The Pickup (Imperfect Love 1)

I turn my head to Celeste and glare at her. “When I throw a shitty pass, I don’t quit playing. I keep throwing until I get the pass right.”

Celeste laughs. “You know what they say the definition of insanity is? Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

“You’re such a bitch.” I laugh, and Celeste hits me in the face with my pillow. “I’m going to find her…One day I’ll find a girl who’ll love me and won’t want shit from me other than me.”

“Okay…how about we make a pact?” She smirks. “If you haven’t found love by the time you turn thirty, you’ll admit I’m right. Money makes the world go round.”

“Okay…” There’s got to be more to this.

“And we get married.”

At this, I crack up laughing. “Wasn’t that in a movie once?”

“So?” She hits me with another one of my pillows.

“I’m pretty sure it didn’t work out for them…”

Celeste rolls her eyes. “It was a movie. What do you have to lose? You have ten years to prove me wrong.”

“Are you serious? You and me get married?” I rake my eyes down her body. Sure, Celeste is hot, in a Victoria Secret model sort of way, but she’s not exactly my type. I prefer my women with a little more T and A if you catch my drift.

“Don’t give me that look. I’m not attracted to you, either. If I haven’t found a rich guy yet, we get married and do it my way. Not for love, but for money. I mean, c’mon…just about every NFL player you know has a model attached to his arm.”

Before I can respond, my best friend, roommate, and teammate, Killian Blake, walks into our dorm, slamming the door behind him.

“What’s up?” he asks, throwing his gym bag onto his bed.

“I caught Samantha fucking Jesse. Apparently she’s been cheating on me with him all damn summer.”

“I told you that bitch was money-hungry.” Killian shakes his head as he plops down on his bed across from us. I groan internally because apparently everyone saw it but me.

“And Celeste wants to make a pact.” I laugh. “If I don’t find love before I’m thirty, I marry her.”

“You can’t seriously be considering this?” Killian sits up, his eyes trained on me, not even acknowledging Celeste is in the room. Killian and I met our freshman year of college, when we were assigned to the same dorm room, and clicked immediately. He’s a wide receiver, and I’m the quarterback. This will also be our third year sharing a room, and if my dad has it his way, it might be our last. “You realize you’re making a deal with the she-devil, right?” he adds, and Celeste glares at him.

The two of them have never gotten along. Celeste has never hidden the fact that she wants a man who has money, and for that reason, Killian thinks she’s a gold-digging bitch. The funny thing is, she’s never denied it, never once tried to be someone she’s not, and oddly enough I respect her for that. At least she isn’t constantly getting her heart smashed on like I do.

I let out a low chuckle as I consider her proposition. For years, my mom and Beatrice have said Celeste and I will one day get married. I think deep down my mom is rooting for Celeste to get out of her situation like she did, but only because she’s her best friend’s daughter. Any other girl in Celeste’s situation, my mom would be looking down on. But Celeste, she’s always had a soft spot for. Like the daughter she never had.

“And what if I do find love?” I challenge Celeste.

“Well, then you’ll restore my faith in love, and I’ll stop looking for a rich guy and find myself a man to love.” She snorts in disbelief at her own words.

“Yeah, right,” Killian scoffs. “You wouldn’t know what love looks like if it smacked you in the head with your high heel.” I laugh, and Celeste shoots daggers his way.

“You’re too young to be this jaded,” I say to her.

“I’m only four years younger than you, and if we go by life experience, I’m actually ten years older.”

Killian groans and falls back onto his bed, covering his face with a pillow.

“So, do we have a deal?” Celeste grins, extending her hand out to me.

“Fine,” I say, and we shake hands. If by thirty, I still haven’t found the one, maybe it will be time to admit Celeste is right…but I’m not ready to give up on love yet. Plus, the thought of finding love and Celeste having to give up on her ‘marry-a-rich-man plan’ to find her own true love will make it well worth it. “Better be ready.” I smirk.

“For what?” she questions.

“To find your happily-ever-after. Once I find true love, it will be your turn.” I shoot her a wink, and she rolls her eyes.