Eighteen

Chapter 15 — Tom’s Races

Friday, February 19^th

There are a lot of spectators in the stands. I know my friends are among them, but I’m not able to pick them out. It doesn’t matter that I can’t see them; just knowing they are there gives me extra motivation to do my best today. My stomach churns because I’m eager to compete. Being excited and anxious is taking a toll on my nerves, so I pace while waiting for my first race.

When the coach sees me, he walks over and gives me a personal pep talk, encouraging me to focus on my training and nothing else. This calms me a bit, but my muscles are wound tight, like a twisted rubber band, so I ask Mark if this is how I’m supposed to feel before a meet. He tells me that it’s okay to be nervous but not to focus on it, and he shows me how to shake my muscles to loosen up. This helps quite a bit.

My short race is first–only two laps; the fifty free. The longer events will come later when I swim the one-hundred free and the two medley relays where I’ll be the anchor.

Placing both of his hands on my shoulders, Mark looks me in the eye and says, “Tom, just swim like you do in practice. You’ll be fine. Now take a deep breath and try to relax.”

It’s finally time for my first heat.

Glancing to my right, I watch my competitors get on their blocks. Climbing onto my block, I look down at my feet to make sure they are positioned the way I’ve been trained. I want everything to be perfect. Then, I look to my right again to measure the guys I’ll be swimming against. I’m intimidated by a couple of them, but remember Mark’s advice and shake my limbs.

The official tells us to take our marks, so I bend over and get into my grab start stance. Lifting my head, I focus on the water and smell the chlorine as it wafts into my nostrils. It seems like forever before the horn blows, but once it does, I push off with my legs and let my arms swing forward to get the best dive start possible. The rest becomes instinct when I break the surface and pull myself through the water, kicking hard to propel myself forward.

Approaching the T at the end of the lane marker, I know my turn is coming up. I wait until I get to the right place, tuck my chin, and pull my legs over my body, completing my somersault. Blowing water from my nose as I do this, my feet hit the wall. I tuck my knees against my chest as my momentum continues to propel me forward and then spring forward, pushing away as hard as I can. Then, I perform a few dolphin kicks to drive myself toward the finish, and when I break the surface, I quickly bring my arm forward and dig. My body accelerates as I resume my freestyle kick and pull myself through the cold water.

Before I know it, my two laps are over when my palm hits the wall. I quickly look around to see who finished before me and can’t believe my eyes when I’m a length ahead of the second-place swimmer. Slinging my arms over the lane marker, I rest on it for a few seconds to catch my breath. I’m still in awe that I finished first. I can do this!

When I climb out of the pool, the coach and Mark are there to congratulate me. They tell me to find someplace to relax until my next race. Sitting on the pool deck with my back against a concrete wall, I watch the other heats. I’m focusing on the various techniques other swimmers have when I’m shaken from my trance by two competitors who join me. I immediately recognize them and am shocked!

“Good race, Tom,” Marco tells me.

“Thanks! You saw it?”

“I’m the guy you beat. I didn’t know you were that good of a swimmer.”

“Well…I have to give credit to my coach and teammates. They worked with me a lot to get me ready for this.”

“I think you underestimate your ability,” Lindsay says as they sit down next to me.

“I didn’t know you guys were on the swim team,” I said.

“Yeah, well…you weren’t at our school long enough to know, I suppose. But, if you had come to a water polo game, you would have seen me play,” Marco says.

“I guess. I was so pissed the coach wouldn’t let me join the team that I wrote off the whole idea of swimming…until I moved here anyway.”

“Is your girlfriend here?” Lindsay asks.

“Yeah. She’s somewhere in the crowd with some of my friends,” I brag.

Lindsay looks into the crowd, but when she sees me watching her, she quickly diverts her stare. She smiles at me and then gets up and walks away.

“Well…I’m not going to wish you luck because I have a feeling we’re going to be racing against each other some more,” Marco says as he joins his sister and walks away.

I’m shocked. First off, they are on their swim team. Second, I beat Marco, I…beat…Marco! And lastly, they came over and talked to me. I don’t want my victory to go to my head, so I shake it off and focus on my upcoming races.

The rest of the meet goes like my first race. We were behind a little before my leg in each of the medley relays, but I swam as hard as possible and pulled out wins for us. I didn’t look for Marco in any of my heats because I didn’t want to be intimidated, knowing I would be racing against him. When Lindsay raced, though, I silently cheered her on.

When the meet ends, I go into the locker room, shower, change, and get to the bus. All the guys punch me on the shoulder as they walk by my seat to congratulate me on how well I did. I’m excited and can’t wait to see Christina so we can talk about the meet.

***************

Christina, Jesse, and Nicole wave when I step off the bus, so I go over to them. Christina jumps in my arms and gives me a kiss while Mark walks over to Jesse, and she congratulates him on how well he did. I tell Christina I’m starving, and she suggests we get something to eat.

“You guys going with us?” I ask Jesse and Nicole.

“No,” they both answer at the same time.

“I have homework and don’t want to see your PDA,” Jesse teases.

“I’m meeting Clark at the mall,” Nicole says.

Christina and I get some burgers and talk about the swim meet.

“Was that Lindsay I saw you talking to?” Christina asks.

“Yeah. Turns out that she and her brother, Marco, are on the swim team.”

“No kidding? So that was her brother that was with her?”

“Yep.”

I see the wheels turning in Christina’s head, but she doesn’t say more about Lindsay or Marco, so I drop it.

When we finish eating, I take Christina home. We enter the house, and her dad asks me how I did. I’m about to give him the results when Christina cuts me off and narrates each of my events. She explains that one of the schools we swam against is one of the best in the state and usually wins everything, but not this time because I beat them out. This is news because the coach didn’t tell us anything about the other schools we were competing against. I want to brag about beating Marco, but I know they won’t understand how much that means to me, so I keep quiet about it.

Her dad pats me on the back and says, “Good job.”

Christina goes up to her room to drop off her school stuff and comes back down and stands next to me in the entryway.

“So, what do you want to do now?” I ask.

“I don’t know,” she says. “I’m used to you working and didn’t think about going out tonight. What are you in the mood to do?”

“I’m kinda tired, physically, but my mind is racing a mile a minute.”

Christina asks her parents what they’re doing tonight, and they tell her they’re going to watch a movie they just bought. When they invite us to join them, Christina looks at me, and I shrug in agreement.

We make some popcorn and grab some sodas before meeting her parents in the living room. Christina plops down on my lap with her back resting against her dad when I sit on the sofa next to him. He looks at me questionably, but when Christina turns around and kisses him on the cheek, he smiles. Mr. Taylor puts his arm around his wife, and she snuggles into him as he presses Play on the remote.

The phone rings just as the opening credits end, and Mr. Taylor hits the Pause as Christina jumps up to answer it.

“It’s your dad, Tom.”

I go to the phone, wondering why the heck he’s calling. “What’s up, Dad?”

“What are you doing, Son?”

“Getting ready to watch a movie. What’s up?”

“Are you going to be here tomorrow around two?”

“I can be. What do you need me to do?”

“I need you to be here. A coach from UCLA called and wants to meet with us.”

“Really? Uh, yeah, I’ll be sure I’m home then,” I answer before saying goodbye and hanging up the phone.

Christina and her parents look at me and ask if everything’s okay.

“I think so. I mean, I don’t have any reason to think something is wrong,” I say. “It’s just that,” I pause before continuing with an unsure tone in my voice, “a university coach called and wants to meet with my dad and me tomorrow.”

“Why?” Christina asks.

“I don’t know.”

“Can I be there?” she asks.

“I don’t see why not,” I say.

Her parents look at each other, smile, and start the movie. It’s a good show, but the company is better because I love hanging out with the Taylors. When the video ends, Christina walks me to the door, and I wrap my arms around her tight and give her a long kiss. She asks if she can come over in the morning, and I tell her that she’s welcome to come over anytime she wants.

Saturday, February 20^th

I wake up after the best sleep I’ve had in a long time, not a single dream. The morning sun streams through my window, and someone’s lying next to me. I look over, and it’s Christina. My brain is foggy and confused as I wipe the sleep from my eyes because I know I went to bed alone last night. When did she get here? She’s fast asleep as I turn towards her, and she cuddles into me. Putting my arm around her, I pull her closer and look at the clock, it’s nine, so I fall back asleep. An hour later, I wake again when I feel her stir, and she’s staring at me. She kisses me on the cheek and tells me, good morning.

“Good morning to you. When did you get here?”

“About eight.”

“Your parents didn’t wonder why you left so early?”

“No. My dad was still asleep, and my mom knew I wanted to spend the day with you.”

“Hmmm…,” I moan. “I wish I could wake up every morning with you next to me.”

“I can tell,” she says as she grabs my morning wood.

Christina climbs on top of me and slowly moves her hips to guide my cock into her wet pussy.

“Wow…you’re ready to go,” I say.

Christina kisses my nose as she leans down and begins rocking her hips. She’s warm and inviting, and when she sits back up, I cup her tits in my hands and squeeze them. Kneading her mounds, I pull on her nipples as they roll between my fingers. She speeds up and places her hands on my pecs for support as she bounces. On her downstrokes, her ass slaps against me hard, and guttural moans escape her throat. Christina throws her head back and whips her hair side-to-side as she fucks me. She stiffens when she comes and then collapses on my chest, breathing hard, so I roll us over and lay on top of her.

Sitting back on my haunches, I guide my cream-covered shaft back into her. Her pussy is super slippery, so I thrust in and drive my cock to the hilt. Then, I pull out slowly. She grunts as she opens her eyes and licks her lips. I thrust in again, and her brows furrow as her eyes squint. I repeat my actions, slowly pulling out and then driving in hard.

Leaning down, I kiss her forehead and then whisper in her ear, “I’m going to come now. Are you ready?.”

She nods. Speeding up, I drive hard and fast until my balls tense.

Christina senses what’s coming, so she puts her hands around my neck and holds tight. I drive in forcefully and stay inside her, not moving. I come hard. Waves of cum burst into Christina’s womb as my balls churn. Her hips rise to meet me while her walls contract around my cock, and then her legs quiver. A drop of sweat falls from the tip of my nose and lands on her lips. Her tongue reaches out and licks the salty drop away, and she smiles. When she collapses and lets out a deep sigh, I gently move my hips, mixing our juices until I soften and fall out. Her beauty takes my breath away as I hover over her on my elbows.

“Let me clean you off,” she requests in a quiet tone.

“Only if you let me return the favor.”

We switch places, and she turns around, bringing her dripping pussy close to my nose, causing my desire to rise. She takes me in her mouth and bathes me with her lips and tongue while I drink her in, exploring every crevice and consuming every drop possible. I’m stiff again as she turns around to face me.

“I don’t think we have time for another round,” I say.

Wrapping my legs around Christina’s waist as she lies on top of me, She drops on top of me and nestles her head under my chin. We stay like this for a few minutes, soaking in our love for each other.

“We should get up,” I say.

“Can’t we just stay like this all day?” she asks.

“I wish.”

She rolls off of me, and I get up and open my door. Looking out, I see the coast is clear, so we scurry to the bathroom so we can shower together. After dressing, we walk out to the front room to find my dad sitting in his chair.

“Well, you two lovebirds finally emerge.”

“Sorry, Dad. I got in late last night.”

He looks at Christina and smiles when he asks, “You spend the night?”

“No. I got here around eight and crawled into bed with my Prince Charming.”

“How’d you get in?” he asks Christina. Then he looks at me without waiting for an answer and asks, “Did you leave the door unlocked?”

“No. I forgot to tell you; I gave her a key. It’s okay, isn’t it?”

He looks at Christina and then back at me. “I don’t mind, as long as she understands that she may walk in on me naked or having fun with some friends.”

“I know that,” she interjects. “I promise to duck out if Tom isn’t here, and you’re not expecting visitors.”

My dad nods and says, “It won’t bother me if you’re here. I just don’t want you to be startled by what you may walk in on.” He then changes the subject and asks, “You kids hungry? There’s food in the kitchen.”

“Ravenous,” we both say at the same time.

We go into the kitchen, eat and clean up the mess before gathering the dirty laundry. The hampers are missing.

“Dad, where’s the hampers so I can start the laundry?” I yell from my room.

“Don’t worry about the chores. I’ll take care of them today.”

I stick my head around the corner to see if it’s really my dad sitting there. He sees me with a shocked look on my face and begins chuckling.

“I want you ready to sit down with the coach when he gets here,” he says.

“OH. Right. Did he say why he’s coming?”

My dad chuckles again, “You don’t know?”

“No.”

“He’s coming here to recruit you. He wants you to swim for them.”

Christina pokes her head around the corner and says, “Really?”

“That’s insane,” I say. “I’ve only had one meet.”

“Well,” my dad continues, “you must’ve made one hell of an impression because they don’t come out to visit just anyone.”

Christina and I look at each other, bewildered.

“I better change then!” I say.

Changing out of my t-shirt and shorts, I put on some slacks and a button-down shirt.

***************

There’s a knock at the door, so I open it. It’s the coach and a couple of college students. He introduces himself and them, telling us they’ll be swimming in the upcoming Summer Olympics. I invite them in, offer them a seat and some water. They don’t want anything to drink, and the coach goes right into his spiel.

He tells us that he was at the meet to scout some athletes from another school when he saw me swim. He spoke with my coach during the competition and learned this is my first year to compete. He’s amazed at my ability and wants me to commit to swimming for them.

“Do you play water polo, too?” he asks.

“I’ve never played, but I’ve practiced at one of my old high schools.”

I tell him that I’m not sure if I can afford the tuition because I haven’t heard back about my financial aid or scholarship applications.

“That’s not a problem,” he says, “I’ll give you a full ride. You won’t have to worry about housing, food, tuition, books, or any other school expenses.”

Wow! Really? “Uhm…I want to go to the same university as Christina, so I’m not sure if it would be right for me to commit until the acceptance letters arrive.”

He asks Christina about her GPA and then says she’ll be guaranteed acceptance if I commit. I look at her, and her eyes are big. This school is her number one choice, but I don’t tell him that.

“How long do I have to make a decision?”

“Two weeks. Tom…this offer is conditional. You need to keep your grades up, and you will have to try out and make the team over the summer. If you make the team, then the scholarship will take effect.” He pauses, looks at each of us, and then continues, “There is one last thing, and this is important. You and your family cannot talk about this with anyone. It must be kept confidential.” He looks at Christina and continues, “Christina, the same goes for your family. You are involved in this deal, so I expect you’ll discuss it with your parents, but it cannot be discussed with anyone else.”

“What about my coach?” I ask.

“We’ve already spoken. He won’t discuss it with anyone but you and his administration. I expect he won’t want your teammates to know.”

I take his card, shake his hand, and thank him. I tell him that I’ll call him with my answer. We shake hands again, and they leave.

After shutting the door, we explode in excitement. My dad tells me it’s my decision and that opportunities like this don’t happen to just anyone. He explains that schools are stingy with their aquatic scholarships and that I should take it seriously. I tell him I want to speak with Christina’s parents and my coach before accepting.

“I understand, Son,” he says as he slaps me on the back. “I’m proud of you. Being able to do this with all you’ve gone through shows a real work ethic. Nice job!”

“Thanks, Dad.” He’s never told me that he’s proud of me before. Hearing those words from his lips almost brings tears to my eyes, but I push my emotions down. My relationship with him has come a long way since last summer, and it makes me super happy.

Christina and I get some lunch on the way to her parent’s house, and when we walk inside, her dad asks how the meeting went. I’m about to explain when Christina cuts me off and enthusiastically tells them about being offered a full ride and that I might get to play water polo too. Her dad shakes my hand, congratulates me, and asks if I accepted the offer. I tell him that I haven’t because I wanted to speak with them and my coach first.

He looks at Christina and asks what she’ll do if she’s not accepted there and if she’s prepared to attend a different university. She gives me a hug and tells her dad that she doesn’t have to worry about it. He looks confused, so I explain that the coach guaranteed Christina’s acceptance if I committed. Her parents look at each other and then at me and smile.

“You have a big decision to make, son.”

“I know.”

He slaps me on the back and says, “Good man.”

“Uhm…Dad?” Christina asks. “The coach said that we’re not allowed to discuss this with anyone. We were only allowed to tell you because I will be accepted if Tom commits.”

“Not a problem, sweetheart. Mum’s the word,” her dad says.

“Tom?” Mrs. Taylor asks, “Would you like to have dinner with us tonight to celebrate?”

“That’d be awesome. What can I bring?”

“I understand you’re a great cook and was hoping you’d make some of that delicious cheesecake Christina told us about.”

“Sure. I’d love to.” Christina and I are standing there holding hands when I continue, “I’ll need to go to the store to get the stuff for it.”

“That’s fine. In fact, I have a list of things I need. Maybe the two of you can go shopping for us?”

I look at Christina, and she seems okay with it, so her mom writes out the list, her dad gives us some cash, and we leave.

Nobody’s home when we get back, so we put the groceries away and start on the cheesecake. I ask her to make the topping as I hand her the bag of frozen strawberries.

“Just put them in the pan with some water, so they thaw. Then add the other ingredients,” I say. She giggles, and I know it’s because I didn’t say unthaw.

“Yes, sir.”

We finish just as her parents walk in the door, so we stick everything in the fridge, and I ask if there’s anything else I can help with. Her mom smiles at us and tells us to relax until dinner’s ready, so we go into the family room, where it’s quiet, and the chances of being disturbed are remote. Christina closes the double doors and then sits on my lap. I wrap my arms around her as we discuss school, sports, and our futures.

“I really do want us to go to the same school,” I say. “Even if it means I don’t swim.”

“I want the same thing, but I want you to swim. You enjoy it, and you’re very good at it.”

“I know we decided not to talk about our future together,” I hesitate, “but–”

“I know,” she interrupts. “A lot of things have changed since we said that.” She takes a deep breath. “No matter what happens with school,” she says, “I want us to be together for the rest of our lives.” She gets an earnest look on her face as she turns to look at me and continues, “This isn’t because you’ve been offered a scholarship and not even because you’re a great swimmer. This is because I love you and don’t want to live my life without you. Whether you accept the scholarship or not doesn’t matter to me, I want to be with you…forever.”

I fight back a tear that forms in the corner of my eye, but not quick enough because Christina wipes it from my cheek with her fingertip. I kiss her deeply and know that it’s impossible to love her any more than I do right now.

She continues, “We’re too young to get married. We both agree on that. But please promise that we’ll stay together. I know there’ll be good days and bad days. We may disagree and even argue, but, in the end, we need to be together.”

“I promise,” I say.

I hold her around the waist with her body resting against me as we enjoy each other’s company.

Christina’s mom calls out for her, so we get up and walk to the kitchen. She wants Christina’s help, so I let go of her hand and step out onto the back porch, staring at the pool. Mr. Taylor sees me and comes out with a couple of bottles in his hand.

“Root beer?”

“Thank you.” I stand there, lost in my thoughts about Christina and our future together.

“Something on your mind?” Mr. Taylor asks.

I look at him for a moment and then say, “Bob,” his eyebrows rise as I continue, “I can still call you that, can’t I?” He nods, so I keep going, “When we first met, almost two months ago, you asked me a question I didn’t have an answer for.”

“I remember.”

“Christina and I are young, extremely young. We both know that. We’ve only been dating for a short while and have only known each other for about three months,” I pause. “That’s not a lot of time to get to know someone.”

“No, it’s not,” he says hesitantly.

I take a deep breath and let it out slowly, “Sir, I’m in love with your daughter. I have been for a while. At first, I thought it was just an infatuation or attraction because she’s so beautiful.” I turn and fixate on the pool, letting the calmness of the water soothe my keyed-up brain. I continue, “But it’s not…it’s love. When I’m not with her, my life feels empty. When she’s around me, even in the vicinity, I feel complete.”

“Sounds like love.”

I turn to watch her in the kitchen, next to her mom, through the pane windows. “I’d lay down my life for her,” I pause again. “I’d give her anything and everything I own. My strongest desire is for her to be happy.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

“We’ve talked about our future, and we want the same thing: to be together the rest of our lives.” I hold my hands up as I explain, “We know we’re too young to get married and have a family of our own. We know we need more education, be more mature, and that I need to provide. We know all of this, but the desire is there, and it’s deep.”

“Sounds like you’re on the right path,” he says. “Tom, I’m going to tell you something: between you and me. I won’t ever admit saying this, but I’m going to say it to you, here and now.”

I turn and look at him.

“I like you. You’re responsible and thoughtful. You have a good head on your shoulders, and you’re forward-thinking,” he says. “If there’s anyone I wish for our daughter, it’s you.”

I look at him, surprised.

“Just so you know,” he says, “I’ll still give you stern looks, and I’m going to be strict. I may even make a snide remark here or there, but it’s a show for the women. I respect you, young man. It took a lot of guts to stand here and say these things to me.”

I chuckle. “Guts. Maybe. But it feels good to get it off my chest. Tell you what…I’ll make you a deal. You keep giving me those stern looks,” I say with a grin as I shake his hand firmly, “and I’m going to apologize now for any more trouble I may get you into with Mrs. Taylor.” We both laugh and come to an understanding that the conversation never happened.

Christina sticks her head out the door and tells us dinner’s ready, so we go inside and sit down. Just then, Jesse comes bounding around the corner and grabs a place setting so she can join us.

“It looked like you two were having quite the conversation out there,” Mrs. Taylor says. “Tom? What was it about?”

“Eh, just guy stuff. He’s still trying to scare me off, but I’m too stubborn,” I joke.

He gives me an evil eye, and Christina reaches over and places her hand on top of his. “Now, Daddy, what did I say?”

He chortles. “Okay, okay, but one day I’ll get to him.”

Everyone at the table laughs.

Jesse gives me her mischievous, evil smile and winks before saying, “You want to get to him? I know how.”

I look at her and shake my head frantically. “You wouldn’t!”

“No? Watch me,” she says as she clears her throat. “Just call him lover boy, stud muffin, Don Juan, or the best yet, pookie bear,” Jesse teases. I turn beet red, so she continues, “See, it works every time.”

Everyone at the table, except for me, is laughing again.

Christina gets in on the fun and says, “You forgot Prince Charming and shmoopie.”

My face gets hot as I break out in a sweat, and if I wasn’t embarrassed before, I am now.

Jesse keeps digging as she says, “I’m surprised he hasn’t gotten up and left. It works at school.”

“Okay, Jennifer…two can play at this game,” I threaten.

She squints at me and shakes her head, so we call a truce. The rest of our meal is peaceful as we talk about other matters besides the nicknames Christina and I have for each other. When everyone finishes, Mrs. Taylor announces we have dessert and asks that I serve it. Removing the cheesecake from the fridge, I slice it as Christina gets some plates. We spoon the strawberry topping over the pieces and pass it out. Everyone seems to like it, which is nice.

“See, Bob,” Mrs. Taylor says, “guys can make other things besides burgers on the grill.”

It’s his turn to be embarrassed.

When dinner’s over, Jesse, Christina, and I clear the table and do the dishes before we join the parents in the living room where they’re about to put in a movie. I sit on the couch, and Christina sits on my lap with my arms around her. Jesse sits next to me and lays her head on Christina’s lap. I have to move my arm, so it’s not squished, and it ends up on Jesse’s side. Christina doesn’t seem to mind, so I leave it there as we relax and watch the movie together.

Monday, February 22^nd

I get to practice early because I want to speak with my coach about the university’s offer. So I walk to his office, knock on the door, and he waves me in. After shutting the door behind me, I give him the news and ask what he thinks.

He tells me he already knows because the coach called him to discuss it. He explains that he’s only surprised because of how new I am to the sport and lets me know that I have a lot of talent. However, he warns if I don’t keep my grades up, make the team, or keep my part of the bargain, they’ll yank my scholarship in a heartbeat.

“How long do you have to make a decision,” the coach asks.

“Two weeks.”

“I’ll give you some time goals to hit before your deadline. Then, if you’re able to reach those times, you’ll have no problem at the next level.”

“Thank you, Coach.”

“Don’t let this scholarship become common knowledge. Your teammates have been competing much longer than you, and if they find out, it’ll cause a rift in the team.”

“I was already warned about that, Coach. So I won’t say anything. My girlfriend knows because she was there at the meeting, but she won’t discuss it with anyone either.”

“Find her after practice this morning and make sure. This is important for the morale of the team.”

“Yes, sir.”

Practice ends, and as luck would have it, Christina and Jesse are in the bleachers.

“Christina…I need to talk with you about what we learned on Saturday.”

“It’s okay,” Christina says, “Jesse knows.”

“She does? But the coach–”

“I know, but Jesse lives with us and is like a part of our family.”

Jesse smiles when she hears this.

“Did you tell Nicole too?” I ask.

“No. I won’t say anything to her about it,” Christina ensures before looking at Jesse, who just shakes her head and mimes that her lips are sealed.

“My coach just warned me that nobody at school can find out. He’s worried about the morale of the team, besides the fact that I may not even get it if I’m not able to make the team.”

“I promise to keep it quiet,” Christina says as she crosses her heart with her finger.

“Jesse?”

“No way, Tom. I’m not saying anything,” she promises.

Thursday, February 25^th

Between practice, school, and work, the week goes by quickly. As a result, there’s been little time to spend with Christina except for short periods during school. However, she’s been at my practices regularly, which I really love because she encourages me to try harder.

I have another meet tomorrow, so Christina comes to my apartment to shave me again. I only have stubble, so I expect this will take less time than before. As before, I take a quick shower and lie on the bed, and Christina lathers my back and ass with shaving cream. She slides the razor over my skin, removing what little hair I have. When she gets to my ass, she has me raise my hips again, and she shaves my crack all the way to my balls.

Christina finishes my legs and then has me turn over. She climbs on the bed and straddles my face with her glistening pussy right at my nose. Her heavenly aroma awakens my senses, and I can’t help but grab her ass and pull her lips to my tongue. Her pussy is dripping as she leans forward and takes my cock into her mouth. I slide two fingers into her while sucking on her clit. Her legs quiver and flood my fingers, so I replace them with my tongue and drink all of the nectar I can extract from her. She shakes her hips, and I spank her ass before she crawls off the bed. Christina finishes shaving me, and it feels awesome to be smooth again.

Christina wipes the shaving cream residue from me and rolls me back over to give me my massage. After kneading my neck and shoulder muscles until they are nice and loose, she continues massaging the rest of my back muscles. When she gets to my ass, I expectantly raise it in the air, and she squirts lotion into my crack and around my cheeks. Next, she massages my glutes and then runs her finger down my crack. Then, she lingers at my asshole and pushes her finger into me.

“Whoa, baby!”

“Shhh. Just relax. What’s good for the goose.”

Christina slides her finger back into my ass and curls her finger downward, pushing against my prostate. I’ve never had anyone do this to me before, and it’s an entirely new sensation. My cock leaks pre-cum as she fucks my ass with her finger. At first, it’s a little uncomfortable, but then it begins to feel good, and I rock my hips to meet her thrusts. Finally, she pulls her finger out, and I want to tell her to put it back in, but I let her finish my massage and lower my hips back onto the bed, pressing my rock-hard cock against my stomach.

She has me turn back over, and she finishes massaging my chest before pouring some oil over my cock and giving me a handjob. I’m about to come when she lets go and continues my massage by finishing my legs and feet. My cock pulses as she climbs on the bed and puts her pussy right over it. She slides down my rod and slowly alternates between rocking and gyrating her hips.

“I’m going to come,” I tell her.

“Mmmm…good,” she responds.

I raise my hips and press into her when my cum explodes from my balls and spurts into her. The smile on her face widens, and she leans down, kissing me deeply. I pick her up and put her under me, and we continue to make out while I resume gently sawing my cock into her.

“Our cum is leaking onto your bed,” she says.

“I don’t care. The towel will catch it.”

“I love you, Tom.”

“I love you more,” I say with a smile. My deflated cock slips from her, so I roll on my side to lie next to her. We’re lazing on my bed when she turns over and sits on top of me.

“Hey,” she blurts out, “I almost forgot to tell you.”

“Tell me what?”

“My parents are leaving town again this weekend. They leave Saturday afternoon and come back Tuesday night.”

“Last time that happened,” I remind her, “we just about wore ourselves out.”

“Yeah, it won’t be like that this time because we aren’t involved with Nicole anymore, and Jesse will be there.”

“Have you spoken with her about any arrangements?”

“Not yet. We just found out this afternoon.”

“Do you think she’ll be bummed if you’re not there at night?”

“I don’t know. I’ll ask if she’d rather you spend the nights at our house or I spend my time with you. If you stay with us, we can use the spa.”

“Let me know, but remember, I have tomorrow off because of my meet, but after that, I’m working every day through next Tuesday.”

“Why not quit your job?”

“Do what? I wouldn’t have any money if I didn’t work.”

“You don’t need the money for college anymore, you have your scholarship offer, and you’d have more time for homework, and…me,” she says with a smile as she leans down and rests her elbows on my chest. Her nipples gently brush against mine, and I begin to swell.

“Tempting as that is, it may give me more time for you, but I wouldn’t have any money to entertain you or to keep my car fueled up and insured. Besides, my scholarship isn’t guaranteed! I have to keep my grades up and still make the team.”

“Hrmph,” she says with a twisted face. She kisses me and continues, “I believe in you. You’ll make the team! And you just finished entertaining me, and it didn’t cost a thing, and from the feel of things, I think you’re about ready to give me an encore.”

She kisses me again but this time with a lot of tongue, and puts her hands on the mattress, rocking her hips to work my hardened length into her before sitting up. She throws her head back as she rides me, rubbing her clit against my freshly shaved pelvis. Reaching up, I hold her breasts in my hands and roll her nipples between my fingers, listening to her moans. She speeds up, rocking, grinding, and gyrating her hips until she comes and floods me with her juices.

She leans back down on me, and we kiss deeply. Then, unlocking her lips from mine, she turns her head to the side and rests it on my chest.

“Mmmm,” she hums. “Look at the time. I should get going.”

I wrap my arms around her and plead, “Please stay with me.” It feels incredible to have her lying on top of me with our hearts beating against each other. I love the feel of her boobs pressing into me as her chest expands and contracts with each breath.

“In a couple of days,” she says, “we can spend the night together, and we’ll wake up with you holding me.”

After a deep sigh, I let go of her as we climb out of bed to shower. My hands slither up and down her body as I soap her up. Showering with Christina is another decadent pleasure I’m addicted to. We allow our hands to explore, unrestrained, as we pleasure each other. Getting clean with her is just as much fun as getting dirty. After the shower, we dry off and get dressed so I can take her home.

Friday, February 26^th

It’s lunchtime. I learn the whole gang will be at the meet this time, and I tell them how much I look forward to having a cheering section. I kiss Christina and leave to get on the bus.

***************

My meet went great, and I won all of my events again and even pulled our team ahead to win our relays. I met the coach’s time goals, which I’m stoked about, and he gave me a thumbs up.

After getting off the bus back at school, Christina and I go to my apartment and call the university coach to accept the offer. He asks how I did in my races, so I give him the results and times. He’s happy with the results and asks if I’d like to come for a visit and to watch their meet in two weeks. I accept, and he gives me all the information I need to attend. I ask about bringing Christina, and he says that it’s okay, which she’s happy about, so we make plans to go together.

I take Christina home and go inside with her. Her mom and dad ask how I’m doing and why I’ve been such a stranger lately. I explain how busy I am with school, swimming, and work. Bob asks me why I’m still working when I don’t need the money for college anymore. I point to Christina and rub my thumb against my fingers to give the universal sign for money. He snickers and mentions that maybe I can cut my hours, so I have more time to study. I tell her parents that I accepted the university’s offer and they’re happy for me.

Christina walks up and says, “When’s the last time you asked me out on a date?”

I look at her parents sheepishly and then back at her and say, “It’s been a while. I’m sorry.”

“Well, when’s the next time you’re going to take me out on a date? I thought we agreed we would go out at least once a week!”

I don’t have much time to think, so I quickly ask, “Christina, will you please go out with me tonight?”

“Why yes I will, Tom Griffin, and thank you for asking,” she says with a chuckle.

“What would you like to do?” I ask.

“Surprise me.”

I look at her mom and dad with a puzzled look, but they just shrug.

Mrs. Taylor turns towards Bob and asks, “Honey, how come we never go on dates anymore? Shouldn’t we go on a date at least once a week too?”

Bob turns red and looks at me, but I just shrug. He takes Mrs. Taylor by the hand, and they walk away. “Dear, I’m taking you away for the weekend. That’s our date….”

I look at Christina, who’s standing there with her arms folded and her hips thrown to one side. We bust out laughing after her parents are finally out of earshot.

“You seem to excel at getting my dad in trouble,” she says.

I laugh. “You had me worried. I thought I was the one in trouble.”

“You will be if you don’t take me out tonight,” she teases.

We decide that since neither of us has been bowling recently, we’ll do that. It’s nice to just take it easy, talk, joke, and enjoy each other’s company. Life has been so serious lately that it’s nice to relax and have some fun.

Saturday, February 27^th

It’s Saturday morning, and I’m at work. I ask my boss if I can speak with him and he agrees, so we go into his office. We talk about reducing my hours, and I tell him that I want to swim in college, but I need more personal and study time to keep my grades up. He asks if cutting two days a week from my schedule will be enough, and I tell him I think it will, so we shake hands, and he thanks me for the hard work I do.

I finish my shift and go home, dead tired. I completely forgot that Christina’s parents left town this afternoon, but I’m quickly reminded when I step into my front room and see my girlfriend standing there.

Christina follows me into my room, where I drop my stuff, and let her know that my work hours have been reduced. She immediately jumps on me, wrapping her arms and legs around me as we kiss. I don’t know why, but she really likes doing this, and it causes me to fall back on my bed. I lie there as she sits on me and tells me to take a shower. I do as instructed, and when I step out of the bathroom, I smell something delicious. Walking into the kitchen, I find Christina making dinner. It’s late, but she says I need to eat to keep my energy up as she flips my flaccid member upwards.

I feel much better after my shower and eating dinner. When I finish, I go to wash the dishes, but Christina slaps my ass and tells me to get dressed while she takes care of it. I give her a questioning look, and she tells me that she’s gathered some clothes for me because I’m spending the night with her. So I get dressed, grab my stuff, and we leave.

When we arrive, I take Christina’s hand to help her out of the car. Instead of letting go, I pull her to me and grab her waist. When I have her secure, I pick her up, flop her over my shoulder, and carry her inside. She’s laughing hysterically when I drop her on the couch next to Jesse.

“Great!” Jesse says teasingly. “Is it my turn to babysit you guys?”

Christina’s face is red from the combination of laughing and being upside down, and she turns to Jesse, wraps her arms around her, and kisses her on the cheek.

“You know you love us. Just admit it.”

Christina stands and invites Jesse to use the spa with us but warns that she might want a blindfold and earplugs.

“No, thank you!” she says emphatically. “You’ve already interrupted the movie I’m watching.” She waves her hand around like she’s repelling gnats.

We fire up the heater on the Jacuzzi and go upstairs to drop our stuff and strip down to our birthday suits. Then, for Jesse’s sake, we wrap ourselves in towels and head outside, grabbing some sodas on our way.

By the time we’re back outside, the water is tolerable, so we slip into the lukewarm water and wait for the water to get hot before activating the jets. Christina climbs on my lap into our favorite position, facing me, and we make out. When we get too warm, I pick her up and sit on the edge to let the night air refresh us. When we cool off, we slip back into the hot bubbly water and enjoy the warmth.

We’re out there a while, talking and making out when we hear the patio door open. We separate our lips and see Nicole and Clark walk into the backyard. We invite them to join us, warning that we aren’t wearing suits, and they say it doesn’t bother them. They get undressed. Clark is a skinny guy, probably weighing no more than a hundred and twenty-five pounds, and when he drops his shorts, I learn one of the reasons why Nicole likes him so much. The dude’s cock must be nine inches long, soft. He’d almost give my dad a run for the money in the size department. They inch into the water, and we talk about school, life, and other teenage stuff.

Christina’s on my lap, with her back to me, rocking her hips. I’m getting hard, so I pick her up, and we sit on the edge of the spa. She takes my stiff rod and slides it inside her, grinding against me while I cup her boobs and squeeze her nipples. I kiss the back of her neck, and she moans as she pushes down on me, bucking hard. I don’t know how much Clark can see because he removed his fogged glasses, but I’m sure he can hear Christina’s noises as well as our skin slapping.

Nicole’s eyes are filled with lust as she gets on Clark’s lap and makes out with him. The way her body is moving, I know she has Clark’s cock inside her. Nicole and Clark sit on the deck at the spa’s edge, and Nicole impales herself back on Clark’s long shaft. Watching her fuck Clark causes me to get harder, and I fight the urge to come. We’re interrupted when the back door opens, and all four of us slip into the water.

“You guys havin’ an orgy back here, or can I join you?” Jesse asks.

I chuckle and say, “It’s not an orgy, just teenage hormones, and yes, you’re welcome to join us.”

When Jesse leaves to change, the four of us get back on the deck and resume fucking our partners. The back door opens again, and Jesse comes out in her bikini and creeps into the hot water, settling in front of a jet.

“You don’t have to wear your suit if you don’t want,” Christina says.

“Yeah,” Nicole chimes in, “it’s not like we haven’t seen you naked before.”

“I don’t want to turn your guys on any more than they already are,” she teases.

“Then you shouldn’t wear that bikini around us,” I tease back. “Cause you’re smokin’ hot.” I get a jab in the ribs, and everyone but Clark laughs.

“Aw Mannnn, I wish my glasses weren’t fogged.” And then he gets a jab in the ribs too.

Clark is the life of the party as he tells stories and jokes that are hilarious; at one point, I even have tears in my eyes. We talk about our senior year and our plans after graduating, and Clark asks me where I want to go to college. I tell him I’m going to UCLA before I realize the mistake in my terminology. He asks if I’ve already received an acceptance letter, and I tell him I haven’t, but I’m pretty sure I’ll be able to get in. He asks Christina about her choice, and she tells him that we’re going to the same school. I ask where he’s going, and he says that he’s applied to Caltech, Stanford, and MIT and is sure he’ll be accepted to at least one of them.

Christina and I look like prunes and decide to get out, so we ask Jesse if she’ll turn everything off when they’re done. She agrees, so we dry off, go inside, and take a shower to get the chlorine off us. We’re making out, and Christina climbs on me by wrapping her legs around my hips. She lifts her ass up before dropping down on my cock. Placing my hands under her ass, I lift her and then drop her again. Christina grunts as I bottom out in her pussy. We’re in a rhythm with her tits slapping me in the face each time they pass. I want to suck them into my mouth, but I just can’t get a good hold. The only thing better than showering with Christina is having sex with her. Doing both at the same time? Well, there are no words to describe how awesome that is.

I convince her to move our session to her room, so we dry off, and I lift her honeymoon style to carry her to bed. I lay her down and kneel over her, but she sits up quickly, pulls me down, and wrestles me to my back. Christina kneels over my mouth and bends down, engulfing my cock in her mouth. I attack her pussy with my tongue, causing her to moan on my rod.

“I’m going to come,” I tell her.

“Mmmm.”

My nuts explode, sending waves of hot cum down her throat. She’s unable to keep it all in her mouth as some seeps out the corners of her lips. I slide two fingers into her wet hole and push down against her g-spot, causing her pussy to tighten and her nectar to flow.

Coating my index finger with her cum, I slide it into her asshole and swirl it around. I’ve never entered Christina’s ass before, except with my tongue, but after the other day, when she fucked my ass with her finger, I figure turnabout is fair play. I coat my finger again and slowly slide it inside her tightened rosebud to my first knuckle. She moans. I press in further and fuck her slowly with my finger. She moans some more and rocks her hips. I take my finger out and coat it again with her nectar and slide it back in, increasing the speed of my finger. She’s into it now, so I take my finger out, coat two fingers, and slide both of them in, fucking her some more.

She’s pushing her hips to meet my thrusts with her head thrown back.

“Do you want me to fuck your ass with my cock now?”

“Yes, please!”

We rearrange ourselves, and I kneel behind her. Dipping my cock into her pussy, I get it nice and slippery. Then, I drop gobs of spit on her pulsing asshole just for good measure. Setting my cockhead at her entrance, I push in slowly. She moans and pushes back against me. My head pops in, and she whimpers, so I leave it still, letting her get used to the feeling until she moves her hips towards me, and then I slide in further, causing her to whimper again.

“You sure?” I ask.

“Yes!”

I drop another gob of spit on my cock at her entrance and gently push in all the way. Her chin falls to her chest, and then she throws her head back, causing her wet hair to slap against her back. I pull out slowly, but not all the way, and then push back into her. As we get a rhythm going, she shoots her hand to her pussy to rub her clit. I fuck her hard now, slapping my abdomen against her butt cheeks.

“I’m going to come again,” I tell her.

“In my ass! Come in my ass!”

My balls tighten, and cum shoots through my shaft, which pulses as I fill her with my spunk.

“Uhhgnh…,” she moans.

My cock softens as her muscles push me out, along with some of my cum. I go into the bathroom and clean my cock off and then get back on her bed. She’s lying on her back, with her fingers in her pussy, fucking herself.

“Let me do that,” I say.

Kneeling between her legs, I form my lips around her clit and suck. At the same time, I slide two fingers into her pussy and fuck her with them. Her legs lock around my head, trapping me. She gives off a deep moan and raises her ass off the bed as her legs quiver, tightening their hold on me. She lets go of me with her legs as her ass drops on the bed, and she gives out a deep sigh. I crawl on top of her, resting my elbows outside her shoulders, and hover over the top of her. She opens her eyes and smiles, so I gently lower my lips to hers, and we make out.

We continue pleasuring and satisfying each other before we finish in our favorite way, giving each other oral pleasure with her on top. When she turns around and offers her tongue to me, I suck it into my mouth, savoring our combined juices. Then I place her on her back, and she wraps her legs around me, holding me tight against her.

She giggles and pecks my nose with her lips. “We need another shower after that.”

“We take another shower, and we’ll start all over again.”

“Well, I’m not taking one without you.”

“Then we’ll have to make it quick because I won’t be able to keep my hands off you tonight.”

We clean up, and as we’re climbing back in bed, we hear a noise in the hallway. Christina jumps up and sticks her head out the door in time to see Jesse about to go into the bathroom.

“Did everyone leave?” Christina asks.

“Yeah, they were getting hot and heavy, so I suggested they take it somewhere else.”

“Thanks for letting us be here tonight,” Christina says.

“Yeah…yeah…yeah,” Jesse says, “just make sure it’s worth it.”

“Is everything locked up, or would you like me to take care of it?” I ask from behind Christina.

“I already took care of it.”

It’s really late now, so we turn off the lights and crawl in bed. We lie on our sides with our arms around each other, staring into each other’s eyes until we fall asleep. I wake up in the middle of the night with a hard-on, and Christina has her back to me, so I shift myself between her legs to rest against her folds. Then, putting my arm around her, I pull her into me and fall back asleep.

Sunday, February 28^th

Morning comes too soon, and when I look at my watch to see what time it is, I realize I have a little time before I have to be at work. Christina turns, and I lie there, looking at her beauty as she sleeps peacefully. Trying to decide if I should wake her, I kiss her forehead gently. She moans as she pushes into me. I don’t have the heart to leave my beautiful princess, so I lie there, enjoying her warmth.

She stirs again and moves her hand down to my butt, and pulls me into her. I’m getting aroused, so I roll her on her back and kiss her neck and throat. I kneel above her and lean down to kiss her nipple and lick around it. I kiss her navel and then the top of her mound as she moans and opens her legs. My tongue sinks it into her as she spreads her legs further. Resting the tip of my finger against her clit, I gently draw circles around it as I take another finger and slide it into her. Curling my finger up to hit her g-spot, I work her spongy wall until she comes.

Then, I sit back and lift her legs onto my shoulders as I line my cock up and press in gently. I quicken my pace, and her moaning becomes more pronounced as her hips buck to my rhythm. My desire rises, and my balls tense, so I pull out of her to come on her stomach. Her eyes open slowly as I lower myself onto her, spreading my fluid between us. I kiss her neck and then roll onto my side as she turns her head and smiles, snuggling into me again. Wrapping my arms around her, I whisper in her ear that I have to get up for work.

“You have to?”

“I really do.”

She puts her arms around me and holds me tight, and says, “Don’t leave me, please.”

“I’ll never leave you, but I do have to go to work. It’s a short shift, only four hours, so I won’t be gone long.”

She holds me tighter and moves her head under my chin. I can’t tear myself away; the sweetness and love that emanate from her is overpowering.

“I don’t want to, but I really need to get up,” I plead.

She kisses my neck and chest as she holds me. Then, placing my hand on the back of her head, I hold her close as I kiss her forehead again. I lie on top of her after rolling us over, and she wraps her legs around me, locking me to her. I push up, and she holds tight with her arms clamped around my neck, so I get on my knees, but she still refuses to let go.

Standing up, she is still wrapped around me with her head buried in my chest, so I carry her to the bathroom, where I turn on the shower and wait for the water to warm before stepping in.

She still won’t move when I get under the hot water, so I lather her back and under her ass. Finally, she drops her legs to the ground and turns around so I can soap the front of her and give her breasts a squeeze. Leaning down, I kiss the back of her neck and shoulders before she turns around, and we make out some more.

We finish showering, and I get dressed, but the look on her face breaks my heart. When we go downstairs to get some breakfast, we find Jesse in the kitchen eating. We join her, and I down my food quickly so I can leave before my fortitude turns to mush.

When I get to work, my boss tells me I can take the day off if I need it. I thank him and accept his offer. When I get home to drop off my dirty clothes and get some clean ones, my dad is there.

“Where have you been?” he asks me.

“I stayed at Christina’s last night.”

“Well, from now on, let me know when you won’t be coming home, so I don’t worry that something happened to you.”

“Okay, Dad.”

This is new for him because he usually doesn’t care where I am. I ask if he needs me to take care of anything before I leave.

“Make sure you clean the place up sometime today. I won’t be home tonight, so I’ll see you tomorrow night.”

“Sure, Dad. No problem.” He puts his hand on my shoulder and thanks me as he pushes me out the door.

Nobody’s home when I get to Christina’s, and the house is locked. I don’t have a key, so I return to my car and am about ready to go back home when Christina and Jesse pull up in her parents’ car.

“What are you doing here? I thought you were at work.”

“I was, but my boss gave me the day off.”

Christina gets a big smile and gives me a hug, along with a passionate kiss. “We went grocery shopping,” she says as she pops the trunk. “Carry these bags in for us, will you?”

I set the bags down on the kitchen table and then go into the front room and flop down on the couch as Christina and Jesse put the groceries away. When they’re done, Christina flops down on top of me, resting her elbows on my chest.

“Since you don’t have to work today, what do you want to do?” Christina asks.

“I’m all yours to do with whatever you please. I am here to serve and pleasure you, but I do have to go to my apartment and clean it up before the day is over.”

She turns her head and lays it on my chest with a sigh. I rub her back, stopping now and again to cup her ass–her perfect ass. I cherish these moments when we lie together, sharing our love that surrounds, penetrates, and binds us together.

“Let’s go to your place, clean it up, and then do something fun.”

“As you wish, my princess.”

We hear Jesse stirring in her room, and her door is open, so Christina goes upstairs and knocks on her door jamb.

“Hey, girl,” Christina says. “What’s up?”

“Nothing, just studying.”

“Tom needs to go home and take care of some stuff, and then we’re going to go do something fun. Want to come?”

“Are you guys going to be all lovey-dovey?”

“We’ll try not to be.”

“Yeah, sure…beats sitting around studying…I suppose.”

Christina gets some clothes to change into after we’re done, and the three of us head out the door. We clean the apartment in record time. I show Christina her clothes that I’ve collected as we’re putting the laundry away. She leaves a few things with me but puts the stuff she wants at home, like her bikini, in her bag. We clean up and get dressed while Jesse stays as she is.

“Okay, what are we going to do that’s fun?” Jesse asks.

Christina plops down beside her on the couch and says, “Your choice.”

“How about a movie? There’s a new Sci-Fi film I want to see.

“What do you think, Tom?” Christina asks.

“Let’s see…do I mind going to the movies with the two prettiest girls in the universe?” I put my finger to my chin and continue, “No…no…I don’t.” I think they appreciate the compliment because neither of them whacks me upside the head when they stand up.

We find seats in the theater, and Jesse sits on my right while Christina is on my left. The movie begins just as Christina takes my hand. I squeeze her hand firmly, and she rests her head on my shoulder. A moment later, Jesse rests her head on my other shoulder. I feel awkward and give Christina’s hand a squeeze to get her attention. When she looks at me, I draw her attention to Jesse, but she just smiles and nods, so I put my arm around Jesse, and she snuggles in closer to me. We sit like that until the show is over, and we leave the theater.

We go back to my apartment to get what I need for school on Monday and then grab a pizza for dinner on the way to Christina’s.

Sitting in the living room, we try to decide what to do for the rest of the evening. Finally, we agree to watch a movie, so Jesse pulls one out and starts it. Jesse stretches out and lays her head on my lap. I look at Christina, and she just nods, so I rest one arm across Jesse’s abdomen and dedicate my other to my sweetheart. The movie ends, and Jesse gets up and goes to bed while I take her place on the couch and stretch out with my head on Christina’s lap.

I stare up at her in wonderment as she gazes down at me and runs her fingers through my hair.

“What’s up with Jesse?” I ask. “She surprised me at the movies.”

“You know she looks up to you and considers you a close friend, right?”

“Yeah, I know that, but this seemed more to me.”

“It’s not,” Christina answers. “She sees you like a big brother and her protector…she feels safe around you. I’ve thought about inviting her to do more things with us, but I didn’t know how you’d feel about it and don’t want her to feel like a third wheel.”