She snorted.“Okay.”
The game started again, and for the first few throws, I was useless.
I could feel Jude’s presence at the edge of everything now, like he had changed the shape of the air just by standing there.Every time I bent to grab the ball, every time I straightened up, every time I laughed at something Alice or Wren said, some part of me was aware of where he was.
Aware of whether he was still there.
Aware of whether he was looking.
Which was embarrassing and exhausting and exactly why I had told myself I needed to get over him.
“Ever!”Wren called.
I jolted.
“The ball,” she said, laughing.
Right.The ball.
I threw and missed completely.
Alice cackled.“Love this for us.”
Lark pointed accusingly across the line.“You distracted her.”
“I didn’t do anything,” Alice said.
“You exist loudly.It counts.”
Wren rolled her shoulders, drink still in one hand as she lined up for her turn with the other.“Okay, ladies, watch a professional.”
“Why does she keep saying that tonight?”I muttered.
She sank the shot cleanly into our middle can.She whooped so loud three different people turned to look.
“Yes!”
“Traitor,” Lark said to her.
“She’s not even on your team,” I said.
“She betrayed me spiritually.”
Wren bowed.“Thank you.Thank you very much.”
Jude laughed at that.
Actually laughed.
It wasn’t a huge sound.More like half a breath with a chuckle in it, but I heard it.
Of course I did, and because the universe hated me, that tiny sound did something strange to my stomach.
I shoved the kickball into Lark’s hands.“Fix this.”
“Bossy,” Lark muttered.
“Effective.”
