Page 112 of Our Bender

What had gotten into him?

“Tyler’s never done that before.” Casey stood back and rubbed his jaw, trying to muffle a chuckle. “He’s not exactly the enforcer type. That was my role.”

Addie caught my eye and an amused smile slid onto her face. “I have a feeling that guy said something he didn’t particularly like.”

“He smashed him!” one of the twins called out.

“Hulk smash!” the other twin added, then jumped on his brother to wrestle him to the ground.

“Think he’s okay?” Stevie whispered to me as she tucked her hair behind her ears.

“I’m sure he’s all good. You can text him.” I patted her shoulder.

She bit her lip and nodded, and I think Tyler’s heart would soar knowing that Stevie cared so much for him. I know mine did.

SportsCenter replayed the hit and zeroed in on Garrett’s face this time, and I couldn’t help it, a laugh popped out of me… and I loved Tyler a little bit more for giving me that.

But as the game continued without Tyler in the rotation, my body hummed with anxiety. My dad hated stupid penalties, and that was definitely stupid. I warned Tyler a while back not to do anything like this when he ominously said,I’ll take care of it.I just hoped he didn’t mess up his career over this…

________

“You mad?” Tyler asked hesitantly on the phone that night.

I could practically see him pouting his lip out with that tone, trying to get out of trouble. He’d been calling every night of the roadtrip to talk to Stevie– and me– and I started looking forward to the calls.

I was glad he wasn’t with us in person right then though, because I couldn’t stop a smirk. “You shouldn’t have lost your head.”

He sighed. “Exactly what your dad said.”

“I’m notentirelymad though,” I said quietly, trying to tamper down a chuckle.

“Woah, freaky. Now that’sexactlywhat your dad said.” He laughed.

I shook my head. “You boys.”

“Don’tyou boysme,” he warned. “It had to be done.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I breathed out. I paused for a second, unsure if I wanted to ask what was on the tip of my tongue. It’s not that I would be hurt by Garrett’s words or anything, I really didn’t give a shit about what he thought anymore. But I cared about what Tyler heard. I needed to know how embarrassed I should be. I cleared my throat and asked, “What’d he say to you?”

“Uh…” He faltered, and then, “Don’t you worry your pretty little mind,” he sang in a horrible high-pitched voice.

That broke the tension I’d been feeling in my chest. “Oh, you’re a Taylor Swift fan now?”

“Maybe,” he drawled. “Listening to her reminds me of a special someone,” he said, and I could practically hear his grin. “How’s Stevie doin’?” he asked, changing the subject all together. And I let him. His casual way of redirecting punched me with relief. If he cared what Garrett said, he would’ve asked me about it.

I looked at her sleeping on the couch beside me and smoothed her fine hair. “She’s good. I think she had a little drama of her own today.”

“Oh?”

“Well, you know Griff’s boy, Johnny? He has ahugecrush on her, but she clearly doesn’t have eyes for him at all, even though he was like panting after her all afternoon.”

“No? Damnit. Griff’s a good man, he’s gonna raise him right. That’d be an easy arrangement.”

“Arrangement?!” I whisper-shouted.

He laughed. “I know. But it’s true. A man can dream.”

“Well, she’s not feeling him at all,” I chuckled. “She’s crushing huge on…Canyon Scott.”

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