My chest tightens, even though nothing he says is concrete.
“That’s always happening,” Marcus says. “Especially early in the season. Doesn’t mean anything.”
I nod along, but the thought sticks anyway.
Am I still being evaluated?
Is Edward still talking behind the scenes?
Jayden bumps my shoulder. “Relax, Texas. You’re playing solid. Just keep doing what you’re doing.”
I force a breath and let it out slowly.
Yeah. Just keep playing.
That’s the part I know how to do.
Chapter Nineteen
Nicole
“So…” Nora gives me a sly smile. “How’d the after party go, hmm?”
“Well…” I prop myself up on my elbows as my face flames, staring at my FaceTime call on my laptop. “It was …good.”
Nora’s eyebrows shoot up. “Ooh,you havethe face.” Her jaw drops and she wiggles her brows at me. “You better tell me everything!”
I bite the inside of my cheek, but it’s no use. I can’t stop the giggle from slipping through. “Okay, okay.” I take a deep breath. “So, it was… I don’t know. I guess it was just completely amazing. The party was pretty quiet, and then there was this guy and his girlfriend, and she totally brought up Glow Girl…”
My sister’s smile fades. “Um, please tell me you did not spend the entire time talking about your business. Like, youdounderstand how incredibly hot your date was, right?”
I laugh. “Well, yeah. I know that. But she started making fun of me, and Dom stood up for me. It was so sweet.” I sigh, resting my cheek against my hand as I kick my feet behind me like a little giddy kid. “Then we left early and went for a walk on the beach. That was probably the best part. He held my hand and…” I look her straight in the eyes. “He kissed me.”
Nora’s face morphs into a grin. “Oh, Iknewit. Iknewhe was into you! I can already hear the wedding bells. See, romance is still alive and well.”
“Yeah, I guess so.” I purse my lips. “And then he also sent me a text earlier and asked me to dinner tonight.”
“Oh wow.” Nora’s eyes widen as her floppy bun falls to the side. “He couldn’t even wait twenty-four hours. That’s a man who’s in love.”
I roll my eyes at her. “Dom is not in love with me. We’re just … seeing where it goes. I mean, we’re already friends, so it’s not that weird to hang out.”
“How doyoufeel about him?” Nora asks me, her voice softening. “It’s okay to let yourself like him.”
“Idolike him.” I glance down at my oversized black T-shirt, signifying I’ve basically spent the entire day in my pjs. “He makes me feel steady. Like I don’t have to be impressive to be interesting.”
Nora holds my gaze through the screen. “That’s how it’s supposed to feel.”
My throat tightens, so I move—pushing myself upright, changing the subject before the feeling can settle too deep. “Okay. What should I wear to dinner? He gave me zero details.”
Nora grins. “Take me to your closet.” Nellie bounces behind her.
I swing open my closet door, revealing my mess of a wardrobe. Nothing is organized in my closet, and in order to find a matching pair of shoes, sometimes I have to dig. But it keeps them safe from Cocoa.
“Let’s go snappy casual.” Nora’s eyes narrow as she peers through the screen. “It’s not formal, but it’s not homeless either.”
I give her a look. “Are you saying I usually look homeless?”
She giggles. “Honey, have you brushed your hair today?”
