When I collect myself and swallow the second cookie I nearly choked on, I remember the four-leaf clover in my pocket and gently remove it. It’s wilted from the game, but all four leaves are intact. I hold it out to the girls. “Look what I found.”
“Those are lucky!” Delta gasps and snatches it.
“That’s how we won the game. Found it right there on the field.”
Renée rubs the tops of their heads. “Girls, why don’t you go look for some while I talk to Jonah for a little bit.”
They’re on the hunt in a matter of seconds without so much as a wave.
For a long, comfortable moment, we stand there watching the pair crawl along the twenty-two-meter line, on their hands and knees like they’re mining for gold.
“You played well today,” she says gently, and shrugs. “Obviously I know nothing about rugby, but you...” she trails off, playing with her fingernails. “You certainly looked like you knew what you were doing.”
Is she... blushing? Oh God, I can’t hear anything over my heartbeat. Did she really say I played well? I thought nothing would top the approval of my family and team, but hearing Renée compliment me feels like I’ve hit an entirely different, entirely better jackpot.
“Did you enjoy yourself?” I ask. “Even though you didn’t know the rules?”
“I did.”
“Cool,” I say in a way that’s entirely not. And for good measure, I repeat it several times because I can’t think of a better reply.
“It was an exciting game.”
“Would you like to come over for dinner tomorrow?” I ask too fast. “My whole family will be there.”
“Oh... um, I don’t know about that.”
“Yeah, you’re right. That was dumb. Sorry. But if you change your mind, my door is always open.”
“Okay.” The soft smile she flashes helps to tamp down my embarrassment. “Will you have any more games?”
“Yeah! We have a few more home games this season and several away.”
“Would it be alright if we came to another?”
“Absolutely,” I beam. “I’dloveit if you did. I can send you my schedule.”
“See that you do.”
“JoJo,” Coach Batsakis yells over a crowd of ruggers. “Get over here. We need you.”
“I’m sorry. I gotta go.” And I really am. I don’t want to leave this moment we’re in together, where it feels like your middle school crush finally knows who you are and it’s both electrifying and embarrassing and you want to tell the entire world what happened, but also tellno one.
Her soft smile grows wide, and it might be the biggest I’ve seen from her. “It’s okay. I’ve probably taken up too much of your time anyway.”
She steps away, but her eyes don’t leave mine. Without thinking, I step closer and reach for her but stop when I realize what I’m doing—ortryingto do. Renée clocks my hand stuck between us midair. I retract it, and she looks away, both of us pretending like I didn’t just try to pull her into a kiss.
To keep my hands from roaming like a hound dog on a scent trail, I clutch both around the plastic cookie container and clear my throat. “You could never take too much of my time.”
I wish I could read her mind in the moment that follows because I can’t gauge her expression. Is she holding something back, or showing all her cards?
This time, she commits to walking away toward her daughters still scouring the field for luck. “Good game today, Jonah. I’ll see you later.”
For the rest of the day, through the social and grocery shopping for family dinner tomorrow, I replay her words like they’re the only ones I’ll ever need.
“You played well today. You certainly looked like you knew what you were doing.”
Chapter 18
