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Without hesitation, I shake my head. “No, I want to stay right here. I want to be part of turning this ship around.”
Harper nods and follows it up, chuffing, “That one about dating my sister really had me going for a minute there. I mean, if I thought you might actually hit on her …”
I bark a nervous laugh. “I get it. You’d rearrange my face after rearranging my balls.”
“You got a sister too?”
I nod.
“Then you know what that feels like.” He pauses a moment as if in thought, then his lips curl, reminding me of an evil clown. “I’d have to take it a step further, though.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’d definitely have to kick her out of my place.”
His words stop me in my tracks. “Why take it out on her?”
He stops too and gives me a look that says he thinks I’m a complete and utter dumbass, but it immediately turns nonchalant. “Forget I said it. It’s none of your damn business anyway.”
My temper simmers and begins to rise. This guy is a class-A son of a bitch, but I’m in no position to do anything about it, which pisses me off even more.
We head toward our respective driver’s side doors, and I curl my hands into fists as I corral my heaving anger. I raise my voice so he hears me. “Dude, you’d seriously make her move out?”
“Without a doubt,” Harper hollers back.
I believe him.
Chapter 36
Tack and Forth
Colby
Unsettling thoughts swirl in my brain as I steer my truck toward the parking lot exit. A text pings, and I check my phone. It’s Jackie. Normally, my heart accelerates at seeing her name and I rush to answer, but not today. Not after what her brother said just now. Jesus, what an asshole! He’d actually kick her out of his place. Does he have any idea how that would fucking crush her? I can’t be the one to tell him that. As far as he knows, Jackie and I have talked to each other twice—once in the parking lot and once when we were stuck on an elevator with him a month ago.
A mirthless laugh escapes me as I picture the scene of my confession playing out in my head. “Hey, during one of the many times your sister and I are pillow-talking naked in my bed after off-the-charts sex, she told me she never wants to disappoint you again. Your approval means everything to her.”
If he ever finds out … I never want to be the cause of him disowning her, nor do I want her losing a place to live because of me. Sure, she’s doing great at her new job, but it doesn’t pay a lot, and she’s only been there a month. Not enough time to have socked away money for a security deposit and first and last month’s rent. So I have to make sure he never, ever finds out.
If he did learn the truth and toss her ass, she could move in with me. I slam that ridiculous idea down before I have a chance to warm to it. My life drifts according to unpredictable currents at the moment, and there’s a real possibility I’m shipping out in a few weeks. If Jackie’s brother finds out how well acquainted I am with every inch of her smoking-hot body, I’m definitely on my way out. How jacked up would it be to have her move in with me only to move her right out again because I’m headed to some other team? Why would Jackie want to tie a line to that? To me?
Damn it! I’ve put her in a bad place because I can’t keep my libido in check. But it’s more than my libido, and I know it. Jackie is … I think I’m in love with her. What the hell do I do with that?
As I crank on my truck’s engine, my phone rings. It’s Peggy. I wait for the Bluetooth to connect before saying, “Hey, gorgeous. What are you doing?”
She launches right into it. “I’m trying to nail down some times for your kids. Do you have anything solid for me?” Her voice broadcasts a level of stress that’s not normal for Peggy, and my chest constricts.
“Not until I know if we make it to the postseason. And it’s looking like it’ll go right down to the wire.”
“So you won’t know for eleven days?”
“You’ve been looking at the schedule,” I chuckle mildly. When she doesn’t respond, I continue. “Yes, eleven days. Why? What’s going on? The kids aren’t out of school for a couple months, right?”
She blows out a breath. “Right. I’m just trying to organize the summer schedule.”
“California’s squared away, right?”
“Of course California’s squared away because Lindsey’s in charge.” When I had to move to Raleigh, my sister got some volunteer sailors to step into my role, and it’s been smooth sailing ever since. Pun intended.
