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“Yeah, Sawyer’s cool.” I shrug off my pads.
“You told me she hates football players.” Ryan arches a brow in my direction.
Over the summer, I did tell him not to waste his time on a girl who didn’t like football, though that was before learning about her dad and how he influenced her feelings about the game.
“Not the players so much as she’s not a fan of the game. I don’t think she understands it,” I fib. “I’m working on that.”
“Working on it,how?” Bennet frowns as he pulls his jersey over his head.
“Just explaining it to her. She’ll come around. And even if she doesn’t, she’s still pretty cool. She doesn’t come with a lot of drama and she doesn’t hog the bathroom. We get along. Besides, I’ll be at college next year, so even if we didn’t get along it’s just for a year. I’d deal with that if it makes Pop happy.”
The guys take this in and nod in agreement before offering another round of congratulations. My pop is like a second father to most of them, they want to see him happy as much as I do. We all shake hands and slap each other on the back, my deception seemingly forgotten. And then Will opens his mouth.
“Tough break, man.” He shakes his head. “Hottest girl to come through this school is gonna be your stepsister.”
“Dude.” Carter glares at him.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Ryan asks.
“Means she’s off limits to all of us.” Will shrugs his beefy shoulders. “Damn shame.”
“What are you talking about?” Bennet demands.
Will looks at each of us in turn, surprised at the glares he’s getting. “What? Are you seriously telling me none of you have thought about that? She’s fucking gorgeous, and Wes isn’t gonna let any of us near her.Hecan’t even get near her. They’re gonna be related. Am I wrong?”
I can see their wheels turning. There’s no denying Sawyer is beautiful, but until Will spoke up Sawyer’s beauty and her relationship to me hadn’t been a major focus. Now they’re realizing the truth of what Will says, that she’s off limits to all of us.
I should leave it at that, but since my feelings about her are so conflicted I speak up.
“We aren’t going to be related. Not by blood anyway. But yeah, I’ll be looking out for her.” I don’t have to spell out what that means.
“You’d want to keep her away from us? We’re your best friends.” Bennet blinks in rapid succession, his mouth hanging open.
“Exactly. You’re my best friends, so I know how your minds work. Filthy, every one of you.” I’m smiling as I say it, so they know I’m teasing, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t true. Like most teenage guys, half of what comes out of their mouths is about sex.
“Never thought I’d agree with Will, but that is a damn shame.” Ryan shakes his head.
“Why wouldn’t you agree with me?” Will objects.
“Cause you’re an even bigger dirt ball than the rest of us. I don’t want anyone thinking my mind is as filthy as yours.” Ryan gives him a disapproving glance.
“Your mind is absolutely as filthy as mine, I’m just man enough to admit it.” Will puffs up his chest.
“You’re saying I’m not a man?” Ryan crosses his arms, glaring at Will. It’s all for show. Acting tough and slinging insults is our way of saying what great friends we are without actually saying it. I’m not sure if that’s a teammate thing or a guy thing, but it’s our thing, and Ryan’s way of lightening the mood.
“Just keep your filth away from my soon to be stepsister and we’re all good.” I point at each of them before heading to the shower, the insults morphing into laughter behind me.
***
“Looks like you survived okay,” I remark as Sawyer meets me after practice. “Was it as bad as you expected?”
“Worse.” She rolls her eyes.
“Really? How so?” I lean against the tailgate, making it clear I’m not ready to leave until she fills me in.
She takes a deep breath and chews on her lip, a habit I find adorable and dangerous since it draws my attention to her mouth.
“There is a truly unhealthy level of interest in your anatomy, and every girl in school thinks I can now set the record straight.”
