face at her wordage. “That’s gross. Rephrase, please.”
“What’s wrong?” She grins as her shoulders shake with unconcealed mirth. “You didn’t like that?”
“God, no. In fact, I just threw up a little bit in my mouth.” I’m not kidding either. Every once in a while, Sydney likes to torment me by talking about how good looking my father is. When that happens, I go into self-protective mode and tune out the conversation. I suspect she does it more to rile me up than anything else. At least, I hope that’s the reason.
“I can’t believe you’re bringing Justin to dinner. It hasn’t even been that long. I can’t remember the last guy you brought home to meet Coach.” She eyes me speculatively. “You must really like him.”
I bite my lower lip and shake my head.
Her brows skyrocket. “Seriously?”
“Yeah.”
“I don’t understand.” She pauses for a beat. “Why did you invite him to dinner if you’re not into the guy?”
It’s an excellent question. One I don’t have an answer for. I give her the best response I’ve got. Even if it doesn’t make sense. “In the moment, it felt right. But now? Not so much.”
“Well, that’ll be uncomfortable. I can just imagine it—Coach, Rowan, Justin, and you. All sitting around the dinner table getting to know one another.”
Ugh. She’s right.
“That sounds horrific.” I slump on the chair, dreading the evening ahead before perking up enough to ask, “Hey! Want to come and help run interference? You’ll get a hot meal out of it.”
“Hell, no. I’ve had your dad’s cooking enough times to know that it’s not worth the price of admission,” she says with a laugh. “Sorry, you’re on your own with that one.”
“Bitch,” I mutter.
Her shoulders shake with undisguised amusement as she steers us back to the original topic. “What happened to change your mind about Justin? I thought everything was going well.”
I shrug, unwilling to tell her that the one guy who makes my heart beat into overdrive isn’t necessarily the one I’m going out with. There is nothing about Justin that makes me want to know him on a deeper level. And that’s a problem.
“Oh, come on, there must be something.”
My gaze shifts to the picture window that overlooks the tree-filled courtyard. “I thought it might take some time to feel a spark, but so far, it hasn’t happened, and after a month, I’ve lost hope that it will.”
“You know better than that. Sparks are instantaneous. They’re either there or they aren’t.” Still sprawled on her belly, Sydney swings her bare legs back and forth.
Reluctantly, I acknowledge she’s spot-on with her assessment. Even the memory of Rowan throwing his arm around my shoulders and hauling me close is enough to make my pulse skitter out of control. Not wanting to dwell on it, I shove those thoughts away before they can infect my brain like a deadly virus. I’ve got enough to deal with tonight. The last thing I need is to invite more complications.
And Rowan is nothing if not a complication.
One I can’t afford.
4
Demi
Justin parks his Honda Civic in front of the two-story brick residence I spent my childhood in. After the divorce, Dad considered downsizing, since it was only the two of us, but I begged him not to. There’s something comforting about the knowledge that you can go back to the house you grew up in. Even though my parents are no longer together, and the divorce was hard on all of us, our home was a happy one, and I have a ton of fond memories. Plus, I love the rectangle-shaped pool in the backyard. It’s always nice to pop over in the summer and take a dip after soccer practice.
Justin reaches over and lays his fingers across mine. I wait for a little buzz of sensation. Any indication that will sway me into giving him one last shot. Other than the slight clamminess from his perspiring hand, there’s nothing. “You ready to do this?”
Nope, not at all. Instead of admitting that I’ve made an epic mistake, I nod and hoist my smile.
After he releases my hand and exits the vehicle, I swipe my palm across my thigh before giving myself a quick pep talk and doing the same. As we meet on the sidewalk, I smooth down the navy-colored shorts I’ve paired with a cap sleeved white floral wrap top.
Butterflies wing their way to life within the confines of my belly. The nervousness crashing around inside me is ridiculous. This isn’t the first boy I’ve brought