Our conversation hadn’t been monumental, but it stayed with me as I finished the errands.
Romeo acted like a puppy when I picked him up, and we played until Cara’s friend brought her home from her sleepover. She picked up the tennis ball that had bounced her way and threw it for Romeo to chase. When he retrieved it, he brought it back to her instead of me.
“Traitor,” I hissed as Cara grinned and kissed all over the dog’s head.
“The football team is planning some great revenge on the soccer team,” she said in a sweet tone to the dog that didn’t match her words.
“What?” I snatched my phone out of my pocket and typed a row of question marks to Nick. At the game, he’d told me he’d de-escalated things. “Why am I hearing about this from you and not Nick or Michael?” I hadn’t really expected an answer but got one.
“My friend Kitty’s older sister is best friends with Anna, who’s dating Chuck Maylor. She told me.”
Okaaaay. Chuck was on the team, so maybe her source was credible. “Did the soccer team do something to get back at us for the jerseys?” It’d been a busy week, and I’d had a head full of Jack here and there, but I hadn’t beenthatdisconnected.
Cara shook her head and pulled the sweet tea pitcher from the refrigerator. “Not that I know of, but the rumor says everyone is mad at the soccer team because you got detention. You know, that bro-code stuff or whatever.”
“What’re they planning?”
“I’m not sure, exactly, but I think it might be something with their field.”
I snapped my eyes to her and glared. Fuck, no. They couldn’t. “Why do you think that?”
“Anna said this new thing would be even more expensive, and they might not even have a season.”
“Fuck.”
Nick! Answer me, dammit! You have to stop whatever the team is planning. This can’t go on, man!
“Language!” Cara gasped in a perfect impersonation of Momma.
Nick
A little busy, Winters. Putting out fires as we speak. These dumbasses were planning on heading to Birmingham to buy tons of salt for the soccer field.
No. Fuck, no.
Nick
Working on it, bro. Keep your panties on.
I sagged into the counter, unfocused, which gave Cara an opening to snatch my phone out of my hand.
“Dude.” I snatched it back.
“What? Like you keep secrets from me.”
“I might.”
Cara rolled her eyes. “Salting the field isn’t the worst. Kitty and I were thinking dynamite.”
“Holy hell.” I snickered. “You’re ridiculous, you know that?”
“Maybe, but I made you laugh.” Cara came around the island and hugged my back. “Cheer up, Cal. The school can’t keep blaming you for everything.”
Heh. I wasn’t so sure about that.
“Thefootballteamisplanning something. Don’t know what yet.”
I snorted as I spotted Ty on the bench press. “Doesn’t surprise me. What about the soccer team?”
