Page 35 of Knot What She Seems

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Teddie is going to have to help me out. I pull my phone from my pocket as Sam tunes back into the football game.

“Sorry. Just saw a text from my folks. One sec.”

“Sure.” He waves me off nonchalantly, sucking down his beer as the game starts and they do a kickoff or whatever it’s called.

I pull my phone down onto my lap so he can’t see my screen, and in a panic, I text my brother.

Brylee

HELP! I need something to say about the Sharks asap.

Teddie

What? What are you doing?

What am I doing? What the hell? Teddie and I are going to have to have a serious talk about small talk during crisis situations.

Brylee

Sharks game is on. Just give me a couple one-liners!

Teddie

Turning on the game.

I want to shout at him to hurry up, to just tell me generic stuff to say, but I can’t. Sam’s reaching across the table and grabbing a pretzel, still looking at the TV as he asks, “Can you believe they hired Filbert?”

My fingers fly across the screen.

Brylee

Who’s Filbert?

Teddie

Shit coach.

At least my brother’s reply is quick enough there.

“Oh, yeah, he’s total shit.” I add a disgusted little huff at the end that I’ve seen Teddie do before.

“Yup,” Sam sighs and gives a shake of his head. “Way to waste three mil.”

Relief noodles through me, softening up all my limbs because he’s buying it.

My phone buzzes in my lap, and I look at a new text from my brother.

Teddie

Their offensive line is looking weak.

“No!” Sam yells something at the screen and then looks over at me, his face warped by frustration.

I mirror his look. “Their offensive line is looking weak.”

“The freaking worst.”

“Pathetic,” I pile on as he nods.

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