"I'm sorry my mother couldn't join us," I apologize as we walk into the room, Luke's eyes falling to my hand on Nate's arm, "she's busy with an important work project currently."
"I've met your mother a few times, she seems like a very focused woman," Chris starts as Nate pulls out my chair for me, everyone else taking seats around the table.
"Thank you," I whisper to him quietly as he takes the seat beside me, the other three discussing how my mothers hyper focused behaviour had passed to Luke and Charlie, but me, not so much.
"How's Scarlett?" Nate asks as there is a lull in conversation.
"Growing up far too quickly and still obsessed with you," He rolls his eyes, "Scarlett is my daughter, she's 6 and absolutely besotted with Nate," Chris explains to us.
"She's good friends with Jen. Avery looks after Jen a few days a week."
"Jen has mentioned her best friend Scarlett a few times, I just didn't realise she was your daughter. They sound like they cause quite a bit of trouble together." I chuckle, thinking of some of the stories Jen has told me the last few days.
"Oh yes, I think the best one was when they managed to get this one" Coach indicates to Nate "To turn up to practice with pink bows in his hair along with painted nails."
"Social suicide I'm telling you." Nate groans as we all laugh at the mental image "And not a word to anyone at the garage," he glares at Luke.
"It's a good job you're single, whoever that unlucky girl is would have you wrapped around her little finger," Luke mocks, I feel my heart beat a little faster at that. He's single. I'd thought it likely but not heard it spoken out loud until now. And the next question is; why does that affect me so much?
"So Charlie, what are your aspirations for the future?" Coach turns to Charlie as we all eat, getting down to what he obviously wanted to talk about tonight.
"The NFL is the ultimate goal, a pipe dream that I intend to make happen. Before that I am hoping for a scholarship, ideally to Notre Dame or Texas A&M." Charlie replied methodically, his game face on. He knew where he wanted to go and how he wanted to get there.
"Good, both good schools. The last person I trained with this amount of talent was Nate, but he didn't have the drive for it like you do, the determination and the focus. I'd like to offer you the position of Captain for the upcoming season." I felt tears welling in my eyes with pride as I listened to my brother's coach talk, Nate grabbing hold of my hand under the table.
"Thank you Coach, I appreciate the opportunity," my little brother's face was full of shock, masked with an excited smile.
"Congrats," Nate nodded at Charlie, "If you ever want someone to go over game tape or run plays, me and Jess would be glad to help. I got offered a scholarship to Notre Dame but, like Coach said, I didn't have the drive for it. I always knew I would finish my football career in high school." I squeezed his hand in thanks under the table.
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The rest of the meal passed with light conversation about Luke and Nate's high school football days. As Chalie walked Coach out Luke went to check on mom as Nate helped me to clean up from dinner.
"I think I need you to cook every meal for the rest of my life" Nate groaned as he stood next to me, drying the plates as I passed them to him. "Honestly, that was so amazing, thank you for letting me join."
"No problem. Thank you for what you said back there to Charlie. Luke played football but he was a kicker and never had the passion for it that Charlie does, he was more worried about parties and girls. It means a lot knowing he's got a good role model to look up to."
"I loved football, but I knew I didn't have the drive to make it my career. Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard, ya know? Charlie is lucky enough to have both, as well as a family that supports him." He puts the last plate away in the cupboard as Charlie comes skipping into the kitchen.,
"Yes!" he cheers "Thank you so much Aves. I'm so excited for the season now, I've never been Captain before." He bounces around with excitement before turning to Nate "Did you mean what you said about practice? Coach says I need to practice with a different Wide Receiver, that I've gotten too comfortable with Bent."
"Of course, I'm not a great WR, but the same thing happened to me with Jess, so he'll definitely help out," Nate nods at my younger brother, making me smile up at him.
"Okay, mum is asleep and I'm going out," Luke announces as he walks back into the room.
"Can I go to a party? Please? I won't drink and I promise I won't be late," Charlie looks beggingly between me and Luke.
"Okay, but you're not driving, I'll drop you off and you can only go if Avery can pick you up later?" Luke looks to me in question as I nod, "Keep your phone on, don't do drugs, don't drink and definitely do not get arrested as I will not be bailing you out." Luke was in dad mode, the kind where you wanted to nod and agree even if he wasn't talking to you.
"Of course," Charlie nods quickly.
"You have five minutes to get ready before I leave without you," Luke warns, making Charlie spin on his heels and dash up the stairs.
"That's fair right?" he looks to me once Charlie is out of sight.
"Definitely, all you've told him to do is obey the law and I'd rather pick him up than risk him getting in a car with someone who had been drinking." I agree, with mom not being around much in the evenings Luke had set the same rules for me.
"Are you alright picking him up? I don't like the idea of you going alone, do you want me to come back once I've dropped him off?" Luke may act big and tough, but he's truly just an over protective softie who worries about me and Charlie.
"I'll come with you," I hear Nate offer. "I was just going to watch a movie at mine with Rach and Jess, so if you want you can join us then I will come with you to pick Charlie up."
"Okay sure, that would be great, thanks. They can come here if you like, then there is no worry about waking Jenny up," I offer, it's the least I can do.
"Sure, okay I'll call them," He slips off down the hall as Charlie appears and gives me a hug before dashing out the door to wait at Luke's car.
Luke pulls me into a hug, "Call me if you need me," he tells me as he gives me a kiss on the cheek before following Charlie out the door.
YOU ARE READING
Head Over Boots
Teen Fiction"You're extraordinary Avery, I just wish you could see it," he whispers into my hair, if only he knew he was the one that made me extraordinary. ---------------------------- Avery, having finished her first year at college, returns home for the sum...
