“Epstein Barr.”
That did it. He belly-laughed for at least twenty seconds and threw in a knee slap for good measure. Then held his hands up. “I mean, that’s what you get.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’re laughing at my unrequited feelings. That’s just great. Perfect.”
He shook his head, wearing a sly grin. “Nah. I’m laughing because…Mister K-Kis-Kiss-ter.” He was gasping for air.
“Ha. Ha.” I gripped my hair, feeling like I wanted to claw out of my skin. “Just go back and tell Lemon you did what she wanted you to. It didn’t work, but you gave it your best. I’m sure you’ll get the Husband of the Year award. Good for you.”
His face scrunched. “Man, what are you talking about?”
“I know she sent you out here to pep-talk me, dude.”
He scoffed. “You think I’m such a dunce that I needed my wife to tell me my brother and best friend is hurting over a woman?”
I shrugged, feeling a little stupid because that’s exactly what I’d thought. “Yeah. Obviously.”
“I didn’t need to be told anything. It’s been obvious you two have a thing going on ever since I caught you kissing.” He threw his hand out like duh. “But it was a blaring neon sign when Christy took off after Ming outed your Facebook profile at the team dinner. A woman doesn’t react like that unless she’s caught intense feelings for someone. Lemon said when she found her, she was trying not to cry.” He fake backhanded me. “She loves you, idiot. Or at least, she’s headed in that direction. But if you don’t take those stupid pictures off your social media, unfriend all those women, and swear yourself to a lifetime of monogamy, you might lose the one woman you’ve been so desperately searching for.”
The backhand was fake, but it felt very real. And very necessary. I was a complete tool.
Silas’s lips drew into a hard line. “You deserve happiness, bro. Whatever voices in your head are telling you otherwise? It’s time to stop listening. Enough is enough.”
My phone buzzed.
Christy:The first set just started. Are you still coming?
“Crap.” Silas and I said at the same moment. We’d lost track of time.
We jogged across the student lot and into the building. With each step, my confidence grew a little. Maybe Silas was right. Maybe ten years was enough penance to pay. Maybe God or Fate or whoever ran this show was done punishing me.
I pulled the door open and smiled at the blond beauty pacing in front of the bench seats.
twelve
CHRISTY
Isighed and opened my office door. It had been a double loss for our ladies and the air in the building felt heavy, even now that everyone was gone. Being principal and volleyball coach was too much. And my administrative duties had suffered because of it. Thankfully, I had a stellar assistant principal who was picking up the slack.
Silas and I seemed to have come to an unspoken understanding. We had each other’s backs. Pokes pride and all that. But I was learning that running a high school in a small town meant wearing many different hats. Like tonight. Mrs. Yancy, the guidance counselor, had asked me to review the academic record of a tenth-grade transfer student. Said she was uncomfortable with some of the things her mom had said in their initial scheduling meeting. She just felt like something was off.
As I sat in my desk chair, my phone buzzed. My little sister, Ari. I groaned at the text.
Ari: We wanna FaceTime with you and Holden right now.
My teeth ground.
Me: Too busy. Sorry.
I set my phone on the desk. No need to put it back in my pocket. She’d respond any?—
Ding.
Ari: It’s been like a week. Gabby and I are dying to hear the story about how Sophie wired his teeth shut the day after he got braces.
I punched back a message.
Me: It’s nine o’clock here and I’m still at school, working. It’ll have to be another day. Talk to you later, g’night.
