I shook my head. He didn’t need to know that I had spent the last twenty-four hours trying to mentally scrub the image of his naked body from my memory.
“Are you going to hold this over her head?”
He didn’t have to specify who he was talking about.
“No.”
“Then we’re good.” His eyes flicked toward the back of the plane. “Is she okay?”
“Just a little queasy.”
He nodded solemnly. “I’m going to get back to my crossword puzzle now.”
“Okay.” I tucked my hands into my pockets and backed away. “Thanks, coach.”
Perhaps I had misread the situation between him and Dani. She was fairly selective about who she brought home with her, which was why I’d assumed this thing between her and Coach Ward might be more than a hookup, but he didn’t seem too broken up about it. Then again, stoicism was the man’s default setting.
“Oh, and Pink?”
“Coach?”
The cold and calculating look in his eyes stopped me in my tracks. Even more unsettling was the foreboding grin on his face.
“If I ever hear you snap at Dani—or any woman—like that ever again, you and I will be having a very different kind of conversation. One that ends in the emergency room.”
Nessa
Championship Series: Game Three
Jared was stuck with me—whether he liked it or not—because there was no way I was giving up his sister. Bella was fucking awesome.
“Is there a particular brand of condom that you recommend?”
She also had zero filter.
“Preferably one that has minimal negative impacts on the environment. I read a story once about dolphins choking on discarded condoms.”
“Well,” June said, pausing to sip her latte. “Now I’ll never look at a dolphin the same way again.”
“Or a condom,” Kaylani added.
I pointed toward the belly button ring peeking out from beneath her cropped hoodie. “Isn’t that how you got into your current situation, Kay? Lack of condoms?”
All four of us broke out into giggles, drawing the attention of several neighboring groups. Yesterday’s movie night in the park had been a huge success, so when a few folks had requested thatwe do it again, this time to watch the Roasters’ game on the big screen, I’d agreed. So long as the popcorn machine held out and the rain held off, we might do it again tomorrow, too.
Miles and Myron waved from their matching beach chairs. I hoped to have a fraction of their swag when I was their age. They weren’t the only family that had come prepared.
Rose City knew how to turn out—and turn up—for a picnic in the park. Plush camping blankets and foldable chairs littered the lawn, all directed toward the inflatable screen set up beside the gazebo. Some fans had opted for takeout from local restaurants, while others had packed elaborate charcuterie spreads from home.
June, Kaylani, Bella, and I had gone with a potluck smorgasbord of sorts—gluten-free crackers and at least three different kinds of cheese, Mr. Hu’s famous lo mein noodles, a plate of Totchos from the tavern, and last but certainly not least, warm beverages and pastries from Jo’s bakery. It was the carb fest of the century, perfect for an autumn night under the stars.
Unsurprisingly, my friends had welcomed Bella into the fold, no questions asked. In fact, Bella was the only one who had come prepared with questions—about erogenous zones, body language, and appropriate dating attire to name a few. Based on our conversations so far, it was safe to say that Bella didn’t have a close set of girlfriends to talk to about this kind of stuff, so we were more than happy to fill in the . . . gaps in her education.
“Do you mind if I askyoua question?”
“Sure,” Bella answered, picking the cheese off another potato tot. Bella had several sensory issues when it came to the food she ate, and one of those was hot, melted cheese.
“Are these hypothetical questions, or are you sleeping with somebody?”
