My eyes stung, the adrenaline from the glimmer of hope exploding into a full-fledged fantasy. This was the stuff I missed out on all high school. Girls’ nights and fun challenges and dating. Falling hard for someone and maybe having them fall back or not. I grinned, finally able to push a bit of the anger at Coach Em away. Maybe things happened for a reason, and I was supposed to go through all this to lead me to Dean…all I knew was that I washappy.
“I could be dating your brother for real.”
“Yes. That’s the right thought.”
“Dean and me.”
“Yup.” Lo grinned again. “I don’t know why you’d ever think he wouldn’t want this. You’re the best. Seriously.”
“It’s not about putting myself down in any way. It’s just football and the lives we lead. It’ll be hard.”
“You don’t think I know that? Hello, have you met my boyfriend? He’d sleep with a football given the chance. People make time for the things that matter to them. Plain and simple. Time is an excuse. If they want to, they will. This applies tofriends, relationships, hobbies, all of it. Let him make you a priority. You’ll find time if you want it, Mack.”
“How the fuck did you get so wise? You’re the same age as me.”
“I’m like two months older, and I’ve learned a lot in those sixty days.”
I snorted, my emotions regulating more normally. “Okay, well shit. If he’s gonna ask me out for real, I definitely want to look good.”
“Yes! That’s the spirit. Ale, Mally, and Vee will be here in fifteen. Vee has a dress for you too.”
“She is way shorter than me.”
“Shows more leg then.” She wiggled her brows. “Okay, can I just…”
Lo jumped off the chair and threw herself at me, squeezing me in a huge bear hug. “I’m feeling emotional about this. Dean has been so happy, and I love you, and you’re happy, and you’re happy together.” She nuzzled into my robe.
“You’re ridiculous,” I said, laughing and squeezing her back. “Did you just sniff?”
“Yes. I did. Two of my favorite people finding each other in a weird way? It’s beautiful.”
“Okay, my robe is falling down.”
“Ain’t nothing I haven’t seen before.”
I shoved her off, my mood entirely different than even ten minutes ago. Lo wouldn’t say any of this if it weren’t true, and maybe that was what Dean needed to talk to her about. Me. Us. This dinner. It was official—I was full of hope and fantasy at this point and oh my god.
Dean Romano was gonna ask me out for real. How did I want to respond? With a cool,sure,orI guess?Or a jump up and down?
Or be normal and kiss him?
There were so many possibilities.
The girls arrived with outfits and makeup, along with mimosas. I’d done the homecoming and prom thing in high school, and this felt like that but bigger. Ale and Vee did my nails, while Mally started on my hair. Lo had makeup ready, and holy shit, I was pampered.
It was strange but nice. If I was ever famous, I’d get people to do this for me because it was glorious. I had no idea what to do with an eyebrow brush, but damn, my brows looked good. So did my lashes. They had to be fake?
“You’re like my own Barbie. This is so much fun.” Vee stood in front of me, doing something with my hair so her tits were right in my face. “I love these rainbow tips. They are perfect for you. You’re so serious, but you have these colors that show the real you.”
“Deep, Vee.”
“It’s kinda like Oliver. He’s so serious and quiet, but he has this longish hair with a half-bun thing and those glasses? Oof. You know he’s a freak inside.”
“Man, you and him dance on a bar together and you’re into him?”
“Oh, god, no. He’s… he’s just a hot, complicated dude. That’s all. I’m on a hiatus from dating or sleeping around for this semester. I need to graduate, and I’m short a few credits which… that’s a conversation for another time. Now, if this was Xavier we were talking about, different story.” She grinned, but her smile didn’t reach her eyes.
If I wasn’t such a weird mess about Dean, I’d be digging harder.
