Broken Beautiful Hearts(60)

The information throws Coach for a loop, and he studies Tucker like he’s checking to see if the kid has two heads. “Why the hell not?”

“My family moved to Black Water two years ago,” Tucker explains. “The requirements were different at my old middle school. So I never took—”

“I’m glad we cleared that up,” Coach says, cutting Tucker off and turning to Owen. “I hope you weren’t involved in this mess, Mr. Law. I’d hate to tell Cutter that you’re using my high school athletes as sparring partners.”

Owen rubs the back of his neck. “I wasn’t—”

Coach puts his hand on Owen’s shoulder and steers him toward our table. “I know it’s tough without your dad around. My old man left when I was about your age.”

Owen stiffens.

“You should think about wrestling again. You were damn good, and there’s nothing like being a member of a team.”

Owen was a wrestler?

“I’ll think about it, sir.” Owen maintains a respectful tone, but his rigid posture makes it clear that he doesn’t appreciate the advice. He returns to the table, but instead of sitting down again, he grabs his tray. “I’ll catch y’all later.”

Tucker follows him.

Grace and my cousins didn’t react when Coach mentioned the situation with Owen’s dad. Does everyone know? Owen looked so uncomfortable.

It’s hard to imagine what it would feel like if my dad had walked out on us. Whenever he left on a mission, all he wanted to do was get back to Mom and me. I knew there was a possibility he might not come home, but I never thought it would happen. Watching someone leave willingly is a different kind of loss.

The Twins drag themselves back to the table.

“Forty-five minutes of push-ups?” Christian complains. “I’m going to beat Titan’s ass.”

“It could be worse. Coach could’ve benched us,” Cam says.

“He wouldn’t have much of a defense without the three of us.” Christian smashes one of his sandwiches inside the plastic wrap.

“I’m sorry,” I say. “I feel like this is my fault. I don’t know why Titan is acting like this. Owen and I are just friends.”

Sort of.

“Titan will never buy that,” Cam says.

“Why not?” I ask. “It’s true.”

Christian smashes another sandwich like a bored little kid. “Everyone knows guys can’t be friends with girls. Not really.”

Grace gives him an incredulous look. “We’re friends.”

“That’s different,” Christian says without missing a beat.

“How do you figure?” Cam asks.

Pain flickers in Grace’s eyes for a second, then it’s gone. “Christian doesn’t think of me as a girl, that’s why.” She picks up her bag and gets up from the table. “I’m his sidekick, like one of the guys.”

“Come on, Grace. That’s not what I said.” Christian reaches for her arm, but she yanks it away.

“You don’t have to say the words for it to be true.”

“Trouble in paradise?” April asks from her table.

“Do everyone around here a favor, April,” Cam snaps, “and shut up.”

April glances at her friends, embarrassed. “Screw you, Cameron.”

Cam watches Grace walk out of the cafeteria.

“Grace!” Christian calls after her.

“I should find Grace.” Christian crushes his trash and presses it into a ball.

“Why don’t you leave her alone and stop jerking her around?” Cam asks.

“What are you talking about?” Christian sounds confused.

Cam leans across the table and looks his brother in the eye. “You know what I’m talking about. She doesn’t deserve it.”

“If I want your opinion, I’ll ask for it,” Christian says before he gets up and walks away.

“He’s just going to make it worse,” Cam says.

The sadness in his voice and the way he jumped all over his brother … something doesn’t add up. Or maybe it does.

“Does Grace know how you feel about her?” I ask.

“We’re just friends.” Cam looks away, shredding a paper napkin in front of him.

I lean closer and lower my voice. “Come on, Cam.”

He checks the area around us. When he seems satisfied that no one is eavesdropping, he props his elbows on the table. “You can’t tell Christian anything.” He lowers his head and rests it against his palm.

“I won’t.” I’m becoming an expert at keeping secrets. “But you should tell him before one of them figures it out.”

Cam laughs. “No chance of that happening. Christian can’t even figure out how he feels about Grace. In case you haven’t noticed, most people act like Christian and I are the same person. Hell, some of our friends still can’t tell us apart. Except Grace. And she only sees Christian. I’m background noise.” He collects the trays everyone else left at the table. “Let’s get outta here.”

“What if you’re wrong about Grace?” I ask as we leave the cafeteria. “Maybe if she knew how you felt—”

“Some things should be left alone.”