Page 18 of Winging it with My Ex
I high-five him. “That’s awesome, Ward.”
“I told you having a contest would work. I’ve never sat in a VIP seat.” His gaze wanders to the boxes above us. “I’m going to chow on pizza, guzzle soda, and live. It.Up!” He laughs, and his cheeks turn rosy. “It's gonna be lit!”
I laugh. “If this keeps up, we’ll need to add bleachers.”
“Count on it.” He does the same double guns he did the first day of school and jogs away.
“Man, they sure are excited about those seats,” Vivi says. “Guess our little play worked.”
Obviously, we can’t just talk out in the open about what Jett and I are doing. It’d ruin the whole thing if someone found out. “Yeah.”
“How’d your second date go?”
I shrug. “Fine.”
Vivi bumps my shoulder. “Did you order $600 worth of food again?”
I roll my eyes. “I should have never, never, never said anything about that to you. You’re never going to let me live that down.”
“Nope.” The single word is sharp. “Did you enjoy yourself then?” When I don’t respond, she takes my hand. “It’s okay to be mad, sad, confused, hurt, and angry. It’s also okay to be pleasantly surprised and happy.”
I don't want to be happy or pleasantly surprised. I want to hold onto being mad, sad, confused, hurt, and angry. But in just two short weeks, all of those protective feelings are slowly draining away. I've maybe got a fourth of a cup left.
Admitting it almost feels like admitting defeat. Like I’d be saying what he did to me was okay. At the same time, I don’t know. Fifteen years has made a big difference in who we are as people.
“Actually, it was fun. We just hung out at my house.” We’d planned the park, but it had rained unexpectedly. “Then wewatched Emperor’s New Groove.” Yes, it’s a kid’s movie. Just because it’s animated doesn’t mean it can’t be great.
Vivi squeezes my hand. “As long as you’re happy, I’m happy.”
“You’re just happy because attendance at the practice games has nearly doubled—people hoping to catch a glance of Jett and me.” I nudge her. “I think if I hadn’t shown up tonight, there would’ve been a riot. And it would’ve been your fault.”
Vivi smirks, unbothered. “Worth it.”
I shake my head, but the smile tugs at my lips anyway.
I glance back at the ice. Jett is in his zone again—blocking a shot with this practiced ease, fluid, and focused.
How is it possible to feel like I’m watching a stranger and the boy I once loved, all at once?
I don’t want to admit that being around him feels… right.
But I do know this: the more time I spend with Jett, the harder it is to remember why I ever hated him.
And tonight?
Tonight it doesn’t feel fake.
It feels like coming home.
***
The six weeks of fake dating we’ve endured have been okay. Correction. They’ve been great. Jett is a gentleman, and the dates are fun. The arena is packed for each Bobcats game. All of my kids’ grades are up. All of them.
Seriously, they are so into this whole thing. Every morning, at least a dozen flag me down and talk about those VIP boxes they’ll be sitting in when the Bobcats take the championship. I’m surprised I haven’t had one of my students bounce up to me already this afternoon as school lets out.
The win-winning is amazing.
The only drawback is all the attention I’m getting. I could do without that part. When did the girlfriend ever get requests for autographs? Talk about weird.
