Page 83 of Unrivaled

He laughs in response. “I won’t argue about that. But I notice you’re not actually answering the question.”

Getting the ball back, I adjust my grip on it, watch Martinez, then launch it for a nice long pass. “It’s complicated,” I say at last.

McAdam just nods.

“McAdam!” Coach Miles shouts from his spot off to the side. “I thought I told you to quit gabbing. Kilpatrick doesn’t need you distracting him again.”

“Sorry, Coach!” McAdam shouts back, but he gives me a knowing look before stepping away. “I know we’re not actually friends. But if you need one who’s dealt with complicated relationships …”

I snort. “What? You?”

He looks shocked. “Nah. Hindley. He’s your guy for that shit.”

Hindley stops and looks at us once more. “Cal. Leave Kilpatrick alone before I kick your ass.”

And with that, McAdam jogs over to the next set of drills Coach Miles has lined up for us, cackling all the way.

He might’ve played it off like he wasn’t actually offering, but I’m not stupid and can recognize an olive branch when it’s offered.

I’m not necessarily going to take him up on it, but it’s nice to know it’s an option.

* * *

“I’m going to miss seeing you guys next week,” I tell Tiffany that night as we have dinner at my place. Even though she and Ben stayed the night last night after dinner with my parents, I’m campaigning for them to stay the night again tonight. Or maybe tomorrow. And maybe I can convince her to let me sleep in the bedroom with them.

I’d be a good boy and keep my shorts on and my hands to myself. I tried last night after we had sex on the couch, but she’d just pressed her lips together, shaken her head, and said, “It’s not a good idea.”

Ben perks up. “Why?”

“Remember, Benny Boo?” Tiffany answers. “Gray has to go out of town next week, so it’ll just be me picking you up from preschool.”

Ben clearly doesn’t remember, though, because his face crumples. “You’re not?” The look he gives me is nothing short of accusatory.

“It’s just for one week,” I try to reassure him, though it’ll actually be a little more than that. The combines start on Tuesday and go through the next Monday, so I’ll be flying out the day before and won’t return until the following Tuesday. It’ll be a long week, made longer by the fact that I’ll miss Tiffany and Ben like crazy.

My reassurance doesn’t work at all, because tears fill his eyes, and he lets out a high pitched keening sound as he covers his face with his hands. “I don’t want you to go,” he wails.

“Oh, Benny,” Tiffany says in the voice she reserves only for an upset Ben. She moves to his side and pulls him into her arms, boosting him up so she can hold him and rub his back as he clings to her and cries.

I give her a helpless look. This isn’t the reaction I was expecting. I know he likes hanging out with me, but I didn’t think he’d be this devastated by me being gone for a week.

“Who’s going to swing me?” he cries, sniffing into Tiffany’s hair.

She pats his back and makes shushing noises. “It’ll be alright. He’ll come back and then we’ll swing you every day, okay?”

For some reason, that makes him cry even harder.

Needing to do something, even if I don’t know what, I stand and move around to where they are, placing my hand on Ben’s back. He lunges for me, and I catch him so he doesn’t topple out of Tiffany’s arms. He practically climbs me like a tree, wrapping his arms around my neck and clinging to me with surprising strength.

“It’s okay,” I tell him. “I’ve got you. I’m not leaving for a few more days, okay?”

He buries his face in my neck and cries.

“What do I do?” I mouth to Tiffany.

She gives an exaggerated shrug of helplessness. “This. He’s sad. Just comfort him,” she whispers back.

I move us to the couch and sit down. He cuddles into my lap, crying against my chest with a kind of broken-hearted despair I’m not sure I’ve ever witnessed before.

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