Page 280 of Talk Swoony to Me

My parents are going to New York on Thursday. Staying until Saturday.

The Kirbys are welcome, obviously…

But she didn’t specify which Kirbys.

My grin returns.

Very soon.

I hit send.

CHAPTER 24

CONNOR

It’s too early for the gym, and far too early in the morning for me in general, but it’s a better alternative than facing my father. Work is the one place I know he won’t be on a Sunday morning.

I spend an hour pumping as much iron as my body can handle, burning through as much frustration as possible. By the end, I feel better. Mostly. Sort of.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t do a thing about my guilt.

Connor, I’m ready.

But I’m not ready for the ass-kicking I’ll surely receive once your brothers find out about us.

Us. What is us, exactly?

I carefully place the bar on the rack before sitting up, my chest burning from putting myself a little too far past failure than I should have.

“Damn, little brother. You should really have a spot for that much on the bar.”

I look up at my sister. Hair up. Loose-fitting shirt. Bike shorts. Must be cardio day. “You’re welcome to volunteer,” I mutter as I reach for my water bottle.

She grabs it for me. “What’s wrong with you?” she asks.

“You haven’t heard?”

“Heard what?”

I take a few sips to wet my dry throat. “Dad got a new job,” I tell her.

Her brow wrinkles. “He did? Where?”

“Chicago North. Guess who the new head football coach is.”

Her mouth sags. “Oh...”

“Yeah.” I stand up, my arms hanging at my sides. Gonna feel them tomorrow for sure. “Oh.”

“Well, that sucks,” she says. “Not for everyone else, but for you… Yeah. That’s rough. I get it.”

“Whatever. It’s fine.”

She chortles. “You sure seem fine with it.”

“Well, what am I supposed to do about it?”

“Nothing you can do about it.”

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