“Yeah.”
“Do you think people will want to go to my benefit?” Her voice carries a hint of self-consciousness, fragile like a thin layer of ice. “I keep having this thought that everyone will think it’s silly and no one will show up.”
My heart clenches. The fierce burning sensation from earlier returns with a vengeance, tearing through my chest. I want to take her doubt away. I rub my thumb back and forth across her chin.
“Yeah. It sounds fun. I bet you’ll sell a lot of tickets.” I swipe the tip of my tongue along my lip, guiding her closer until there’s no space left, her books trapped between us. “I’ll help you.”
Relief softens her features, her lashes fluttering. “Okay, fine. You can kiss me. Make it quick.”
The corner of my eyes crinkle and I duck down, pressing my lips to her cheek, barely grazing the corner of her mouth. She makes a tiny noise of surprise. It would take no effort to turn my head and claim her lips.
Heat flares low in my gut as soon as the thought enters my mind, driving me to kiss her like I wanted to four years ago. I linger to enjoy the feel of her soft skin on mine, then pull back.
To anyone watching it could’ve easily been mistaken for a real kiss.
She touches her lips, gaze cutting to the side. “I wouldn’t categorize that a kiss.”
“They don’t know that.” I tip my head, indicating the furtive looks of the other students paying attention.
She narrows her eyes and slips from my grasp, moving down the path again with a parting scoff. I send a grin to the sky before catching up with a few long strides.
“Wait. That wasn’t the thing I was going to tell you.”
“Then why did you kiss me?” she mutters.
The corners of my mouth curl. Now it’s a kiss? “Because you’re my girlfriend.”
“I’m n?—”
“For the next two weeks, you are. We kissed to seal the deal, so this is happening. I’ll have one of our rookies meet up with you after practice. You’ll be at Derby Bookshop?” At her bewildered nod, I pull out my phone and shoot a text to Reeves with directions. He’s the most reliable out of the new rookies. “He’ll bring you my jersey.”
She watches me suspiciously. “Why would I need your jersey? Don’t you need it for the game?”
“I’m giving you my alternate. Girlfriends wear their man’s number.” I wink. Lainey is speechless. “I can’t wait to see you screaming for me, baby. I’ll score a goal just for you if you do.”
The harassed expression she gives me is priceless.
THREE
ALEX
Water droplets flyfrom my freshly showered hair as I scrub it with a towel and amble through the locker room to my cubby after practice. Once I tug on a pair of boxers, I get my phone from my duffel bag.
Scrolling through my contacts, I find her number still saved.
Alex
Hey, practice just ended. Keep an eye out for Reeves. Look for the backwards hat.
“We’re out,” Easton announces.
The talented rookie slings an arm across Cameron’s shoulder and messes with his backwards hat. The two of them wrestle good-naturedly.
“Reeves, hold up.”
Cameron turns back at my call. I ball up my white and blue alternate colors, then toss it. He catches the jersey against his chest.
“Got it,” he says.
