Chapter 5

WHITLEY

Today marks the first day of practice for Kendrick and Gabriel. They brought me along to watch from the stadium. Well, they had planned on just having me watch, but soon after introducing me to all the coaches, I’m standing there right beside them on the sidelines.

It’s amazing what these players do in order to get prepared. They even do yoga! I join in at the coach’s suggestion. Something about motivation for the players that hate yoga. I laugh and walk my curvy ass right up front beside Kendrick.

“Let’s do this shit, Barrington style,” he says, smiling.

There’s a lot of groaning even when the stretches aren’t that bad. The coach calls for a five-minute break, and Kendrick picks me up and carries me off the field bridal style. He has this pinched look on his face as he sets me back on my feet on the sideline.

“Don’t move from this spot, and don’t speak to anyone! I’m already going to have to beat them off with a stick,” he orders.

He starts to jog away.

“Is that such a bad thing?” I holler.

He stops dead in his tracks. His back is to me and his shoulders are stiff. He turns and jogs back until we’re nose-to-nose.

“When it’s my little sister, it’s a very bad thing.”

“You have to let me grow up one day, Dad.”

He nods once.

“Just not today.”

The assistant coach screams his name, and he goes back onto the field.

“He’s protective, isn’t he?”

I look over and see the head coach standing next to me, watching one of the assistant coaches do their thing.

“Yeah. Always has been since we were kids.”

He nods.

“May I ask how much of an age difference there is between you? He talks about you like you’re twins.”

“Nineteen months.”

“Wow. And Underwood? How does he fit into your life?”

I look at the coach and raise an eyebrow.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to get too personal,” he says, holding his hands up in the air.

“It’s fine. Gabriel and I just fuck. He’s hung like a damn horse,” I say as he takes a sip of water from the bottle in his hand.

The coach chokes on his water and drops his clipboard. Several players and assistant coaches look over to see what all the commotion is about.

~That’s what happens when you poke your nose where it really doesn’t belong.~

“Shit… I’m sorry. I really didn’t mean to get that personal.”

“It’s okay. We aren’t fucking either. He’s just my brother’s best friend and pretty much part of the family. Though from what I felt this morning, he is hung like a horse.”

He just shakes his head.

“So, you're single?”

“Yeah. Kendrick won’t let anyone near me without his permission. So yeah, single.”

“Good to know.”

I look at him with a ~what-the-hell~ look, and he holds his hands up in the air again.

“Not what you think. I’ve been married for thirty-five years. I’m just glad I won’t have to play referee to the hot, new girl.”

I laugh.

“No, Kendrick took that position.”

“Though it makes me wonder.”

“What?”

“Does he know that?” He nods toward a group of players.

“Does who know that?”

“Underwood. Does he know you’re not his? Because let me tell you, speaking from experience, the look in his eyes when he looks at you makes me believe he doesn’t know that.”

***

After practice, I wait outside the locker room while the guys shower. Must be nice. I need a shower desperately. The coach walked in a few minutes ago to speak with them. I’m not sure what was said, but everyone comes out with a somber look. Everyone except Gabriel. For some reason, his ass comes out grinning from ear to ear. Now Kendrick, on the other hand, looks pissed. He grabs my hand.

“Let’s go,” he says, pulling me along so fast my feet can’t keep up.

“Kendrick! You have to slow down! I can’t keep up with the speed you’re going, damn!”

He has to realize he’s six foot four to my five foot six. As he keeps going, I trip. Gabriel catches me around the waist, keeping me from face-planting straight into the cement. Gabriel glares at Kendrick.

“Stop! You almost hurt her!” he shouts.

“Sorry, sis,” Kendrick says.

“You act like I did something wrong. Like, what the fuck?” I say.

We’re stopped right outside of the tunnel. He looks at me, really looks at me. Then he takes me into one of his bear hugs.

“I’m so sorry, Whit.”

“What the hell is wrong with you?” I ask.

“Everyone wants to either date you or fuck you. Hell, some want both,” he mumbles against my shoulder, still holding me in his bear hug.

“And that’s so horrible?”

“You’re my little sister, Whit.”

“No. I’m your younger sister. I’m far from little anymore. You’re going to have to let me go sometime.”

He pulls back and stares at me with eyes the same shade of green I see in the mirror every morning.

“What if you choose wrong?” he asks, looking down.

“Then it’s my mistake to make.”

“I can’t, Whit,” he says, shaking his head.

“What’s this really about, Kendrick?”

He’s pacing. Players are still coming out of the tunnel, and Gabriel hollers for them to keep going. Kendrick finally looks up at Gabriel and then at me.

“There’s someone special for you, Whit. He’s just got to get his head out of his ass and talk to me about it. I also don’t want you and me to end up like me and Devyn.”

~There it is.~

“We will never end up like that. I won’t allow it,” I say. “Devyn pushed everyone away, not just you. One day, she’ll come to her senses and realize that family means everything. As for this ~special person~, if he hasn’t come to you already, then I’m pretty sure he’s not that serious about me.”

Kendrick looks back up at Gabriel and then back at me. He takes a heavy breath, like what he’s about to say is important.

“I’m not so sure about that, Whit. It’s just that sometimes, fear overcomes everything, and not knowing what the future holds is enough to scare the shit out of anyone.”