Page 171 of Wish You Were Mine
Which was exactly why I’d driven to Pennsylvania the first weekend in April to watch the NCAA Regional Gymnastics Championships Lucy had qualified for.
Was it smart? Probably not. Especially with the chance her parents might see me in the crowd.
But I couldn’t not show up.
Because even if Lucy and I weren’t speaking—if there was even the slightest chance things could still work out between us someday—it would’ve been a shame not to witness this moment.
To not be there for her, cheering her on.
Even if it had to be from the shadows.
And while Lucy was a force on the floor, the competition that weekend was brutal. Gymnasts from all over the region were trading near-perfect scores like punches and every decimal point mattered.
So by the time the final rotation ended, I was practically holding my breath.
And when they announced the all-around results, my heart was pounding like I was the one being judged.
“And in second place, Lucy Archibald from Eden Falls University.”
So close to first. Just a tenth of a point behind the leader.
Still, it was good enough to continue to the finals in Texas.
“Good job, Lucy,”I whispered under my breath as she accepted her medal and waved at the crowd.“I’m proud of you.”
I pulled out my phone, wondering if I could text her. Just to let her know I’d seen her. A little sign that I still cared.
But I didn’t know if I had the right to even text her anymore—we hadn’t shared a single message since our breakup a month ago.
In fact, the only real personal interaction between us had come on the last Thursday of March when she’d walked past me at the end of her lab and quietly said, “Happy birthday, Owen,” before slipping out the door with Brody by her side.
It had happened so quickly I hadn’t even had a chance to thank her before she was gone.
I sighed and opened my messaging app to look at my previous text thread with Lucy.
The last message from her still sat there:Can I come over to talk?
I stared at it for a long moment, thumb hovering before Ityped out a new message:You did amazing today.Only to backspace every word.
I shook my head and slid my phone back into my pocket. Then, before the crowd could get too thick, I made my way toward the exit.
I was just rounding the corner near the bathrooms when a familiar voice stopped me.
“Owen? Is that you?”
I froze, my heart jumping before I turned to find Theo approaching, his expression unreadable.
“Hey,” I said, trying not to look guilty. “Didn’t expect to run into you.”
“Yeah, same.” He studied me for a second, and I briefly wondered if he was going to get after me for showing up where I wasn’t wanted. But instead, he asked, “You doing okay?”
“About as good as I can be, I guess,” I said, pushing my hands into my pockets. “Not fired yet, at least.”
Theo chuckled, then threw an arm around my shoulder. “You’re a good guy. I know my dad’s a bit hotheaded, but he knows it, too. Even if the age thing makes him nervous.”
“I get it,” I said quietly.
“Lucy’s his baby girl. Always has been.” Theo looked away for a beat, then added, “And after hearing what Josh did to her…my dad’s just feeling a lot. Guilt. Fear. Helplessness. He’s in full-on protective mode.”
