Page 69 of Playing with the Heartbreaker

I smile and set my phone down, feeling confident for the first time in days. I can do this. Chloe’s coming over to study tomorrow night. And when she arrives, I’ll have a spread of all her favorite breakfast foods from around town. That’ll show her I’ve been listening.

Piper, Chloe’s teammate, told me the key to Chloe’s heart—or at least a chance at it—is breakfast. It’s been helping us get closer so far. Let’s hope Piper’s love advice is as accurate as her corner kicks.

Thirty-Two

CHLOE

Dani, Hannah, and Maya pop in and out of the kitchen under the pretense of getting snacks, but I have the feeling they’re spying on Rhoads and me.

After everything that went down with us lately, I was surprised when Rhoads asked me to study with him. I had to say yes, of course. If there’s any chance he’ll forgive me for what I said, I have to take it.

“Don’t you have something better to do?” Rhoads asks as Dani comes into the kitchen yet again.

“Dude, chill. We’re ordering a pizza.” Dani takes the delivery menu off the fridge, replacing the tiny snow globe magnet. “Since when is being hungry a crime?” She rolls her eyes.

“He’s not working tonight,” I say, addressing Hannah and Maya, who stand behind Dani. Their faces flicker disappointment. “Football thing.”

“I have absolutely no idea to whom you are referring.” Dani flips her straight hair over her shoulder. Normally in a dancer’s bun, it hangs in a sleek curtain down her back.

“For Pete’s sake, Danielle, just give it a rest, okay?” Rhoads groans.

“You know, I heard that new Thai place has great delivery.” I wink at Dani. One of Charlotte’s student council friends, DeShawn, just got a job there, and I overheard him tell Charlotte he couldn’t do some student council thing today because he has to work. If anyone can fill the flirtatious older delivery guy void, it’s him. He’ll milk the attention for all it’s worth.

Catching on, Dani’s face brightens. “Can you text me the name and number?”

I do.

“Thanks.” Dani smiles, checking her phone. She sticks the pizza menu back on the fridge.

“Yeah, thanks,” echoes Maya.

“You’re the coolest,” says Hannah.

Both girls wave as they follow Dani back down the hall to Dani’s room, giggling and discussing what Pad Thai is. “I have never been called that, ever,” I say to Rhoads. “It’s kind of nice to be appreciated.”

“You think that now but just wait until they’re following you around everywhere.” He puts his pencil down in the crack of his book. “Danielle actually asked me to ask you if you wanted to sleep over here with Hannah and Maya.”

“That’s sweet,” I say, touched. I’ve always wanted a sister. And now I’m thinking about sleeping at Rhoads’s house and getting a glass of water in the middle of the night and running into Rhoads while wearing pajamas.

Should I buy nicer pajamas instead of wearing an old soccer shirt and shorts like I usually do? What if Rhoads just sleeps in shorts or boxers?

“Earth to Baker.” Rhoads waves a hand in front of my face, bringing me back to myself.

“Hi.” I blink a few times to erase the images my treacherous brain conjured. The whole thought experiment is silly. I’m not actually sleeping over at his house, not even for girls’ night with his sister.

“Hi.” He flashes a smile. “Are you as bored of this as I am?” He points to his textbook.

“I could use a break.”

His face brightens, and he stands, the wooden chair scraping the gray LVP flooring as he pushes it back. “Great. I have a surprise for you.”

“You do?”

“Wait here.” He’s buzzing with a new nervous energy as he slips on two mitts and opens his oven door.

“Rhoads Simpson, did you bake for me?”

He laughs. “Lucky for you, no. I did, however, acquire sustenance from better sources.” He slides two glass baking dishes onto the stove top and peels back the foil. “Had to keep it warm.”