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“The sister who almost got you fired yesterday,” he said.
“No thanks, I’m having a hard enough time being around Rowan without crossing the line.”
Theo narrowed his eyes. “What did you do?”
“Something stupid.”
Theo shook his head and a deep laugh rumbled from his chest. Theo never laughed. The sound was so unexpected and unusual, Skye’s head shot up.
“Those Stevens sisters,” Theo said, bending to pet Skye. “How stupid were you?”
Rowan was the last thing I wanted to think about. I needed to focus on getting through training without having a mental breakdown and traumatizing Chris with tears, vomit, or both. But Theo would keep asking, and I couldn’t risk Chris overhearing.
“I yelled at her for carrying groceries.”
“That’s understandable. She’s hurt, right?”
“Then I kissed her and ran away.”
“You ran away?”
“It was that or fuck her on Rose’s kitchen counter. Did Poppy mention anything? Chris seems clueless, but sisters talk.”
Theo shook his head as Chris ran up.
“Ready?” Chris said, bouncing on his feet.
I nodded. Chris threw me a football so fast, I didn’t have time to think. I just caught it. My fingers moved from muscle memory, twisting the ball to the laces and positioning for the throw. It felt so natural, like it had been ten hours since my last catch, not ten years.
“Let’s see what we’re working with. Go long,” I said. Chris shot off into the park. I pulled back my arm and threw to a place in front of him. It sailed through the air in a perfect spiral, and Chris burst forward to catch it with both hands.
Theo clapped. “Nice.”
I held up my hands and Chris threw the ball back. It wobbled a bit but smacked me right in the palms.
“Good,” I said. “Come back here and we’ll start some drills.”
Chris had a real shot of making the varsity team, with or without my help. He was fast, faster than any high school player I’d ever seen and could run a decent route. With the right training, he’d make a better wide receiver than me. My stomach gave an odd dip, and it took me a moment to realize all my nerves had been replaced with something I hadn’t felt in a long time: Excitement.
Theo smiled. “Does that grin mean I don’t have to drag my ass out of bed at the crack of dawn again?”
“Thanks, man,” I said. “It means a lot that you’re here.”
He nodded and dropped to the ground. Skye curled on his lap, and he buried his face in her fur. Knowing Theo, the moment had gotten to him, and he didn’t want Chris or me to see.
“What do you want to do first?” Chris asked, grabbing his water bottle and taking a pull.
“Sit-up and catch.”
He smiled like I’d just offered to take him shopping for his first car and dropped to the ground near Theo and Skye.
We worked another hour, while the sun rose above the mountains and the park filled with early-morning power walkers. The temperature climbed steadily. Theo moved Skye into the shade and gave her the rest of the water I’d brought along.
“Great work today, Chris. Why don’t you finish with a run home. I’ll pack up and drive the gear back. You can get your stuff when you walk Skye later.”
“I can help,” he said, gulping the rest of his water.
“Nah, it’s getting hotter by the minute. If you’re getting in a run today, you better go.”
