Page 101 of Unleashed

I frown at the meat covered in cheese, pickles, ketchup, and mustard and push the plate away. “Oh, no. I’ll pass. That’s what he tried making at Mom’s the year he set the oven on fire.”

He shoves the back of my head before sitting down at the end of the table on my left. “No one got hurt, and the oven was fine. Practice makes perfect.”

“Yeah, I doubt that,” I grumble as I use my fork to pull the plate back to me and poke at the cheese. I side-eye him. “Okay, Wilder. You didn’t ask me to lunch for me to relive your cooking blunders. Spill it.”

Finn glances at Hadley as she sits on the opposite end of the table, with me, the insolent teenager, in the middle. He clears his throat and cuts into his meaty endeavor. “How is it going with your dad?”

“Jolly good fun. Thanks for asking.” I take a bite and chew extra carefully. Pretty good. Praise the Lord, but not Wilder. It’ll go to his noggin.

Finn shakes his head, squinting behind his glasses like he’s trying to solve a math problem in front of the class. “Why is he here so early? Your graduation is Friday.”

“To torture me. Dad wants to come to practice. He wants to be everywhere I go.”

Hadley laughs. “Maybe he’s missed you.”

Finn and I glance at her and say, “No.”

I smirk at my brother. “You owe me another Diet Pepsi for that, Finnigan.” He looks across the table at Hadley with a lip-biting grin. “Ugh. I hope me saying your name doesn’t give you wood.”

Hadley shrieks, making Finley yell with her and laugh. Finn scowls at me. “So what about Rodwell?”

“Saying your name doesn’t get him hot, either.”

He sighs as I giggle with Hadley. “Simone, what are you doing with Greg Rodwell? You plan to trick your dad about still being married. Why?”

I sigh and mutter, “Thanks a lot, Hadley.”

“Simone, come on. Your brother has to go along with it.”

I slouch against the back of my chair. “Great. Like I’ll get Coach Wilder’s support.”

His deep voice scolds, “What you don’t get is that this is crazy. Do you think everyone on the team will go along with it? Betsy will ask at least a hundred intrusive questions.”

I shrug. “I’ll tell her whatever she wants to know.”

Finn laughs. “Okay, then. Are you sleeping with Rodwell?” Yes, yes, and damn it to hell, yes.

“Eww. Shut up.”

Looking to my right, Hadley and even Finley seem eager for my answer. On my left, Finn appears to fear it. I take another bite to avoid both.

Hadley says, “You slept with him when you were married.”

I swing my fork into the air. “Who told you?”

She frowns. “Your ex-husband is my best friend, Simone.” Finn clears his throat, and Hadley rolls her eyes. “My alternate best friend. We talk.”

I drop my fork with a metallic clatter, and my hand goes to my face. “Did he mention how we used to do it in his aunt’s bar’s storage and locker rooms? In his truck parked in Amos’s driveway? In a storage room at his mother’s office? His dad’s basement in front of mirrors? That was so damn hot. I’d do that one again.”

Hadley gasps, “He didn’t mention those.”

Finn drops his fork louder than I had. “That’s all. I don’t want to know any of that crap.”

“We did it on his bed at his mother’s and mine at Amos’s. He mounted me after I returned from swimming, not bothering to remove my bikini. Just pushing the crotch aside and... You get the picture.”

“Simone!” Finn snaps. He starts to argue more, but stops when he sees Finley smiling at him.

“He yelled that a lot,” I mumble, picking up my fork.

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