“We’re going to get chicken at Frank’s,” Micah said. “You two hungry?”
Bobby glanced between us.
Teddy watched me, waiting for me to speak, but I wanted her to make the decision. “I’m starved, so yeah, that sounds good.”
Relief hit me. “Cool.”
We moved without ceremony, the four of us spilling out into the warm evening air.
Bobby’s keys jingled once before the truck unlocked and we all climbed in. I willed my body to stay relaxed when Teddy climbed in beside me and the sweetness of whatever shampoo she’d used washed over me. It was amplified in the car, enough that I was breathing her in and out, and I had to stop myself from leaning closer. But my mind had already tagged it as something I’d miss once it was gone.
Thankfully, the journey wasn’t long, and the music from the radio gave me something else to focus on.
Frank’s neon sign glowed like a beacon as we went inside and slid into a small table near the window, vinyl seats creaking as we shifted. Menus were slapped down in front of us, edges curled from use. Teddy picked hers up immediately, eyes dropping to the page, roaming over the options.
Bobby didn’t bother opening his. “Micah and I are gonna get the share platter,” he said. “Extra fries.”
Micah nodded. “It’s so good, I can already taste the crunchy fried deliciousness. You guys should get it, too.”
My eyes flicked over to Teddy for a second, wondering how she felt about sharing, but she gave nothing away, just nodded with her nose still in the menu. “Yeah, that does look good.” Then turned to me and asked, “Think you can share with me, O’Riley?”
I huffed out a quiet laugh. “I don’t know. We’ve only just mastered sharing a stadium. Might be a bit ambitious to throw fries into the mix.”
She hid her smile between her teeth. “Fries are high-value assets.”
“People show their true colors over fries.”
Teddy gave me her full attention then, clear blue eyes glittered with amusement. “And what are you about to show me that I don’t already know?”
I leaned toward her slightly, letting my gaze fall to her lips for a split second. “That I don’t fold.”
Her laugh came quick and bright. “Over fries?”
“Especially over fries.”
She rolled her shoulders back. “Good,” she said. “Maybe I’d be disappointed if you did.”
From across the table, Bobby squinted at us. “Uh… Are we still talking about food?”
Micah leaned against him, clearly delighted. “This is basically their foreplay.”
Bobby groaned. “I’m hungry. Can we eat first, then talk about this weird sexual fry vibe after?”
The waitress approached the table, and we placed our order.
“So, how does it feel to have won your first professional game?” Bobby asked.
“Pretty unreal,” Micah said first.
“Natalie called after the game and was screaming in the locker rooms with all of us.” Teddy smiled.
“Who’s Natalie?” Bobby asked, echoing my thoughts.
“She’s family,” Teddy said. “She lived with us when my dad deployed.”
My thoughts picked up speed, trying to sort through what I actually knew about Teddy already. Not much, it turned out. I hadn’t known her dad was military. Hadn’t known there’d been anyone else in the house, filling the space when he was gone. I knew she lost her mam, though I didn’t know how, and I wasn’t about to ask either.
It reframed things I’d always noticed but never fully understood: the way Teddy trusted actions over words, the way she didn’t wait to be taken care of, the way praise sometimes slid off her like she hadn’t grown up expecting it to last.
