Page 102 of Hometown Halftime

I give them both a dirty look while reaching for another dinner roll.

Later, while everybody migrates into the living room for dessert and Sunday evening football, I escape into the kitchen to refill my drink.

Ty follows a minute later. He leans against the counter beside me while I dump ice into my cup.

“Alright,” he says casually. “Give me the truth.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

His grin widens. “You like him, don’t you?”

I focus very hard on my soda. “I tolerate him.”

“Kinsey.” The tone in his voice is all too knowing.

I sigh dramatically. “Fine. Maybe a little.”

Ty laughs under his breath. “A little?”

I glance toward the living room where Riley’s currently helping Evie build something out of couch cushions. And God help me, the sight does something stupid to my insides.

“Fine—a lot,” I admit quietly.

Ty follows my gaze and starts smiling.

“In Brynn’s words, he’s a swoon-muffin,” I mutter.

Ty barks out a laugh so loud I nearly spill my drink.

“Oh, Kinsey. You’re in trouble.”

“Lower your voice!” I whisper.

I slap his arm while trying not to laugh.

“Get off my back, Ty,” I shake my head. “You’d fall for someone too if he looked like that and remembered your coffee order.”

Ty nods, then his eyes drift to where Levi sits with Brynn on the loveseat.

“Yeah, I get it,” he says in a quiet voice.

It takes me a moment to catch it, but then my eyes dart between Ty’s gaze and where Levi sits, and my brain starts to connect some dots.

“Whoa, wait,” I say, grabbing his chin so he looks me in the eye. “What was that?”

Ty steps back out of my grip. “Nothing, I just said I understand!”

I lean forward and whisper, “Are you hung up on Levi?”

His face contorts. “No.”

“If I can’t lie, you can’t either, Miller.”

He sighs as he turns toward me. “It’s nothing, alright? I have it completely under control. He’s my best friend and I know nothing is going to happen. It’s just something I have to…get over.”

A twinge of pain shoots through my heart for Ty. I take another look over at Levi as his shoulder bumps Brynn's as they laugh about something on the loveseat. Levi has never exactly hidden the fact that he's gay, and I'd always figured he'd eventually meet someone who appreciated the giant heart hiding behind all that enthusiasm.

But I had no clue about Ty. I feel the weight of his words as I squeeze his arm.