I don’t immediately know how to answer him.
“Sorry. I know it’s none of my business, but you’ve seemed different. And Lacey is cool as hell. Except when she’s threatening me.”
I let out a small chuckle. “I’m really grateful to her, but we’re just friends.” My words sound uncertain, even to my ears.
He studies me a beat before taking my words as fact. “All right. Thought I’d ask.”
Austin follows me to the door, and when I step outside, I turn and lift a hand in a wave. “See you tomorrow.”
I’m only a few steps down the sidewalk to my SUV when he calls out, “Collins.”
I stop and turn halfway around to look at him.
“I’m glad you’re back.”
“Me too.”
Chapter Seventeen
Lacey
When I woke up this morning, my stomach was in knots. Excitement and nerves. It was like I was going to play in a big soccer game instead of watching it from the sidelines.
I guess it’s just that I know how much it means to Vaughn. All the work he did studying was for this.
But by halftime, the nerves are gone. The game is a blowout. Saint Catherine is down four goals, and the momentum keeps going for Frost Lake.
Coach Collins is rotating his players more liberally now that we’re down to the final minutes of the game. The Frost Lake crowd is ecstatic. We cheer each new side out and substitution like it’s the most important play of the century.
My cheeks hurt from smiling.
Vaughn jogs down the field, still concentrated and serious, like he hasn’t seen the scoreboard or just doesn’t care. He’s responsible for two of the four goals, the first only minutes after the game started. It was a beautiful moment as his teammates and the crowd showered him with applause and screams. He reminded everyone of exactly why he’stheir captain. He leads not only by constantly pumping up his guys, but by being an example on the field.
Vaughn’s gaze lifts from the field to the stands and somehow lands on me. He holds my stare for only a moment before refocusing on the game, but my stomach flutters from the brief eye contact.
“Was Vaughn just staring at you?” Claire asks, shooting me a smug look.
“What? No.” My voice is entirely too high-pitched. Thankfully the noise of the crowd drowns out some of my shrill denial.
My best friend glances from me to the field and back. “I think he was.”
“He was probably checking for college scouts or something.”
“Vaughn doesn’t want to go to college.”
Right. I shrug one shoulder and then shove another handful of popcorn in my mouth to stop whatever feelings are happening. I cannot be checking out Vaughn Collins. And he’s not checking me out either.
He’s arrogant and broody. And my best friend’s ex-boyfriend.
And he only cares about soccer. Whatever friendship we’ve created is just a byproduct of spending so much time together.
“It wouldn’t be the weirdest thing if he was staring at you,” she says.
“It wouldn’t?”
“No.” She shakes her head. “You’re hot. With as much time as you’ve spent together, even Vaughn must have noticed.”
I snort a laugh.
