More Than Enough (Enough #2) (7 page)

I knew I was still too wrapped up in Carter to do anything about it, but at least I wasn’t completely unappealing to the opposite sex, just the one girl that mattered to me at all.
I paid for Athena’s dinner when the waitress brought the check even though she fought me insistently about it, which I admired her for trying to pay her own way.

We walked up to my truck, and I opened the door for her just like I always do with Carter. I didn’t help her inside but with her long legs she didn’t have any trouble. I got in and started driving towards the dorms. I know Carter said that Athena was in the one next to hers. She started singing along to the song on the radio, and her voice was just terrible. But I kinda liked the fact that she st
ill sang out loud even though she wasn’t good.

I pulled into her dorm’s parking lot, and she leaned over closer to me and said sweetly, “Thanks for the ride and dinner, Keller. You’re a really great guy.” She leaned in then and gave me a peck on the cheek. I turned to look at her, and she was already hopping out of the truck and running inside
. My cheek tingled from where her lips had been, and I started to question myself about where this could go. But I just couldn’t let even my thoughts get far because my dream was still Carter. All my thoughts were still too wrapped up in making her happy and protecting her. I just didn’t have enough faith to even dream about anybody else. She and Brayden were the only two people in the world that I really trusted, and maybe I shouldn’t. Because they’d hurt me more than anybody else was even capable of.

Chapter 6

Athena

I could hardly take in a breath as I climbed the stairs to my dorm room. I’d actually ridden by myself with him in his truck. He opened the door for me and paid for my meal. I’ve never b
een treated like I was valued or important, but he just made me relax and get excited all at the same time just from being around him. But he still only saw Carter. When I first walked up to both of them in the gym, I could’ve sworn he was checking me out, but his gaze went back to Carter almost immediately after that.

Carter is so sweet and likable that I was happy to have dinner with her, but when I knew Keller was coming, I could hardly contain myself. He’s just everything that’s sexy. That’s the only thing I think I dislike about Carter. It’s how easily she disregards how Keller feels about he
r. Brayden and she practically have sex with each other in front of him, and Keller doesn’t even really try to disguise how he feels about her.

When I saw the pain in his face tonight, I just want
ed to offer to do anything I can to make him feel better. But I could tell that he isn’t even close to being able to get past her yet. The kiss I gave him on the cheek seemed to thoroughly shock him, and that wasn’t even close to what I wanted to do to him.

I got into my room, and Addison was still up with her little reading light on. “Hey you, how’s it going?” She just smiled and answered, “Really good, all my classes went well today. How was dance practice?” “It was good but hard. Rachel wants us to
be in top performance shape for the first game next week, and I’m not quite there yet.” She gave me a look of disbelief as her eyes scanned my body and the declared, “Well if you’re not in top shape, I don’t know who is.” And with that statement Carter’s body came instantly to mind.

She was just so much all in one perfect little package. How was I ever going to get Keller to really see me
when all he seems to see is her? And it has started to become really important to me for him to actually want to be around me. I was craving more and more of a real chance with Keller, but I didn’t know how to go about and make any of what I wanted become a reality.

Just then someone knocked at our door. I wasn’t too shocked since we do live in a dorm, and people stop in to see if they can borrow clothes or a book all the time. It could even be Rachel wanting to talk about how practice went and what are all the improvement
s that we need to make over the next week.

But it wasn’t any of that, it was Carter. Standing there and giving me her breathtaking smile while in a tank top and sleep short
s. “Hey, Carter, what’s going on?” She took a deep breath and then said, “Hey, Athena, I just wanted to explain why I left you like that tonight with Keller at the restaurant.” Her eyes pleaded with me to let her say whatever she needed to, and I was fine with that. I’d just assumed her and Brayden wanted to be alone, but maybe there was more to their abrupt departure than what I’d realized.

I gestured for her to come over and sit down on my bed. When we were seated, I nodded at her to continue. She explained, “I just want Keller to be happy, Athena. And I think you are absol
utely beautiful and perfect for him. He needs someone like you, and I can tell from how he does a double take every time you’re around that he’s attracted to you physically. I was just trying to throw you both together tonight to see if anything would happen. I felt guilty for not telling you what I was doing so I was just checking with you to see if you’re okay with me throwing you and Keller together at times. I just didn’t want you to think I was heartless when I left with Bray like that. We used to conceal and pretend when we were around Keller to not hurt him, but Bray and I’ve been together for over a year now. And we both don’t think us pretending not to be serious would do Keller any favors at this point. I want him to find his own happiness and pursue other girls, most importantly you. I feel like you would suit my brother perfectly with your sweet presence and easygoing demeanor. So with all that being said do you have a problem with me pairing you and Keller up whenever I can?”

I look at Carter and try to make it clear that that’s what I want too. “You can pair me up with Keller whenever you want. I truly like him inside and out.” Carter stared at me after I stated that, and I could tell she was trying to make sure that I was telling the truth. Whatever was on my face seemed to satisfy her, and she
informed me, “I’m dead on my feet and need to get to bed right now. Thanks for being so kind to me and my family already.” Then she leaned in and gave me a warm hug, not one of those cold pretend hugs, but a tight snug squeeze that made me feel a tight squeeze in chest of affection for her.

She stood up
then and said, “Good night, Athena. Thanks for everything.” With that she left, Addison looked up at me from her book and said, “Talk about a perfect body. I’ve never seen anybody look that good in my entire life. She seemed so nice to. Where do you know her from?” I answered quickly, “Dance,” cause I was ready to crawl into my bed and have vivid dreams about Keller doing wicked things to me. Addison turned off her light soon after that, and I got my wish.

The next week
and a half went by really fast with dance and school. I had breakfast with Carter, Keller, and Brayden the next Monday, but Keller was just broody and quiet. I don’t think his gaze left Carter the entire time which was a little disheartening.

The first football game was today, and I was ready to get out there and dance before the game. Our crowd was fired up and already yelling since it’s the first Florida State game of the season. The whole dance team is gathered in a dressing room with Rachel going over performance tips before we get out there.
We’re all in very tight fitted tight garnet halter tops and gold skirts. Of course, Carter makes the uniform look phenomenal with her figure. She seems serene and not nervous at all for her first game, but I guess she’s used to being in the spot light.

I ask
her just to be sure after Rachel’s done her tips, “You doing okay?” She looks at me and smiles, but now that I’m close I can see some nerves working in her. She answers in a less confident voice than usual, “I’m not nervous about the routine at all. There’s not a whole lot of crazy stuff that can happen while we dance. I’m just worried about how Bray will do on his first night, and I always worry that he or Kell will get hurt. Both of them playing college ball triples that worry.”

I put a hand on her shoulder to try to bring her a little comfort and try to think of the last time I was worried about another person. But now that it’s in my head, I’m worried about Keller too. He commands the field out there when he’s on it, but anybody can get injured when you’re playing football. Now I feel a knot in my stomach that wasn’t there before.

Right then as I’m trying to calm myself down, Rachel yells, “It’s our time, bitches.” And we head out to the middle of the football field and wait for our music to start. I’m right beside Carter who is front and center as the music begins to pulse out and fill the stadium.

We start
to move to the music, and I spot Keller standing beside Brayden on the field watching. There is one moment where Carter and I dance together, and I see him take a quick intake of breath and have to look down. Now I wonder is that because of Carter or me. At the end, Carter does a back flip into a split, and the whole stadium goes crazy as they cheer and applause. The football team comes running out on the field after that, and all the football players find the girls that they’re dating or interested in and stake their claim. Brayden picks Carter up and kisses her hard in front of everybody. As they stay wrapped around each other and getting even more into kissing Keller bumps Brayden hard.

Brayden give him a dirty look but pulls himself back and just wraps his arms around the front of Carter as he stands behind her. Keller stands next to me, but I don’t know if it was intentional or convenient since I was beside Carter. We wave to the
crowd, and Rachel leads the dance team to our spot off the field. Carter comes last as she was giving both Brayden and Keller last minute hugs.

The game starts soon after that, and Keller makes tackle after tackle on the Citadel’s offense. But Brayden hasn’t been able to convert any plays into touchdowns. He’s had a few open guys, but his throw seems a little off. Carter is trying to not let it affect how she da
nces, but I can see the worry on her face. Finally, halftime comes with the score still 0-0. We go to the middle to dance, and I can see Carter put her game face on and get ready to perform. We dance together, and she nails every move perfectly. At the end, we follow Rachel back to our spot.

A hand grabs me and pulls me away from the group. I look up into Keller’s gorgeous green eyes and don’t even hear what he’s saying. He shakes me and repeats, “Athena, I need you to go get Carter. Brayden needs her right now.
He’s a fucking mess.” I nod but am still stunned by being so close to him and what it does to me. But I hustle as fast as I can and grab Carter. I whisper quietly, “Keller’s at the edge of our group, and he says Brayden needs you. Let me lead you to him.” She just nods solemnly and silently follows me back to Keller. She runs to him, and he hugs her tightly.

“What’s wrong, Kell? Why’s
Bray such a mess out there?”” He just shakes his head sadly at her and explains, “I don’t know, sweetheart. But this game is really important for him. If he doesn’t perform, he could start riding the bench and never return to starting.” Carter starts tearing up as she realizes how serious this could become for his future. Then she seems to pull herself together, “Take me to him, Kell.” He nods and grabs her hand.

They head out through the stadium passing a ton of people along the way. I want to follow because I care about all three of them, but I’m not a part of their family so I don’t. It’s not until halftime is almost over that Carter returns. She still looks beautiful but a mess as she comes back to stand beside me.

Her eyes are red from crying, and there are tear tracks down her cheeks. I just reach over and hug her. Holding on to her tight and just letting her feel my support. Eventually, she pulls away and tells me, “Thanks, Athena, I really needed that.” I still keep a hand on her shoulder trying to let her that I’m right here with her and ask, “Is Brayden okay? Were you able to talk to him?” She nods and said, “Yeah, I talked to him. He’s just not understanding why he can’t get his head in the game. He’s scared that if he can’t be a superstar at football that I’ll find someone better. I was trying to take that pressure off him by explaining that he’s all I could ever want. It was just hard to see him doubt himself like that. He’s always so strong and brave. He’s always been my rock.”

“Are they keeping him in?” She nods and looks scared, “It looks like they are, but I’m so nervous for him. If he doesn’t perform how he want
s, then he will just be destroyed with disappointment.” At that moment, Rachel signals us that we’re on for a short dance before the game starts back. We do it, but for the first time I can tell Carter’s heart is just not in it. I feel for her like I haven’t for a friend before, and I try to stay right beside her as we watch the second half.

Brayden comes out with the offense and the ball is snapped to him. He tries to move around searching for an open teammate when he gets tackled and the other team picks up the ball. Carter screams, “No!!!” and the stadium echoes with boos and yelling. He got hit hard by a hulk of a guy, but he seems to get up with no problem.