“Anna!” Brooklyn yelled, delighted. “There he is!”
My eyes followed where she was pointing and I ducked behind Ford’s shoulder. Because I swear Blue’s head snapped around when she said my name. He was on the grass in front of us, getting his arm warmed up. Throwing a ball repeatedly to the same player. I had to have imagined it. There was no way he’d heard that above the crowd. Even if we were practically up his nostrils.
Ford grinned as I slowly peeked over his shoulder. I sat there for a moment, covertly watching the boy who’d once been my whole world. Correction. Watching the man. He wasn’t a boy anymore. But even with all the years between us, my heart did a stupid clip-clop. Good gosh, I’d forgotten how cute he was. No. Handsome. His light brown hair was too long. He needed a trim. And he was leaner, more muscled, all the baby fat gone. And taller. Probably four or five inches. But the years had been good to him. Very good.
I pressed my fingers to my lips, studying him, until I realized they were all watching me. Every single one. Ford, Brooklyn, Tally, and Ashton.
“Well?” Brooklyn asked, wide-eyed. “You’ve seen him. What’s your assessment?”
But I didn’t answer. I just watched Blue cocking that left arm and letting another pass fly, my fingers still pressed to my lips. All my fourteen-year-old memories came flooding back. Our first kiss, which had been my first kiss ever. Homecoming, Prom, watching movies in my living room every Saturday night because Silas said I wasn’t old enough for dates. Horse rides on the ranch, and kayaking down the river before Blue moved the next spring. His arms around me over and over again.
I should’ve felt guilty sitting there watching him, feeling all these feelings. I owed Jonah the last year of my life. He’d loved me, listened to me cry, helped me study, kissed me like crazy. I should’ve felt like a terrible person, feeling what I was feeling right then. But I didn’t. At all. And I couldn’t stop watching Blue throw that stupid ball. His veins popping out of his muscles. The ball gliding through the air like he was made for this.
I dropped my head into my hands. “I shouldn’t have come,” I muttered to nobody.
Ford sat back and put an arm around my shoulder. “I think that’s exactly why you should’ve. You only live once, Anna. Make sure you do it right.”
“That is terrible advice, coming from you,” Ashton said, leaning forward. “But from me, yeah.” He looked right at me. “You only live once, Anna. Make sure you do it right.”
“Okay,” Ford grumbled and I wondered if the booze was wearing off. Ford was a walking rain cloud. Or at least he had been. Until he won the reality competition show that landed him a contract and a band. But once he’d had money for alcohol, and maybe worse vices, he’d been a lot more cheerful.
Blue felt for something underneath the collar of his jersey, pulled whatever it was out, and pressed it to his lips.
“Oh, the kiss is done. He can play ball now.” Ashton rubbed his hands together.
I scowled. “What are you talking about?”
“Blue has a necklace he wears every game,” Ashton said. “Apparently he never takes it off. Says it’s his lucky charm.” Ashton leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. “Everyone says if anything ever happens to it, that’ll probably be the end of his football career.”
Tally snapped her fingers. “Like Samson and Delilah.
“Yup. Exactly like that,” Ashton said. “I hope for his sake the tape always holds.”
Brooklyn and I shared a look. I shook my head. There was no way Blue was still wearing my necklace. I knew for a fact he’d dated plenty of girls since me.
“The tape?” Brooklyn asked.
“They’ll tape it on him in a couple of minutes,” Ford said.
Tally winced. “Ahh, that’s gotta be painful to take off after the game.” Sure enough, a man walked over and started doing just that.
I leaned forward on my elbows watching closely. You could tell they had it down to a science. It was done in less than thirty seconds.
“Mr. Dupree?” I looked over to see an extremely tall blond woman in a Knoxville tracksuit. “We’re ready for you.”
“Um, what?” I said as Ford hopped out of his seat. He tossed his hat to Brooklyn, who caught it and gave it a sniff. Then he laid his sunglasses on his seat so the whole stadium could see his face.
“Ladies and Gentlemen,” an announcer bellowed. “Please get ready for our national anthem.”
Ford winked at me. “YOLO, Anna. It’s all about the YOLO.” Then he followed the woman. After thirty feet, they reached a small gate leading to some stairs. An usher, who looked more like a bodyguard, opened the gate and let them through. I stood—we all did—to watch Ford follow the woman down the stairs and onto the field. When he got to the grass, another woman handed him a guitar and a mic. He blithely slipped the guitar strap over his head like he was a country singer or something.
My eyes flashed to Ashton, my mouth open, feeling like I was going to puke.
“I told you,” he said, not the least bit smug. In fact, he looked like it hurt him to admit it. “It’s all about him. If there’s attention to be had, he’s going to get it.”
Tears threatened and I shoved them back down, gulping air.Deep breaths,I told myself.Just because Blue will know Ford is here doesn’t mean he’ll know I am.
Brooklyn squeezed my hand. Ashton walked over and stood by me, slipping his arm around my waist. I laid my head against his shoulder, wishing I could cry right here, right now.
