Practice ran late mostly because I ran late. I had to apologize to the whole team but soon we got a game underway and we were killing it. Coach was really happy with our progress and said he felt that we were in good shape to play on Friday. Tomorrow we get a down day to rest and then one more practice before game day.

"Thanks for having my back out there," I say, to Tyler as we go outside to wait for his mom to pick us up.

"Brynn wasn't kidding," Tyler said with a half laugh and nursing a serious new bruise he received when he took an elbow shot that would have knocked me on my butt to keep me "out of trouble." "I'll just be happy when you get some sleep, and are back to your old self."

"Yeah, sorry about that." I couldn't help feeling remorseful because I know what it feels like to take a shot like that. "I promise I'll be in bed by nine." I chuckle.

"You better," he laughs and then says, "So, you're really giving this thing with Brynn a go, huh?"

"Yeah, why you think it's too crazy?" I ask but almost regret saying it as it opens the topic for discussion and I really just want to do this thing. Talking it over just means possibly being swayed by someone else's opinion. Something I care way too much about.

"Sort of," Tyler says. "Can't see that you two have a whole lot in common but maybe that's why you're doing this?"

"What do you mean?" Confused, I feel as if I missed part of the conversation.

"She's the way you've chosen to rebel against your parents. Some of us drink, others smoke, and perhaps play hooky from school but you, you've got Brynn," Tyler says, with a shrug like he gets it but still thinks its weird.

Okay, wasn't really sure what he was going to say but this really got under my skin. "You really think I would just use Brynn to get back at my parents for choosing my life for me?"

"Intentionally, no." Tyler admitted, "but just be careful there." His warning reminds me of Brynn's warnings about how I may come to regret being with her and worse gave me a whole new insight to her asking me about fishing. And if you caught it would you recognize it as what you wanted or would you just be happy with the catch and throw it back?

I got this sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. She wasn't talking about life in general she was talking about herself. Would I recognize her as what I wanted or would I just be happy with getting her and then throw her away when she was no longer wanted or needed and just be happy with "the catch". She saw the same danger Tyler did, but still she took the chance. She took the chance on me. That meant something. She didn't back off the hook and I have no plans on letting her go.

"There's also, the problem of Jessica?" Tyler said, interrupting my inner musings.

"Shit! Shoot!" Man have I been cursing a lot more since meeting Brynn. "Forgot about that."

Tyler's eyes widened and eyebrows shot up. "Damn, you really do need sleep if you can forget about that crazy b. You were ready to go a round with me this afternoon over it and now it's totally off your radar? You need to be sharper than that, especially if you want to protect Brynn from her. And you WILL need to protect Brynn from her."

"I know," I said taking his words to heart. "I have to give Brynn a heads up too. Don't want her caught unaware. Maybe we can keep the whole relationship under the radar until we graduate. We only have few more months to go," I muse.

"Relationship? Big talk from the guy who hasn't even had a first date yet," Tyler teased.

"Tyler, I get it. Look, all kidding aside. She's a keeper. I really like this girl. I can't explain it, and I don't think it's just because I want to rebel against my parents. She...she just makes me happy. You know?"

Tyler looked at me in a way I can only describe as impressed. Sort of like I've seen him do after I make what looks like an impossible shot on the court. "Then I guess I need to add Brynn to my list."

That means a lot to me. Since he was a kid, Tyler had his "list." On it were people he felt fell under his protection. People he would do anything for. There weren't many people on his list. I've been on it since the third grade and now that he's added Bryn. I knew there was no way between the two of us that Jessica would get anywhere near her.

"Thanks man!"

Tyler just nods in that cool way he has, like "he's got this." I can almost picture him in a superhero pose with a cape fluttering behind him in the wind.

"Hey, anybody need a ride?"

"Hi, Mama Bear," Tyler says and gives his mom a kiss on the cheek through the window, which immediately makes her laugh.

"Hey, there baby. You too," she says waving for me to come over. "Jump in. Let's get you boys home."

At home, I showered and dressed and started to feel the excitement again of planning a date with Brynn. Tyler was right I really don't know a whole lot about her so I really wasn't sure what she might like to do but there was one really important question I would have to nail down first.

"Dinner's ready!" Mom yells up the steps.

"Coming!" I yell back, barreling down the stairs and jumping off the last couple of steps.

"You're in a good mood," Mom says, as I follow her to the kitchen and slide into my usual seat at the kitchen table.

"Honey! Dinner!" Mom yells, from her place at the table and far off in the distance I hear my Dad answer her.

She begins to dish out the food and soon Dad takes his seat. I love our family meals together. We all play catch up, and by the time the meal is over everybody knows what's going on in each other's lives. I know most families aren't like this and I'm just grateful mine is.

"So, how did practice go, kiddo?" Dad asks taking another helping of Mom's lasagna before we even get started, which always makes my Mom smile.

"Coach says we are doing great, and he thinks we are ready for the big game on Friday," I say, and then immediately stuff my mouth full of lasagna knowing I'm most likely going to have to fight my Dad for the last piece.

"That's good news. How'd the teacher's meetings go today?" he asks mom.

"I think we've nailed down a lot of the issues for next year. There was a lot more than I realized, but I should have a handle on it by the time the new school year starts," she says confidently, slipping me another piece of lasagna, which causes my Dad to frown and me to stifle a chuckle.

"Don't forget the vegetables?" my mom says dishing some broccoli onto both our plates, both Dad and I sulk. "Don't give me that look you two? You know how I feel about this."

"If Eve tempted Adam with broccoli, we'd all still be living in paradise," I say grumpily. Dad chokes on his coffee trying to keep it in his mouth as he just took a rather big swig to wash the broccoli down or drown the taste of it; I'm really not sure.

"Finn Dashiell," Mom warns but I see the smile hidden in the corner of her mouth.

"Fine," I concede. I swear when I have kids I will never force them to eat this stuff.

"Work okay?" Mom asks Dad once she was certain he wasn't going to choke to death.

"Ahem!" He starts first by pounding his fist against his chest. "Yeah." He coughs again and then adds, "We may have a new client and if it pans out it, it could bring in big money. So pretty exciting news."

"Honey, that's great!" My Mom is truly excited and I was left wondering if there was a problem they left out. I'm not always filled in on the on goings at home. I sometimes feel as though I'm strictly held to a "need to know" basis.

"Hey, Dad? Can I borrow the car this Saturday?" I ask, nonchalantly hoping he'll say yes without too many questions.

"Why you got a hot date or something?" he teases.

My head shoots up and I realize my mistake as he was just kidding and now I have my parent's undivided attention.

"Not a hot date but more like a first date with someone I really want to get to know," I say, pushing the food around on my plate.

"So are we going to get to meet this girl?" Mom asks.

"Eventually," I say, knowing my parents can be a little scary when it comes to the girls I allow in my life and not sure just when I would be ready to subject Brynn to that torture.

"I see," Mom says, obviously disappointed.

Dad grimaces when seeing my Mom looking sad and now I'm worried I may not get use of the car. Great!

"Can I at least get one date in before she meets you guys? I really like this girl and you guys, well... you can be a little...um... intense," I say, cringing a little, because I'm not sure that came out right. Actually, I'm pretty sure it didn't.

"Give us a name and you get the car?" Dad negotiates and I want to groan out loud.

"Unfair home court advantage," I protest, pointing over to Mom and she grins.

"He has point," she concedes.

"Okay?" Dad tries a new angle, "If your date goes well, you bring her here after the date so we can meet her."

Pondering. Pondering. Pondering. Want another way out. Pondering... "Okay, deal."

All's well with the Nash family again, and conversation smoothly continues, but I don't have too much more to add as I really don't want Brynn to meet them just yet. I swear they cross-examine every girl I say I like for: Is she marriage material and will she make a good mom to our grandbabies? ... Groan. I just want Brynn free to be... well Brynn. I can only hope she'll not run for the hills, but it's calculated risk I'm willing to take in order to plan a special night with her.