Chapter 43 I'm In

Chapter 43 I'm In
I slip out of Cole’s house with my soccer shoes clutched tightly in one hand and my heart hammering so loudly I am convinced the entire neighborhood can hear it. The evening air feels cooler against my flushed skin as I hurry down the short path between our houses. I keep glancing over my shoulder even though I know she has already left for my place. Please let her not have noticed them. Please let her have been too distracted by whatever excuse Cole fed her.
The front door of my house is unlocked, just like I left it. I push it open as quietly as I can and step inside, kicking off my regular shoes and trying to tiptoe toward the stairs. If I can just make it to my room, change into something that does not scream I just had sex with my best friend’s father, and act normal, maybe I can salvage the rest of the night.
“Where the hell have you been?”
Lena’s voice stops me cold in the hallway.
I freeze mid-step, my soccer shoes still dangling from my fingers, and turn slowly to face her. She stands in the living room doorway with her arms crossed, one eyebrow raised in that way she has when she knows something is off but has not figured out exactly what yet. My throat goes dry. My heart, which had just started to settle, kicks back into overdrive.
“I, uh, went for a quick walk to clear my head after the game,” I say, forcing my voice to stay light and casual. “You know how it gets after a big win. All that adrenaline. I needed to burn some of it off before I came home and crashed.”
Lena studies me for a long moment, her eyes flicking down to the shoes in my hand and then back up to my face. “You haven’t even changed yet? You’re still in your game kit. And why are you carrying your cleats inside like that?”
I laugh, but it comes out a little too high-pitched even to my own ears. “I rushed out of the house to Jake’s after you guys left. Didn’t even stop to change properly. Figured I would do it when I got back. No big deal.”
I watch her face carefully, searching for any sign that she’s piecing things together. The shoes. The time I was gone. The way Cole acted strange when she stopped by. But Lena just shrugs and gestures toward the kitchen with her thumb.
“Well, you better hurry up and change because Emma has almost eaten the entire cheesecake we brought back. She keeps saying it is celebratory and that you earned every bite after that goal, but at this rate there won’t be any left for you or your mom.”
Relief washes over me so strongly my shoulders sag. She doesn’t suspect anything about the shoes and she didn’t connect them to her house. Or if she did, she isn’t showing it. I manage a genuine smile this time and nod quickly.
“On it. Give me five minutes and I’ll be right down. Save me a slice, okay?”
I don’t wait for her reply. I bolt up the stairs two at a time and slip into my room, closing the door behind me with a soft click. My back presses against the wood for a second while I catch my breath.
That was too close. Way too close.
I toss the soccer shoes into the corner of my closet where they belong and peel off my game clothes, the fabric still carrying faint traces of Cole’s scent mixed with grass and sweat. I shove everything into the hamper and pull on soft sweatpants and an oversized hoodie, running my fingers through my hair to tame it. In the mirror I look mostly normal, just a little flushed, which I can blame on the game and the walk I claimed to have taken.
When I head back downstairs, the living room is filled with the warm glow of the lamp and the sound of easy laughter. Emma and Lena are sprawled on the couch with the board game Clue spread out on the coffee table between them. Slices of cheesecake sit on plates, forks already digging in. Emma waves her fork at me when I walk in.
“There she is! The star of the tournament. Come sit before I finish this last piece. We got chocolate marble and it is ridiculous.”
I drop onto the armchair across from them and accept the plate Lena hands me. The first bite melts on my tongue, rich and sweet, and for a moment I let myself enjoy it. The normalcy feels good after the chaos of the day. Game, sex, fight, near-miss with Lena, and now cheesecake like nothing happened. My life has become a masterclass in compartmentalization.
Lena takes another bite and then leans back against the cushions, her expression turning thoughtful. “So guys... I think my dad is secretly seeing someone.”
My fork pauses halfway to my mouth. My heart kicks up again, a fresh wave of nerves hitting me square in the chest. I force myself to take the bite and chew slowly, buying time while I study her face. She looks genuinely curious, not suspicious of me specifically, but the topic alone is enough to make my palms sweat.
“Why do you say that?” I ask, keeping my voice casual. “Did something happen?”
Lena sets her plate down and crosses her legs. “I stopped by the house earlier to grab my charger after we dropped you off. He was acting so weird. Like, super cagey. He wouldn’t let me go into his room, said it was a mess, kept trying to rush me out. Oh and he claimed he was on a conference call but I swear I heard voices before I even got upstairs. Then he said he was tired from the game and needed a shower right then. It was just off. He never acts like that.”
Emma laughs around her fork. “Maybe he really was tired. Or maybe he had a girl over. Your dad is hot, Lena. Single, successful, coaches college soccer. Women probably throw themselves at him.”
Lena makes a face. “Gross, Emma. That’s my dad. But yeah, I kind of thought the same thing. He’s been weird for weeks now. Disappearing at odd times, checking his phone a lot, coming home late. I figured it was just coaching stuff at first, but after today I'm not so sure.”
I swallow another bite of cheesecake, trying to keep my expression neutral even as my mind races. Cole’s lies worked on her, but barely. She noticed enough to bring it up here. I clear my throat and jump in before the silence stretches too long.
“I’m sure it’s fine. Besides, he’s seeing Emma, right? That might explain the weirdness. New relationship jitters or whatever.”
Emma shakes her head, licking chocolate from her fork. “We’ve only been on that one date. He’s not called or texted since. I thought it went well, but maybe he changed his mind. Men do that.”
Lena scoffs and reaches for another small piece of cheesecake. “Whoever it is, she cannot possibly be any good for him. I was kind of okay with the idea of him going out with you, Emma, because at least I know you. You’re not some random. But if it’s some tramp gold-digger trying to sink her claws into him for his money or whatever, I would be damned if she becomes my stepmother. No way.”
I feel the words land like a punch to the gut. Tramp. Gold-digger. Stepmother. My chest tightens and I have to look down at my plate to hide the flash of hurt that crosses my face. She has no idea she’s talking about me. The girl who has known her since we were kids, the one who held her when her mom died, the one who is currently sleeping with her father and falling harder every day. I force a small laugh and try to keep my voice steady.
“What if this woman actually loves him? What if it’s actually something real and not about money or status? People can surprise you.”
Lena rolls her eyes and waves her fork dismissively. “Please. I know my dad. After Mom died he shut that part of himself down completely. That man wont ever be able to love anyone again the way he loved her. No offense, Emma.”
Emma shrugs, but I see her eyes flicker briefly to me. “None taken. It was just one date anyway.”
The hurt deepens in my chest. I know Cole still carries his late wife with him. He’s told me as much in quiet moments. But hearing Lena say it so confidently, like it’s an absolute truth that no one could ever measure up, makes my throat feel tight. Because I’m the one who said I love you to him earlier today. I was the one hiding in his bathroom while he lied to his daughter. And according to Lena, none of it could ever be real.
I push the feelings down and take another bite of cheesecake, letting the sweetness cut through the bitterness. This is the life I chose when I kept going back to him. Secrets stacked on secrets. Lies told to the people I love most. I cannot even defend myself without blowing everything open.
Lena sets her empty plate aside and leans forward, her eyes lighting up with sudden purpose. “Anyway, since we’re on the topic... I have a mission and I am going to need both of you to help me out.”
Emma raises an eyebrow, intrigued. “A mission? Sounds serious.”
“It is,” Lena says, looking straight at me. “I want us to find out exactly who this woman is that my dad is seeing. We dig around, ask subtle questions, maybe follow him one night if we have to. And once we know who she is, we bring her down.”
My fork freezes halfway to my mouth again. The room feels suddenly smaller, the air thicker. Lena is looking at me with complete trust, expecting me to jump on board like we always do when one of us has a problem. Emma is already nodding, excited at the idea of playing detective. And I sit there with cheesecake turning to ash in my mouth, realizing that the mission she just handed us is aimed directly at me.
“So… what do you say?” she continues. “You two in?”
I force a smile and try to keep my voice steady even as my mind spins with the implications. “Yeah. Sure. I’m in.”