Page 51 of Need You To Choose Me

“I thought it was you two!”

Becky and I turn in unison to find Jessica standing by our table.

“Hey, Jess!” I look behind her, but there is nobody there. “What are you up to?”

“I’m just meeting with some friends, but I saw you guys and wanted to say hi.”

“Any exciting plans?” Becky asks, sitting upright.

“Nothing as exciting as Sav’s life apparently.” Jessica crosses her hands over her chest. “You’ve been keeping secrets from us.”

An icy chill runs down my spine at her words.

“Wh-what?”

She couldn’t know, could she? Nobody except Becky knew about Blake and me, so?—

She smirks. “You’ve been the talk of the town?—”

My heart starts beating faster, the sound echoing in my eardrums and muffling Jessica’s words. I curl my fingers, but my palms are sweaty.

This couldn’t be happening.

Is that what those looks have been about?

How did they find out? The whole situation was hard on its own; I didn’t want people to meddle in my life…

“What new coach?” Becky’s question snaps me out of my thoughts.

Coach?

Her eyes narrow at me. “You’re not coaching the peewee football, but then who—” Her mouth falls open as the realization sets in. “No way! Walker? He’s the new coach?”

I open my mouth, but no words come out. What is there to say, really?

“Yes, and apparently that’s not it.” Jessica wiggles her brows knowingly. “Some kid threw the ball and almost knocked Savannah over, but he ran across the field and stopped it from hitting her. It was quite a gesture.”

Becky turns to me. “Did he now?”

“Stop it. It wasn’t like that.” I roll my eyes. “He was just showing off.”

The corner of Becky’s mouth tips upward. “Mm-hmm… I wonder why.”

I shoot her a warning glare, that only makes her grin grow wider.

“People seem to like the idea of having a former NFL player coaching peewee football. I know my dad’s excited. He couldn’t stop talking about it during our dinner the other night.” Jessica winces softly, and hurries to add, “Not that you weren’t doing a good job…”

“But I’m not a former NFL player.” I let out a loud snort. Jessica’s dad was the elementary school principal. I was hopinghe’d agree with me that having Blake coach peewee football was absurd, but he couldn’t stop gushing over him. “I’m sure that’s the only reason why parents like him so much.”

Even saying parents was stretching it. It wasmomswho liked it. And not because of his football knowledge. They likedhim.The bleachers were packed during the last practice, and I could barely hear myself think from their constant chatting and sighing every time he came close enough so they could ogle him. It was embarrassing. They were grown-ass women, for God’s sake! Not just that, a good majority of them were married.

And I could do nothing but stand on the sidelines and watch it all unfold since, while my principal was ecstatic to have Blake on board, he still wanted me to be there to supervise practice and make him feel welcome. As if he needed me to do that when he had a whole freaking fan club there.

“Jealous, Sav?”

My head snaps up only to find Becky smirking at me. “Jealous?” I glare at her. “Of what exactly?”

“Oh, I don’t know. You tell me.”

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