watching Oprah. She was a grown woman watching a fairytale that was just shy of being animated, and there were three guys who were Belmar-football-accessorized in jerseys, hats, and travel mugs. Sunday was probably a big day for football. They stared at her like she’d landed on their planet from outer space. She waved. "Venus."
The largest of the bunch tipped his hat. "Mrs. Venus, I’m Jason. I was a lineman for the Central High School Cougars."
If she was supposed to identify herself based on the position she’d played in high school, she’d have to say Phillipsburg High good girl, which was sort of a non-position really. "I’m not actually Mrs. Venus."
"Ms. Venus." He pointed at the other two, who were his size if they were combined. "That’s Bryan, Cougar quarterback and Hayden."
She took a second to register the names. It wasn't like she'd met very many dorm residents. Mostly they ignored her like they would any other visiting mom. Jason looked like a giant farm boy, solid in probably every sense of the word, giant Jason. Former quarterback Bryan was almost too handsome and had a slick, charming smile that would serve him well in business school, business Bryan.
The third boy, Hayden, couldn't have been a football player even if he'd attended an all-girls high school. He had a tall, spindly build but real sincerity when he shook her hand, heartfelt Hayden.
"I kept the stats." Hayden looked reluctant to interrupt her movie. "We didn’t know anybody would be here. The floor’s pretty much uninhabited."
"It mostly is." She cringed as the Cinderella/Prince duet cranked up. They’d finally found each other amid the hanging poultry, but she pointed the remote and turned the TV off. "You go right ahead. I was just killing time."
Business Bryan, rounded the sectional and gave her a grin that would have made any teacher give the boy an A. "Now, it hurts me to hear you’re killin’ time on a beautiful game day."
"I’m not much of a football fan, sorry."
"You’ve never watched with real fans."
Giant Jason stretched out in one of the club chairs, most of the upholstery disappearing beneath him. "It’s a different game when you've got fans."
Gwen handed Bryan the remote and watched him then Hayden take their seats. They seemed to have designated places, and she was glad her spot on the end didn’t interfere with their routine. Like chefs in the kitchen, she supposed fans had their places. "Who’s playing?"
Jason put his hand to his chest and looked a little like some friendly bear with his paw up. "Belmar and Oregon State." He took a gulp from a travel mug that Gwen suspected didn’t hold anything hot.
She considered that she might have some universal responsibility for speaking out against underage drinking, but they were legal adults if not legal drinkers, and she was only a college student not the dorm’s P.T.A. president. "Is the game here?"
The channel surfing stopped, and they all stared at her.
"Oh, of course not. You’d all be at the game, wouldn’t you?"
"Damn straight," Jason answered.
"Language." Bryan smiled at her.
Hayden shook his head. "They’ll try their best, but the competitive spirit will, sooner or later, move them to profanity."
"Goddamn! Are they gonna sack Williams all season? What the hell were they doing? The left tackle didn’t hold the fucking line!" She still couldn’t get over it. The quarterback needed some protection, and where were the damn blockers?
"Venus, you called that one." Jason high-fived her. "Dominico needs to get a set of balls by the next game or Belmar’s gonna lose another one."
Hayden held the remote, finger poised on the play button. "Tell me when you’re ready."
Gwen pointed toward the TV but felt the Belmar travel mug tip, splashing the inside of her wrist. She licked it, missed once, then got it. She didn’t know what Red Bull was, but she couldn’t even taste the vodka in it. And the game had been so exciting. Belmar had nearly won and then they’d all watched Cinderella and still she wasn’t even tired. She ought to go to bed. It was a school night, but the boys were finally getting the hang of the lyrics. "Okay, this time Jason gets to sing the prince’s solo in the ballroom."
There was protesting from Bryan, but she needed to be firm or there’d be a fight. "Jason has a bigger range than you do, Bryan. But you are outstanding in the garden scene. I think I speak for us all when I say the duet with