“And win championships,” I said with a grin. Jett and Gray shared a smile, and I saw the weight lift from each of my cousins.
* * *
Training on Monday morning in the rain didn’t feel so bad when you knew you were training for a conference championship game. Gray had been declared ninety-seven percent fit, and he and Coach were taking it.
It felt good to have the full team at practice.
It actually felt okay to listen to Gray bitch about Quinn wanting to go back to her apartment now that the threat was eliminated. He was trying to be supportive, but in truth, he wanted Quinn at the house where he was.
When I suggested he move to Quinn’s apartment, both he and Jett looked at me in disbelief.
“Dude, no. He’s my twin,” Jett said as if I had somehow forgotten the fact over the last nineteen years.
“And Queeny’s his girlfriend,” I rationalized. They were both looking at me in mingled surprise and horror. “You guys can’t live together your whole lives,” I said with a laugh. My laughterfaded when I saw the look between them. “You both have issues.” I floundered. That wasn’t the right word. “Dependency issues.”
We were walking to lunch, and my cousins were quiet beside me. “Will you manage three hours without each other this afternoon?” I teased as I stopped outside the cafeteria.
“Dick.”
“Pussy.” Gray shoulder-blocked me on his way past.
Chuckling, I followed them in, and we made our way to the back table. Quinn had cooked most of yesterday, making batch meals, and each of us had our prescribed meal. I would actually miss her not being in the house.
Halfway through lunch, Elise and her clones sidled up to the table. Jamie scowled at his food but said nothing when Elise dropped herself in my lap. I was used to this from various girls. It happened to me in high school, and it happened in college. It was never a big deal, but it felt wrong now.
I glanced quickly back at the table where Red sat with Ava and Quinn, but they were deep in conversation. I didn’t know why I was checking. I mean, it’s not like we were dating anymore. Right?
“Hey, baby,” Elise cooed.
“Why are you ruining my lunch?” I asked her as I turned to look at Jamie. “Your woman’s wandering.”
Jamie didn’t look at us as he picked up his sandwich. “Not interested.”
I felt Elise stiffen, and looking between the two of them, I connected the dots. “Why are you trying to make him jealous?” I asked her bluntly. “One, you know I don’t play these games, and two, I don’t want you sitting on me. Get off.”
Gray looked over his shoulder, and I saw him grin as he turned back. “You should move,” he told Elise with a chuckle. “Like really, get the fuck off.”
“Why, I—”
“What the cracking hell is this?” Red stood with her hands on her hips as she glared at me. Not at Elise.Me.
“Cracking hell?” Elise snorted, and seeing no one else was laughing, she shut up.
“Red, what’s the problem?” I asked pleasantly, leaning back and looking her over.
“Are you for real?” She looked at Elise. “Aren’t you ninety-nine’s girlfriend?”
“Jamie,” Gray supplied.
“I knew that.” Red looked at Jamie. “Sorry.” He waved his hand like it wasn’t an issue, but Red wasn’t finished. “Isn’t she your girlfriend?”
“Was.”
“Well, past-tense girlfriend, you can skedaddle.” Red was the only person in the world who could say the wordskedaddleand make it sound like fuck off, and not sound like a fool doing it.
“Who are you?” Elise asked as she moved on my lap, drawing Red’s attention to my legs.
“And why areyoueven touching her?” Red demanded of me, ignoring Elise. “Are you serious?”
