There’s a lump in my throat, and it takes a few tries to clear it. “Thanks, guys. You’re right. They could both use more people in their corner. So how am I going to make it up to Blair and prove I’m not the asshole she thinks I am?”
All four of my closest friends lean forward, smiles on their faces, ready to help me make things right. I’ve been feeling a bit like an outsider again, with most of them pairing up, and it was eating away at me more than I realized. But now, with all of us united under a common goal, I can see that I’m not. They’re still my family—my brothers—but life is always in flux. It always changes.
It’s changing right now.
And maybe that’s not such a bad thing, after all.
twenty-two
BLAIR
“I can’t believeI missed their game on Wednesday and they won.” Adrienne huffs dramatically and folds her arms over her chest. I’m sitting in the same position, but not because I’m annoyed.
I’m freezing. I really do need to go coat shopping.
“It was a good game,” I reply, shrugging. Even wearing a sweater and a hoodie, it’s still cold out on the bleachers as we wait for the boys to be done with practice. Adrienne is picking Eddie up for her sister, and it’s given us a chance to catch up.
“Mmmhmm,” she hums. One eyebrow arches, and the corners of her lips twitch. “And I heard you had some company.”
Honestly, I should have seen this coming. Teenage boys gossip even more than teenage girls, and I saw the way Eddie lit up when he spotted Logan. Ofcoursehe told his aunt the hockey player was there.
Clearing my throat, I say a silent prayer that any pink tingeing my cheeks can be attributed to the November cold, and not the blush warming my face. “I did.”
“Girl. Seriously. Spill it.”
“There’s nothing to spill. I took Reed with me to work last week when they had that teacher development day, and Joe, the super nice security guard, let Reed watch the team practice. I guess Logan recognized him from the family night and offered to give him a tour.” I let my words trail off, hoping Adrienne would drop it, because the rest of the story will definitely pique her interest.
“And?”
I close my eyes and blow out a breath. “And Logan ended up inviting us to dinner, then he asked if he could go to Reed’s game. It was nice. A little out of the blue, but nice. Made Reed’s day.”
“Uh-huh. Just Reed? Because I gotta say, Blair, Bryse has told me about the way Logan seems to follow you around when you have to interact with the team. And I think maybe he has a bit of a thing for you.”
“What? No, he definitely does not.” I’m spluttering like an idiot, and I’m sure Adrienne sees right through me.
Her eyes narrow, fixed on me. “Why don’t I believe you?”
“Because you’re not a trusting person?”
That makes her laugh, and she bumps my shoulder. “No, that’s definitely not it. Just be careful with that one, okay? I may not follow the team gossip the way some superfans do, but even I’ve heard about Logan’s reputation. He’s known to hit it and quit it, and I’d hate to see you get hurt.”
Oh, god. I’m pretty sure I’m about to combust. My whole body tingles with embarrassment. Because Logan has already hit it. But I was the one to quit it and run. I can’t tell her that, though, because Adrienne’s dating Bryson, and Bryse told me the woman who had my job before me was fired for inappropriate relationships with one or more of the guys on the team.
And Icannotget fired because I slept with Logan Byrne before I even knew who he was. I definitely don’t want to admit that there was a moment at the game where I thought he might kiss me, and I would have let him. I’m not an idiot.
But I also really wish I could talk to her about all of this. Maybe it would help me stop obsessing over our every interaction on Wednesday. God knows it’s all I was able to think about yesterday and today at work.
“Don’t worry,” I manage to say. “I’m very aware of Logan’s reputation, and I’m not in any danger. I think he just made a connection with Reed.”
“And you don’t find that weird?”
Maybe I should, but I don’t. I watched the way he was with my little brother, and nothing about his behavior gave me even a moment’s pause. “No, I don’t. From some of the things he said, I sort of think he sees a bit of himself in Reed. And it’s been so long since Reed’s had any kind of adult male role models in his life, I guess I figure it couldn’t hurt to let them hang out once or twice.”
I shrug, but as Adrienne is opening her mouth to no doubt lob another question my way, my phone buzzes loudly on the metal bleacher beside me.
“Sorry,” I say, grimacing as I pick it up. It’s probably the girls. Apparently, Logan must have told the guys about our adventures together, because this morning, the texts started rolling in, and they haven’t stopped.
Unknown
