“Seriously?” He was rail thin. “Does he have a garbage disposal instead of a stomach?”
“I know, right?” She chuckled. “Kid’s metabolism is as fast as he is.” She switched from stretching her right leg to her left. “So, do you know if Preach is going to run track this year? I mean, he’s here, so I’m thinking that’s a good thing, but the rumors are that he might not, so who knows?”
“Oh, I don’t know.”
“Why not? He drives you to school, and you guys have to spend all of that time together in the basement…”
“Yeah, well, we don’t talk a ton. I don’t really like him, you know, since he crushed my wrist and all.”
“Oh, I get that. But…I totally busted you staring at him earlier.”
“No, you didn’t.”
“Oh, there was definitely some staring,” she teased me. “But hey, I can’t blame you. He’s a specimen for sure.”
She wasn’t wrong. Six feet, muscles, striking eyes…
“Busted.” She playfully slapped my shoulder, then bent her left leg behind her, stretching her quad. “I just hope he snaps out of whatever he’s going through.”
It was weird, though, how everyone was worried about him, and they were all saying he wasn’t acting like the old Preach. That this kind of behavior was way out of character for him.
Kinda made me want to meet this old Preach.
“Hey, a bunch of us are going to Taste of Rome after practice,” Sam said, changing the topic. “You should come.”
My stomach growled as if to answer for me, and she laughed.
“I’d love to, but I promised my parents I’d help unpack the last few boxes from our move. Our house is a disaster zone.” I’d kill for some pasta or whatever they served at Taste of Rome, though. I was sick of boxed mac ’n’ cheese.
“Next time?”
“Definitely.”
Preach and the rest of the guys he was hanging with earlier came up behind Sam and me.
“You guys are coming, right?” Mateo asked.
“I can’t.” I got up and brushed off my legs, even though there wasn’t anything on them. “Gotta get home.”
“You running?” Preach asked, his voice gruff.
I nodded, then glanced at Sam. “Thanks for the run.”
“I’ll find you on TikTok.” She grinned.
“No way, Grace. You gotta come!” Mateo said, his eyes lighting up and an infectious smile filling his face.
“I can drive you,” Preach said.
Okay, that surprised me. And it must have shown on my face because he coughed in his hand and said, “Or you can run. Whatever.”
“Come on,” Sam pleaded. “You have to come!”
“I didn’t bring any money,” I admitted. “I’d need to stop by my house first.”
Preach’s expression softened. “I got you covered. It’s the least I can do.”
Hmmm, maybe there was a nice Preach buried in there somewhere.