Page 55 of Third and Ten

Because I definitely do.

I try to shake my thoughts of Tenley as I head out. But by the time I meet up with the guys, half of them are already annoyingly drunk and hitting on one of the girls behind the bar, whom also happens to be a former student of mine.

Well, I suppose she’s technically a grown woman now that she’s old enough to work in a place like this, but it’s hard for me to think of the kids I taught as adults sometimes.

“Hey, try to enjoy yourself, huh?” Blake nudges me after I very unsubtly tell one of my ex-teammates to lay off since the bartender is barely legal and he’s lucky he has a wife and baby waiting for him at home.

I shrug. “I’m sorry, teaching high school kind of ruins the local party scene, man.” I take a small sip of the beer I’ve been nursing for the past half-hour.

“Are you sure that’s why you look so miserable?”

“I guess I just don’t have as much in common with them anymore,” I reply.

“Hmm. For a guy who has it all, including the attention of most of the women in this bar and the title of head coach of an undefeated football team at homecoming, you seem ironically unhappy.”

I look down, picking at the label of the bottle, purposefully ignoring his bait. “I worry about them, you know? I remember some of the stupid stunts we pulled back then, and I just don’t want to see any of those kids getting hurt or into trouble tonight.”

“I’m sure Ethan will be fine.” Blake reads me all too well. “He’s got a good head on his shoulders.”

“Yeah. You want anything?” I hook my thumb over toward the bar.

He eyes my full bottle suspiciously. “I’ll walk with you.”

I guess I’m in for yet another big brother heart-to-heart, except sometimes I’m not so sure that Blake’s heart is involved.

“JD, I need a favor,” he says once we get away from the crowd. “On behalf of a friend.”

“Yeah?”

“Ethan’s custody hearing is next week. Do you think you could be there as a character witness for Tenley? I don’t think her mom can make it.”

I shrug, trying not to seem overly excited. “I could probably swing it, if I find a sub for the day.”

“Good. I’d feel better if she had at least one person there to vouch for her, just in case the judge wants to verify she’s fit…you know, that she’d make a good mother.”

I ignore the way he’s bouncing his eyebrows suggestively. “Does it necessarily need to be me? I mean, you could say as much about her as I could, right?”

“Well, not exactly, since I’m her lawyer. Besides, you’re the perfect choice since you’re well known around here and the best equipped to blindly gush about Tenley Robin and her maternal qualities.” He smirks.

I elbow him, attempting to hide my smile. “Fine. Do I need to show up in a suit and tie, or what? Can I wear my regular clothes?”

“I definitely recommend the suit,” he says. “For Tenley, though, not the judge. I’ll text you the details later.”

“All right.” I’d like to play it cool, though I settle for seeming less than giddy. I’m not just excited because I’ll get the chance to help my favorite people, but also because Blake’s encouraging me to go after Tenley again.

We each grab a fresh drink from the bar and rejoin the group, and I’m a little less uptight. About an hour later, though, I get a text from Ethan’s phone.

BIG E

Hey Coach, this is Caidence. I’m worried about Ethan. I think he’s been drinking. And when I asked how he’d be getting home, he said he was planning on calling you. Do you think you could come to the dance and help me with him?

JD

No worries. I’ll be there in a few.

I gesture over to Blake, explaining to him that Ethan needs me. He shakes his head as he laughs but tells me to let him know once we’re all home safely. Then I give the rest of the group some excuse about chaperoning duties before I go.

I drive over to the rec center where the dance is being held, grateful that I only had a few sips of my beer. I walk into the building, immediately searching for Ethan through the rows of wide-eyed, sweaty teens, half-dressed in formal wear, all of them parting the way before me as if I’m a leper. To their credit, teachers don’t belong here. We aren’t exactly humans with real interests and emotions, after all.

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