My thoughts keep going back to her. I’ve missedstudying with her at night. Not that there’s been a lot of time for that.
“What do you think, Cap?” Rowan nudges me, pulling me back to the moment.
“Every team is good from here on out. We just have to be better.”
“We are better,” Austin’s tone leaves no room for debate. I hope he’s right.
Rowan lifts his can of Coke. “Cheers to that.”
I mimic the movement with my glass of water, then chug the rest of it. “I should get home. I don’t want to give Coachanyreasons to bench me tomorrow.”
“Please don’t. I can’t keep carrying this team all by myself.” Austin’s smirk is accompanied by a punch in the shoulder from Rowan as the three of us stand.
Rowan heads out first while I help Austin carry our trash and empty glasses into the kitchen.
“You really didn’t need to help clean up,” he insists.
“I don’t mind,” I say, then add, “Beats going home to the cameras and uncomfortable furniture.”
He chuckles. “Still filming the documentary, huh?”
I nod, setting the dirty glasses in the sink.
“What exactly is it anyway?” His smile widens. “I know he’s your dad and whatever, but I’m so fucking excited to watch it.”
“How about we swap families, and you can have a front-row seat?”
“Don’t tease me like that, Collins.”
“Anytime you want.”
“My siblings would drive you out of your mind in less than an hour.”
I shake my head. “Not before you had your hopes anddreams crushed by my dad’s disappointed stares.”
“He’s not disappointed in you.”
Talking about my dad with my teammates is always a little awkward. They respect and admire him, and it isn’t like I want to take that from them. But being his son and living with him isn’t as glamorous as they might think.
When we’re done, he walks me back to the living room.
“Heading home?” he asks.
“Yeah.”
“Not stopping by Lacey’s house first?”
I feel one brow lift. “No. Why?”
“No reason.”
Clearly he asked for a reason. And now he’s grinning.
“You and Lacey…”
My pulse quickens as I force myself not to squirm under his stare. “Yeah?”
“Just friends or is there more going on there?”
