Me: And write songs about me?

Avery: Pitiful. You’re beyond self-absorbed.

Me: Well, you aren’t helping with that, writing songs about me and shit.

Avery: Have a nice nap, Jace.

Me: Study hard, Avery.

Grinning, I roll over face first into my pillow, and it doesn’t take long until I’m drifting off. But just as I fall asleep, my phone rings.

Fuck me.

Groaning, I peek out to look at my phone and find it’s Coach calling me.

Well, hell.

Sitting up, confused, I answer.

“Hey, Coach.”

“Sinclair, come over to my house real quick.”

“What?”

“Come over here real quick. I need to ask you something.”

Crapola. What did I do wrong? Getting out of bed, I say, “I’m coming.” I hang up and run up the stairs before going out the door, searching my brain for something that Coach would want to talk to me about? Practice was great. The guys are doing well. I feel good, and I waited until everyone was done before I left. So what the hell is going on?

Coach’s house is right next to ours and isn’t that long of a walk, but he’s killing my naptime. The door is ajar when I reach it, and I push it open, calling out, “Coach?”

“Come in here,” he calls from the kitchen, and when I enter, as I’ve done plenty of times before, he’s sitting at the kitchen table.

By himself.

Like a weirdo.

I look at him and he looks at me, and I look away quickly as an eerie silence falls over the room.

He clears his throat. “So, um, I’m sure you’re wondering why I called you over.”

I nod. “Yeah, I am,”

“Well, let me get to the point. I wanted to ask you if you’d be okay with me dating your mom.”

Scrunching my face up, I finally look at him. He’s giving me that hard look, the one that kind of scares me, and I’m unsure if I can be honest here. I’m pretty sure he might try to kill me if I say no. But then, what reason do I have to say no? I think…gag…she likes him and he…gag… likes her. My mom hasn’t been happy for a while, and if Coach…gag…can do that, who am I to stop him?

“Does she want to date you?” I ask, holding back the vomit as he holds my gaze.

“She does.”

Gag.

Swallowing the vomit that wants to escape, I shudder. “I mean, Coach, y’all are adults. You don’t have to ask me.”

He nods slowly. “I respect you, Sinclair. And because of that, I want to ask. I already asked Lucy and your brothers. They are fine with it, but I want to make sure you are too before I proceed in a relationship with her.”

Those bastards. No one could call me?

And good God, a relationship? Ew.

“Thanks,” I manage to say without puking all over his hardwood floors. “I appreciate that and, yeah, Coach, you’re a good dude. Just please don’t hurt her.”

He nods. “I can promise you I won’t. She’s a very special lady.”

“She is.” I tuck my hands into my pockets, but he just stares at me. Staring back at him, my eyes widen. “Yeah, I got nothing. Can I leave?”

Coach chuckles as he nods. “Yeah, Sinclair. Thanks for coming over.”

“Yeah, and ugh…um, good luck with my, er, mom,” I say awkwardly before hightailing it out of the house. Once the door is shut behind me, I pull out my phone and call Baylor.

“Hey, loser.”

“Chick, your dad is dating my mom, and you couldn’t tell me? I get that Jayden wants me to feel all gross inside and loves fucking with me, but you? I expected a call.”

“What?” she asks, and I pause.

“You know our parents are dating, right? He just asked me if it was okay.”

“What!” she shrieks and then the phone goes dead.

Huh. Guess she didn’t know.

Shrugging my shoulders, I head back to the Bullies’ house and run back down the stairs to my room, falling face first into the bed again. I want to sleep, I do. But then I sit up and I’m texting Avery.

Me: Someone just asked me if they could date my mom.

Avery: I thought you had a dad.

Me: I do. They are divorced. Sorta.

Avery: Oh. Sorry, and that’s sweet. Is he nice?

Me: No big and yeah, he’s my coach.

Avery: Oh cool. I hope it works out.

Me: Me too.

Me: Don’t know why I texted you that.

Avery: Duh, because I’m constantly on your mind.

She adds a winky face and I grin.

Me: That’s exactly it.

Avery: Wow. I’m surprised I said that. I’m not full of myself like some people.

Me: You should be. You’re hot.

Avery: Don’t have to suck up, Jace. I’ll more than likely have sex with you again.

Me: Um, who said anything about sex, you freak?

Avery: lol, whatevs.

Me: And get used to it.

Avery: Used to what?

Avery: Being a freak?

Avery: I think I got that in the bag.

I grin as I shake my head.

Me: Believe me, you do, but I mean get used to me telling you how gorgeous you are.

Me: Because someone as exquisite as you needs to be told daily how beautiful I think you are.

Avery: …

I laugh out loud, but it turns into a yawn as I type back.

Me: What’s up with the dots?

Avery: Oh sorry, I’m swooning.

Me: So dots mean swooning?

Avery: For you they do.

Me: …

Avery: …

Sending her a winky face emoticon, I place my phone on the nightstand and close my eyes. I have at least two hours for a good power nap, and nothing is going to prevent me from getting those hours. I have to be refreshed and ready to devour Avery after her gig. I have so much planned for our first date that we aren’t calling a date because she doesn’t do labels. I can’t wait. But first, sleep. I need sleep. Just then my phone starts to ring with Jayden’s ringtone.

Damn it! Can I get a break here?

“Hello?”

“Way to go, loser. Coach wanted to talk to Baylor on his own.”

“My bad,” I mumble.

“Yeah, she’s freaking the hell out, yelling at me for keeping it from her and yelling at him for not talking to her first. So, thanks.”

“Anytime, I love making your life hell.”