Keeping Score Series by Tawdra Kandle

The Trio. That’s who we’ve been since birth: Nate, Leo . . . and me, Quinn, the token girl. Our mothers met in prenatal yoga and became best friends, which meant that the three of us hit every milestone together, from the first day of school to the very first kiss. We’ve always known that Nate’s a little different. He’s not as strong as Leo or me; he spent a lot of our childhood in various hospitals. Leo and I have been his unofficial bodyguards all our lives... moreThe Trio. That’s who we’ve been since birth: Nate, Leo . . . and me, Quinn, the token girl. Our mothers met in prenatal yoga and became best friends, which meant that the three of us hit every milestone together, from the first day of school to the very first kiss. We’ve always known that Nate’s a little different. He’s not as strong as Leo or me; he spent a lot of our childhood in various hospitals. Leo and I have been his unofficial bodyguards all our lives. I thought that would always be true. But time moves on, and everything shifts. People change, and sometimes friendships fade away. High school pulled us apart: Leo’s suddenly the most popular guy in school, a football star and the subject of every girl’s fantasy. Nate and I are just people he used to know, the ones he left behind. Of course, since I’ve been in love with Leo from the time we were eight, that stings a little. And to complicate matters, I know that Nate is hung up on me. I see the look in his eyes. I wish I could say I felt the same, but I don’t. It's getting harder and harder to keep him in the friend zone, though. Then Leo and I were thrown together again, sticking up for Nate. I was surprised Leo came through for us and even more shocked when he kissed me. Me! Am I finally getting my chance with Leo . . . and will it come at the risk of losing both my best friends? less

When life shatters, it helps to have friends. I don’t know what I’d have done without Leo and Nate to comfort me, to hold me up and to keep me sane in face of sudden and terrible loss. And if one of those friends happens to be the love of my life, the one guy I thought I’d never be close to again . . . I’m not going to complain. After all, in a vast sea of things that aren’t fair, being with Leo again feels like the only shining beam of hope. I know there aren’t any guarantees for us... moreWhen life shatters, it helps to have friends. I don’t know what I’d have done without Leo and Nate to comfort me, to hold me up and to keep me sane in face of sudden and terrible loss. And if one of those friends happens to be the love of my life, the one guy I thought I’d never be close to again . . . I’m not going to complain. After all, in a vast sea of things that aren’t fair, being with Leo again feels like the only shining beam of hope. I know there aren’t any guarantees for us. Leo’s heading south to play football, rocking a full-ride at one of the top colleges in the nation. Meanwhile, all of my plans have fallen apart, and I have to figure out what comes next. Having Nate by my side is more important I could have imagined. The next four years were supposed to be the most exciting time of my life. Instead, they turn into a rollercoaster of uncertainty, complete with breathtaking highs and lows that threaten to break my heart. In the end, the decisions we make now could change everything for the three of us, forever. less

Football is everything, but love is the only game that matters. Tate Durham, the newest Philadelphia football hottie, has been in love with Gia Capri since the moment he laid eyes on her back in college. Unfortunately, that happened the same night her destructive and doomed relationship with the troubled Matt Lampert began. Tate didn’t stand a chance.  In the year since Matt took his own life, Gia’s been sleep-walking through her days and just barely surviving her nights... moreFootball is everything, but love is the only game that matters. Tate Durham, the newest Philadelphia football hottie, has been in love with Gia Capri since the moment he laid eyes on her back in college. Unfortunately, that happened the same night her destructive and doomed relationship with the troubled Matt Lampert began. Tate didn’t stand a chance.  In the year since Matt took his own life, Gia’s been sleep-walking through her days and just barely surviving her nights. She’s not sure that she’s capable of anything else . . . until Tate finds her sitting on the floor of a grocery store, crying over potato chips. Tate’s patience and honesty begins to heal what’s broken in Gia’s soul. Still, no matter how hard he tries—or how much he loves her—making her whole again might take more than he can give. But love never gives up. And neither will Tate.**Previously published as Not Broken Anymore less