I sighed, knowing there was no getting out of this now. I’d been the one to call her last night, after all. "He wanted me to tell him what I’d have let Travis do to me if he hadn’t been there."
"Oh my gosh, I think I just came."
"Shhh." A few people at nearby booths turned their heads, and I hadn’t realized the server had been standing at the end of our table until he cleared his throat.
He was young, probably in his early twenties, and his face had turned a deep shade of crimson. "Are you guys ready to order?"
Unable to meet his eyes, I rattled off my order. Shai steepled her fingers under her chin. "Oh yes, tacos. I love… tacos. Don’t you?"
I didn’t think it was possible for him to turn any redder, but the color spread to his ears. Shai laughed, giving him her order. He practically bolted for the kitchen.
"You probably just gave that poor kid a boner at work."
"Kid? He looked like he was my age. Not all of us are ancient." She smirked, softening her words.
I threw the paper from my straw at her, but it fluttered to the center of the table. "Do you ever think of anything but sex?"
She shrugged. "Not anything that’s as fun."
"I think I hate you a little.” The words slipped out with a laugh. Shai was the only person who could draw out my lighthearted side. There was a reason she’d become my best friend over the years, despite the age gap. With her, I could breathe. No one was watching me, waiting for me to slip up. She lived life on easy mode—always smiling, always seeing the good in everything.
And when I was by her side, I saw some good too.
“It’s not the end of the world, you know.” She crossed her arms, her tone turning serious. “Teddy coming on to you? Even if you won’t go there, it’s just Teddy. That’s what he does. He’ll probably forget all about it by today and act completely normal.”
“Oh.”
“I know you, Frankie. That’s what you were hoping for, right? We can joke all we want about riding the Teddy train, but you won’t go there.”
“No.” I shook my head firmly. “Absolutely not.”
“Well, then, try to forget it happened. Maybe he was right, and the concussion was messing with his head.”
I really hoped that was it.
Just as our tacos arrived, my phone rang. Without checking the caller ID, I answered.
“Frankie?” It was Sydney.
“I’m here. What’s up? Everything okay?” The sharp edge in her voice set me on alert.
“Oh, yeah. Well, sort of. I was supposed to be off tonight, but I just got a call. Some of the guys want to try the routine we’ve been working on at tonight’s game, and I need to be there to video it.”
I knew where this was going. My grip tightened on the phone.
Shai raised an eyebrow, watching me closely.
Sydney continued, “You free to come watch Teddy?”
I nearly choked on a sip of water. “He needs a babysitter?”
“Yeah, probably. He was doing fine this morning, but he’s been in bed all day and nearly collapsed in the shower. I heard a thud, ran in, and found him gripping the door, trying to get out. Let me tell you, helping my naked brother get dressed was not on my hellish bingo card today.”
I leaned back in the booth, trying to steady myself. “There isn’t anyone else?” This was a terrible idea. Like, really bad.
“Not really, no. He’d never forgive me if I called either of our parents. You know the drama.”
“I do.”
