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Claire appeared as a bubbly, kind girl, but underneath, she was a hot-headed athlete. We had many similarities, starting with growing up skating. I quit at eighteen, where she was just now retiring, but I could sympathize with the difficulty of pivoting your life after you finished competing. And it was kind of nice that I was able to pick her brain for details about Tyler.
“Oh, I’ve known Tyler for years. Like since…” she mentally tallied back the years. “Kindergarten, I think?”
“Really? What was he like?” I asked curiously.
“Honestly?” Her eyes slid to mine. “A very cute, spiky-haired terror. But that’s because when the boys messed with me, it got Duke riled up, and riling up Duke was their favorite pastime. Duke is a bit of a loose cannon, always has been, which is something I both love and hate about him.”
“Well at least you guys aren’t apathetic toward each other?” I offered. Apathetic was the defining term of what Garrett and I had.
“No, definitely not,” she sighed. “It’s fireworks, always. Just… sometimes that firework topples over and blows us up right along with it.” She shook her head. “You and Tyler though, when did that happen?”
“Last night,” I said, gulping down the rest of my mimosa.
Her eyebrows popped up in surprise. “Well, that’s great. I’m honestly so happy for him. He’s such a sweet guy. He helped me and Duke get together a couple summers ago, he tried, at least. And he helped his brother and my sister patch things up. He seems to know when people belong together, and he tries to cut the crap and make it happen. He loves love.”
I smiled because I could totally see that about him.
23. Tyler
Duke paced back and forth in our living room like a caged animal while my roommates and I lounged on our sectional trying to watch Sportscenter on the TV behind him. “Ask Josie for help, please,” he urged me.
“No,” I scoffed. “Are you crazy? I just got a chance with her. I’m not gonna blow it just because you need a favor.”
He stopped and pushed the heel of his hands into his eyes. “It’s my marriage, dude.”
I rubbed my forehead, contemplating my options. Duke was just gonna continue asking me to reach out to Josie every two seconds, and if I did it now, I could at least phrase it in my own way instead of running the risk of him stealing my phone to text her. “Fine,” I resigned, “what do you want me to say?”
His body sagged in relief. “Thanks, man. I owe you. I really do.” He pointed to my phone. “Okay, ask her if Claire is just mad ormadmad. She’ll know what it means.”
I quickly texted her:Duke wants to know if Claire is just mad or mad mad.
My phone dinged almost immediately.
Josie:She says mad mad. I’m team Claire by the way.
I responded:Oh I am too. Believe me. Like actually, please believe I think that too.
A second later, she sent back a laughing face.
“Dude, Jetts, cut it with the googly-eyes. I need you to focus,” Duke snapped. He finally stopped pacing and turned to us with a grave look etched on his face. “I have to go with the back up plan, boys.”
Garcia caught my eye. We were thinking the same thing. Duke didn’t need a plan, he needed to be stopped.
“Maybe you should run it by Case first. He’s our voice of reason,” I advised him.
“No,” he was shaking his head, pacing again. “He’ll just say no.”
My eyes widened. “Then duh, maybe you shouldn’t.”
“Nope. It’s perfect.” He stood a bit straighter. “It’s a shortcut to getting some face time with her and getting back in her good graces. It must be done.” He pulled out his phone.
I sucked in my top lip, contemplating whether or not I should let him further fuck up his marriage.
“I made a fake account,” he said.
All three of us on the couch groaned.
“Guys, this is good,” Duke urged.
