The Friendship List(85)

Ellen.

Things had not gone the way he’d expected, but he wasn’t about to complain. They’d been friends for a long time and the fact that they were now sleeping together was a complication. Still, he wasn’t sorry. However they were going to define their relationship, he wanted to keep seeing her in every way possible. Even needing a good night’s sleep, he’d missed her last night. His hotel bed had been empty and cold without Ellen snuggling against him until dawn.

Maybe once Coop and Lissa were settled, they could get together. He wasn’t sure how to go from their usual hanging out to the bedroom but he was sure they could figure something out. He smiled as he reminded himself she would be more than a little motivated. Since discovering the pleasures of a man-induced orgasm, Ellen had been eager to explore the concept and he doubted she’d been any happier about their forced estrangement.

At some point, they were going to have to talk about where they were in their relationship, as well. Going back to just friends was a possibility, but not one he liked the sound of. So were they going to date? Were they past dating and already involved?

He saw the high school up ahead and told himself he and Ellen would figure it out later.

“Wake up, everyone,” he called loudly. “We’re home.”

Everyone started stirring. As Keith turned the bus into the high school, he saw several sets of parents waiting. He rolled into the parking lot to the sound of applause from the back of the bus.

He turned off the engine and opened the doors. “We made it,” he said, standing and stretching. “Okay, check all around you to make sure you’ve got your stuff. If you leave it behind and I like it, I’m keeping it.”

“Maybe I should stay on the bus,” Ellen teased quietly, collecting her tote bag.

He grinned. “I’d like that very much.” He dropped his voice to a whisper. “Were you bad today?”

Before she could answer, a couple of the moms walked onto the bus.

“You’re back! Andy, darling, I missed you so much.”

Andy hurried up front. “Mom, you could have waited.”

His mother ignored that and hugged him. “You were gone for so long. You barely texted. My heart was broken.”

“Oh, Mom.”

They walked off together. Keith followed them and opened the luggage storage compartments. Coop and Luka joined him and began setting out bags.

“Thanks for everything,” Luka said, as he worked. “I gotta get back to see my mom. You know how she gets.”

Keith handed him his duffel. Coop grabbed his.

“Yeah, thanks, Coach. This was great.”

The two headed off together. Keith frowned. Wouldn’t Coop go home with his mom? Unity would be picking her up any second. He shook off the thought and dealt with the other parents who showed up. It took only a few minutes for everyone to clear out.

“Unity’s on her way,” Ellen said, standing next to her luggage. “I know you’re tired. You don’t have to wait.”

“I don’t mind.” He glanced at Lissa. “You can sit on the bus, if you want. I’ll stay out here with Ellen.”

Lissa glanced between them, sucked in a breath and said, “Dad, I slept with Luka on the trip.”

Keith heard the words, but they didn’t make sense. It was as if his daughter suddenly had started speaking Danish—not that he would recognize Danish, nor did he know why that language popped in his head. But whatever it was, it wasn’t English. It couldn’t be. If it was, that meant he could understand her and—

“Just like that,” Ellen said, sounding more weary than shocked. “That was your plan? What happened to everything we talked about last night?”

Talked about? Last night? Last night when Ellen and Lissa had unexpectedly shared a room because the hotel had—

He spun to stare at Ellen. “You knew!”

She twisted her hands together. “It’s not what you think. Okay, it’s what you think but it’s not...” She made a strangled noise in her throat. “Keith, I’m sorry.”

“You knew!” He couldn’t believe it. Ellen had known Luka and his daughter were—

“I can’t even think it,” he snapped, glaring at his daughter. “You lied.”

“I didn’t. I wasn’t doing it the last time you asked.”

“But you wanted to.”

Lissa covered her face with her hands. “What is it with you thought police people? I refuse to be in trouble for thinking something. I just refuse.”

He had no idea what to say to his daughter, so he returned his attention to Ellen. At least there he could give in to his rage.

“How could you not tell me?”

“I know. I’m sorry.” She sounded desperate. “It was so awful. I went into Lissa’s room in Medford. I wanted some fashion advice and they were there, in bed. I was so shocked. I told them to stop.”

He narrowed his gaze. “You told them to stop? Wow. Great. Then I guess it’s all okay.”

“Keith, no. Please, I would never betray you. You know that. You know me. I wanted to tell you, but not on the trip. What would you have done?”

“Killed Luka.” That was the obvious solution. He should have thought of it before.

“Da-ad!”