Page 85 of Kickoff

“Why?”

“Because.” He bumped my padded shoulder with his. “I’m your best friend, and you don’t tell me shit these days. When I saw you guys at Space Burger, you both looked…huh…cozy. Then I heard about the party and your getting drunk. And we all noticed, how you two have been pretty much joined at the hip in the last week.”

“Cozy?”

“Yeah. Is that all you heard from what I said?”

I shrugged. “Pretty much.”

“You spend all your free time with her, and also, you’ve skipped most parties since you two have started hanging out, which isn’t like you. You haven’t closed the deal yet, so either she stole your balls or you’re obsessed with her or you’re turning into an old and boring man.”

“Who’s turning into an old and boring man?” Sheldon asked as he jogged past us.

“Mase,” Chase replied. “He’s been hanging out with Shepard for months and won’t close the deal or talk about it.”

“My sex life and my relationship are no one’s business.”

“Sex life? Relationship? What did I miss?” Jackson asked as he joined us. “Are you guys talking about Pierce Junior and Shepard K. I. S. S. I. N. G. in a tree or something?”

“Jesus, Pierce Junior. Are you all right?” Rusty piped up from behind. “Have you lost your legendary swagger? Did you break your dick?”

Someone slapped me between the shoulder blades, and soon my brother’s face peeked from my left side. “I heard you lost your swagger, bro?” he asked in the same teasing voice he used each time Melinda was involved. “Need my help to find it?” And now he was using my own expression against me.

I nudged him with my elbow. “Nobody has lost their swagger, guys. And for the record, my dick is fully functioning. I’m taking my time, not rushing it because she’s worth it, not that it’s any of you stupid fools’ business anyway.”

Sheldon hit his chest with a fist in mocking hurt. “It’s not? I thought we were a team. And you are our captain. Our quarterback. Our leader. Our future Prom King. Don’t play coy. You are The Mason Pierce. You fear no one and nothing. You would walk through a bed of nails and scorching coal to take us to victory. Come on, man. Share with us the matters of your heart. We can help you.”

Laughter echoed around me. “Wow. If football doesn’t work out for you, try drama, Sheld. You are a born actor.”

He stopped by the locker room door and curtsied. “Thank you very much, Mase. For recognizing I’m such a talented gentleman.”

I pushed him aside with a hand. “Shut up, drama queen.”

The guys followed me inside, and we each reached for our lockers, discarding our practice jerseys before removing our shoulder pads.

“FYI, guys. Nothing that’s going on between Mel and me is up for discussion. Nothing. And it will never be. Don’t act weird around her, don’t ask her stuff, don’t mess with her. Have I made myself clear?”

One arm raised. Then another. And a third one.

“What?” Seriously, my teammates were acting like five-year-olds.

“Have you kissed her yet?”

“Are you planning to break your no-dating rules for her?”

“Can I ask her out once you move on? She has one of the best asses in Elk River High.”

I killed the fucker with my eyes.

“Is what you two have serious, or it is like a bet or something?”

“Would you be pissed if I kissed her first?”

“Is she blackmailing you to spend time with her?”

“Will we be invited to the wedding, or are you ditching us?”

“Have you ever thought of naming your firstborn after me?”