Ford twirls one of my curls around his finger. “Practice was rough. Central Valley High School has the best defense in the state. Coach wants us prepared. We practiced taking hits.”
I reach up, brushing his hair off his forehead. “We don’t play them until next week. What about this week’s game against Mountain Ridge?”
“He thinks we’re prepared for this week’s game. Central Valley’s defense is big and fast.”
“Bigger than Ravenwood’s?” I ask.
“They look it from the game tape we’ve watched. They play Thursday night this week. Me and guys are going to go.”
“That’s a good idea. Are you’re, okay? No bumps or bruises?”
“I have a big one right here.” He turns his hip, pointing to his butt cheek. “Will you kiss it better for me?” He has a giant smile on his face.
“You want me to kiss your butt? Isn’t that your job as my boyfriend?” I turn slightly, sticking my hip toward him.
Ford sets his football helmet on the ground and starts to bend over. I gasp and slap his shoulder. I should’ve known better. Ford never backs down from a challenge. “Don’t you dare.”
He straightens, laughing. “I was just—”
“At least not with so many people around.” I smile and bat my lashes.
Ford cocks an eyebrow and makes a show of looking around the gym. “I bet the girls’ locker room is empty.”
“Oh, jeez.” I just shake my head, giving up.
He leans down, kissing my cheek. “I’ll hurry and shower, and then we’ll head to Leah’s.”
“Um—would you mind—if I went with Leah? We wanted to have some girl talk before everyone showed up.”
Ford cups a hand around my cheek. “Is everything okay?”
“Everything is great. Sometimes girls just need one-on-one time to gossip.” I reach up, giving him a quick kiss.
“All right, I’ll see you soon.” Ford gives me another kiss on the cheek and then heads for the locker room. Leah and Jack are still talking, but Ford pats his back as he passes, and Jack says goodbye to Leah and follows Ford.
“Are you good to go?” Leah asks, walking up to me.
“Yep.”
“Sweet. I’m parked just outside the gym doors.”
Leah drives a gray Mini Cooper convertible. “Your car is fantastic. I used to have a convertible, and I loved it. I miss driving it.”
“Thanks, I like it. It was my sister Emery who begged my parents for a Mini Cooper, but then she complained it wasn’t big enough to take to college, so they helped her buy an SUV, and I inherited this one. Did your parents trade in your old car for your Hyundai?”
“No, it got an oil leak. A big oil leak, and when I finally had it looked at, I found out it wasn’t a leak but a crack. It was an old car and wasn’t worth the money to fix. I love my SUV, but it was fun to zip around in my Volkswagen with the top down.”
“That’s the best. Aubrey and I used to drive around the lake at least once a week during the summer with the top down, our music blaring.”
Leah and I are quiet after that. I don’t know how to start a conversation about sex. “How are things with you and Jack going?”
She glances at me with a giant smile. “Great. We’re still in that new phase of getting to know one another. We went bowling last night with Tyler and June. It was a lot of fun. Does he ever say anything about me?”
“Um—well—no. I mean, he told me he liked you and was going to ask you to homecoming. But Jack and I are still working out the kinks of our relationship as brother and sister. We spent a lot of years disliking and ignoring each other. We don’t get super personal unless we have to.”
“That’s how most brother and sister relationships are. How are things with you and Ford?”
I run a hand down my face, smiling. “They’re amazing. It’s been an adjustment with school starting. During the summer, we just did our thing and didn’t worry about anything or anyone. Now it feels like we’re constantly looking over our shoulders. We ignore it for the most part.”
