Chapter 29

“Your son does,” Coach Keller countered. “He’s damned good at it. Second or third best I’ve seen in a long time.”

My head swelled, because I knew I was first.

“It’s Reed’s decision,” my father said when my mother started to speak again. “He’s eighteen. He will be in a day or so. He’s got a good head on his shoulders, even if he forgets to use it sometimes.”

The comment pertained to not filling up the car with gas a few nights prior. It wasn’t about getting suspended from swimming. I hadn’t been in much trouble in between, and my dad wasn’t one to hold the past over my head.

“I want to do it,” I said.

Devon stood in the doorway taking it all in. There wasn’t enough room around the table for another chair, even one for me, but that didn’t stop him from putting in his two cents. “What about Mathias?” he asked.

I turned to his voice. “What about him?”

“He swims.”

“Yeah.”

“I like him. He’s nice.”