Page 87 of Unsteady

I can’t explain why it hurts so much that she doesn’t call mehotshot.

She grabs her bag from Luc’s outstretched hand and turns on her heel, not bothering to wait for him. When she’s out of earshot, Luc turns to me and slaps a hand on my shoulder.

“I don’t know if you’ve met Coach Kelley.”

I shake my head. “Only briefly.”

“Well,” he huffs another breath, closing his eyes and shaking his head—as if this is the last thing he wants to do. “If you have feelings for her—real feelings, and I think it’s clear you do, then you need to watch out for her.”

I fight the urge to shove him and growl,I do watch out for her, paying attention to the tone of his voice, the defeated look in his eyes.

“She might listen to you about that overly intense coach of hers.”

My brow furrows and I adjust my backpack on my right shoulder, slipping the other strap on. “She said that’s normal—that he’s just like that with everyone.”

He shakes his head with a huff. “Kelley’s not normal. And if you don’t know what’s going on in that fuckingrink—”

“Laroux!” Sadie shouts, stamping her foot. “If you make me late, I’ll cut your fucking balls off and hang them on my dash.”

A smile pulls at my mouth just watching her, and Luc takes off, not bothering to finish his statement before he’s jogging after her.

* * *

On the front steps of an identical, but slightly brighter house than the one I recognize as Sadie’s, Liam and Oliver sit with their backpacks on, alone.

And next door, on their own lawn, there’s a man lying flat, facedown.

The sight of the body so close to the boys scares me enough that I barely get the car in park before sprinting towards them. Liam howls when he sees me, a confused little smile taking over his face as he stands, slapping Oliver’s shoulders.

“Hey, buds,” I call, slowing my gait and donning a smile as if that could distract them from my thoughts screamingdangerover the stranger mere yards from them. “You okay?”

“Are you here for us?” Liam asks, instead of answering my question and a pit starts to form in my stomach. “Ms. B isn’t home, so we don’t know what we’re supposed to do.” He shrugs his little shoulders.

I look over towards their house again. The man is surrounded by a few cans and bottles, as well as a puddle of vomit, but he’s breathing. I step back and survey the rest of the cul-de-sac.

“Yeah, I am.”

Liam howls again, jumping up and down in place like he can’t hold in any of his enthusiasm.

Looking toward Oliver, I ask, “Do you two know that man?”

Liam chews on his lip but nods, albeit hesitantly. “That’s my dad.”

Fuck. I think I’m going to be sick.

“Sadie’s gonna be mad,” Oliver says, standing beside his brother, his backpack sliding off one shoulder. The look he gives me is wary at best. “She hates when people know about him.”

Liam looks a little worried at that. “But shelikesRhys.”

“Exactly.” His brother chuckles, before staring back at me with that same skeptical gaze. “Sadie sent you here?”

It’s clear Liam doesn’t understand, but I do. Oliver’s twelve, but he knows Sadie didn’t tell me; that she hid this from me.

I try to focus through the racing thoughts in my head.

“Yeah. I’m just your chauffeur.”

“I don’t know what that is.” Liam sighs.

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