“I was jealous of you being so close with Kai,” he whispers, stroking my cheek, “but I don’t think you’re a bad person. You and him have been close long before you and me.”
“We have a different kind of closeness.” My fingers play at his shirt collar. “I’d be hurling if I made out with Kai.”
Milo chuckles. “I hope we have more than just kissing.”
“We do. I feel safe with you.”
He hesitates. “But only about certain things?”
I sigh and gesture to the sofa. We sit, and I plant my hands on his shoulders, steadying my nerves. “I’ll tell you what I shared with Kai. You’ll understand why I wanted to keep it a secret.”
He gulps. “It’s big?”
“It’s explosive.”
“You don’t have to tell me.”
“I want to,” I reply. “It’ll just take a minute.”
He runs a hand along my knee. “Take all the time you need.”
I stare into the frames of his glasses, noting the greens in his hazel eyes. The crinkles by his eyes make me want to smile. His full lips make me want to admit nothing and go back to kissing him.
I run my hands down his arms and clutch his hands. “Milo, I’m so glad you’re here.”
He smiles. “I’m not going anywhere.”
I giggle. “You skipped school for me.”
He squeezes my hand gently. “I told you. You’re a bad influence on me.”
I straighten up on the couch, fidgeting on the seat cushion. “Okay, I’ll just blurt it out.”
He braces himself, waiting for the news.
I grit my teeth, losing my nerve.
“It’s okay,” he whispers.
The calming lilt in his voice is all I need. “I found out my dad’s name.”
Milo sits back, floored. “Oh my…”
“I know.”
“Is he...?”
“He’s not a crook,” I reply. “He’s… Oh my gosh… He’s… Nope, gonna hurl.”
Milo sits closer, rubbing my back. “It’s okay. Take a breath. You don’t have to say it.”
I rest my head on his shoulder and exhale slowly. “It’s Coach Anders.”
Milo jolts in his seat. “What?”
I latch my arms around him, pressing my face into his arm. “See? This is why I couldn’t talk about it.”
“Wait? This is for real? Coach Anders is your dad? Did he know?”
