Brooks’s mouth turned up in a little smile.
“Yes,” I said, and nodded again.
Then he turned with intent. Brooks marched to the gate and shoved it open. With purposeful steps, he approached me, and within seconds, he had both hands cupping my face.
“You’d better be telling me the truth, Shortstop,” he muttered.
“I can honestly say, I’m being one-hundred percent honest,” I breathed.
And then, he kissed me.
Right there.
In front ofDad!
Brooks Mason pressed his lips to mine, firm and sure. There was no room for doubt, for pretending, and it was definitely not fake, because I’d never felt a guy’s lips on mine before, and this was—amazing.
It was also sweet. Like, better than anything I could have read in a book. My baseball player—read that:mybaseball player—kissed me in a sweet and treasured kiss.
Even Dad didn’t interrupt it—though he was scowling. In the distance, I thought I heard people cheering. I definitely heard Coach yelling for Brooks to get back in the game. And then, above it all, someone started chanting, “I believe in you!” just like I’d hollered like a dork that game several weeks before.
Brooks pulled back, but his hands still cupped my face. “Are we in it for real this time?”
“For real,” I nodded.
“Good.” His crooked grin did funny things to my insides. “Now I’ve got a game to play,” he said. Brooks took a step back, and then, in perfect timing, he fell backward into Dad’s ready grip.
Dad’s eyes met mine with a glimmer of humor and concern mixed together. “This kid isn’t playing any game today. I’m willing to bet he’s got a concussion.”
It wasn’t anything to laugh about, but I smiled, even as Brooks managed a lopsided grin and then draped his arm around my dad’s neck and his other arm around his own dad’s neck.
Mr. Mason looked completely perplexed.
Our moms held each other as though war had come and Brooks had given his life for it.
Reece was grinning from ear to ear.
I could hear Lia in my pocket shouting, “mmmmfpppfhhfho—happened?”
And then, in no uncertain terms, Jenessa’s voice rose about it all.
“Broo-elle is back, baby!”
And I saw her holding up her phone.
We were going to go viral again.
Go figure.
At least this time, everyone knew why.
Epilogue
Brielle
It was a brilliant idea. The whole being transparent thing and not hiding behind fake stuff. If I learned anything this last semester, it was that life was sure a lot easier if you just told the truth from the very beginning.
Brooks and I have been dating since that first game. There are a few days left of school, but every day has been a blast.
