Page 122 of Even Exchange

“Is that what we’re doing now? Lying to each other?”

“I’m not—” My voice cracks, and I clear my throat. “I’m not lying.”

“Please, talk to me.”

Thoughts of all the hard days of work he’s been putting in and the opportunity of a lifetime he has right now in Tampa fill my mind. He doesn’t need distractions. He doesn’t needme. “Nothing.”

Another message pops in and I groan.

THE BENSON FAM

MOTHER

Will you make it for the twins’ birthday party Saturday?

“What’s wrong?” Noah asks.

I opt to use this as the out for my unexplained shitty attitude. “Just Mom trying to rub it in that I can’t go to the twins’ birthday party this weekend.”

“Why can’t you go? Doesn’t camp end Friday?”

“Yeah,” I say. “And Andi is heading straight back to campus after our physicals, so I don’t have a ride.”

“I always hated those things,” Noah says, shuddering. “The needles and weighing and prodding.”

“I know,” I say with a laugh, remembering the judgy nurse from last year who told me I needed to lose a few pounds if I want to keep being a flyer. Unfortunately the school requires it for us to be cleared for the team.

“Do you know anyone else at camp from Longwood who could bring you?” Noah asks.

“Well…” I shift on the bed, remembering how I got home last year. “Jonathan.”

He laughs sarcastically. “No.”

“No?” I say with a cocked brow.Not that I had even a minuscule intention of considering the option.

“Yeah.” He smiles. “No. I’ll take you.”

“Doesn’t one of your new teammates have some big Fourth of July party thing this weekend?”

“So?” His brows pull together. “I’d rather see you.”

He would?

“You don’t have to?—”

“Yes, I do,” he says. “And besides, Iwantto go. In fact, I’m a little offended I wasn’t invited.”

I fight a smile. “Yeah, because birthday parties with screaming children are sooo your vibe.”

“If you’re there, it’s my vibe,” he says, and a blush creeps on my cheeks, all negative thoughts shoved into the “you’re such an overthinker, girly” category.

“Okay, then thanks,” I say. “So you’ll pick me up Saturday morning from camp?”

“It’s a date.”

It’s a date.

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