Page 156 of The Heart Breaker

Nathan gives him a look. “Behave.”

“Never.”

Maisie tilts her head, watching Nathan work at the knot in Logan’s neck. “You should get one of those massage guns. My brother has one and swears by it.”

Nathan drops his hand, shaking his head. “Yeah, whatever you do, don’t borrow Ryan’s.”

Ryan goes weirdly still beside me, and so does Isabella. Her eyes go wide, a flush climbing up her neck as she avoids her brother’s gaze.

Nathan’s face drops and he looks horrified. “No.”

Logan looks between them, completely lost. “What?”

Nathan’s eyes flick from Ryan to his sister and back again, horror spreading across his face. “No,” he repeats.

Austin looks between all of them. “Wait. What happened?”

Ryan clears his throat. “Nothing.”

Nathan drags a hand down his face. “Jesus. I need to go home and bleach my brain.”

I have no clue what the hell happened with the massage gun, but before anyone can say more, I hear my name and turn toward the door.

Sophie’s walking in with a smile on her face, Coach Hayes and his wife right behind her.

She’s wearing jeans, Chucks, and one of those dark blue overshirts layered over a white long-sleeve shirt, her hair curled loose around her shoulders, and for a second all I can do is stare because she looks older somehow. She actually looks her age.

A smile starts pulling at my mouth when she heads toward me, but then her eyes land on Aurora and, just like that, I’m fucking invisible.

I turn and see Aurora already moving toward us, smiling as she opens her arms, and Sophie goes right into them without hesitation. The sight of it hits me so hard in the chest I actually have to swallow down the rock lodged in my throat.

I should’ve known my sister would love Aurora.

The first time they met, I’d been nervous as hell, but they clicked almost instantly like they’d known each other forever. I’dnever seen Sophie get that comfortable with someone that fast before.

Aurora took her shopping for new clothes after that, because Sophie desperately needed them, and then got their nails done together because Sophie had never had hers done before. I had no fucking clue about how expensive girls’ stuff was until I saw the total, but I paid it without a second thought, obviously, because I take care of my girls.

And when Aurora sent me a picture after, I just sat there staring at my phone with my heart stuck in my throat.

Her nails were this deep red and Sophie’s were black with tiny silver stars on them.

It was such a small thing, but all I could think when I looked at it was that my sister finally got to do normal shit like every other teenager.

I’d have paid any amount in the world for that.

Coach steps up beside me while Aurora and Sophie drift toward the painting, his wife following after them with a smile on her face. He watches them for a minute before he glances over at me.

“Looks like your sister prefers your girlfriend over you.”

I let out a quiet huff, but my throat tightens anyway. “She looks really happy,” I say, watching Sophie smile at Aurora while they talk.

He keeps his eyes on her. “A happy environment will do that.”

I nod and bite down on the inside of my cheek.

Coach told me he’d help. Told me from the start he’d do whatever he could. But never, not once did I think he’d step in the way he did and foster her himself.

The night he told me he and his wife had applied and wanted Sophie with them, I almost lost it right there in his office. I heldit together long enough to get to my car, then just sat there and broke apart.