Page 17 of In the Crease

“Flying home tomorrow.”

“That’s too bad.”

It wasn’t a line so much as a statement of intent, delivered with easy confidence as if he’d never really been told no. I was formulating a response when Griffin materialized at my other shoulder like he’d been watching the whole time.

Kowalski read the scene immediately and found somewhere else to be.

“You were watching,” I said.

“I was keeping an eye on things.”

“That’s the same thing.”

He put his arm around my shoulders.

“Good?” he said.

“Really good.”

He squeezed once and shifted into his protective register.

“You’re good, right? Everyone here has been⁠—”

“Griffin.”

“I’m just checking.”

“Your teammates are perfectly decent people. I’m fine.”

“Some of them can be⁠—”

“Griffin.” I turned to face him. “I am an adult woman at a bonfire with a beer. I need you to let me just be myself.”

He sighed. “You’re my baby sister⁠—”

“I am eighteen years old, and I’ve had sex before. You know that, right?”

A sound from my left where Ryan stood, trying to suppress a choke.

“You all right?” I asked smugly. I held his gaze for one second.

His jaw was tight, held carefully. Making them both uncomfortable was more fun than I’d thought it would be.

Ryan cleared his throat again. “Yeah, fine. Beer went down wrong.”

I chuckled.

Griffin said, “I did not need that.”

“I’m simply establishing that I’m capable of⁠—”

“Maren. I am asking you, as your brother, to stop talking.”

I stopped. He looked pained. I was deeply satisfied.

“I’m going to go talk to Petey,” I said. “About the neutral zone trap or something. Don’t keep checking on me. I don’t need a babysitter.”

“Please,” Griffin said. “Go immediately.”