Lifting my gaze to the ceiling, I shook my head. “He was complaining about having to practice on a holiday and not getting to eat Mom’s food. I was feeling sorry for him until he let it slip that some of the players’ moms also help cook the team’s meal—and that he’ll be starting in Saturday’s game.” Batting my lashes at my sister, I added, “I was channeling you when I grilled him about it. Also, I might have mentioned you all were going to be bummed out at not being there for his first start as a Wildcat.”
Ever the inquisitor, Tina said, “Yet you and Zoe have tickets. How did that happen?”
“We took advantage at the stadium after the ’Cats beat the Golden Bears in the last game of the season. The athletic department set up ticket sales right outside the student section, and we decided we wanted to be there for the game.” Leveling my gaze on her, I added, “No big deal.” Desperate to leave the subject of Danny Chambers, I turned to my older sister. “How is your thesis coming, Tally?”
Since she hadn’t been living at home when Danny came into our lives, she wasn’t as invested in him as Mom and Tina—and certainly not as much as me. When I addressed her, her face lit up.
“It’s much more research than I anticipated. But I’m learning a ton. You’re going to love pursuing your master’s, Taryn. The challenge is so worth it,” she gushed.
“You two are strange. The best part about college is the parties.” Tina laughed. “Everyone knows that.”
Tally stared down her nose at our younger sister. “Do you even go to class?”
“I’ll have you know my scholarship is in absolutely no danger of being rescinded,” Tina fired back. With a smirk she added, “Guess I’m the smartest one since I can maintain my grades without having to keep my nose pressed in a book or flattened against a screen. College is supposed to be fun.” Her gaze switched to me. “At least you go to football games, but I think that’s a new thing.”
Wrinkling my nose at her speculation, I stood to rinse my coffee mug, pretty much to avoid her insistent return to all things Danny Chambers.
Both of my sisters attended the same private college in our hometown—the one my parents had wanted me to attend too, but for once I had to do things my way. While it drove my family a little nuts, I kind of saw it as my superpower. Following in Tally’s footsteps in high school wasn’t the best thing for me. While I’d enjoyed cheerleading, what I truly wanted to do was join the drama club with Zoe. In the end neither choice served my goal to work in communications for a sports team or a local news outlet, but being a part of the drama club might have kept me off Derek Watson’s radar.
Then again, it might have cost me my friendship with Danny too.
Not attending college in my hometown gave me the perk of privacy. One would think in a town with a population of a hundred thousand I could manage some anonymity, but I knew better. Derek rolling right up behind me before my car had even had a chance to cool down this afternoon only highlighted how much people gossiped about others: how much of each other’s business they had a clue about. At least the word hadn’t gone around yet that Danny and I had changed the status of our relationship.
By an unspoken agreement neither of us had posted anything about our new relationship on social media, and mercifully, no one else had posted anything either. Yet somehow I’d given my sister an idea that things with my best friend had changed. I needed to work on those vibes.
Mom, who sat quietly drinking her coffee, was apparently enjoying the back-and-forth of having all of her girls home together. “What are you girls’ plans for this evening?” she asked. “I’m making soup for dinner—something light so your appetites aren’t ruined for tomorrow.” The look she gave us said we’d better be ready to eat for Thanksgiving. “It’ll be ready around sixish.”
“A bunch of us from CVH are heading to the Pub Station later,” Tally said. “One of the local rock bands is playing. I forget which one, but it should be fun seeing everyone. You coming, Taryn?”
“Why aren’t you including me in your invitation, Tally?” Tina piped up.
Tally’s long-suffering tone accompanied another eyes-down-her-nose stare at Tina. “Because you’re not twenty-one. Duh.”
Even with the intermittent texts the three of us had exchanged over the course of the semester, somehow I’d missed how much Tina got on Tally’s nerves. Though Tally had her own place and Tina lived in the dorms, judging by their exchanges, the two of them crossed paths on campus on the regular.
A picture of Derek Watson’s sneer as he’d threatened me in front of the house flicked through my head. “I think I’ll pass.” Giving Mom a big grin, I said, “I’m going to enjoy some Mom and Dad time since it’s been a minute since I’ve been home.”
Standing, Mom padded over to the sink where I stood and wrapped me in a monster mom-hug. “I don’t want you missing time with your friends, Sweet Pea, but if you want to spend an evening with Dad and me, well, we’ll enjoy that very much.”
“What will we enjoy?” Dad’s comforting deep voice boomed from the doorway to the mudroom right off the kitchen. “Having all four of my best girls under the same roof together?” His smile included all of us. “Oh yeah.”
Stepping over to where Mom and I stood by the counter, he brushed a kiss over her mouth then enveloped both of us in a hug.
“Welcome home, my wayward daughter,” he said to me when he let us go.
Tilting my head, I tossed him a look. “Yeah, Dad. So wayward. Nice to see you too.”
“We were just discussing this evening’s plans. Tally is headed out with her friends. Taryn wants to stay home.” She sent me another smile. “Tina has yet to tell us what she’s doing.”
“I was thinking about seeing the newDunemovie, but if Taryn’s staying home, you guys will probably play cards. I could do with winning some of her tip money.” The gleam in her eye was positively evil.
Returning her stare, I said, “Bring. It. On.”
Tally huffed out a sigh. “You could have just said yes to my invitation, Taryn, instead of making this hard.”
Turning to Mom, Dad laughed. “We didn’t grow a bunch of athletes, but we sure did raise some competitors.” After a long inhale he asked, “What’s for dinner?”
“Minestrone and garlic bread—no dessert.”
