Page 46 of Try Hard
She reached to take her phone. “Text me later.”
“YouknowI will.”
She shook her head, glancing towards the building. “Have a great time with your dad.”
I shot her one last, lingering smile before gathering my things and climbing out of the car. However, I hadn’t made it two steps before I knew I wasn’t quite done talking to her.
I strolled around the front of the car and knocked on the driver’s side window. She looked at me with deep amusement as she rolled it down.
“Archer. How nice to see you here,” she said, and, if you didn’t know her, it might have sounded more critical than amused. Luckily for me, Ididknow her.
“Pendrick,” I replied, playing along and loving the glint in her eyes. “What are you doing Tuesday night?”
She blew out a surprised breath. “I’d hazard a guess that I will be watching TV with my parents.”
“Think you can pull yourself away from those important plans?”
She tilted her head but didn’t pull back as I bent to lean my elbow on the frame of her window, bringing our faces close together. “Depends what you want me for.”
Everything.I wanted her for everything ever.
I tamped down the feeling. “That casual rugby team I mentioned?”
“Yes,” she said, drawing out the word, and I could see every fleck of colour in her irises as she stared directly into my eyes.
“There’s a game Tuesday night. Fancy watching me play? I’ll even drive and you can judge my music tastes.”
Her laugh was the most beautiful sound in the universe. “I think I can be free for that.”
“It’s a date.”
“Is it?” she asked rhetorically, her tone darkening.
I stayed in place, leaning against her car, admiring her as her gaze flitted to my arm. Unexpectedly, she lifted her hand and traced a finger over my skin. I could have died at the touch. Sure,I’d touched her a lot, but now, she was touching me, and that was exquisite.
“How did you get that scar?” she asked quietly.
“Ah. Unfortunate encounter with someone else’s cleats.”
She grimaced, her shoulders tensing.
I watched her open her mouth to reply only for both of us to jump out of our skin when a hand slapped down on the roof of her car.
My head shot up in alarm to see Soph standing in front of me, looking like all her birthdays had come at once.
“Fia!” she practically yelled, causing Ophelia to wince and me to do a double take.
I hovered by the car door, watching as Ophelia sucked in a calming breath.
She recovered quickly, looking up at Soph with a wry smile. “Sophie. It’s been a while.”
“You’re telling me,” Soph replied with a laugh, and I couldn’t help noticing the way her eyes were glued on Ophelia. “You look as gorgeous as ever. But get out of the car and say hello at least.”
Ophelia shot her a look like it wasn’t the first time Soph had complimented her. I couldn’t stop myself from feeling vaguely dizzy at the thought of the things teenage Sophie might have said to her. She’d always been very direct and flirtatious.
And Ophelia was clearly used to that.
She unbuckled her belt and stepped out of the car, shooting me an adorable look when I held the door for her.
