I don’t need to call my sister to know what Gabriela would say. It’s not Liliana’s fault she hasn’t been in your life. Though she’d deny it, Gabby’s a bleeding heart for every kid, transient, and injured animal from here to the Rio Grande.
I love living at the Stallion Station because the guys keep me on track. It’s football twenty-four seven. We all have the same goals. I can’t say it’s distraction-free because our parties get out of control sometimes, but living here lets me take advantage of the perks of being on the team.
Okay, yeah, it means easy hookups too, but it’s not as though I’m looking for something serious. Especially after Janelle ripped out my guts, doused them with kerosene, and set them on fire. Now she has the audacity to show up begging for help.
The anger I’m constantly trying to defuse comes raging back. For some reason, being around Sienna made me focus on her, so I haven’t dealt with my own bombshells.
As I turn down my street, I note that Destiny’s car and her pile of shit are gone. Good riddance. Never liked that girl. Always noticed her lurking around Winston, making eyes at him when she thought Sienna wasn’t looking.
You should’ve told Sienna something sooner, dickhead.
But here’s the thing about nosing in other people’s business—it always bites me in the ass. That time I thought I was being a good brother and I got in Rider’s face because I assumed he was jerking Gabby around? He and I nearly came to blows.
How was I supposed to know Rider was actually falling for my sister and not being a manwhore like the rest of us?
So even though I thought Winston was probably cheating on Sienna, it’s not like I had proof. I’d never seen him with my own two eyes. It was just a hunch. And as I’ve been learning lately, a hunch can be wrong. Even when the guys are mouthing off in the locker room. Everyone knows you can’t trust the shit people brag about in there.
When I stomp through the front door, Olly holds up his hands. “You look ready to kill some puppies.”
I roll my eyes. You punch a hole through a wall one time and everyone thinks you’re a maniac. My attention narrows in on that slightly off-colored patch of sheetrock in the hall. Did a damn good job playing Bob Vila, if you ask me. Even Dr. Patricia agrees it was better than knocking out Rider when I found him in a compromising position with my sister.
“Sienna okay? Anything shady happen after I left?” I ask as I swipe my arm across my forehead.
None of us wanted her to be alone until Destiny picked up her crap.
“We watched some historical show on Netflix. Fowler came back and shoveled all of Destiny’s crap into a van he must’ve borrowed from someone.” Olly laughs. “He knocked on the door and tried to apologize to Sienna for all the shit that went down.”
“What’d she say?”
“She wouldn’t let him in. Told him to go fuck himself. She’s pissed he knew about everything and pretended to be her friend.”
I nod while that knot of guilt tightens. Damn, maybe I should’ve told her what I suspected. Who would’ve cared if Winston got wind of it? It’s not like he and I will ever be friends. It makes me determined to do better by her.
But it’s this Janelle issue that makes me feel like I might have an ulcer by the time the summer’s over.
I drop down onto the couch and disclose the details I’ve been stewing over since last night. It’s the one thing I couldn’t bring myself to discuss when we were all sitting around this afternoon. “Janelle wants to move in with me.”
His eyes widen. With a sigh, I tell him about Ernest going off the deep end.
“When you fuck up, you really go big, huh?” Olly shakes his head at me like I have any control over this situation. “Deep down, do you think Janelle wants to get back together?”
The very suggestion makes my balls shrivel. “Our parents have always wanted us to get married. Her father owns a big tile company. My family does construction. I think Tío Julio and Janelle’s dad hope we’ll merge our businesses and create some dumb dynasty.”
Deadly serious, Olly grabs my shoulder. “She totally wants to get back together. Maybe even have you plant baby number two.”
“The fuck you say.”
“Just calling it like I see it. I mean, why go to you after all this time? She must have other friends who could help her or even other family. She rang you up because you’re the hotshot tight end with one of the top football teams in the country. Back then, you were just some no-name high school athlete, but now you stand to make millions in the NFL.”
That might be an exaggeration. I’m not one to count my chickens before they hatch. A few bad games or an injury could wipe out my dream, one I’ve worked hard to downplay so I’m not disappointed if it doesn’t happen.
“What do I do?” Olly’s a smart bastard, smart enough not to knock up an ex. “If you were in my position, what would you do?”
He stares off for a minute, and then he smirks. “I’d move in with Sienna and use her as a beard.”
Now I’m no dummy. I do well in school, always have. But I have no idea what the hell he’s talking about. “Come again?”
“My mom has always loved old Hollywood. She’s a total classic movie buff.”
“I hope this is going somewhere.”
“Patience, grasshopper. Anyway, in the olden days, the gay dudes would pretend to be straight by dating a straight woman. And vice versa.”
I scratch my head. “You want me to pretend I’m gay?”
I’m not even bi-curious, so that would be a stretch.
“No, dumbass. You tell Janelle you’re dating Sienna. Use her as your beard.”
Sweet, beautiful Sienna. Who’s sporting stitches and two black eyes and just had her heart pummeled.
I shake my head. “She’s already been through so much. I don’t want to involve her in my drama.”
His eyebrows lift. “Don’t wanna stir up shit with Winston, huh?”
I rake my fingers through my hair. “Winston and I already have bad blood between us. You know that.” Coach Sully was the only reason he and I haven’t already come to blows, and from what I’ve heard, Krugman isn’t known for coddling shitheads no matter what kind of yardage they boast. “But no. That’s not my main reason for being reluctant.”
No, it’s her devastating smile and disarming laugh.
I don’t say that, though.
Olly’s eyes narrow and then he nods. “Mmm. I see. It’s like that.” I give him a look and he smirks. “You like her.” He sings the words like we’re in grade school.
“I like her so much I was gonna fuck Janelle last night.” The words make me cringe. I could kick my own ass for being dumb enough to contemplate hooking up with my ex. But I don’t want Olly thinking there’s something between me and Sienna, or he’ll be like a dog with a bone, and I don’t have the bandwidth to think of Sienna as anything more than a friend right now.
He shrugs. “Then what’s the big deal? Sienna’s cool. She’ll play the part until you get the clinger outta your life, or at least until you set up some good boundaries. And Sienna told you she wouldn’t mind helping with Lily.”