CHAPTER 7

NO MORE BUTT TALK

SAGE

“Morning!”

Sage glared across the console as Brinley dropped into the front seat of her car, looking polished and refined as ever in black leggings and a matching quarter zip.

Stupid sisters who could drink stupid tequila and still look like that before noon .

Brinley gave her a knowing smile as she handed her a to-go cup. “I got you a tea.”

The perfectly brewed Earl Gray with honey and milk was exactly how she liked it. It at least started to make up for the excruciating pain of taking her sister to the airport the morning after drinking way too much.

“So.” Brinley looked her over, eyes lingering on the mascara Sage knew was smudged under her eyes and the bun she’d piled her hair into. “Have fun last night?”

“Eh,” Sage said. She didn’t hold back from Brinley. There was no point in trying to lie to her sister. “I hooked up with that guy Gus, who was fine.”

“Fine?”

She rolled her eyes. “He tried hard and he had nice hands.”

Brinley laughed. “Ah, how high the bar is for men.”

“And he gave me a ride home, which was nice.”

“Sage,” her sister’s expression grew more serious. “That’s literally the bare minimum.”

Sage waved off the comment, adding, “And then I ran into David Hughes at my apartment complex.”

“What?” Brinley’s dark brows practically reached her hairline. “Why?”

“Apparently he’s my neighbor.”

Brinley’s responding laugh held absolutely no sympathy. “So you’re telling me that your hot sort-of-boss is your neighbor, and you ran into him after doing the dirty deed with someone he went to school with?”

If only it were just that .

Sage wrinkled her nose. “Please don’t say ‘dirty deed,’ Brin.” She paused, rubbing at the leather of the steering wheel as she waited at a red light. “It’s actually worse than that,” Sage admitted. “Before I got the internship with the team, I may or may not have met David Hughes at a bar.”

Brinley gasped. “No!”

“Nothing happened,” Sage jumped in. “But it was going to. We had literally verbally confirmed that we were going to fuck.”

“You’re so fucking cool,” Brinley said, looking at Sage like she’d just revealed a hidden superpower.

“And then,” Sage continued, “last night I was all drunk and stupid and I ran into him and then I told him that he had a perfect butt and that I’d had mediocre fucking sex with Gus. ”

Brinley was actually howling with laughter. “What is wrong with you?” she wheezed, rocking forward and back as much as the seat belt would allow.

“I don’t know,” Sage said with a groan. “It was like I couldn’t stop talking. Like my brain rebelled and wanted to taunt him with the fact that I’d gotten laid, but even then I couldn’t lie and pretend that it was a great time.”

Her sister’s laughter subsided a bit. “Are you okay with that?”

“What do you mean?”

“With the hooking up,” Brinley continued, her voice softening to the tone she used when she was trying to be a good older sister. “I know it’s worked for you in the past, but do you ever think about —”

“Nope.” Sage shook her head vehemently, even as the movement triggered a throb in her head. “No relationships. None of that ‘needing someone else to be happy’ bullshit.”

Brinley sighed. “You know it doesn’t have to be like that, right?”

“Show me, then.” Sage shook her head, an anger that was as familiar as breathing rising up in her chest. “Where are the people in relationships who can claim their own happiness? Who hold onto their independence?”

Again, Brinley sighed, only this time there was sadness there that hadn’t been there before. Sage glanced over, trying to read her sister’s face before turning back to the road. “What?” she asked.

“I’ve been dating someone,” Brinley said. “And he’s fucking awesome , Sage. Like, has his shit together financially, drives a Honda SUV even though he could afford something nicer, only wants to hang out a few times a week, and thinks that I am the greatest person ever.” She paused, and a quick look over revealed the fond smile on her face. “Someday, someone is going to prove you wrong, Sage. And I can’t wait to say ‘I told you so.’”

“You’re dating someone?” Sage asked, still not fully computing the news. “What does Mom think?”

Brinley snorted, the same indignant snort that their mom had passed down to both of her daughters. It was a Fogerty thing.

“Mom doesn’t know. And she will continue to not know,” she added, and Sage could feel her glare.

“I got you,” she reassured her sister. “I just… I’m happy for you. Really.”

“Then why are you being weird?”

Sage worried the inside of her cheek for a moment as she tried to figure out why there was a knot of anxiety in her stomach. “Aren’t you afraid?”

Brinley reached across to lay a soft hand on Sage’s arm. “Fucking terrified. But it’s worth it. At least, in my mind, the possibility of a good outcome outweighs the fear of it all going to shit.”

“Speaking of it all going to shit,” Sage said, needing to change the subject. “You heard from Dad recently?”

“The customary birthday card and two hundred bucks,” Brinley responded. “Mom got going about him the other day. I guess his wife posted a family photo from a resort in Mexico, which set her off. No matter how many times I tell her that she doesn’t have to stalk his new family online, she still does it.” She shook her head. “Do you think she’s ever going to move on? I mean, it’s been over ten years since he left.”

“Honestly? I think that at this point the hate is so much a part of who she is that I can’t really imagine her letting it go.”

Brinley got quiet, seeming to soak in Sage’s words. For a few minutes, it was just the sound of the tires against the pavement and the occasional distant siren or horn.

Finally, she spoke, just as they were pulling into the airport. “Don’t let Mom get to you, Sage,” she said softly. “I know you had the whole thing with Evan that didn’t help, but you survived that. I mean, look at you. You’re a badass. Don’t let other people’s bullshit steal your life.”

Pulling up to the curb and throwing her car into park, Sage lunged across the console and pulled her sister into a hug. She tucked her face into the soft skin of her neck, deeply inhaling Brinley’s comforting and familiar floral scent.

“Love you,” she said, the words muffled against Brinley’s skin.

Brinley returned the hug, holding Sage tightly against her. “Love you too.” She gave one final squeeze and then pulled away. “Call me all the time.”

“You too.” Sage smiled, overwhelmed with fondness for her sister. She was so fucking lucky to have someone like Brinley in her corner.

They exchanged a final hug, and Sage lingered at the curb long enough to watch Brinley’s perfectly straightened hair swish through the automatic doors.

* * *

Back at her apartment, she tackled her normal workout, pushing through the hungover discomfort. By the end she was a sweaty mess, and her entire body had a distinctly tequila-ish scent. Disgusting .

She pushed the gym door open, relieved that at least her headache had faded. Now she just needed a shower.

“Sage!”

She turned at the sound of her name, and immediately froze.

David fucking Hughes, looking absolutely mouth-watering in basketball shorts and an old mesh jersey, was walking a tiny dog and waving at her.

Arms. Holy fucking arms . Shoulders and arms. His shoulders were broad, and rounded muscles tapered down to his defined biceps. And his forearms were ripped. How were his forearms so ripped?

She needed to say something. Don’t be weird, Sage.

“You have a dog,” she blurted out. Immediately, she felt her face heat.

David’s face broke out into a fond smile as he looked down at the small, wriggling dog that pranced about on the sidewalk in front of him. He bent down, picking up the golden-colored creature and cradling it into his chest as he scratched the floppy ears, his hands appearing gigantic next to the small animal.

“This is Daisy,” he said, walking up to Sage.

Sage wasn’t someone who was easily moved by cute things. Tiny pigs in teacups didn’t do it for her. But the sight of this massive, powerful man basically nuzzling at this dog had turned her bones to goo. Straight up goo .

“She’s so cute,” she said, her hand unconsciously reaching for the bundle of fur. She froze, glancing up at David, who was still smiling like a goon. “May I,” she asked, nodding toward her hand.

He held the dog out to her.

She lightly scratched at the tiny head with her fingers. Daisy leaned into the touch, her little tongue hanging out one side of the wide grin that showed impossibly small teeth.

“Oh aren’t you just perfect,” Sage breathed, smiling at the dog. “You seriously couldn’t be more cute.”

“When I moved back my mom came to visit and, in her words, ‘I needed to get a dog to make my life less sad,’” David said, and when Sage looked up at his face, she saw a softness in his eyes as he looked down at Daisy. “I had plans to adopt something big and burly but then Daisy looked at me with those big eyes and I was hopeless.”

It was Sage’s favorite trope to read: the big, gruff cowboy caring for a wounded pony or baking pies. Physical brawn offset by softness absolutely ruined her.

“Well good on your mom, then,” Sage said, smoothing down the golden hair that she’d ruffled on Daisy’s head. Stepping back, she steeled herself for what she knew she needed to say next.

She met David’s eyes and held his gaze. “Last night,” she started.

David shifted Daisy into the crook of one arm and held up another hand to stop her. “I’m just glad you made it home safely,” he said. His expression was kind, his brown eyes watching her carefully.

“David. I complimented your butt,” she argued, not sure why she was bringing up something that would be better forgotten.

He laughed, lifting his hand up to scratch at his jaw like he was trying to hide his smile. “Ah, yes you did.” He cocked a dark brow at her. “Thanks for that, by the way.”

She shook her head. “No more butt talk.”

“You started it,” he retorted, still grinning.

“Well thanks for being nice about it,” she said, starting to back away from him. She needed space; it was like every second she let herself be around him made her feel farther away from their current reality, where they worked together and were going to spend hours and hours in each other’s company.

He must have been able to read her body language, because he ducked his head and gave Daisy a gentle scratch before looking back at her. “See you later, Sage.”

She gave him a wave. “See you around, Coach.”

As she walked back up the stairs to her apartment, she could almost feel the ghost of a palm on her back, ready to catch her if she fell. She blinked, shaking away the image.

* * *

Sage showed up to the rec center about an hour before the Southeastern team was scheduled to arrive. The back seat and trunk of her Corolla were stuffed with the t-shirts and basketballs they were going to give to the kids who came to the after-school camp.

She’d dressed practically, as her job was going to be carrying boxes and running around making sure everyone was in the right place and doing what needed to be done. She wore navy blue leggings with a Southeastern t-shirt, and, of course, a big green hoodie with the Southeastern basketball team logo in the middle. She might or might not have found it in a corner of the equipment room. Of course, she washed it before wearing it.

The rec center had a big double court, which was nice for a facility that otherwise was pretty standard. She got everything set up on the metal bleachers that were tucked along one wall, and then settled in with her most recent Western romance.

She was completely lost in a scene where the male lead, a cowboy who had to step up to manage his family’s ranch, was arguing over ranching practices with the female lead, the daughter of the ranch foreman, making her effectively off limits. Sage was about halfway through the book, which meant that at any moment things were going to escalate from snappy banter to making out against a barn.

It felt like only a few minutes had passed when the team showed up. Stashing her book in her bag, she got up and grabbed the clipboard where she’d divided the guys into smaller groups to run drills with the kids.

The players jumped to attention when she started directing them to set up cones and ladders, responding to her barked commands with a respectful earnestness that made her want to laugh.

She was vaguely aware of David showing up, wearing basketball shorts and a black polo that somehow made his upper body look even bigger than usual. She definitely wasn’t watching him.

When the kids showed up, it was a madhouse. A perfect explosion of chaos trapped in an enclosed space full of one hundred and fifty kids shrieking and bouncing balls. As she ran from drill to drill to make sure the guys were instructing the kids somewhat effectively and not cursing, Sage felt a wave of emotion rise in her chest.

She’d forgotten about this part of basketball. The enthusiasm and messiness before the game became so skilled and calculated. Kids trying moves for the first time, and then ten reps later executing a layup with the correct footwork.

There was so much potential and optimism in the room that she thought she might choke on it.

An hour and a half flew by, and then they were handing out t-shirts and balls to all of the kids, some of whom were asking the guys on the team for autographs. It was adorable, and Sage watched as David gathered the guys together as the last of the kids left. She started to clean up, and was pleasantly surprised when the team and David joined her, collapsing the now-empty cardboard boxes, gathering the university’s balls into the large mesh bags, and picking up any trash that was left in the bleachers.

“Alright guys,” David called out, but his voice was so hoarse it came out like a harsh rasp. Sage wasn’t the only one who couldn’t hold back a laugh as David coughed and tried again. “We’re all good here. See you boys at pick-up tomorrow.”

Sage accepted a few fist bumps and high fives from the guys as they left, and then stopped to dig through her canvas bag. Finding what she was looking for, she called out to David as he walked toward the door. “Coach!”

He paused, and she ran to catch up with him. She held out the yellow and green wrappered lozenge to him, pressing it into his palm when he offered her his hand. His skin was warm to the touch. “Throat lozenge,” she said, pulling her hand away from his.

He looked down at the lozenge and then up at her. “Ah, thank you.” He smiled, almost hesitantly. “For this, and for today.”

“Happy to help,” she replied, adjusting her bag on her shoulder. “The guys were good today.”

“They really were,” David said with a smile that carried a hint of pride. “Now I’ve just got to figure out how to put them all together and make a winning basketball team.”

“Isn’t that your job?” Sage teased, falling into step beside him as they walked toward the front doors.

Rather than laugh at what she’d thought was an obvious joke, David’s face fell into a frown. He looked blankly in front of him, his mind obviously a million miles away.

When she stopped at the front desk to wrap up with the staff, David seemed to shake out of whatever stupor had taken him. “Well thanks again for today, Sage.”

She glanced back at him as she signed some paperwork. “You know it’s my job, right?” She hoped that her smile would make it crystal fucking clear that she was messing around.

But David was looking at her hand, brown eyes staring intently where she still gripped the provided pen. He cleared his throat. “You’re left handed?”

“Yeah,” she said, setting the pen down and thanking the front staff before turning back to join David where he waited for her. Because that’s what he was doing — waiting, walking her out, and she’d be willing to bet that he was the kind of man who would walk her all the way to her car.

“Do you shoot left-handed?” He held open the door for her as they walked out into the late afternoon heat.

“Yes,” she said. “Although, funny story, I actually shot right handed when I first started. Even though I wrote left-handed, my coaches told me it would be easier to shoot righty. So I played that way until I broke my arm in 7th grade.” She couldn’t help but smile; she remembered that time like it was yesterday. “Rather than sit out of practice for the three months it was going to take to heal, I decided to teach myself how to shoot left-handed. It totally changed my game. Being down low, being able to shoot with either hand was a huge advantage.”

They stood beside her car. As she unlocked the door she looked up at David, finding him watching her, the expression on his face almost amused. “What,” she asked, feeling suddenly defensive. Like maybe she’d said too much, or she’d been too real in sharing about herself.

“Nothing.” He grinned as he started to back away. “Drive safe, Lefty,” he called out as the distance between them grew.

Sage wasn’t sure what to say, so she just waved before lowering herself down into her car. Once the engine groaned to life and she threw it into reverse, she let herself, for just one tiny moment, think about the name David had called her.

Lefty .

She didn’t mind that at all. Not one little bit.