Page 13 of Second Down Darling

So many what-ifs dart through mymind.

What if I had told Jake how I felt when we were in highschool?

What if I hadn’t been such a big chicken and I’d flirted with him when he was single and I had thechance?

The worst one, though, the one that still keeps me up at night, is—what if I hadn’t told my sister I had a huge crush on my bestfriend?

Because despite her claim she didn’t specifically seek out Jake at that party, I sometimeswonder.

“Fuck, that sucks.” Roxy throws her arms around me, and I pat her back awkwardly. “I’ll be yourfamily.”

Her words bring tears to my eyes. Now that I’ve shared some of my past, the weight on my chest feels lighter. “Thanks, Roxy. I’d love that. I could use a sister.” I miss Dakota fiercely sometimes. I don’t know why. She treated me like shit more often thannot.

When we break apart, Roxy puts her hands on her hips. “I’m gonna find you a great guy too. Justwatch.”

I nod, a littleembarrassed.

Then she lowers her voice to a whisper. “Does this mean you’re a virgin? No shame if you are, but if so, you might want to think about getting on birth control if you’re not already. Also, some guys are fuckboys, and I don’t want to set you up with anyone who’s justDTF.”

Birth control. Right. That’simportant.

Hold on. “DTF?”

“Down to fuck. You know, someone who just wants to hookup.”

Maybe that’s what I need to get over this hump. A hookup. I’ve been romanticizing dating and men for far too long, and now that I understand the reality, I kinda just want to have sex and get it over with. Maybe that would demystify dating, and it would freak me outless.

Because it’s dumb to wait for the perfect guy when he doesn’texist.

There’s no such thing as PrinceCharming.

There neverwas.

4

JAKE

Exhausted from class and practice,I toss my crap by the door and set my to-go box on the counter. “Hey. I’m home.¿Dónde estás, pingo?”Pingomeans “little scamp” or “rascal” in Spanish and describes my son to aT.

My babysitter’s faint voice calls from the bedroom. “We’re back here,Jakey.”

I can’t tell Miss Louisa’s age, but she has to be pushing seventy. That’s the only reason I allow her to call me Jakey, because Dakota’s nickname always made mecringe.

Miss Louisa was my last resort, but at least she’s kind and treats my son well. But I don’t know how much longer she’ll be able to keep up with my hurricane, who just turned three over thesummer.

“Daddy!” Asher howls, torpedoing across the room until he rams into mylegs.

I scoop him up in my arms and kiss his sweaty forehead. “How’s my little man? Did you have a goodday?”

His smile vanishes and he wraps his arms around my neck to whisper in my ear. “I peepeed mypants.”

My eyes meet Louisa’s, and she gives me a patient smile. “He’ll learn. Asher got too excited about building sandcastles and forgot to let me know he had to gopotty.”

This is tough because he’d pretty much nailed potty training with my mom, but since we moved to Charming, everything’s new for him, and he’s having a tough timeacclimating.

“Aww, Ash, it’s okay, bud. Everyone has accidents when they’re firstlearning.”

His head pops up and those big blue eyes stare up at me. “You peepeed yourpants?”

---