I was hungover, as well as worried about Taylor.
I put my phone away. “Nothing.”
Nate’s gaze fell to the console between us, where my phone was. “Mmm-hmmm.”
I let out a sigh, leaning back in my chair. “For fuck’s sake, what’s your problem?”
“You texting that chick?”
“The chick has a name, and yes, I was.”
“You falling for her?”
I glared at him, and Nate went back to paying attention to the road. That was when it hit me—fuck, maybe I was. Who gave a shit? I dated Kris, and nothing happened. I could date another girl. It was no big deal.
“Yo,” Mason said as he shifted up toward the front seat from behind us. “Sam’s out cold.” He propped his arms on the backs of our seats and leaned forward so he was almost sitting between us. “What are you guys talking about?”
Nate grinned. “Logan’s girlfriend.”
“She’s not my girlfriend.”
“Been in a month now.” Nate glanced sideways at me. “We’ve hardly seen you for that month.”
I frowned at him. I’d had longer flings, but what was up his asshole? Then I remembered Sam saying he was worried, too. Still. My frown switched to something darker. I was the glue, whatever. That was nice. He still needed to mind his own business. I shot back, “And what of it?”
Nate didn’t answer. He kept driving, his jaw clenching.
Mason looked between the two, then turned to me. “My coach’s daughter? Right?”
I leaned forward, then turned so I could see both of them. “So what? Yeah. Her. I like her.”
Mason held up his hands. “Dude, I’m not raining on your parade. I’m fine with it. I was just making sure you hadn’t moved to someone new.” His eyes shifted to Nate. “I’m thinking Nate hasn’t been completely honest about his thoughts.”
There it was. Mason laid it out. It was Nate’s problem. But Mase had been the one to bring up Taylor a few times, like he had trouble with the situation. I needed to make sure. “You don’t have a problem with it?” I asked him.
He appraised me carefully. “You guys are dating, like a couple dating?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. We’re just going with the flow for now.”
“Would you want to date her in that way?”
I shrugged. “I like what we’re doing. We’re not thinking. We just are, right now. That’s enough for me. We’re still getting started.”
“Then that’s enough for me. Who gives a shit what I think?”
If anyone should’ve been bothered, it was Mason. Taylor’s dad was his coach, and though Coach didn’t seem to be the best father to Taylor, he was a damn good coach to the team.
I nodded my thanks, and Mason turned to Nate. “And why should we give a shit what you think?”
Nate didn’t say anything.
And I blew up. “What the fuck, Nate? Or is that it? You want to fuck her or something?” Enough with the bullshit. I wanted to hear his problem.
“No.” His jaw clenched as he watched the road. His hands were tight on the wheel.
He was going to play the silent card? I didn’t think so. “Nate, come on.”
Mason folded his arms over his chest. “It’s truth time, Nate. If you have a problem, you should speak now.”
“Or what?” He glared at Mason through the rearview mirror.
“Or stop dropping little baits. You’ve tried it before, too, but Logan blew that up in your face.”
“When?”
“The juicer.”
Mason was right. I remembered that morning. “You tried teasing me like I was a little bitch. No way am I letting that happen. If I like a chick, I’m going to bang her. When the hell have any of us needed permission to get it in?”
“Is that what you think she is? Some piece of ass?” Nate’s voice was like gravel.
His response was quick, too quick to have been a random thought he threw out. I straightened in my seat and shared a look with my brother. That was it. That was what was eating Nate.
“Is that what you think? I’m not valuing her enough?”
Nate didn’t reply. He only jerked up a shoulder.
I was floored. “When have you ever cared about a girl I was seeing?”
“So, you are seeing her?” He threw me a side look.
“No—I don’t know. I don’t know. I just went over this. Maybe.” I looked from him to Mason, and spared Sam a glance in the back. She was lying down, so I could only see her feet. “I’ve never gotten so much grief about a girl. Sam got in my face the other day about her, too.”
“Look,” Nate started. “I don’t know what Sam said, but I’m just bringing it up because this girl is different.”
“Because she’s Mason’s coach’s daughter?”
“No.” He rolled his eyes, his jaw tightening again. “Because she’s not like other girls. She’s different. You had her programmed in your phone as Hot Girl before.”
“Nate.”
He added, “Now she’s programmed in as Firecracker. You have your own nickname for her, and it’s not like others. She’s not Girl from Grocery Store, or Call After 2, or even Could Be Stalker.”
“I don’t use girls. You’re making it sound like that.”
“No.” He shook his head. “You don’t, but you don’t smile when you text them, like you do when you’re texting her. Logan, I—”