Page 183 of Whistle

“All of you get in here.”

“Emmett,” Bodhi hissed against my neck.

He didn’t get an opinion in the hidey hole.

“I told you I was all in,” I whispered. “Unless you changed your mind.”

An inkling of unease slithered through me, making me forget that an entire group of swimmers and their partners were crowding my emergency room in the middle of the damn night.

That got him out of my neck, his face finally filled with color, the two bright splotches on his cheeks a welcome sight. “I’ll never change my mind,” he said stubbornly and twisted on my lap to face the group.

“Ah!” Jamie hollered. “What in the swim-cest is this?”

I let out a long-suffering sigh. “Seriously, Owens?”

“Seriously, Coach. That nurse we all thought you were dating called up Landry and said you were admitted to the ER, and we all rushed over here, thinking there was a medical emergency.”

“It’s not an emergency. It’s an affair,” Wes concluded.

“Does she know you’re cheating on her, Coach?” Kruger demanded.

“I’m not dating that nurse!” I bellowed.

“Well, not now. She thinks you’re a two-timer.”

“I told you not to do that auction,” Bodhi smarted off like he was enjoying this.

“What happened to your hair?” Arsen asked.

Bodhi shrugged. “I cut it.”

“Can we still call you Malibu Barbie?” Win wanted to know.

“My sister used to shave all her Barbies’ heads,” Kruger lamented. “They were still Barbies.”

Win nodded as though that were the official answer.

“Dad,” Landry said, eyes still wide.

I held out my hand. “Come over here, ladybug.”

Her hand slipped into mine, and I wrapped the other around Bodhi’s hip.

“I fucking knew it,” Rush spat. “I called it that morning Bodhi came downstairs with no pants.” He went on, jabbing a finger at me. “You made out like I was being crazy. I wasn’t. I was right!”

“Bodhi was at Coach’s with no pants?” Rory whispered.

“And wearing his shirt.” Rush confirmed.

Win cackled. “Oh, they’re totally boning.”

“Would everyone shut up!” Landry exclaimed.

The room fell into quiet, and she looked at me.

“Ladybug, I can expla?—”

“Are you hurt?” she asked.

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