“Gross. No. And you know that since I’ve only ever done it with you in the room.”

I nuzzle her sweet-smelling neck. “We need to find Fletch and get this trip done faster. I want to go home and put the salami away.”

“You are twelve.” She turns in my arms and kisses me.

“Oh my God. Are you kissing your best friend’s girlfriend?

Shit. It’s Aylie, the coach’s daughter. And Coach standing there with her.

Fletch rounds the corner with the bread and stops. “Hey, Coach. Aylie.”

She points to me. “Your best friend was just macking on your girlfriend.”

“Aylie,” her dad intones, “this is none of our business. Go get the things on your mom’s list.”

“Dad! He deserves to know they are cheating on him.”

“It’s not our business.”

Fletch puts the bread in our cart and lets out a heavy sigh. He’s weighing the situation carefully, like he always does, but I see the determination in his eyes. I tell him with my eyes to shut it.

Dude, let it go, I beg without talking.

It’s time. We don’t need to live a lie, he answers.

Let’s talk this through first.

He shakes his head. “Coach,” he says aloud, “Shane and Penelope are not cheating on me. The three of us are involved in a relationship.”

Coach is a solid dude. A man’s man. I’m not sure how this is going to go. He clears his throat. “What are you saying, son?”

“We’re in love with each other. All three of us.” Holy shit. That was me. I said it.

“Oh my God,” Aylie says, her jaw dropping open. “You’re gay?”

“Aylie, let me handle this,” her dad tells her, and his voice is one you don’t mess with. When she’s gone, he folds his arms across his chest. Little bit seems intimidated, so I grab her hand. Coach clears his throat again. “Guys on the team know?”

“No, sir,” Fletch answers. “It’s really no one’s business but our own.”

“You got that right. But it’s going to get out now. My daughter is probably already texting anyone she thinks will care.”

“Yes, sir.”

“You best keep it together for the season. I don’t want any romance drama keeping us out of the playoffs. So, if you’re going to break up, do it after season is over.”

“Sir?”

“I mean it. I don’t give a shit what happens at your house, but you bring any crying to mine, we’ll have problems. You can do whatever you want after we win, but until then, you two better do everything you can to get along. Take care of your girl and keep the drama out of the locker room.”

“Yes, sir.”

He rolls his eyes at us and moves along. My heart beats fast in a delayed adrenaline rush.