“At least they let him play the first two quarters,” I point out.
“Periods,” Lila corrects with a chuckle.
I shrug. “Whatever.”
Lila frowns then, still staring after her brother down below. I follow her line of sight, noticing the way Jack is grimacing now, his hand surreptitiously rubbing at his arm through his uniform.
“I think it’s getting worse,” Lila says. “I worry about him.”
I know how out of character it would seem for me to agree with her, to commiserate with how much I am also worried about her brother, but since Jack and I haven’t discussed what we’ll tell our siblings…
“Does he say much about it?” Lila asks me, drawing me out of my thoughts. “At home?”
I feel a telltale flush trying to creep its way up my neck, and I clear my throat as I shrug noncommittally. “I can tell it bothers him,” I admit. “But he tries to act like it doesn’t.”
“That’s what I thought,” she says with a nod. She lets out a sigh. “I wish he would just get it treated. This doesn’t have to be his last year if he doesn’t want it to be. Just because Ian wants to leave next year, doesn’t mean he does.”
“So Ian is for sure leaving?”
Lila nods. “I think so. With the wedding planning, and with Kyle…We both decided it might be the right time. He got to play his last year with his home team, and I think he’s content with that.”
There’s a small twinge of hurt that I’m hearing this from Lila and not my brother, but I try to remind myself that it’s entirely possible they just decided this, that he simply hasn’t had time to tell me about it. Besides, Lila is always going to come before me. I’m not stupid enough to believe otherwise. I don’t even fault him for it.
“How is living with Jack, otherwise?” Lila asks, changing the subject.
That heat is back at my neck, but I keep my breathing steady, trying my best to not look too guilty.
“It’s…not as bad as I thought it might be,” I tell her carefully.
Lila barks out a laugh. “That bad, huh?”
“No, it’s…” I frown. I don’t like the idea of implying that living with Jack is some hardship, not with everything that’s happened lately. “It’s really all right.” Lila eyes me curiously, and I shrug quickly. “I mean, with our schedules, it’s not like we see each other all the time.”
“That makes sense I guess,” Lila says. She chuckles under her breath. “You’ll have to tell me if he starts being an idiot. I’ll beat him up for you.”
“He’s not an idiot,” I say sternly, surprised by the sharpness of my tone.
Lila’s brows shoot up, and I immediately feel that rush of heat I’ve been keeping at bay creep into my cheeks.
“I mean…” I try to correct, feeling a little flustered under her scrutiny. “I just mean…” I rub the back of my neck. “I was having a bad day yesterday, and he really helped turn it around. I guess I’m still feeling a bit grateful.”
And a lot sexually satisfied.
Lila studies me for a moment more, finally nodding with a small smile. “You’re right. I know he isn’t really an idiot. He just likes to pretend sometimes.”
“Now that I can agree with,” I tell her.
“I’m glad the two of you are getting along then.”
I clear my throat again, nodding. “Slowly but surely.”
“I was worried when you first moved in,” Lila tells me. “But I’m kind of glad you did now.”
“You are?”
“Mhm.” She turns her attention back to the game below, but since I have no idea what’s going on down there, I just keep looking at her. “I think it’s a good thing for him not to be so alone. He never did well with that.”
“What do you mean?”
