"With Prescott."

"With Zac, yes."

"I figured."

Roxie picked at a loose thread on the couch cushion. "He has to report early for football, so we’re going sooner than I thought."

"What are you doing there?"

Roxie laughed. "Why does everybody ask me that?"

"Because you said Tennessee, not school."

"Fair."

"So?"

"I don’t know yet."

Ethan was quiet for a second.

Roxie waited for whatever opinion was coming next. She had gotten enough of them lately that she could practically predict the conversation.

Instead Ethan simply said, "Okay."

Roxie frowned. "That’s it?"

"What do you want me to say?"

"Everybody else has opinions."

"I’m sure you’ve heard enough of them."

Roxie smiled. "That is true."

"You’ll figure it out."

She looked toward the front door.

"That’s what Zac says."

"Then Prescott finally said something useful."

"Don’t let him hear you."

"I’m terrified."

Roxie laughed.

By the time they hung up, Roxie realized she hadn’t thought about college for most of the conversation.

She put her phone beside her and turned the television on.

Zac was somewhere across town training with Dylan.

Roxie was home after talking to Ethan.

There was nothing strange about either of those things.

Life finally felt normal again.