Page 91 of Beyond the Stroke

“Still mine,” I say. It’s half a joke, but I feel the truth of it in my gut.

She narrows her eyes at me.

It’s another silent standoff, like the one in her van last week. Another conversation of me wanting to protect her while she asserts her independence. I like it more than I should.

She’s the first to break eye contact. Brushing past me without a word.

I follow her lead, the tension between us crackling but unspoken as we head out to the living room where the guys are packing up the tacos Logan unceremoniously dumped on the table.

“We can leave now,” Finn says. “Logan ate five tacos which should be enough to sustain him for the drive home.”

Summer shakes her head. “You guys stay. I have to leave for work anyway.”

“Thanks for letting us stay,” Charlie says, chowing down on a taco. “We figured with what happened at practice Rory would need taco night.”

“What happened at practice?” Summer asks, turning her attention back to me.

“Nothing,” I’m quick to say.

“Connor Fisk showed up,” Logan says, sounding far less combative now that he’s buried in tacos.

“Who’s Connor Fisk?” she asks.

When Logan goes to answer her question, I give him a sharp nod.

“Just a guy on the team,” Logan says before starting to inhale another taco.

It’s not that I don’t want Summer to know about Connor, but now is not the time.

“Can I give you a ride to work?” I ask, watching her slip on her tennis shoes and grab her purse off the hook by the door.

“Stay in your lane, Shields,” she says, reaching for the door handle.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I call to her retreating back.

“You’re the swimmer, you should know.” She waves without looking back.

I know what it means, but where Summer’s concerned, it doesn’t feel like an option.

Logan places his key to my house in my palm.

“We still know the front door code,” Charlie says.

“Thanks for the reminder to change that, too.”

“Can we still come over for Madden Mondays?” Xio asks. He’s nineteen and the youngest on the team. He’s like a little brother to most of us, eager to hang out and for the most part, takes our teasing in stride.

“Yes, but you’ll have to knock.”

His face lights up at the knowledge that our team gatherings aren’t changing.

“This feels like a breakup,” Charlie says, removing his key from his keyring.

“Why’d you have to go and ruin everything by getting married?” Logan pouts.

“You know why,” I mutter.

“But if it’s for show, then Summer’s more like a roommate, right?” Xio asks.

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