Page 62 of The Linebacker

“Somebody needs to take out Trey Smythe’s kneecaps,” Gunner suggested to a handful of appreciative chuckles.

Despite his recent revelation that smack talking was not the way to a win, Amil decided to amend that theory.

Smack talking that was designed to attack someone, not good. But there were other types of smack-talking that were more fun than insulting.

To most people, anyway.

“Talk smack back at him,” Amil blurted. “He fucking hates the yo mama jokes.”

“Oh, I’ve got the yo mama jokes,” Broderick quipped.

Absolutely no one was surprised by this information.

“Don’t hold back,” Davis said. “Share!”

Amil raised his hand. “Hang on. Before we get into Broderick’s vast knowledge of useless information?—”

“You just said it would be hella useful,” Pedro pointed out.

Amil scrubbed his hand over his face. “Look, I’m trying to apologize here.”

Broderick made a show of looking around the locker room. “I don’t see her in here.”

“Who?” Amil asked.

“Diana.”

Amil furrowed his brows. “Why would Diana be in here?”

“You just said you’re trying to apologize. Who else do you need to apologize to?” Broderick asked, for once sounding completely serious.

“What do I need to apologize to Diana for?” He knew what he needed to say to her, but none of these guys did.

Did they?

“For breaking her heart, clearly,” Pedro said.

Amil looked from face to face to face, trying to figure out what the hell Pedro was talking about.

Jalen leaped up from the bench and stalked over, stabbed his finger at Amil’s shoulder. “I saw her leaving your room last night. She was a mess. You obviously did something to upset her.”

“No shit,” Callahan blurted. “You and Diana?”

Broderick smacked his own forehead. “How did you not realize that, bro?”

Callahan shrugged. “I was sleeping last night. Not stalking the halls waiting for gossip to appear.”

“I wasn’t stalking the halls,” Jalen defended. “I was just getting ice because I like my water really cold.”

Amil lifted both hands this time. “Hang on, hang on. You guys are shunning me because you think I broke Diana’s heart? Really?”

“Really,” Broderick said sincerely.

“Jesus. This really is a family,” Amil muttered, dragging a hand through his hair. He glanced at the clock on the wall. They were running out of time.

“Listen, I did not break Diana’s heart. But I did overwhelm her, which I should not have done.” He caught Jalen’s eye. “But, yeah, I am…” Maybe announcing he was in love with her was not the best idea.

Not before he told her. If he ever got that chance.