Weaving past everyone, I’m near the driveway when I’m pushed into the side door to the garage.

Tanner shields my body, his arms above my head, as he peers down at me. “I can’t do this. This isn’t me.”

He’s so close that the smell of his cologne lingers around us.

“I tried to tell him, but he never answered his phone.” I panic, wanting him to be assured.

He quiets for a second, intently looking down at me “I know I told you to take your time, but it’s killing me, Piper.” He steps back, and his fingers entwine behind his head as he paces back and forth in front of me.

“We can’t talk about this here.” I glance back and forth to make sure no one’s coming.

I grip the doorknob of the door in my hands, but he lightly places his hand on my forearm.

“You have to put me out of my misery here.” He shakes his head. “Never mind. I don’t want to know.” His hand releases me.

I’m baffled with the bipolar Tanner McCain who is now front and center. I have to admit that it’s nice that he loves me this much that he’s becoming unglued and slightly psychotic. I’m absolutely certain that I’m making the right decision.

“Tan—” I begin.

He places his finger in front of my lips. “I’m sorry, Piper. Take more time. I’m sure there’s a reason you didn’t end it today. Just remember how good we were together,” he says, not giving me a chance to speak.

I’m thrown from the different thoughts rambling out of his mouth.

“Tan—” I try once more.

But he won’t stand still. “It’s just so hard to put up this shield of indifference when we’re around each other. I’m not sure what moment I’ll snap.”

I grab his arm, and he twists my way.

“I’m breaking up with Curtis.” I giggle.

His eyes shine, and he releases a deep breath, but he remains speechless.

“Tan?” I question.

Soon, he’s back to where he was a second ago. His body leans against mine with his hands resting above my head. “You won’t regret this. If you want to take more time before we date, I understand. I mean, I don’t want you to, but at least you won’t be with him.” He tosses his head in the direction of the garage.

“No!” I screech and then bite my lip. “I mean, I don’t want to wait.” I shake my head.

His whole body relaxes and leans in closer to me. “You just made me the happiest guy.”

“Good.” My own shoulders relax that it’s all out in the open, and I allow my fingers to graze down his chest.

“Don’t start something you can’t finish,” he remarks, his own fingers dipping down, rubbing along the base of my neck.

It’s amazing how one touch from him makes my body tingle.

“Oh, I’ll finish it all right.”

Then, he stands straighter, and I fear someone’s coming, but his hands land on my shoulders as a small smile begins to erupt from his mouth.

“End it with him tonight, and afterward, come find me.” Then, he leans forward, and his lips gently press to my forehead.

I close my eyes at the feeling of comfort. “Okay.”

He backs up and walks away, leaving me wanting more of him.

“What’s up?” He tosses his head at one of their friends. Slyly giving me a clue someone’s coming.

I sneak through the side door of the garage. Shutting the door behind me, I notice Curtis sitting there, talking to the girl from earlier, and I shake my head, questioning if he’ll even care that I’m breaking off our relationship.

Right after I hand the beer to Curtis, Brad screams across the cement driveway, “Three on three. Piper, it’s either you or Curtis.” He points his finger between the two of us.

This grabs Curtis’s attention. “What’s he talking about?” Curtis questions me.

I point to the court. “They want one of us to play basketball. Do you play?” I’m not even sure why I’m asking. I can probably predict the answer.

“Yeah, I’ve played a few times. Do you not want to play?” He stands up, looking down at his khaki pants and button-down shirt. Unbuttoning and rolling up his sleeves, he announces, “I’ll play.” He didn’t even wait for my answer.

Tanner and Dylan snicker to one another as Curtis walks toward them.

Meandering over to the fridge in the garage, I grab a beer and take a seat again. With three balls, they all take turns practicing shooting while razzing one another. Taking a sip of my beer, I wait for the drama that’s sure to unfold.

Tanner bounces the ball to Brad, and Brad does the same back to him from “the top” of the makeshift court. Tanner dribbles around, dodging Brad by spinning around. With his back pressing into Tanner’s chest, the two are fiercely competitive with one another.

His athleticism has always turned me on, and that hasn’t waned since his time away. Glancing to find out where his brother and dad are, Tanner bounces the ball to Dylan, and then Dylan shoots and scores. The McCain boys go wild, arms raised, screaming about how great they are.

Brad’s pissed off, but he calms fast and takes the ball himself. He bounces it back and forth with Tanner, and then Brad throws the ball to my dad. He shoots, but Patrick blocks it. Then, Curtis picks it up and shoots, and it sinks through the net. All of them look at each other, surprised that he made the shot. My dad raises his hand to give Curtis a high five. Curtis sneaks a look at me and gives me a thumbs-up. I smile, but I hate how empty it makes me feel, how guilty I feel that I haven’t told him yet.

Tanner grabs the ball and retreats back up to the top of the court. Tanner quickly passes it to Brad for a ball check, and after Brad tosses it to Tanner, he shoots from the designated three-point line. It sinks through the net.

“There’s the man!” Dylan yells.

Tanner high-fives his family.

“Take it up, Curtis,” Brad says, staying down by the net.

Dylan lazily has his arms out as though Curtis isn’t much of a threat.

He dribbles it down the court, and Dylan lets Curtis by him, jogging up to the net. Then, Tanner reaches up, and hits the ball so hard, it flies down the driveway.

“Oh my,” Lana says next to me while the ball bounces past us.

Tanner and Curtis are standing chest-to-chest.

“I’ve never seen that look on Tanner’s face before,” Lana says.

I glance over, and she has her hand over her heart.

“It’s so—” Lana begins.

“Predatory,” my mom finishes, her hand reaching for and squeezing my arm.

“They’re just being competitive.” I attempt to veer their course of thinking.

My mom shakes her head but doesn’t add anything.

The boys continue to play.

Dylan runs back up with the ball in his hands. “Out on us. Your ball.” He tosses it to my dad.

Dad takes it up.

I’m astonished—and I’m sure the guys are, too—at how well Curtis is holding his own with them. For a country-club, silver-spoon kid, he’s good. Tanner and Curtis become more aggressive with elbows jamming into one another’s chest. Mostly, they guard one another instead of their designated opponent.

My fingers are in my mouth as I bite my nails during most of the game.

Curtis plows toward the net, and Tanner loses his footing, ending up on his ass. It’s the first time that Tanner never turns my way, and I almost wish he would, so I could silently tell him to lay off, to assure him that he won the girl, to let Curtis leave with a little dignity. But that never comes because the next time when Curtis shoots the ball, Tanner reaches up to grab it before it can go in the net, his elbow jabbing Curtis.

“Shit!” Curtis screams, his hand flies up to his nose.

nineteen

MY MOM INCHES TO THE edge of her chair, and Lana stands up.

“Oh my God,” my mom says, running to the freezer.

Curtis’s hands leave his face, and blood runs, puddling on the sidewalk. I jump from my seat and run over to him as all the guys circle around him—well, all the guys except for Tanner. He’s steadily walking in circles, his hands clasped behind his head.