How I Feel

"What the fuck, Segs!" Jamie yelled as he let himself into Tyler's house. He followed the sound of music until he was outside again at the pool.

"What are you yelling about?" Tyler asked, sitting up and pushing his shades to the top of his head. "And why are you back in town already? You're not supposed to be back for like three more weeks."

"You took Avery out!" He exploded.

"Ah, so that's why you're back. The lovely Avery Croft, fancy stat ingenue, sister to your brothers hot as fuck wife."

"Fuck you, Segs. Stella wouldn't be happy if she knew you were fucking around with her sister. And don't think about Stella like that either."

Tyler laughed. "Darth knows half the team thinks his wife is hot. And once everyone meets Avery, they'll be fighting for a chance with her."

"No they won't," Jamie said tightly, teeth gritted.

"You're gonna stop everybody?"

"Yeah; I'll tell them they're not allowed at training camp."

Tyler burst out laughing. "I don't think anyone is going to listen to you. You've seen her ass, right?"

Jamie thought back to the pencil skirt she was wearing earlier and groaned. The guys were going to be a real problem when they all started rolling back into town. Tyler laughed at the frustrated look on his face.

"I took her to lunch a few times," Tyler told him. "We're not getting married and having a baby."

"How many times?" Jamie demanded to know.

"I don't know. Stella called me when she saw I was back in town and made me take her to lunch. Then I liked talking to her so I started bringing her lunch; she takes lunch at the same time every day and it's around the time I finish my workouts so I just show up."

"Don't do it again."

Tyler's eyes lit with mischief. "Oooh, you do like her. Avery and Jamie, sitting in a tree," he started singing. "K-i-s-s-i-n-g!"

"Shut up," Jamie said, shoving Tyler backwards into the pool.

He sputtered to the surface. "Asshole."

"Is that any way to speak to your captain?" He smirked, reaching out a hand to help pull him out.

"Sorry," he answered, raising his hands in surrender before a sly grin crossed his face. "Captain asshole."

Jamie shoved him back into the pool before turning to go inside.

In Tyler's kitchen, Jamie helped himself to a beer from the fridge. He pulled a second one out as Tyler walked inside, passing it over to him. Tyler shook his hair, throwing droplets of water on Jamie as he did.

"So you like Avery," Tyler started.

"She doesn't like me."

"She hates athletes. Not that I blame her; she told me about her ex."

"There's an ex? What's his name?"

"No way, dude," Tyler replied, shaking his head. "She told me in confidence. If she wants you to know, she'll tell you. But suffice it to say, between that guy and what happened after Stella married Jason, Avery's life has had one cocky jerk after another."

"But she's friends with you."

"I don't hit on her," he shrugged. "I mean she's hot, but I'm not her type. She's told me so. We became friends though; she's cool, and she doesn't take any shit from anybody."

"I kissed her," Jamie admitted.

"You kissed her?!" Tyler shouted. "And she didn't slap you?"

"She agreed to go to dinner with me tonight, give me a chance."

"Dude, you've got to impress the shit out of her and go all out. Where are you taking her?"

"I don't know."

"Well you better name drop yourself wherever you pick with such short notice or you'll be eating at Taco Bueno. And try not to fuck it up. If you don't want any of our teammates to ask her out then you better lock her down for yourself."