Page 18 of Forever Offsides

Aston gets up and gives him a hug. “It means so much to have you here and part of this.” The guys go over to the grill, talking all things Micha’s job, but I also catch stuff from Crew about our dad stepping away as coach of the Rebels to become the GM, and who they hired as the new head coach.

I tune it out. I hardly ever listen to details about the team. I don’t like being involved in the politics of it. I’m a fan of my brothers and my father, and that’s as far as that goes for me. Who they hire to be a coach doesn’t matter unless he sucks for my family.

“Okay, now that the men are busy, tell us more about the guy. All the details you held back.” Braelyn sits beside me, and Skylar sits up, both of them leaning in with the gleam of gossip all over them. No getting away from this now.

6

QUINN

Two and a half months later

Rhett: Give up cheese forever or give up chocolate forever?

I roll onto my back and hold my phone over my face. We’ve been texting for the last hour, and it’s been a lot of this-or-that questions. The other day it was places we’d like to visit in the world and why. He’s creative. I’ll give him that. It’s been nearly four months of texting practically every day, and yet he still finds new topics.

This one might be pushing a limit and hitting a trigger I didn’t know I had.

Me: I hate you. That’s brutal. I can’t answer it. If I could, I’d eat cheese dipped in chocolate.

Rhett: Please tell me you’re being overly dramatic because that’s gross.

Me: Overly dramatic, but you get my meaning here.

Rhett: I’d give up chocolate because I could never live in a world without pizza. It’s my favorite thing ever. Since you asked.

Me: I didn’t.

Rhett: Pepperoni—especially if it’s spicy—but I’d settle for a Margherita if that was all that was left on the planet of pizza.

Me: The planet of pizza?

Rhett: Yes. My happy place. Because you were curious. Admit it.

Me: Maybe a little.

Rhett: Finally. She admits she likes me.

Me: That’s not what I said! I said I was curious about your weird planet of pizza. A little. But how are we talking about this?

Rhett: Because that’s what we do. We tell each other things. Real things. Even if they’re weird.

Me: We do that.

Rhett: And you love that we do.

I’m smiling. How does he always get me to smile like this? I chew on my lip as I debate what to say.

Me: You’re pushing it.

Rhett: Tell me I’m wrong. Or are you freaking out because I used the L word? That’s not how I meant it.

Me: That might have freaked me out a little.

Rhett: Apologies. You LIKE that we do this.

Me: I do like it.

Rhett: A lot??