Page 47 of The Perfect Hit

I frowned. “I didn’t think she cared. I only said yes after she’d already asked Adam.”

“I’m not sure what’s going on here, but did I just hear you’re in the play?” Nate asked, his eyes narrowed in my direction.

Oh crap. That was the one thing I didn’t want them to know. Not yet.

29

Hazel

Iknew I’d have to apologize to Adam and the others for running out, but I couldn’t stand to be there one more minute. It was like I was watching a real-life version of Seth and Darcy as I watched Colt and Marcy dance.

I’d lost him.

I’d completely lost him by not allowing him in all the way. What hurt even worse was that I liked him more than I’d ever liked Seth, and I’d completely screwed this up, thanks to my insecurities.

Instead of waiting outside for Brynn to take me home, I sent her a text telling her I was going to walk home.

“Hey,” I heard behind me, and I paused, turning to see who it was. Had Colt come after me?

Adam. Why was he following me?

“Are you all right? Did I hurt you in any way?” he asked, turning me enough that he could look into my face.“I mean, I’m sorry I wasn’t ready when you got to my door. I just, well, I have a complicated relationship with someone else, someone who lives in another state, and I debated whether or not I should come because of that.”

I sniffed, trying to give off the impression that it was no big deal. But back there, I’d been a real diva, not the chill kind who could go with the flow in her life.

“I can understand that. No, it wasn’t you.”

“Colt?”

I nodded, unable to speak as a fresh wave of emotions took over. I paused for several seconds and said, “Yeah. I think I like him.” Saying the words out loud was like a revelation, and I was finally leaning into it.

Adam smiled. “So why did you run out crying?”

“Because I screwed up everything. I didn’t realize I liked him until recently, and I just outed the fact that he’s been practicing to act in the spring play with his teammates listening at the door to the gym, which he specifically told me not to do. What a great best friend I am.” I wiped the side of my hand under my nose, trying to keep my emotions under control. That was all I needed, the new guy and my date to think I was crazy.

“What’s the big deal about the play? Why can’t he do both?”

I pictured Colt’s brothers, Sterling out front, along with their dad. “I think he’s worried about what his family will say. He has a lot of brothers, and they’re very into masculine things. They’ve given him a hard time about hanging out with me in the first place, so I get where his worries come in. And he doesn’t want to let the baseball team down. He’s been focused on helping the team take state since their loss last year. At least, that’s what I gathered.”

“There’s nothing wrong in taking part where you want. I mean, it’s been a juggling act, but if he’s been able to do it this long, he might as well keep going.” Adam had his hands tucked into his pants pockets, and he looked so nonchalant about the whole thing. If only everyone in my life could feel the same about my participation in the play.

I nodded, wondering if that’s what Colt would actually do. He’d worked so hard and was memorizing a lot more than I thought he would. But would he even want to show up now that I’d outed him in front of his teammates?

I hoped I hadn’t done irreparable damage to our relationship. But then again, did I want things to stay the same? Or was I ready for us to move forward, forgetting my feelings for him and focusing back on being man-vegan?

Because seeing him with Marcy was doing a lot to my tender heart at the moment.

30

Colt

Iasked the girls to go back into the dance, as this was something I needed to confess to the guys.

“I auditioned for the spring play and made it. I was cast as the best friend of the lead, and I’m also his understudy.” My gaze swept over the faces of the guys I’d played baseball with for years, my chest squeezing as I waited for their reactions.

“What about the season? What about state? Is that not on your radar?” Dax asked, his voice low but his tone having an edge to it.

My knees nearly buckled as sadness washed over me. Had I let down my team because I’d chosen something I wanted to try out?

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