Chapter Twenty-Two

Jake

I wake up with Haley wrapped in my arms on the couch. She’s nestled against my chest in the nook of my shoulder, her hair smelling like strawberries and soap. I look down at her the best I can to see her face, and she’s so peaceful. And man, she’s beautiful. How did I spend so long around her and never see her?

I run a hand over her hair. She smiles up at me, eyes half awake. I love when she smiles at me like that. It’s like where I’m meant to be, my purpose in life has been found and fulfilled in one moment. The key has locked into place, and everything fits together perfectly. I didn’t know the door was locked until her.

“Morning,” I say.

“Good morning,” she returns. “What time is it?”

“Eight thirty or so?”

Her eyes widen in panic as she looks at the clock. “I should go.”

But I kiss her softly, and she leans into me before finally moving from my chest.

“Oh shit,” Jamie says, rolling out of his bedroom. We both look toward him to meet his wide eyes. “I knew it! How long has this been a thing?”

She pushes some of her hair behind her ears, and I rub her back. “Jamie. It’s not what you think.”

He laughs. “I saw y’all kissing out on my couch after spending the night, so yeah, I think it is. Does your best friend know you’re seeing his twin sister?”

Haley starts to say something but doesn’t. She looks embarrassed, and that is not at all what I want for her.

Jamie shakes his head. “Y’all have to tell him.”

“We’re going to,” I say. “We fell asleep during the movie. This is totally innocent.”

“Jake,” she says, resting her hand on my chest. She looks at Jamie. “Yes, we are together, and no one knows. Except you, now.”

Jamie rolls over so he’s closer to us, eyes on me, then her. “I think it’s great.”

“You do?” I ask.

He nods. “Hell yeah. Haley is pretty awesome and way too good for you, but you’ve been different the last couple weeks. I haven’t seen you drinking as much. You smile. Now I know why,” he says. He looks at Haley. “I think you’re brave for taking on my hot mess of a brother.”

“Wow, thanks,” I say to Jamie.

Haley laughs. “He’s not so bad.”

Jamie smiles. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s not to take anything for granted. If y’all want to be together, then do it.”

“Thanks, bro,” I say.

“You should still tell Howell. The sooner the better, I’d say. Give him some time to process it, but in the end, he’d want both of you to be happy.” He looks between both of us. “It’s what brothers do.”

Haley’s face lights up with a smile as she wraps her arms around Jamie’s neck for a quick hug. He gives me a look over her shoulder. She pulls away and grabs her phone from the table. “I’ve got to get home.”

Jamie rolls off to the kitchen, and I stretch as she puts on her jacket. She pushes her hair behind her ears, and I take her hand. “Come here.”

“Jake,” she starts, “he’s right.”

“I know,” I say.

I pull her closer until she relaxes a bit and rests her arm around my waist; I kiss the side of her neck. “If Jamie is happy about us, maybe Chris will be, too,” she says.

“We’ll make a plan to tell him, then. We’re almost there.”

“Okay,” she says.

I kiss her behind her ear, her neck again, her cheek. She tilts her head toward me. “I had fun and I’m glad you came over.”

“Me, too,” she says.

I lean in and kiss her. Once, twice, three times before she pulls away. “I really gotta go.”

“Text me later?”

She nods and heads out the door.

Once she’s gone, Jamie watches me from the doorway of the kitchen. “Promise me that you’re telling him.”

“I am, after Homecoming,” I say. She’s been gone five seconds, and I already miss her. “We weren’t sure what it was before, if it was anything, and now it feels different.”

“How so?” my brother asks.

“I can’t deny this is something now, and that how I feel for her is something real.” I look toward my brother. “I don’t want to be without her.”

“All the more reason to tell him.”

“He’s not going to be okay with it. He’s going to think I’m playing with her.”

“Are you?” Jamie asks.

“No.”

Jamie smiles. “You like her.”

I nod and sit on the couch. “She makes me better, Jamie. She’s the most amazing person I know, giving, kind. Haley is so cute, and she makes me happy. I live to make her smile.”

“Oh man, my brother is in deep.”

“I am,” I say. “When we tell him, it’s all going to change. I’m trying to keep us together as long as possible.”

“Your secret is safe with me,” he says, “but maybe it won’t be as bad as you think.” I raise an eyebrow to Jamie, and he shrugs. Of all the people in this town, he knows me and my past more than anyone. “I mean, I said maybe.” And I toss a pillow at him as he rolls off, laughing. “But for real, he will be okay if he sees you together. Trust me, three minutes in the room with you, and there’s a vibe. It’s good, Jake.”

“I think so, too.”

I can’t stop thinking about Haley. The way she smiles, the way she makes me laugh, the way she smells, how she feels pressed up against me with her lips on mine. She’s got me feeling something I’ve never had before. It’s throwing me for a loop. And for the last few days, she’s been quiet.

Shane Griggs bashes into me.

I slam to the ground.

Coach blows the whistle.

“Lexington, get your head in the game.”

I groan as Griggs gets off me and then reaches a hand to help me up. As soon as I’m on my feet, Coach is in front of me.

“Son, where are you right now? That’s twice in a row he’s gotten you down. This is your play.”

“Sorry, Coach.”

Coach Tucker looks me straight in the eye and nods. “You’ll be sorry when your secret-weapon play falls flat on its face because the running back isn’t on his feet for his QB. You want that, son?”

“No, sir,” I say.

He slaps the side of my helmet. “Then focus.”

After practice, Howell asks me if I’m okay. “Yeah.” But I’m really thinking about what Jamie said. I could tell him. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. He could be okay with it because I would never do what Griggs did to her. I’m not a bad guy.

I’m drying my hair when my phone rings. The number belongs to Seth’s mom, who I called a couple days ago about the game on Friday. I rush out of the locker room so I can hear better and answer it.

“Hey, Jake. I got your voicemail.”

“Oh good. I think it’d be really great if you could bring Seth on Friday. Coach said he could meet the team, sit on the sidelines, all of that. It would be really fun.”

His mom is quiet on the phone. Too quiet.

“I’m not sure that’s possible,” she says.

My heart skips a beat. “Why?”

“The doctors have him quarantined right now. I love the offer, and I know he would, too, but we probably won’t be up for it this Friday. He had a transplant, so he can’t be exposed to all those germs.”

We’ve been talking about it, but he is never well enough to come. I kept hoping it would be okay. Hoping it would work out. Every week I’ve called since I cleared it with Coach Tucker. And he’s been so sick. Now we’re here. I was hoping we wouldn’t be, that he wouldn’t be this sick. It’s not fair. He’s just a kid!

“Do I get to come see him?”

She’s quiet on the other end of the line. “You can come by. I’ll see what we can do.”

I nod, which is stupid because she can’t hear my head nod. “Maybe next week, then, for practice. Or for Homecoming.”

She says “Yeah, maybe” on the other end of the line. But there’s something in her tone that says she doesn’t entirely believe that. I don’t, either. I want to do something else for him, to even take this from him, but I can’t do that. That’s one thing I learned with Jamie: I can’t change places, no matter how much I plead for it.