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“Heslutsneezed,” Jake said flatly. “He slut-sneezed about you. He’s lucky he has teeth.”
I groaned and flung myself down on the sofa. My head hurt, my eyes hurt—everything hurt.
It was only Monday.
This was going to be the longest week ever.
The couch depressed next to me, and Ian tugged me back to sit against him and he wrapped his arms around me. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “This is my fault.”
“It’s not,” I told him.
“She’s right,” Archie said as he and Jake spread lunch out on the coffee table. “It’s not your fault. It’s theirs because they decided they knew what we were going to do, and when we did something different, they got pissed.”
“Well, we were kind of—all over them,” Ian argued.
I opened my eyes to find Jake watching me quietly. “Guys…”
“I don’t care,” Archie countered. “Patty was dating a different dude a week ago, you didn’t see me getting aggressive. Do you care if Sharon sees someone?”
“Guys,” Coop tried. “Let it go for now.”
They looked at me, and Archie’s mouth turned down. “Yeah, okay, putting a pin in it for now.”
Ian pressed a kiss to the back of my head. “Still sorry, Frankie.”
I patted his hand. “Me too—even more because your dad saw the pictures.”
Coop made a face, and Jake sighed. The only one who didn’t care was Archie, but I got that. His parents weren’t likely going to say anything to him. Mine might, I guessed it would depend on how many times Mr. Rhys called her.
That tended to get on her nerves.
They’d stopped for Arby’s. Roast beef sandwiches and curly fries—and mint chocolate chip shakes, at least one for me. Still, I would have to move away from Ian to eat, and as good as the food smelled, this was comfortable, too.
He made the decision for me when he sat us both forward. “Come on, eat.”
“How long is your mom gone for this time?” Jake asked, and I glared at him. Did he have to bring that up now? His bland stare said yes he did.
“The weekend,” I said. “She left this morning.” Yeah, after she dropped her little kernel of advice. I unwrapped a sandwich, and I was almost too tired to eat it, but I put some sauce on it anyway and then took a bite. Tiddles appeared by my feet on the off chance I dropped any roast beef.
The guys discussed Jake’s lack of suspension. “Pretty sure your dad talked them out of it and maybe Coach,” he said. “Mom is pissed, or she was until I told her why I punched the guy.”
“You’re missing Friday’s game?” Ian grimaced. “Do you know how many?”
“Probably find out at practice tomorrow,” Jake said. “It was worth it. You guys will be fine.”
“Yeah, but scouts are there for the next few games. You have to play Homecoming.”
“We got time,” Jake told Ian. “We’ll make it.”
I still needed to shop for Homecoming. I finished about half my fries and most of my sandwich before I curled back up on the sofa. “Just try not to get in any more fights,” I suggested. “You guys don’t need the grief.” And a yawn pulled my jaw wide.
“I can handle it,” Jake told me. “Like I said, worth it, and maybe everyone else will think twice about it. Besides, we still have a few tricks we can pull out to deal with the girls if they don’t lay off.”
“She wouldn’t tell them it was Sharon,” Coop said, but my eyes were mostly shut. When I settled against something warm, I just sighed and stopped fighting the sleep. The guys were here, no one was in deep trouble, and I could rest for a little while.
Chapter Twelve
Polite Conversations
