Page 81 of Lowering His Guard

I grunt in greeting before sitting down in front of my locker to get changed. My phone beeps with a message.

The feathery witness has been returned to his original pirates. The mermaid was never there.

I can’t help but chuckle. The woman I’m falling for is hilarious. The woman I’m falling for? A sharp pain hits my chest and my limbs shake as fear of this relationship slams into me.

I blow out a breath. I refuse to be terrified of my pint-sized surfer. I’ll figure out a way to control this situation.

Got it.

You are such a chatterbox. I don’t know how you have time to play football. Are you chattering away to your teammates the whole time? What are you talking about? Girls? Boy bands? Friendship bracelets?

I grin as I write back.

You’ll never know.

“What the hell is going on?” Tanner shouts and I startle. I hadn’t realized he’d arrived.

I glance up to discover him staring at me.

“What?”

“That’s my question.”

“I don’t have time for your goofiness this morning,” I mutter.

“Because you’re too busy messaging with your girlfriend.” He waggles his eyebrows.

I grunt. And he drops a quarter in the grunt fund jar. I thought I threw that damn thing away.

“Don’t worry. I fished it out of the trash for you. I’ll keep it in my locker.”

“Whatever.”

“You didn’t grunt,” he pouts.

“Can someone shut him up?” Corbin asks. “I’m not in the mood.”

Wrong thing to say. Tanner immediately pounces.

“Why not? Is your landlady not soothing all your boo-boos every day after practice?”

Corbin glares at Tanner. “Leave Siena out of this.”

“But this has to do with Siena? Let me guess.” Tanner taps his chin. “Did Siena make you switch to decorative throw pillows? Did she make you use a coaster? Did she pack your lunch with little heart-shaped sandwiches? Oh wait. You remind me of a man who’s been forced to drink oat milk. Did she make you drink it?”

“No, but Pirates Pastries put chocolate in my coffee.”

Tanner perks up. “Why did you go there? Did you break Siena’s coffee machine, too?”

Nolan clears his throat and tilts his chin to the hallway. I stand and follow him out of the locker room.

Tanner chases after me. “You can’t leave me with Corbin. He’s ready to attack. You’re supposed to guard me.”

“Not your guard,” I grumble before shutting the door in his face.

“What’s up?” I ask Nolan once Tanner stops yelling at me through the door.

“You’re certain you want to retire?”