“You look scared,” he said when he approached me.
“I was afraid you were going to drop her.”
“Nah, I do it all the time. Did you take any videos?”
I nodded and considered handing my phone over so he could look through them, but I didn’t want him to inadvertently see any texts from his mom. I hated lying to him, but he and Nova didn’t need to worry about their mom right now. I was doing enough of that for everyone.
“Come on, let’s go home.” I put my arm through the crook of his.
“Everyone’s going out for ice cream,” Cutter said as we walked out of the gym. “Do you think I could go?”
I was positive Miriam would let him go, but she knew the kids and their parents and knew who to trust. I didn’t.
“What time would I have to pick you up?” I worried about Nova. She needed her sleep. Cutter did as well, but being nine years older than her, he could manage.
“Coach Schmidt could bring me home,” Cutter said. “He lives down the street from us.”
Cutter’s face fell when he saw me grimace. I wanted to say yes but felt uncomfortable doing so. I didn’t know his coach, and Miri had never mentioned him. That didn’t mean she wasn’t a fan; he just wasn’t someone we’d ever chatted about.
Nova tugged on the corner of my jacket. I looked down at her. Her wide, expressive hazel eyes bored into mine. She waggled her index finger at me. I bent and listened.
She cupped my ear and whispered, “Can I go for ice cream?”
I did the same. “Why are you whispering?”
“Because Cutter gets pissy if I go.”
I rolled my eyes. “Don’t say ‘pissy,’ and yes, we’ll go for ice cream.” I rose to my full height and nodded at Cutter. “How about we all go, but Nova and I will sit far away from you and the team?”
Cutter smirked. “It’s not that serious.”
Brat.
Miri had mentioned his attitude and that he was at times defiant and snarky. I’d reminded her that I’d been the same way with my parents, and this was a stage most of us went through. Everyone but her. She never would’ve dared to cross her parents. The repercussions would have been far too grave, evident by the fact that she hadn’t seen them since she was seventeen.
Nova and I followed Cutter out of the gym and to my car. As we approached, he turned to me with a glint in his eyes, which immediately put me on alert.
“Can I drive?”
I shook my head. “No, thanks.”
He sighed dramatically and threw his head back. “Come on, Toni.”
“Nope, not with Nova in the car.” I pressed the fob to unlock the doors. Nova followed me around to the driver’s side and got in behind me, while Cutter dumped his bag in the back seat and then sat in the front.
“Brendan would let me drive.”
“Brendan isn’t here,” I reminded him as I started the car and pulled out of the parking spot. “Where is the ice cream place?”
“On Main,” he muttered, pressing his head to the window.
“You played well.” I hoped to break whatever the tension was between us.
“Thanks. Coach says I have a shot at playing in college.”
“Really? That’s great.”
“Yep,” Cutter said, a little perkier this time. “This summer will be a good test. We’re going to travel south for some big tournaments.”
