Page 55 of Top Shelf

“A little bit,” he admits, and I feel the pit in my stomach grow bigger. “But if the situation was the same and I could go back in time, I’m afraid the outcome wouldn’t be much different. I’d kill over you, Sadie Blackwell.”

I lean forward and pull him into a long kiss before I turn around so he can spoon me. And within a few minutes, I feel his breath on the back of my neck start to shallow out.

And as I clutch his arms tighter around me, I know what I have to do.

And it’s going to break us both.

CHAPTERTWENTY

tyson

I’m distractedall day in school. Thank God we have an assembly. Otherwise, I don’t think I’d be much use to these kids. It’s homecoming week, so our schedules have been jam-packed with all sorts of spirit week shenanigans.

Every time our principal, Mr. Jedd, walks by me, I hold my breath, bracing myself for it—him asking me to go to his office, asking me to pack up my things, letting me know I have a call from the central office. My anxiety is on high, which isn’t like me. I’m the one who makes the jokes when things get too heavy. But this weight is pretty crushing.

Hal says I need to avoid any contact with Hayden until things get “resolved”—whatever that may mean. But I’ve fantasized about barging into whatever hoity-toity hotel room he’s staying in, grabbing him by the throat, and slamming him into the wall. I want to tell him to leave us the fuck alone. I want to tell him not to eventhinkabout her.

Of course, these are things I can never say out loud.

Except, maybe to Sadie.

She’s my safe place.

Speaking of which, I haven’t heard from her in a while.

I step out into the hall just as they are getting ready to crown homecoming king and queen and dial her. But to my dismay, it rings and rings and rings. I wait a minute to see if she calls me back, but when she doesn’t, I send her a text.

Just missing you and wanted to hear your voice. How is your morning going?

I see the dots appear, then disappear, then appear again.

Finally, she responds.

I miss you too. Just got a callback for a final interview.

I smile. That’s my girl.

I KNEW IT! I knew you would. So proud of you

Thank you,she sends with a heart emoji.

What are you doing now?

Dots again, then no dots. Dots, no dots.

About to run some errands,she sends finally.

Okay. See you at home later?

There’s another long break, and then she likes my message before I tuck my phone back into my pocket and head back into the gym.

I can’t put my finger on why, but there’s this weird feeling I have. I know it was just a text exchange, but it felt…off. Something does, and I can’t decide what. All I know is that I can’t wait to get home to her.

When the final bell rings, I let out the breath I’ve been holding all damn day. I pack up my things and walk out of the back door of the building toward the football shed where Tate is throwing equipment onto a cart to wheel down for practice.

“Hey,” I say as I pause to help him.

“Hey, Ty,” he grunts as he chucks a giant tackling pad like it’s nothing. Tate was and still is the epitome of the dreamy big brother. All my girl friends thought he was the shit, and truth be told, he was. He was the star running back, played at Maryland, is big in the community, and came back to coach alongside our legendary father.

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