Page 30

CHAPTER 30

TEQUILA!

THEODORE

K nock, knock, knock.

“Coming!” I hop off my bed while simultaneously kicking myself in the ass for not making up some reason to get out of this.

I barely have the door open before Coach Taylor is talking. “You ready to go? We’re gonna be late, and you know how I am once I’m running behind.” His eyebrows raise in warning.

I do know, in fact. He is certifiable when he’s behind schedule. So, I nod and step out of my hotel room, letting the door swing shut behind us.

Coach insisted on me tagging along to celebrate Jax and Austin’s tournament win. He said something about not wanting to be the only old guy going out with a bunch of twenty-one year olds. I about died at the thought of him insinuating I was somehow in the same age bracket as him. But, I get where he’s coming from. Especially considering they’re college students… in Vegas… on a Saturday night… with a flight not leaving until tomorrow afternoon.

Chuckling at his antics as we speed-walk down the hallway, I tease, “Coach, we’re going to a bar with ‘donkey’ in the name of it… I don’t think we’re going to be late for anything.”

“I have a strict personal rule that I never stay out past eleven with my players,” he states matter-of-factly.

“It’s nine, bud. Take a chill pill.” I nudge his shoulder with mine and laugh. But I can’t help but think to myself that I hope tonight goes significantly better than dinner last night.

I think I’m going for a margarita. That’ll solve all my problems. Maybe Coach needs one… or three.

Coach is so wound up all the time. Not that I necessarily blame him. As someone who spends their life around college students you have to develop a spine of steel. But the guy seriously seems like he needs to unclench a little. But then again… I haven’t taken the time to get to know him very well. Outside of passing conversations, he and I have barely spoken now that I come to think of it. Last night was the first time I’ve ever even heard him talk about anybody in his life. I silently chastise myself, knowing full well that if I actually took the time to get to know the people around me it might actually improve my life rather than hinder it.

? * I’ve always been so focused on getting better and doing the next thing. I’ve kept my head down and done what I needed to prove I could succeed. Always moving. Never stopping. So, personal details just have never really been my thing.

Ever .

Except when it comes to Jackson Baker. I’ve wanted to know everything about him since day one. And despite how friendly we have tried to be or how pissed off he is now, I can’t seem to shake it.

“What the hell happened to your eye?” Coach asks as the two of us ride down to the lobby in the elevator.

I touch the dark bruise that has started to form along my cheekbone. “Was peppering with Jax this morning before the first match. Saw a puppy. Wasn’t paying attention. Hit got me right in the face.”

Coach pinches his face. “Ouch.”

Yeah, fucking ouch.

I know the little ass did it on purpose, too. I’m decent at volleyball, but he knew there was no way for me to shield my face in time for that ball. But that’s the least I deserve, so I can’t blame him for it.

I would’ve done the same in his shoes, probably worse, if I’m being honest.

* * *

The music is blaring as Coach and I walk into the Donkey Bar—wow, those are words I never thought I’d say—with Jax and a disheveled looking Austin in front of us.

Reaching out, I gently grab Austin’s shoulder. He looks absolutely fucking exhausted. “Hey, man, you okay?”

Austin answers. “Y-yeah, I’m fine. Why? Do I not look okay?”

“Just making sure.” His eyes are darting around the bar in panic, and I look to Jax beside him, urging him to make sure his friend is good.

Jax grabs his other shoulder and softly says, “Austin, you don’t have to drink if you don’t want to.”

“I’ll have one beer; it’ll be fine.” I think Austin is saying this to himself rather than us.

Jax and I murmur, “Okay” and drop it for now.

Once we’re seated at our hightop, the waitress is on it ordering our drinks, and four beers hit the table not even two minutes later. She takes our order of what seems like twelve different appetizers and is on her way.

It feels like the food arrives just as fast, and we all dive in. I grab a cheese stick from Jax’s plate, and the side-eye I get from that is enough to tell me he doesn’t play over the fried cheese.

Coach is on his second beer and is looking at his watch like he’s got a hot date waiting on him, but I know he’s eagerly waiting for the acceptable time to slip out and return to the safety of his hotel room. He may get along great with the players, but he’s always been very careful to toe the line between friend and Coach.

I may need to take some notes from him…

Austin has sweat lining his brow now, and if I didn’t know any better, I would think he was coming down with some kind of illness or something. Coach must be picking up on the weird vibes he’s putting off, too. “Is this because you’re away from the girls?”

Like the dam has been cracked open, Austin starts to spill his guts. “I just feel so bad. Emma has been lugging Lizzie around all weekend, and I feel like I’ve barely seen the two of them. Lizzie is teething so she’s been cranky, and I can tell Emma is beyond exhausted. I just… I feel bad is all.”

Fuck, he looks on the verge of crying.

Without hesitation, Coach throws his hand on Austin’s shoulder. “Did you want to come out tonight?”

Austin looks at Jax who huffs a soft laugh and smiles. “Austin, bud, you’re not going to offend me if you’d rather spend some time with the girls. It’s okay. I promise.”

Austin sighs heavily before shaking his head, and Coach Taylor gently squeezes his shoulder. “Okay, boys, hold the fort down. I’m going to drop this one off to his girls.” Taylor pulls his wallet out and throws two hundred-dollar bills down on the table, before walking a clearly relieved Austin out of the bar

I wonder out loud, “Can men get whatever women get after having a baby?”

“Postpartum depression?” Jax looks at me in confusion.

“Yeah. Do you think he’s got that, maybe? Or maybe just anxiety. I mean, I’m no doctor, but that can’t be how you’re supposed to act…”

Jax rolls his eyes at me. “Theo, you have no clue what it means to love someone so deeply the way Austin does. Not just for Emma but for Lizzie, too. I can’t imagine a piece of me walking around in this world. I would want to do anything in my power to protect it.” He takes a long sip of his beer. “But yes, men can experience postpartum or just a change to emotions after babies, but I don’t think that’s Austin’s issue. He just… he loves. ”

Love.

I’m slack-jawed for a second as my brain processes the word he just uttered. At that moment, I decide I’m going to need more than just a beer if the two of us are going to discuss love.

I throw my hand up, and the server comes rushing over. “Two margaritas with salt, on the rocks, and two tequila shots. Actually, make those shots doubles.” Jax looks at me like I’ve suddenly grown two heads so I try to recover my impulsiveness. “We-we’ve got a champion over here,” I say while patting Jax’s thigh. Unknowingly, I let my hand linger for a little too long. But to my surprise, he doesn’t pull away.

Jax interrupts before the server can turn to head to the bar and tells her, “Make mine frozen, actually.”

As the server walks away I dare myself to look at him. With my hand still resting on his thigh, the two of us stare at each other before a slow and wide smile starts to spread across his face. Then, Jax bursts out in uncontrollable laughter. I can’t help it, I don’t even know what he’s laughing at but hearing that sound come from him is infectious. I chuckle as I ask, “What’s so fucking funny?”

Jax has tears streaming down his face. “Y-your—You’re eye.”

I reach up with my other hand and let my fingers ghost along my cheek bone, before I bark out an even harder laugh. Our hysterics continue for a while, despite everyone looking at us like we’re crazy. Once the two of us regain some of our composure, Jax wipes away the last of the tears falling from his eyes. “Oh my god, I fucking needed that.”

I smile widely at him. “Are we even now?”

He snorts. “Not even close. But it sure is a fucking good start.”

The server appears out of nowhere with our drinks and sets them on the table. Jax and I each hold up a shot, and to my surprise he says, “To well-deserved black eyes.”

“To well-deserved black eyes,” I agree before we crash our shot glasses together.

* ? Get A Room (with Megan Cromwell) - VOILà, Megan Cromwell