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“Teddy’s showing off the award-winning flexibility of her toes.” With a last kiss, Gabe sets my hand down on the table. He reaches into his lap and massages the ball of my foot before pushing it off his lap.
I pout.
Darwin slides into the seat next to Gabe, steals his cup, and takes a sip. “What did I miss?”
“Teddy’s toes, evidently,” Charlie says.
Darwin’s eyes flare. “I like toes.”
I shake my head at all of them as I work my foot back into my trainer. “Pervies.”
“Your pervies,” Charlie says, kissing the side of my head. “We going?”
“Uh-huh. What’d your coach have to say?”
Charlie ducks his head, his cheeks flaring pinker than Gabe’s. “It’s nowt. Something for the future.”
“Future what, Chaz?” I ask. “And why are you all red?”
“I’m not red.”
He’s very red.
He rubs the back of his neck. “Coach, uh, wants me to assist the assistant team captain. He said sommat about moving up when Zeke graduates in May.”
Gabe reaches across the table and slaps Charlie’s shoulder. “That’s awesome.”
Darwin holds his fist out to Charlie, who bumps knuckles.
I throw my arms around his thick chest and give him a huge hug. “Congratulations, Chaz.”
“It’s no big deal,” Charlie demurs. “Might not come to anything ... Coach might change his mind.”
“Don’t be like that. You’re a great player and teammate. How mint is it that Coach is tapping you up when you’re still a freshman?”
Charlie rubs the back of his neck again but gives me a one-armed hug. “Yeah, it’s good. I guess. I’m just not used to, you know, being in the limelight. And I know nowt about leading a team. I’m gonna have to study up. I don’t want to let the lads down. Anyway, are we looking at this flat or what?”
Gabe and I finish our drinks while Charlie and Darwin grab a round of coffee and hot chocolate to go. We walk through campus and down into town together, with me sandwiched between Charlie and Darwin. Darwin teases me about my “talented toes.” We all tease Charlie about getting him an “assistant to the assistant” jersey, which makes him even redder. When we pass the alley on the far side of Hall House where Darwin threatened me all those weeks ago, I get a little of my own back. Darwin’s as red as Charlie by the time we find the address of the rental, down a side-street.
It’s a big, wooden Victorian that’s been sliced up into three flats. The one that’s available is on the first floor, with access via an external porch and staircase to a communal back garden. Everything’s covered for winter, but there’s a big brick grill, clusters of furniture, and an adorable gazebo strung with fairy lights that are dark in the daylight but will look magickal at night. They remind me of future-me’s house-boat, with its winking will-o-wisps.
The realtor shows us the back first, then leads us up the external staircase into the flat. Probably leading with the best feature, since the front entrance is nothing spesh.
Inside, the flat’s modern and bright, with hardwood floors and big windows overlooking the yard. Three bedrooms, an open-plan kitchen, dining area, and double-lounge with the promised fireplace. The biggest bedroom has a walk-in closet. It’s twice the size of our current suite. It has that slightly soulless feel that unoccupied, undecorated houses have. But with furniture and some of Auntie Jill’s cushions thrown around, it will warm up.
When Charlie gives me a speaking glance, I nod before drifting toward a window that looks out over the garden. Wherever we end up, I want a gazebo like that.
Darwin and Gabe spend a long time examining the fireplace, and then poke around in the kitchen, examining the appliances. Darwin joins me at the window and presses his chest to my back, his arms wrapping around my waist. “You like the yard, huh?”
I nod.
“It’s good-sized for being in town. We could plant some trees and screen it off and then you’d have privacy to practice, if you wanted.”
I glance over my shoulder at him. “Landlord might not be too happy if we start planting trees.”
“I’d buy it if you really like it.”
“You what? I thought we were renting for a semester ‘cause they don’t want us shacking up in the dorms.”
