“Maybe. But it’s the truth.” I sat down on the bench,suddenly exhausted. The adrenaline was fading, leaving behind the reality of what had just happened. “Ava isn’t some random hookup.”
“How long?”
Oh, boy, he wasn’t going to like this answer.
“Started last spring.”
He ground his teeth together, his nostrils flaring. “All summer,” he said, his voice raw. “All fucking summer, you were sleeping with my sister.”
“We were going to tell you. But then Harper left and you were falling apart?—”
“Don’t you dare use that as an excuse. That was months ago.”
I didn’t have a defense for that. He was right. Because even after he and Harper had gotten back together, we still hadn’t told him.
“How did you find out?” I asked.
Drew’s laugh was humorless. “I saw her coming out of the supply closet before the game. Her hair was messy and her cheeks were flushed—it was pretty fucking obvious what she’d been doing.” His hands clenched into fists at his sides. “So I waited. Wanted to see which asshole on my team I was going to have to kill.”
My stomach dropped.
“Imagine my surprise when my best friend walked out a minute later.”
Fuck.
“Drew—”
“Don’t.” He held up a hand. “I can’t even look at you right now.”
Coach cleared his throat, reminding us both he was still there. “Alright. I’ve heard enough to know this isn’t something that’s getting resolved tonight.”
“Coach—” Drew started.
“No.” Coach’s voice was firm. “You’re both running too hot right now to have a conversation that doesn’t end with more blood on the floor. And frankly, I don’t have the patience for it.” He pointed at Drew. “You—go home. Cool off. Don’t do anything stupid.”
Then he turned to me. “You—wait twenty minutes, then leave. I don’t want you two in the same parking lot. I’d also recommend maybe finding somewhere else to stay tonight.”
“What about tomorrow’s game?” I asked.
Coach pinched the bridge of his nose. “I haven’t decided yet. Depends on whether you two can act like adults by then.” He headed for the door, then paused. “Whatever this is, let the anger settle first. Otherwise, you’re just going to say shit you can’t take back.”
He looked between us one more time, shook his head, and walked out.
Drew grabbed his gear bag without looking at me. He was almost to the door when I spoke.
“I meant what I said out there. I love her.”
He stopped, his back still to me. For a long moment, he didn’t move.
“That might be the worst part,” he said quietly.
Then he was gone.
I sat alone in the locker room, my face throbbing and my chest hollow.
Coach was right—we couldn’t fix this tonight. But there was someone else I needed to talk to. Someone who’d just watched her brother announce our secret to an arena full of people. And then heard me shout words I hadn’t even said to her yet.
THIRTY-NINE
