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Bubba and Archie were waiting for us. I kept an eye out for Cheryl. So far, she hadn’t tried to see Frankie again, but that wouldn’t last. Coop nudged me about fifteen minutes before the bell.
“That’s him,” he said after checking his phone, and I glanced down at the student directory, then across the cafeteria at the target.
“Still just warning?” I checked before draining my coffee.
Coop nodded, but Frankie’s speculative glance landed on us. “What are you two up to?”
“Just going to offer some friendly advice,” I told her with a grin.
Only Frankie’s expression didn’t lighten as she glanced from me to Coop, then back. “Uh uh. You have that someone’s about to get their ass beat look.”
“Not beat,” I promised, but it wasn’t enough.
With a sigh, Coop gripped my shoulder. “Trina’s got a sophomore asking her out.”
Archie and Bubba both twisted at the same moment to look where we had been.
“And I’m just going to talk to him,” Coop said, his grin easy and his manner relaxed.
“Jake is going because…?” Despite her doubtful expression, the corners of her lips twitched. Frankie damn well knew why I was going.
“I’m going for moral support.” Yes, I said with a straight face.
Bubba snorted, and Archie smirked. “You need more moral support?” Archie asked with a glance to Coop.
“Nope, I think Jake is just the right touch. And it’s a quick conversation. We’ll be right back. Not going to lay a finger on him.”
“Hmm-hmm,” Frankie said. “I’ve heard that before.” Then… “Just remember, if Sis likes him, you have to be careful.”
“So does he,” Coop said in an unflinching tone as he locked gazes with Frankie.
She gave it a beat, then nodded. “Well, go get ’im.”
“Like I said,” Coop spread his hands as he spoke. “It’s just a conversation.”
She chuckled and shook her head, but shifted in the chair to watch us, and there was something kind of cool about knowing she planned to keep an eye on us. That, and I had to resist the urge to puff out my chest.
“This is going to be fun,” I admitted quietly to Coop, and he snorted.
“Not as fun as this morning.”
No. Nothing would though. I grinned.
I was still grinning when the table around our target went quiet.
You know, I almost felt sorry for that sophomore when he noticed us approaching.
Almost.
Chapter Thirteen
Safe with Me
Ian
Practice kind of sucked, but the team didn’t feel much like a team. Something Coach called all of us on afterward. Mitch may not have been a power player, but he had been popular. There were assholes on the team who resented the fact that he wouldn’t be around for the last games of the season. Still more that didn’t think it wasfairthat his academic career and potential career were being derailed.
Despite the mutterings, most of them shut up when Jake or I were present. Most. Not all. Maybe they thought they were flying under the radar. I didn’t care so much, but if they said one more word about it, I’d be breaking another jaw if Jake didn’t get to them first.
