I kiss her again before I help her off the counter. After I grab the takeout containers and silverware, I set everything out on the bar. She gets us two glasses of ice water, and we both sit.
“How did your appointment with your counselor go?” I ask as I shovel chicken into my mouth.
She groans. “Not well. I have to do the broadcast class in the fall, and I’m worried I’ll still look like a beached whale. The camera adds at least twenty pounds.”
After I swallow my bite, I turn to her. “Roxy, you’re a stunning woman, regardless of your weight. I know you’re used to being super fit for cheer, but don’t be too hard on yourself.”
Nodding, she stares at her pasta as she pushes the food around with her fork. “I am one hundred percent about body positivity. But now that I’m facing a situation where I can’t just work out and eat super clean until I look a certain way, I’m realizing that I don’t extend that attitude to myself as much as I thought I did.”
“Understandable. I’m sure it can’t be easy growing a gremlin and then having to go about your daily life like you didn’t just spawn.”
She laughs. “A gremlin?”
“Did you ever see that old eighties movie? They’re super cute. Well, the good one. The bad ones are evil little fuckers, but that’s not the one I meant.”
“I must’ve missed that movie.”
“What I’m trying to say, and obviously not doing a good job of it, is that you’re, what, almost four months along now? And you don’t look pregnant. And I’ve seen all of you.” Her pretty cheeks flush. “I’m guessing that because you’re in such amazing shape, hopefully, your recovery time will be easier.”
“Thanks. That’s really nice to hear. I hope that’s true.” She crosses her fingers. Why is everything she does so damn cute?
“Wanna study together after we eat? I have a paper I need to write.”
“Yeah. I’d like that. Oh, before I shove this deep into my brain and forget I agreed to this… I ran into Abigail today, Ezra’s fiancée.”
“No shit. How did it go?” We toss our dirty dishes in the sink and head for the couch, where we sit side by side.
“Ugh, Billy, she’s so freaking nice. How am I supposed to tell her the truth and break her heart?”
I toss an arm around her. “It’s gonna suck big hairy donkey balls, but at the end of the day, she’ll probably wanna know the truth.”
“She just transferred here and told me she doesn’t have any friends and wants me to be her bestie.” Roxy’s whole face contorts like she just sucked on a lemon. “And she wants us to go on a double date with her and Ezra.”
“You’re kidding.”
“I would never joke about something like that.”
I rub a hand over my face. “This will be memorable.”
“I feel like I’ve already asked you for a million favors, but would you do this for me? I was thinking maybe this would help me figure out how to tell him about the baby.”
Ezra and I never hang out. We never eat together or shoot the shit. Because the day he got QB1, he turned to me with a smirk, smacked my back, and told me to enjoy being wide receiver. To anyone else, it would’ve sounded like congratulations. But he knew I was gunning to return to the quarterback position, even if I had to ride the bench for a while. And when I got switched to safety, he offhandedly said that some people can’t hack offense. Again, not a direct slight, but he was looking at me at the time.
Ezra’s slick like that. Slimy. Never really owns up to his shit. He lets everyone think he’s this great guy when he’s anything but.
I was ready to kick Ezra’s ass both of those times, but then that would just feed Coach’s perception that I’m out of control.
Blowing out a breath, I nod. “For you, sure.” I can admit I have a hard time telling Roxy no. “Are you still thinking you want to wait for the draft to tell Ezra about the bean?”
She groans. “Sometimes I want to rip off the Band-Aid and get it over with. Other times, I’m worried the news will get back to my dad, and he’ll have a coronary that his golden child betrayed him. To be clear, the golden child is Ezra and not his literal offspring.”
“Aww, Rox.”
“How have things with Ezra been at practice? I know you guys don’t have the same kind of schedule in the offseason as you do in the summer or fall, but have you seen him around? Has he said anything to you about my… situation?”
She might as well hear it from me. “I’m in the gym in the morning, and he does afternoons, so fortunately, I don’t have to see that turd often, but we had a team meeting last week, after you and your dad had your big blowup.”
“And?”
