Page 91 of Tangled with the Tight End

“How do I say this?” Emberleigh asks. “Declan doesn’t exactly strike me as the porch goose type.”

“Trust me,” Daisy adds. “He’s not.”

“I think he’ll like it,” I insist.

“Declan?” Daisy asks. “He’s so … serious. And that house is not porch-goose ready.”

“That house is a palace,” I clarify. “It has a surround-sound system that’s probably better than the Waterford movie theater … and an intercom … and … wait for it … an elevator!”

“I know,” Daisy says.

I momentarily forgot she’s probably been to Declan’s home more than I have since she’s his sister-in-law.

“How did Patrick turn out so normal?” Cass asks.

“He’s the black sheep,” Daisy says, a fondness in her eyes.

“But back to that goose,” Syd says. “If you want a good home for it, we’ll put it outside the bakery. People will get a kick out of that.”

“Yeah,” Emberleigh says. “We could even have the special of the day on a little goose-sized chalkboard sign right by it.

“It’s a she,” I say. “And get your own goose. This one is Declan’s.” I look around at all my friends. “I know it seems odd, but I think he needs something just like this.”

Cass’s voice goes gentle. “He’s a pro football player, Win. I don’t want you getting your feelings hurt when he doesn’t appreciate your brand of thoughtfulness.”

I picture Declan on the sofa—the way he always thanks me before I leave, the way he tells me my extra effort means something, and he doesn’t even always tell me with words. I know he’s grateful. What started with him being aloof and retreating into himself has turned into a … friendship? Yes. I think we’re friends. And friends can give one another porch geese.

“I’m not fragile,” I tell Cass. “If Declan really doesn’t want it, Geese will come live on our porch.”

She nods, satisfied that I’m not going to get my heart broken. Little does she know, my heart is on a runaway train with no brakes. Nothing about my heart is safe right now and it has nothing to do with a porch decoration.

“How’s everyone enjoying the story?” Daisy asks, taking her seat.

We’re reading Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt.

“I only got through the first few chapters,” I confess. “I like Marcellus. Please someone, tell me he doesn’t die!”

Cass makes a zipping motion across her lips and Daisy says, “No spoilers in book club. Anyone else get past chapter four?”

No one has, so we talk about the first four chapters, and how carrying grief like the main character does can make us turn inward. I think of Declan. He was inward, but he seems to be getting past that now that we’re going to the practice facility more often.

“Where’d you go?” Cass asks me.

“Huh?”

“You were off somewhere else. Thinking of Marcellus?”

“No. I was thinking about Declan.”

Again, all eyes fix on me.

There’s no way I’m telling them about Declan’s emotional reaction to being on injured reserve, so I just stare each one of my friends in the eye. They stare back.

“So, how ’bout them Thunder?” Cass practically shouts, and everyone laughs.

Thankfully, no one pushes me on my thoughts about Declan.

We get back to talking about the book and I force my focus to stay off the tight end I haven’t seen since I left his house last night.