Page 63 of Waiting for Her

“She’s quite something, huh?” Drew asks. After he got here, he admitted he remembered Bri from when I was first on the team as a player. I explained a little bit of our history, not divulging some of the private details I’ve recently learned. I was afraid he’d be a little judgmental about why she was given the article. It’s been one of my biggest fears about anyone knowing my past with her. It’s also something I’ve been feeling like I should bring up to the board, just so they can run interference in case someone makes a big deal about it. Truth is, though, there really is no one better qualified to do what she’s doing.

“She definitely is.”

He looks at me, head turned to the side. “Still love her, huh?”

“I don’t think there will ever be a day I don’t love her,” I admit.

“She’s still in love with you, too.”

My head jerks up and I stare at him. “What makes you say that?”

“I can see it.” He taps the side of his head. “I pay attention. And read people really well.”

“Oh yeah? You’re all-knowing, huh?”

“I am. Of course, it helps that Hazel told me you were still Bri’s dream guy tonight,” he flutters his eyelashes as he says it. I throw a bottle cap in his direction that he dodges easily.

“She did not say that.”

“Actually, she did. In those exact same words,” he chuckles. “That girl’s a trip. She’s gotta be a handful for her mom and dad.”

I bark out a laugh. “Yeah, she is. She reminds me a little of Harper at that age. Has everyone around her wrapped around her finger, has no filter, cute enough that you forget the sassiness that comes out of her mouth.”

Quiet surrounds us, only the sounds of crickets chirping and Rocky chewing on a rawhide bone are heard around us. A car door slamming shut.

“Don’t let that bitterness continue to take over, Grady. I see it threatening at the surface. I know she hurt you, but is your pride really worth it? Or are you finally going to admit that you don’t just love her, you’reinlove with her?”

“I…” The lie that I’m not in love with her doesn’t even make it to my lips before…

“Grady?” Kennedy’s cheerful voice rings out from the side of the house as she comes into view.

Drew’s eyes widen and he presses his lips together to stop from laughing at my immediate panic.

Kennedy is wearing a slinky bright blue dress short enough that if she bent over, I’m pretty sure Drew and I would get a good look at what she’s wearing underneath. By the size of the dress, it looks like it could fit Hazel, considering it dips low in the frontandthe back.

Her makeup is heavy, much heavier than what she usually wears, and her heels are high.

“Hey, Kennedy.”

She struts over, leaning down to kiss me on the cheek, her breasts bulging as she shifts.

“Hi, babe.”

Babe?

I glance at Drew who’s covering his face as best he can with his beer bottle. His eyes dance and he wiggles his fingers around them like he did earlier when talking about crazy eyes.

“What are you doing here?”

She glances over the yard and back to me again, causing a niggle of nervousness to form in my gut.

“Thought I’d come see if I convinced you to change your mind about tomorrow night,” she coos, running a finger down my bicep.

I look down and shift so she’s not touching me anymore.

Clearing my throat, I take another drink of my beer and lean back in my chair, farther from her.

“Uh, no. Sorry. Like I said, I already have plans.”

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