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Chloe’s eyebrows scrunch together in scrutiny as she takes in my weird response. “I know you don’t know him. You just said that. I was showing you his picture so you could see what a hunk he is.”
Luke shakes his head. “It doesn’t matter. Tate doesn’t date baseball guys. Also…I’d break his arm off if he tried anything with her.” There’s no venom in his voice. It’s like he’s just stating facts. Breaking people’s arms off is perfectly fine table talk to him. He even sips his coffee after like it’s no big thing.
“Would you really?!” Harper’s eyes light up with the promise of gore and mayhem. “Cool!”
Chloe levels Luke with a reproachful glare. “No. Your father would never, could never break anyone’s arm off. Luke, you need to chill.”
“I am chill. But you also need to realize these guys aren’t cute and cuddly. They’ve spent their entire lives in locker rooms. They have a girl in every city, waiting and willing to warm their beds.”
“Warm their beds? How? With fire?” Harper asks. Her little face is scrunched up in confusion.
By this point, Sophia’s laughing. Meanwhile, Daphne keeps repeating, “Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god,” under her breath like she’s well and truly lost it, and I’m staying perfectly quiet, sipping my coffee, focusing on one movement at a time.
First, loop your hand around the mug. Good, just like that. Then gently lift the mug and bring it to your face. Too fast, Allen!
Some of the coffee dribbles down my chin onto my pajama shirt.
Luke’s oblivious, but Chloe’s not. She’s scrutinizing me from across the table like she’s trying to read between the lines. She’s too smart.
Good going, Luke! You couldn’t have fallen in love with a dumb-dumb?
I stand and my chair screeches as I push it back. “You have to go!”
Luke frowns. “What?”
I try to sound slightly less enthusiastic about kicking them to the curb as I continue, “I mean…surely Harper needs to be getting to school, and Sophia, don’t you need to head to work? Daphne too.”
Luke and Harper eye me strangely.
Chloe though…she just smiles a knowing little smile.
Damn her.
I avert my gaze. “Yeah, so anyway, y’all should probably go.”
Since no one seems to want to listen to me, I take it upon myself to help them on their way out, scooting chairs back and yanking mugs out of hands. Piping hot coffee gets poured right down the drain.
“I was still drinking that,” my brother protests.
I tip him out of his seat and prod him and his family over to the door. “Listen, there’s a great little coffee shop down the street. The barista loves me. Tell her Tate sent you. Okay, bye!”
And then I slam the door in their shocked faces.
Once I’ve given them enough time to have made it far, far away from my apartment, I turn around to reluctantly face my roommates. They’re silently standing there, looking at me for direction. I’m shocked Daphne can contain herself, but maybe even she realizes how serious this is.
“Here’s how this is going to go,” I start, speaking like a drill sergeant. I need a baton I can whack against my open palm. “Nothing happened last night. Nothing. Do you two understand?”
They nod quickly, in sync.
“I went to that party, sure, but I never talked to Grant, and we definitely didn’t disappear into that room together. Okay?”
“Okay.”
Still, no one moves. Sophia looks to Daphne. Daphne looks to Sophia. They both look at me. Then finally, a slow smile spreads across Daphne’s lips and she whispers, “Oh my god. You hooked up with Grant Navarro!”
A wash of anxiety threatens to take me out at the knees.
What I did last night was the craziest thing I’ve done in…well, ever. I simply do not act impulsively. Allow me to explain. If I’m going to change what brand of granola I top my yogurt with, it’s a week of research, minimum. If I’m going to buy new running shoes, I’m testing those babies out on grass, gravel, concrete, dirt, mud, sand, turf…you get it. You ever wonder who reads through the thousands upon thousands of product reviews on Amazon? I’m the problem, it’s me. And guess what? I like how I do things. I mean look what happened when I threw caution to the wind—I accidentally kissed my brother’s teammate! That was not in my love plan.
I pinch my eyes closed, knowing one thing with absolute certainty.
I am so screwed.
SIX
TATE
I’m actually relieved to be at the hospital instead of sitting in the stands at Pinstripe Stadium for opening day. I need a break from my social life. After my brother and his family left, I spent hours breaking down the situation with Grant from every angle, only to realize there’s no real solution. There’s no good that can come out of this. Luke would never come around to the two of us dating and more importantly, I don’t date baseball guys! Even if he’s the hottest baseball player ever, it doesn’t matter. I’ve convinced myself I have self-control. I’m not going to lose my head and jump his bones. I won’t accidentally stumble right into his waiting arms. I’m going to snuff out my little crush—bury it under dirt and concrete and more dirt and more concrete until it has no light, no water, nothing to help it grow. I’m confident it’s possible, especially if I keep myself distracted at work.
