Finn: The geek is the lucky one. He’s never heard you laugh.
Finn: He doesn’t know how you don’t like to share your cookies.
Finn: He’s never heard you come. Lucky bastard. He doesn’t have a clue how good he has it.
Finn: I fucked up in practice again. Coach demoted me to second string. I wish I could give a shit about it.
Finn: I miss you.
By the time I’d reached the last one, I was openly sobbing and wishing so hard that he was back here in my room where I could hold him. Just hold him and show him I’d forgiven him, show him how much I regretted being too prideful to listen to him like my friends had begged me to do.Shit. He’d been playing so poorly in spring ball that he’d been demoted? He wasn’t a second-stringer: he was headed to the NFL. He’d been so excited for practice to start again. Had I done that to him—stolen the fire and joy from the game he lived to play?
I was so hurt that he’d lumped me in with a bitch like his ex, but now I had to wonder if he hadn’t been right. Who treated a man as soft-hearted and generous as Finn McCabe the way I’d treated him: by ignoring him and not giving him a chance to apologize?
Me: What time do you practice?
Finn: During your lab.
Finn: I can pick you up from Hillman after we’re both finished.
Me: I can make up the lab.
A sharp rap on my door at 7:30 a.m. put a big smile on my face that faltered the second I opened the door to find Jamaica on the other side.
“Expecting someone else?” she asked, with a feline grin.
Grabbing her by the wrist, I dragged her into my room and shut the door. “That was a neat trick you pulled, J.”
She snorted. “You’re welcome.” Her eyes sparkled without a shred of remorse. “I take it the reunion went well.”
“I think sometimes I can be a bit pigheaded.” Deliberately, I didn’t look at my friend as I gathered my books and stuffed them into my backpack.
“Only sometimes?” she teased. “You still haven’t answered the question.”
“Let’s just say, I’ll be sitting beside you in the bleachers this afternoon watching the Wildcats practice.” I slipped my jacket on and went in search of my gloves.
Grabbing me from behind in a hug, Jamaica said into my back, “I’m so happy you two worked things out. It’s been hard watching you both suffer for the past couple of weeks.”
Facing her, I slipped on my gloves. “What are you saying? You’ve barely even seen me.”
“My point exactly. You’ve been holed up in here rather than showing up for coffee with the rest of the gang, or dropping by the Sweet Shop when I have a shift, or hanging around to talk after RA meetings.” She handed me my backpack. “You’re not a recluse, Chess, except for maybe when your heart is breaking.”
Gifting my best friend a long look, I finally gave in and pulled her into a hug. “I don’t know what led to you dropping Finn off here last night, but thank you.” Pulling my door open, I ushered her out of my room ahead of me so I could lock up. “Now you can go gossip about me to Piper and Saylor while I ace a quantum physics quiz.”
She laughed.
“And I’ll see you guys later this afternoon at the field. Finn needs me to cheer my throat raw for him. You can help.”
“What—?”
“I’ll explain later.”
I left Jamaica in the lobby with a perplexed expression.
When I arrived at the stadium, I didn’t quite know what to expect. Though I was an avid Wildcats fan, I only ever attended games. Until I’d met Finn and his friends, I had no idea people watched practices if they were open. Sometimes, coaches closed them, which apparently ticked off certain fans who kind of thought they owned the team—like certain alumni donors.
Jamaica, Piper, and Saylor were already in the stands when I arrived. The day had turned chilly, a threat of spring snow in the air, so I’d stopped back at the dorm after my last class to deck myself out in warm boots, an extra sweater, and my Wildcats beanie. I’d emailed my professor that I couldn’t make my lab, which I knew wouldn’t be a problem since I was allowed one excused absence that I’d yet to use. After reading Finn’s texts last night, the only place I wanted to be this afternoon was here cheering him on.
“About time you joined us again,” Piper said as I sat on the edge of the blanket they’d laid over the cold metal seat.
