“Coach, I may be a decent swimmer and a great student. But when it comes to men, I clearly have no idea what I’m doing.”
I swivel away as he says my name one more time, clearly regretting being so harsh with me.
“Shermer…”
I pause, not turning to look at him again. Just waiting to him to say something. Anything.
“Adelaide…”
My lip trembles, my back still to him.
“Adelaide, I wish things were different.”
I don’t respond. I physically cannot respond. I refuse to let him or anyone else see me on the verge of tears, so I bolt out of there as fast as I can.
I will never darken the doorway of his office again.
16
Weston
The cute redhead on my doorstep is a sight for sore eyes. I let her in and wrap her in a hug.
“Hi, sis, glad you called today.”
She lets go first and pushes past me. “What’s for dinner? I’m starving.”
“Nice to see you too, Barb,” I laugh.
She putters around my kitchen as we chat, but then stops short when she sees the swim team photograph I have magnetized to the fridge. She pauses to examine it. “My brother the swim coach, haha! I’ve never seen you in khakis before. You look like somebody’s dad.”
“Thanks,” I say, rolling my eyes, digging out the bottle opener from the kitchen drawer. “Somebody hired a professional studio photographer for our team photo at the beginning of the season. Guess they weren’t satisfied with the yearbook club, for some reason.”
“Oh… Is this her?” Barb points to Shermer immediately. How in the world did my spooky sister figure out so fast the identity of the woman I’ve been texting her about for months?
I crack o
pen two beers and hand her one. “Yeah.”
She whistles, examining the photo. “She’s absolutely stunning. I see the problem. Well, you wanted my advice, and I don’t know what to tell you except what you already know. Based one what you’ve told me, this girl has it bad.”
When I don’t answer, she swivels around.
“Wes?”
I stare at the pot on the stove just beginning to boil for our pasta dinner.
“Almost as bad as I do.”
Barb sighs and plops down on a barstool. “We’re going to need something stronger than beer, brother.”
17
Addie
The best thing I can say about this humiliating afternoon is at least Hunter and I talked things out. I spilled everything to her about my meeting with Coach Ford. And she spilled everything to me about why she’s been so cagey lately, which is a whole other story I’m still trying to wrap my brain around.
My plan is to get home, put one foot in front of the other, and hide out in my room until these swirling feelings pass. That plan is quashed as soon as I step inside the door. My mom and dad are waiting for me on the love seat, worried looks on their faces.