Page 30 of Better Than Revenge

Sleeping,Maxwell responded.Your buzzing woke me up.

Put your phone on do not disturb, goof,I quickly texted back, then climbed in my car.

My drive over to Theo’s house was uneventful. Yes, we were doing this at his house. Yes, I felt like I was imposing. But he’d been the one to suggest his place and it made the most sense because he had the net and the gear and it wasn’t as public as the school where anybody could wander in and see what we were doing.

His house seemed even bigger during the day. We’d exchanged numbers before I left his party the night before, and I shot him a text as I walked the path to his front door.

Here.

Above the text was the one he’d sent last night:Okay, see you at eight-thirty.

The clock on my phone said eight-twenty-eight.

I scrolled up to read the whole exchange that had landed me on his porch.

He was the first to initiate contact at 10:43p.m., right as I’d gotten home:Were you serious about stealing the kicking spot?

I had texted back:So serious.

Ready to start training then?

So ready.

My house tomorrow still work?

So there.

Am I going to regret this?

Probably.

Okay, see you at eight-thirty.

I knocked on his door, hoping he’d beat his mom to answer it since I’d warned him with a text.

He did. The door swung open to reveal a sleepy-eyed Theo. He had a few pillow lines on his cheek, and his hair was ruffled. He was dressed, wearing some workout shorts and a tee…well, unless that’s what he slept in, it was hard to tell.

“Hey,” he said. “Come in.” He was barefoot but holding a pair of socks.

“I didn’t wake you, did I?”

“I look that bad, huh?”

I wasn’t sure Theo could ever look bad. He actually lookedkind of adorable with sleep face. “No, you look good, I mean fine. I mean— Never mind.”

He let out a low chuckle and led the way down the hall. “You look good and fine too.”

I knew he was mocking me, so I rolled my eyes. “Is your mom okay with all this?”

“What’s all this?” he asked, plopping onto a kitchen chair and pulling on his socks.

“Me. You. Not like…me and you…like me being here, you teaching me. Wow, what is wrong with me?” I didn’t normally stumble on words, or I tried not to, but I seemed to be doing that a lot when it came to him.

“Not sure,” he said, looking up at me through his lashes. “Sometimes I have that effect on people.”

“You did not just say that.”

“I only speak the truth.” He stood and retrieved a pair of shoes by the island. “Did you bring your soccer cleats?”