“Boyfriend?” Julian repeated, but by that point I was already half-way down the bleachers. I had to give it to her. Hooker was talented. I hadn’t said a word, and yet she’d convinced Julian he was interested. My bestie was a little scary at times.
What was the use, I wondered now, in having an F.B.F. if Hooker didn’t believe me? I looked back over my shoulder. Her mulish expression, the determined look in her eyes was unmistakable. Julian was still there, trying to chat her up, but she wasn’t paying attention. I could almost see her flipping through a catalogue of her rejects in her mind, comparing my likes and dislikes with theirs, almost like some jacked-up version of eHarmony. It was unacceptable. I’d have to find some way to convince her, but so far things weren’t looking good.
At half-time, I made my way to the sidelines, hoping Becks would have some ideas.
He was busy talking with Rick Smythe and Coach Crenshaw by the time I got there, so I stood off to the side to wait.
“Sally Spitz is that you? Damn, girl, you’ve grown up. I’m telling you if I was a few years younger...”
“You’d what?” I said, turning to find Clayton Kent, assistant soccer coach and Becks’s older brother, eyes twinkling.
“I’d tell you how torn up I was to hear my brother got to you first.” He feigned hurt, but the twinkle remained. “How could you, Sally? In a couple years when I’m an old man of twenty-eight, you’d still be a pretty young thing, and we’d be perfect for each other. I was counting on you to keep me spry.”
I tried not to smile but failed. “You look plenty spry to me, old-timer.”
“Why thank you, Miss Spitz.” Walking toward me, Clayton had all the self-assurance of his younger brother plus a healthy dose of Southern charm that hadn’t deserted him, even after he’d come back with a Sport Management degree from U Mass. He was my favorite of Becks’s siblings, mainly because when I was a kid he always used to buy me scratch-offs and let me drive his jeep around the cul-de-sac when no one was looking. “So, what’s the story?”
I looked up as he stopped at my side. “What do you mean?”
“You and Becks,” he laughed, meeting my eyes. “After all this time, you two just up and got it together? You didn’t actually think I’d believe that.”
“Why not?” I said defensively. That was one too many non-believers for me to stomach. “Why is that so hard to believe? Am I not good enough or something?”
“Now hang on there a minute,” he said, pulling me into a one-armed hug. “That’s not it, and you know it. If anyone’s too good, it’s you, Sally. Becks and you, you and Becks? It’s just a little sudden that’s all.”
Jeez, now he sounded just like Hooker.
Becks sauntered over and propped his hands on his hips.
With a nod to the arm across my shoulders, he said, “Putting the moves on my girlfriend already? Moving a little fast there aren’t you brother?”
I wanted to laugh but caught myself. “Jealous” Becks was immensely entertaining.
Clayton stepped back, hands held high like he’d committed a crime. “Sorry, Becks, didn’t think you’d mind.”
“Well, I do.” Becks smiled, sidling up next to me. “Sal wouldn’t go for you anyway.”
“Why not?” Clayton said dryly. “I’m older, wiser.”
“Yeah, this close to geriatric.”
“Plus, I’m like ten times hotter than you, Baldwin Eugene.”
I could’ve argued that, but it was way more fun listening to them banter.
“Clayton,” Becks sighed. “If I thought you were serious, we might have a problem. I’d have to go all Hulk on your ass, and then what? I’d be green, left in nothing but a pair of shredded soccer shorts, and Sal would freak.”
Clayton faked a yawn.
“And anyway,” Becks pointed out, “you treat her like a kid sister.”
“Yeah, but that was before she got to looking so fine.”
I laughed as Clayton waggled his eyebrows at me, but Becks frowned.
“Say that again, and I’ll kick your ass.”
“Alright, alright, I get it. See you two love birds later.” Chuckling, he threw a few parting words over his shoulder. “And if Mom had seen that look you just gave me, she’d skin your hide, Becks. Possessive people never prosper. Don’t let him boss you around, Sally.”
Becks waited until Clayton was out of earshot and then turned to me.
“How was that?” he asked, his face full of mischief.
Honestly, besides being momentarily speechless, I was amazed. He’d really sounded jealous, especially near the end there.