Page 45 of Let You Love Me

It warms my heart to hear he’s close to his family, and the affection in his voice as he speaks about them isn’t lost on me. It’s something we both share. “And where is she at now?”

“Brynn? She goes to Ann Arbor University with my best friend Jace. They’re”—he waves a hand out in front of him and his face twists—“kind of a thing now.”

My brows rise, interest piqued. “Your sister and your best friend?”

“Yep,” he says, taking a bite of his pizza. “Took a hot minute to get used to the idea.” He grimaces, and I laugh.

“I can imagine, but he’s your best friend for a reason, right? So obviously, you’d be happy he’s with her.”

He grunts and swallows. “Now you sound just like Brynn. But no matter how good of a guy he is, no one wants to think about his best friend”—his gaze flickers to Sophie, then back—“doing the horizontal mambo with his twin sister.”

I snort. I can only imagine his colorful language if not for Sophie, and the effort to censor himself around her tugs at my heartstrings. Not everyone our age is as considerate. Even Gabby and my parents slip around her from time to time.

“As much as I hate to admit it, though, they’re great together,” he continues. “And he was already like a brother to me, so it could be a lot worse.” He trails off, his eyes darkening before he shakes his head and shrugs. “Who the hell knows, maybe Jace will be my brother for real one day.”

“That’s sweet.”

“You think I’m sweet?” He arches a brow, his tone teasing.

I lower my gaze, unable to help the smile splitting my face.

Are all guys this open and honest on a first . . . outing? I don’t even know what to call this since it’s not a date, but it has me wondering. Chance was the only guy I ever really fell for, and looking back, he wasn’t exactly an open book where I was concerned. In hindsight, I’m not sure I should’ve been so shocked when he chose football over me—overus.

“So, why football?” I ask, taking a bite of my food.

Beside me, Sophie eats while she quietly flips through the dinosaur book I bought her a few days ago.

A crease appears between Teagan’s brow as if considering his answer. “My father and I used to play together in the backyard and watch football on Sundays,” he tells me. “In a house full of women, it was something just for us, which was kind of incredible. Then, as I grew older, I met some of my best friends on the field. Not a lot compares to the kind of camaraderie you gain from pushing yourself to the limit for your team and relying on each other on the field. Life can get crazy, but once you have a ball in your hand and your cleats in the dirt, it’s as if all the threads of your life unravel. Nothing else matters. Everything besides the game just fades away until it’s only you and your team with a single goal.”

The depth and heart behind his answer surprises me. Then again, I’m starting to learn to expect the unexpected with him.

The apples of his cheeks flush as he grimaces. “Does that sound lame?”

“No,” I shake my head. “Not at all. It sounds wonderful, actually, and I think my father would agree.”

“Speaking of your father, I can imagine growing up with Coach Turner and living under the same roof as a ball buster was tough,” he says, and his eyes immediately widen, then land on Sophie before he winces, “Sorry.”

I chuckle. “Trust me, she’s heard worse, but I appreciate it.”

I know how the guys talk around each other, and Teagan is keeping it PG, something that’s far more endearing than I’d like to admit.

“Can I have more?” Sophie interrupts.

I reach toward the pan of pepperoni and grab Sophie a fresh slice, then cut it and put it on her plate.

“To answer your question . . .” I sit back in the booth, considering. Coach Turner is a far cry from Ed Turner, the father. “He was strict growing up, that’s for sure.”

They had high standards for me, which I easily met.

I was the perfect daughter, until I wasn’t.

“But as far as dads go, he’s actually a big softie.”

“Coach?Mycoach?” Teagan chokes out.

I nod. “I know it’s hard to believe, but he has a bleeding heart. He’s only tough as nails on the field.”

“Give me an example.” Teagan smiles, seeming to enjoy this insight into my father as he takes another bite of pizza.