Which made it worse that Avery found me, still tangled up in him, even when he wasn’t here.
“Mila.” Avery dropped down onto the grass beside me, stretching her legs out in front of her. She gripped a can of soda in one hand, the straw tapping against her thumb.
“Hey.” I tucked the wrapper into my pocket.
“You’ve been MIA since Friday. I was starting to wonder if I should file a missing person’s report.”
“Been busy.”
“Liar.” She nudged me with her shoulder before sipping her drink.
I was halfway to brushing it off when it hit me—I hadn’t asked her. I’d been so wrapped up in my own head all weekend, I’d completely forgotten. Heat crawled up my neck. “Wait. You went out with Jax after the game, right? How did I forget to ask you about that?”
Avery’s lips curved, amused. “Wow. Took you until lunch to remember? I’m wounded.”
I groaned, covering my face with my hands. “I was there when you two decided. I should’ve asked.”
“Yeah, you should’ve.” She leaned back against the tree, smug.
“Well?” I dropped my hands, narrowing my eyes. “Don’t make me drag it out of you. What happened?”
Her cheeks flushed, the soda can rolling between her palms. “We grabbed food. Just the two of us. It felt… different. He was easier to talk to than I expected. Funny. Not all swagger like he is with the team.”
“And?”
She hesitated then met my eyes. “And he told me he has feelings for me.”
The words landed with the weight of a stone in my stomach. “He actually said that?”
“Yeah. Straight up. No games.” She fiddled with the straw, restless. “But Chase…” Her voice trailed off.
“What about him?” I asked.
She blew out a breath, eyes flicking toward the football spiraling across the lawn. “He’s not going to take it well. Me and Jax. It’s the bro-code between them—I’m off limits. To him, Jax making a move is a major betrayal.”
I frowned. “It’s not his call, Avery.”
“Exactly.” Her chin tipped up, stubborn fire flashing. “I care about Chase, but he doesn’t get to police who I date. I’m not twelve. And honestly, it’s a little insulting he thinks he does.”
“So what happens when Jax finally steps up? Because he’s the one who needs to talk to Chase. He’s going after his friend’s sister—that’s on him.”
Avery’s mouth twitched, like she’d already pictured it. “He knows. He said he’ll tell him.” She hesitated then shook her head. “But even if he doesn’t, I will. I’m not hiding. Chase can either deal with it or not.”
She wasn’t hiding, even with Chase in the way. I wished I could be that bold with Luke, instead of drowning in second guesses. Relief uncoiled in my chest. That was Avery—the girl who didn’t back down once she’d decided something.
“You really care about him,” I said quietly.
Her smile was small but sure. “Yeah. I do.”
She studied me a second then tipped her head. “What about you and Luke? Be honest—what’s really going on there?”
I pulled my knees up, wrapping my arms around them. “I feel like I’m drowning.”
Avery blinked. “Metaphorical drowning or… actual water involved?”
A dry laugh slipped out. “Metaphorical. It’s Luke. It’s everything. The pull is still there, same as before, but we aren’t the same.” Not after Friday night. “And Elise…”
Avery rolled her eyes. “Don’t even get me started.”
