I want to scream. “Thanks, Coach.”
“I’m going to need your help with getting Katie where we need her. She’s our weak link.”
I nod in agreement and almost cut him off when Asher stops at the bottom of the bleachers with my parents. I even hear Angie say, “Here I go,” before she moves.
Damn it!
Coach keeps talking, but my gaze is stuck on where Angie and Asher are talking. Of course, she’s stunning and perfect with her grins and holding her hands like an innocent little sex bunny! Did she pull up her shorts so her ass hangs out? Asher obviously is attracted because he’s smirking at her. His eyes are dark, and his body language says he wants to do her. Angie is clearly two seconds from climbing him like a tree and humping his head.
Fucking fuck.
“What do you think?”
I meet his gaze, and I hope my face doesn’t reveal that I didn’t listen to a word Coach said. “I think we need to make her pass and not quit until she hits her target twenty times. That’s what they did with me with my sets. I think she needs to hit the weight room and the endurance room more than everyone else. A little longer each day. Pair her up with Nic ’cause Lord knows she needs to go too. She was sucking air the whole game, and that’s uncalled-for.”
He nods. “I agree. Really, I’m more than impressed with you, Allison.”
I smile. “Anytime, Coach. My parents are waiting, excuse me.”
He pats my back. “Great game.”
I send him a wide grin that instantly falls when I see Angie and Asher exchanging numbers. My mom watches with disdain swirling in her blue depths, while my dad grins like a proud father.
Damn it.
When Angie turns, a little pep in her step, I notice as Asher watches her walk away. His lips slowly curl into a sensual grin, and I want to trip Angie. Again, I realize that makes me petty, but I don’t care. As she passes me, she looks so damn proud of herself. “Told ya.”
“Yeah, yeah,” I snarl at her, but then I flash her a grin so she doesn’t know I want to trip her. I go to my dad first, hugging him tightly as he kisses my temple. “I feel since you guys won, the Assassins will do the same.”
I beam. “Well, with you and Posey on the power play, I think it’s a done deal.”
He kisses my temple again. “Great game, sweetheart.”
“Thanks, Dad,” I say as my mom hugs me tightly.
“So good! You were everywhere!”
“Gotta keep the captain game strong,” I say, shaking the C part of my jersey at her. She chuckles at my silliness as I look Asher over. “Dude, that shirt doesn’t fit.”
He laughs as he high-fives me. “I know. I told Mama Harp I need her to make me a new one.”
“A bigger one to fit all those muscles in,” Mom teases. “He claims he didn’t eat little Asher and he’s not on steroids.”
I laugh as Dad slaps Asher hard on the back. “He isn’t on steroids. Lucas would kill him.”
Asher nods. “Dead. And then after he killed me, he’d kill me again.”
I snicker as Mom grins. “So, what’s y’all’s plan? Wanna get some dinner?”
“Sure,” I say with a shrug, and then I glance at Asher. “Make them pay for us.”
Asher grins. “Yeah, I want to, but I just made plans with Angie. She’s cute. You didn’t tell me that.”
Because I hate her. That’s not true; I love her. But, ugh. Why Asher? I think I would be less upset if she hit on my dad. At least then, my mom could flick her away like a bug, and that would be that. Nope. Instead, I have to grin. “Yeah, she’s great.”
“But I’ll come for a drink, some apps. We can go to Brooks House, make my sister serve us.”
Mom and Dad nod, and then everyone looks at me. I can refuse, go back to my room and sulk, or I can keep this game of hiding my feelings strong.
I love games.
“Yeah, totally. Let me go shower and change. I’ll meet you guys there.” I turn, but then I stop, turning back. “Can you give him a ride? He Ubered here.”
“I can wait for you,” he says. And then he sits to decide it. “So you don’t have to drive alone.”
“Great!” I say a little too over the top, but then I remember he doesn’t have a car yet. “What are you going to do, Uber to Angie?”
“No, she’s meeting us at Brooks House.”
Fan-fucking-tastic. I so don’t want to see them together. I try to keep my face neutral, but it doesn’t work. “So, we’re going to Brooks House for your date?”
He shrugs. “I’ll buy you wine and apps.”
I scrunch up my face. “No, you’ll get your mom to give it to me for free.”
“Same thing.”
“It isn’t, but whatever. We’ll be there soon, guys.”
I don’t even wait for them to say bye to me, I just head back to the locker room. When I enter, the room is full of winning chatter, but all I hear is Angie. “He’s so dreamy. So big. Yeah, his brother is Aiden Brooks. The star of the Assassins? Yeah, girl, he is so beautiful. I don’t know how Ally doesn’t bang him from sunup to sundown.”
Because I’m terrified of rejection, you dumbass!
I fight back the tears and go to my locker, fishing out my phone. I open my contacts and go to Taco’s name. I hesitate, knowing it’s a really bad idea, but that doesn’t stop me.
When he answers with his low timbre of a voice, I say, “Hey, meet me at Brooks House in about an hour and a half. I’m having dinner with my parents, and then I’ll have drinks with you.”
“Maybe some more? I miss you, Allison.”
I feel like I’m choking on my answer, but I say, “Maybe, if things have changed.”
“They have.”
They haven’t, and when I hang up, I immediately drop my head.
Jesus, I’m pathetic.
Dinner with my parents and Asher is just like I remember it. Full of laughs and happiness. My parents have always loved Asher like he was theirs. Because my dad is clueless to my feelings for Asher, he doesn’t realize how hard it is for me to sit here, joking and having fun, when I know, at any moment, Angie will show up, and then Asher will be with her. My mom does know, and the sympathy-filled gazes she keeps flashing me are way worse than what I feel. I hate that I am so pathetically in love with someone who has not even an inkling of feelings for me. I almost wish I could make my own feelings stop, but I really don’t. I could. I could actually find someone else. I could fall in love with them and be happy; it would be easy. Give them the parts of myself I hold back for Asher, for a dream that won’t ever come true. Not only am I terrified by the idea of his rejection, I am scared of losing him as my person.
My ride or die.
I couldn’t imagine things being awkward or weird between us. We’re both stubborn, and I know we’d make our friendship work, but all that would do is make it blow up in our faces in the end. Problem is, we couldn’t give up on each other, which really should be enough to force me to admit what I am feeling. But the fear of him laughing in my face is entirely too much to bear. I know he wouldn’t do it maliciously—Asher isn’t that person—but he’d think I’m joking. When he discovers I’m not, the weirdness would start. No, I can’t let him know. It would ruin the friendship of a lifetime. As much as it hurts to watch him with other women, I’d rather have his friendship than nothing.