Page 55 of Big Dix

“Dude, you are so screwed. How’d you mess things up with your girl, and better yet, what do we need to do to fix it?”

“There’s the million-dollar question, my friend. I don’t know.”

THIRTY-THREE

Evelyn

“Atticus Dixon is having the worst day of his career. The Mountaineers were looking great headed into this bowl game, coming off an undefeated season. But something is sure off with Dixon today.”

“He said his name twice! Drink, drink!” Jen shouts, and we all turn our drinks up for a double. We turned off the stadium announcer and are using the commentators on the TV for our drinking game.

“I’m so happy we’ve turned my heartache into a drinking game.” I chug the bottle of vodka.

Two drinks, my ass.

“It is the only way to get through it.” Christina pats my leg and chugs her drink.

I don’t want Atticus to lose. “He is playing like shit.”

I stumble over to the glass wall and focus my attention down at the field. The Mountaineers are in a huddle, and they only have seconds left on the clock before halftime. I lean my forehead against the cool surface and watch the huddle break.

Number sixty-nine gets behind the center; the ball is snapped, but Atticus doesn’t move. The ball flies over his head while he stands stock still. The remaining Mountaineers scramble to recover the ball but Atticus just stands there; frozen.

“What in the bloody hell is he doing?” Rim jumps from his seat to get a better look.

Then I see what Atticus is doing. He is staring at me on the fucking Jumbotron. His head snaps in my direction up in the box while the clock continues to run.

Oh hell. Atticus is looking right at me.

I feel his gaze, and for a moment, everything and everyone disappears. It’s just us—two hearts, sad and lost without each other.

“Oh, my god, Ev, he’s looking right at you,” Jen says, coming to stand beside me.

“Yeah.” It’s all I can say. My heart bangs against my ribcage, my hands are shaking, and I know, without any doubt, that anything Annie said two weeks ago is utter fucking shit. I don’t know how I know. I just do. And if I’m wrong? So fucking what. I’ll at least hear it from his mouth, not hers.

The final seconds of the first half must have ticked off the clock because his team rushes him and the din of jeers becomes deafening. Stadium employees stream onto the field to set up for the halftime show. I lose sight of him in the commotion.

“I need to see him!” I turn and rush toward the door, but I don’t have a clue where in the hell I’m going. “Where the hell am I going?”

This place is so damn huge; it should have its own fucking zip code.

“Rim, help her!” Christina motions her hands toward me, and Rim snaps into action.

He pulls his phone from his pocket, types out a message, and gets a fast response. “I’m working on it; just give me a couple of minutes.”

Pacing the skybox, minutes seem like hours. I should have just run out and found him. That would have been faster. I mean, I have no clue where to go, but damn, I’m a woman on a mission. I can figure it out. I head for the door, but before I get there, it flies open, and Atticus is standing there—a warrior in a grass-stained uniform holding his helmet in one hand.

“Evelyn.” My name coming from his mouth is the best sound I’ve ever heard as he makes his way toward me. He stops right in front of me.

I gaze up into those mismatched eyes that I’ve missed so much, and nothing matters because he’s here. “Atticus.”

His lips tip into my favorite crooked smile. “You came. I-I’ve missed you,” he whispers, and those words tell me what I should have known all along, but I need to confirm my suspicions.

“You didn’t send Annie to break up with me, did you?” I hold my breath, waiting for his answer.

“Sweetheart, I would never be so disrespectful to you. No, I did not send her. I’m sorry she did that to you.”

“I should have talked to you, Atticus. I’m sorry that I didn’t.”

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