19. Chapter 19
Chapter nineteen
Cal
Chris knocked on my door just before ten. I’d spent the last five hours doing tasks I hated around the house. I’d steamed the floors, paid bills, and scrubbed the inside of the fridge. Skye slept through most of it, padding out of the bedroom around nine to watch me rip everything from the kitchen pantry and wipe down the shelves.
“Let me grab my stuff,” I said, excited to finally leave the house.
“Actually,” Chris said, shifting his feet. “Can I come in, and talk to you for a minute?”
“Sure,” I said opening the door wider. Skye ran to him, and he bent to pet her before walking to the living room and taking a seat on the couch.
“What’s up?” I asked, sitting beside him.
“This is awkward,” he said, rubbing his forehead.
Shit. I braced myself to talk about condoms or first times or any number of things a kid his age without a dad might ask. But what he said next caught me completely off guard.
“I like you.”
I cleared my throat. “Um, Chris, I’m flattered but—”
Chris narrowed his eyes. “I’m not done. Why do adults always do that? Think they know where a conversation is going and interrupt before you can get the words out.”
“Sorry,” I said.
“I like you. As a friend, to be clear,” he said, glaring at me. He let out a breath. “You’re kind of like the brother I never had.”
My throat tightened. “Thanks, Chris. That means a lot to me.”
Chris slapped his legs and gritted his teeth. “I’m not done.”
I pressed my lips together.
“As I was saying, I like you, but Ann is my favorite person in the whole world. She’s been through a lot. So just don’t be a dick, ok?”
“I’m not following.”
He blushed bright red. “I saw you bring her home this morning.”
“Ok,” I said, standing. “Time out. Rowan and I are adults. Whatever happens between us is our business. Not yours.”
Chris stood so fast Skye barked. I had at least twenty pounds of muscle on him, but the rage on his face made me take a step back. “I won’t stand by and watch someone else hurt her.” His breathing was rapid, his eyes bright, and it hit me that the kid was devastated.
“Hey,” I said, gently. “I’m not her asshole ex.”
Chris nodded and spun around, putting his back to me to swipe at his eyes.
“I know she’s been through a lot,” I said. “And I get you want to protect her, but she’s a grown woman. You have to let her make her own choices.”
He nodded and sniffed. “Forget I said anything. Let’s go train.”
He stalked past me and out the door. Skye watched him leave and gave me a reproachful look for the second time today. I grabbed my gear, and she perked up and followed me out the door. Chris was standing beside my SUV with his arms crossed, staring down the street toward his house. I glanced at the front porch, but Rowan wasn’t there. I wondered if Chris had talked to her already, or if she was still in the shed taking care of Poppy. I knew better than to ask.
“Why don’t you warm up with a run to the park,” I said. “I’ll meet you there.” It was a dick move and Chris knew it, but he took off.
Skye stuck her head out the window and barked at him when we passed. I parked on Main and snapped a leash on her before grabbing all the gear. I found a bench beneath a shade tree and dropped everything in a pile while Skye settled on the ground. Pushing down the erotic replays of Rowan that kept entering my thoughts, I let the quiet of the park ease the lingering tension from my conversation with Chris. Aiden took a seat beside me just as Chris turned into the park.
“He’s fast,” Aiden said without so much as a hello. “I watched him sprint down Main Street.”
“And dedicated. I’m glad you came.”
Aiden shook his head. “Believe me, I tried not to. But I was curious. I might bust Theo’s balls, but he has a great eye, especially for someone who hates sports.”
Chris ran toward us. I stood and Aiden did the same, eyeing my dog with the usual apprehension.
“Chris, this is Aiden. Aiden, Chris,” I said, introducing them. “Aiden played quarterback with me for years.”
“Yeah, I remember,” Chris said with a smile. “Ann took me to my first game when I was in kindergarten. I made her take me to every one after. Your senior year was epic.”
Aiden nodded. I knew the compliment was bittersweet, and Chris, being the observant kid he was, seemed to sense it and changed the subject.
“Did Cal tell you I’m trying out to be a wide receiver on the varsity team?”
“He did,” Aiden said.
“I’m pretty confident about my speed and timing,” Chris continued. “My hand skills have improved a lot since I started working with Cal. I’m catching passes I would have missed last year, but I’m not consistent. Would you mind watching me catch a couple times?”
“Sure,” Aiden said sinking down on the bench. Skye walked to him and flopped on the ground at his feet. Aiden glared but didn’t ask me to move her.
Chris and I completed running passes back and forth until Aiden called us to the bench.
“You’ve got a good read on your skills,” Aiden said. “But anyone can catch a ball when no one is trying to stop them. My granny could have completed all those passes.”
“Don’t take that too hard,” I said, slapping Chris on the back. “His grandma taught him everything he knows.”
Aiden shrugged. “Everything except how to take a tackle. She tried, but she doesn’t weigh a hundred pounds wet. Let’s see how you do under pressure. Toss me the ball.”
Chris threw the ball to Aiden, and he flipped it in his hands a few times. “Ok kid,” he said with a big smile. “Let’s see how you do while Cal tries to get in your way. Go.”
Chris and I sprinted through the park. I blocked Aiden’s first pass and intercepted the next, but as we continued throwing the ball back and forth, Chris caught more and more.
“Get back over here,” Aiden called. My lungs felt like they were about to burst as we made our way to him, but I couldn’t erase the smile from my face.
“You’re not watching the ball into your hands,” Aiden said to Chris. “You’re thinking ahead to what’s going to happen after the catch. Focus on the moment. It doesn’t matter if you avoid the tackle if you drop the ball because you’re not watching it.”
Chris nodded.
“I’d have you run some more routes, but Cal looks like he could use a break. See that wall over there,” Aiden said, pointing to the playhouse that Skye had hid inside. “Bounce the ball against it until your arm feels like it wants to fall off or a kid gets in your way. Vary the speed and angle with each throw. Every time you miss the catch after it bounces, drop and do ten pushups.”
Chris took off for the playground equipment, and I joined Aiden on the bench after chugging half my water.
“So,” Aiden said a while later as Chris dropped to do a set of pushups. “How’d it go with Rowan last night?”
I rubbed my forehead. “Great. This morning, not so much. Theo and I got into it, and I said some things I shouldn’t have.”
“Is that why the asshole isn’t here?”
I shook my head. “Poppy got sick, so he stayed up all night watching over her. He only left when I brought Rowan home at five this morning.”
“Huh,” Aiden said and shifted on the bench. “I didn’t think she was that shitfaced. Did anyone check on Lauren? She had almost as much as Poppy.”
“I think Rowan did after I left.”
Aiden pressed his lips into a tight line. “You think or you know?”
“Honestly, I have no idea. Theo said she seemed ok when he dropped her off, and he doesn’t think she had shots like Poppy did. I’m sure Lauren is fine. Poppy drank too much, but she wasn’t in danger. Theo overreacted because he likes her.”
Aiden glared at me. “Let me guess, you pushed him too hard about Poppy, and he gave you shit about messing around with Rowan.”
“Pretty much. Then I thought Chris was going to take a swing at me. He saw me with his sister and insisted we have a talk. It got a little heated.”
Aiden chuckled. “Can you blame him?”
“What happens between me and Rowan is none of his damn business.”
Aiden shook his head. “If I ever saw you walking one of my sisters home at five in the morning, I’d be taking more than a swing at you. You’d have to call Theo to drive your ass to the hospital.”
“That’s different. Your sisters are all married.”
“I’d beat your ass even if they weren’t. You go through women like paper towels. Bet he knows that too,” Aiden said, nodding his chin toward Chris.
“You’re one to talk.”
Aiden shook his head. “I’m an unapologetic asshole. Ain’t no one falling in love with me. Women use my body, like I use theirs, and move on. But with someone like you, they’re bound to want more.”
“I don’t play with feelings. Anyone I spend time with knows it’s just fun.”
Aiden nodded. “And you think Rowan is a casual fuck kind of girl?”
No. “I told her what to expect from me. Besides, she’s looking for jobs anywhere but here. What’s so wrong with letting off a little steam together?”
“Same reason you never should have fucked around with Avery.”
“Avery and Rowan are nothing alike.”
“They’re more alike than you want to believe. You and Avery were serious in high school. Why would she ever believe you just wanted something casual now?”
“Because I told her. Just like I told Rowan.”
Aiden shook his head. “Face it, man, you crushed Avery. And Chris is worried you’ll do the same to Rowan. A chick doesn’t go Kill Bill on a guy’s reputation unless she has feelings for him. You loved Avery once. I’m sure she thought you were falling for her again.”
“I didn’t love her.”
Aiden shook his head. “If that were true, would you have been so upset when she dumped you?”
We never talked about that night. Ever. Sometimes we’d mention the fallout: Mine and Aiden’s recovery, Theo’s trial and time in prison. We spoke of Logan often, memories that made us laugh so hard we couldn’t breathe, but never how he died. The sequence of events that led to those tragic consequences wasn’t something we revisited.
“Don’t,” I said.
“It’ll be ten years next month.”
“You think I’ve forgotten?”
“Of course not,” Aiden snapped. “I just meant it’s been a long time, and we still can’t talk about it. Theo hurts himself every chance he can. You push away anyone who gets too close, and I want to beat the shit out of something all the time. We’re all still fucked up, and I’m starting to think we always will be.”
I didn’t know what to say. He was right. But that didn’t mean I had a clue how to change things.
Aiden blew out a long breath. “All I’m saying is, the kid had every right to get protective. He’s got a good head on his shoulders, and he’s got talent. Real talent.”
I nodded, relieved we were changing the subject. “I have no doubt he’ll make varsity.”
“Fuck that, we’re getting the kid scouted,” Aiden said, slapping my back. “How often are you training with him?”
“We do drills two or three times a week. We run and lift the other days.”
“That’s why you’ve been ghosting me at the gym?”
“That and you’re a competitive asshole who takes all the fun out of it.”
Aiden threw his head back and laughed. “I’m just pushing you, dumbass. Speaking of which, I better stop the kid before he pukes. Come on back, Chris.”
Chris ran up to us and bent with his hands on his knees. “How was that?”
“Good,” Aiden said, “but your form falls apart when you’re tired. Grab some water and stretch out your shoulders.”
Chris nodded and did as he was told. Aiden tried not to smile.
“You like coaching,” I whispered.
“What’s not to like. I get to order someone around. Hey, Chris,” he said louder. “How serious are you about football?”
“I’d play it every day if I could.”
Aiden nodded. “Good, because you are. You’re going to be drilling with me or Cal every day until tryouts. And keeping up with your cardio and weights.”
Chris beamed at him. “Sounds great.”
“And I want to know what you eat in a day. You need more muscle unless you want to get the shit knocked out of you every play.”
They started talking about different ways to up Chris’s protein intake, and I knelt to scratch Skye’s ears. She gave my hand a lick and stared up at me with her wise eyes. My chest tightened. Aiden and Theo were right. I pushed women away. I had my parents, my friends, and my dog, and that was enough for me. But for the first time since Avery started blasting me online, I considered the possibility that I might owe her an apology. I pulled my phone from my bag and texted her.
I’m sorry, Ave. Can we meet up?
Her response was immediate.
Avery
Wow. A booty text before noon. Something must be stressing you out
You should know
Avery
Sorry baby, I’m not interested in what you have to offer
A conversation, Ave. That’s all I want
Avery
I don’t believe you
We need to talk. Face-to-face. Please
I waited awhile, but when she didn’t respond, I texted You know where to find me. The fact she’d texted back at all was progress. I shoved my phone in my bag and grabbed a couple resistance bands. Avery would come around eventually, like she always did. I just hoped it would be soon enough to save my job. “Let’s do some arm pulls.”
“Man,” Aiden said shaking his head. “You’re lucky, kid. You get private sessions with the best PT in the state. Did you know Cal graduated first in his program? What’d you do to get him to help you in the first place?”
Chris grinned at me, and I felt the tension between us ease. “Run faster than Skye. I’m the only other person he trusts to walk her.”
Aiden looked at Skye and shook his head. “Dog people.”