He laughed a genuine, deep sound that made something warm flutter in my chest. He set the book down gently, like it mattered to him, and picked up my well-worn copy of The Great Gatsby.
“ ‘He had one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it,’ ” he quoted softly, not even opening the book. “I read a lot more than people think. I grew up in a house where my dad was always working two jobs and my mom was a high school English teacher. She made me read the classics every summer or I didn’t get to play football. Turns out I actually liked it. Helped me escape when s**t got loud at home.”
He paused, running a hand through his messy hair. “Dad wanted me to go pro. Mom wanted me to be a teacher like her. I ended up majoring in business while being the biggest sports guy b
