Page 79 of Topping the Jock
“You okay?” he asked.
“Yes. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Sherry kinda figured us out. I didn’t know if that bothered you. I know we’re not together or anything…” He frowned as he fell silent.
“Aren’t we?” I asked, shocked.
Had I misunderstood everything? Had I seen romance where there was only a physical attraction? Christ. This was exactly why I had trouble opening up to men. I didn’t want to get hurt. The center of my chest ached as my pulse quickened.
Monty looked taken aback. “Do you want to be together? Like, for real?”
The bigger question was: Didhe? What if I said yes and he got all weird afterward because he didn’t feel the same?
“I’ll go outside to let the students know to meet in the gym,” I said, turning from him.
He snatched hold of my arm. “Quinn.”
Gently, I shrugged out of his hold, my eyes stinging as I looked away. He called after me, but I kept walking. I wasn’t ready to know how he truly felt yet. Because if this was just a fun fling for him, I wanted to pretend for a while longer that he felt something more.
I returned to the courtyard and ushered the students standing in the cold inside before standing against the wall. I was lost in my thoughts and mentally kicking myself for my stupid emotions when I heard an all-too-familiar voice from around the corner. I walked that way.
“Dad?” I asked, seeing him standing in front of the main office. “Why are you here?”
He ruffled the back of his hair. “Oh. You know. Just hanging out.”
“At my work?”
The office door opened and Gwen stepped out. My eyes nearly bugged out of my head when she kissed my dad on the cheek.
“Thanks again for dropping off my wallet,” she said, wrapping her arms around him. “I can’t believe I forgot it this morning. You’re a doll.”
Meanwhile, Dad was looking at me with wide eyes. He glanced between me and Gwen, which got the principal’s attention. Once seeing me, she gawked.
“Quinn,” she said, stepping away from my dad and smoothing her hands down her blazer. Her bright red cheeks nearly matched the shade of her hair. “Good morning.”
“Morning,” I responded. My brain short-circuited as all the pieces slid into place. My dad was banging my boss. And I thought my morning couldn’t get any weirder. “I’m, uh, I’m going back to the gym.”
I heard them speak in harsh whispers as I started to walk away.
“Wait up, kiddo.” Dad came after me. I stopped and faced him. Guilt swam in his eyes. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about me and Gwen. As you can see, it’s complicated. Since you work together and what not.”
“We don’t just work together, Dad, she’s my boss.”
“I know,” he said, nodding.
“When did you start seeing each other?” I asked. “After I introduced you at the football game?”
“Not exactly.” He scratched at his cleanly shaven jaw. “We knew each other before then. We just pretended not to because I hadn’t told you yet and we weren’t sure how you’d react. I’m sorry for keepin’ it from you.”
He wasn’t the only one with a secret. We really were too much alike.
“It’s fine,” I said, hating the awkwardness in the air. Neither of us were good at this whole communication thing. “If you two are happy, that’s all that matters.”
“Iamhappy, Quinn. Damn happy.” The truth of his words reflected not only in his voice but in his eyes as well. “But if it’s too much for you, I can—”
“Dad, stop. I wouldn’t do that to you. All I ask is you don’t sneak around and lie to me anymore. Okay?”
“Okay.” He shifted his weight from foot to foot. “Not that it means anything now, but we were gonna tell you soon. Gwen was gonna come over to the house, and we planned to tell you together. Both of us were waiting to tell friends and family until we knew it was serious.”
