Page 71 of Keep Me Never
My smile widens, and I catch her pretty eyes, holding them with my gaze. “Yeah, D. I do.”
“You do?! Can I tell her?”
I laugh this time, pulling back so I can look at him. “I think she might know.”
His mouth opens wide. “You already telled her?”
Cameron swallows a laugh, pretending to clear her throat after and earning herself an elbow from Ari.
“You know what, little man?” I take the easy route. Who am I to explain that him catching us lip-locked means that she, most definitely, is aware that I like her?
“What?” He grins, propping his chin on his palm.
“I’d love it if you told her, but can you wait until I’m back by your daddy? I don’t want to get embarrassed.”
His little shoulders draw up, his whole face tightening in excitement as he nods. “Okay, hurry up and go away.”
He pushes on my shoulders, and I grin, holding my finger to my lips even though everyone heard the entire conversation. But it does exactly what I wanted, doubles down his anticipation. He is literally jumping up and down now, so with one last wink at the cutest kid I’ve ever seen, I spin around and jog back to where the guys are hanging back, now chatting with our head coach.
A grin is plastered on my face, and when they guys look over, theirs draw into the same expression. Brady opens his mouth to pop off as Mason grips my shoulders for a little celebratory shake, but then Coach spins.
“Chase, good. I need to talk to you,” he says, unaware he interrupted the fun.
Unaware that that exact sentence causes the veins in my body to pull tight, the vessels around my heart to squeeze, sending me into a full panic. My body literally jolts.
This is…this is it, the bad that happened in response to the good.
The universe righting itself and taking after I dared to have.
All the reasons why I was avoiding my feelings for Paige come rushing in and sweat starts to build on my brow. My stomach turns and I try to swallow. To breathe.
“Can—” I try again. “Can you give us a minute?” I ask my best friends, but I can’t bring myself to look at them.
In my peripheral, both men tense, hesitating, but after a moment, they head for the tunnel that leads to the locker room.
Coach narrows his eyes on me, quickly cutting them to the guys and back. He waits until they’re gone to speak, and then it’s just the two of us. “I assume it you didn’t take my advice and fill them in?”
“No, Coach.” I rethink that. “Well, I did talk to them about my parents and the shit show at home. I just left out the rest of the details.”
“You mean the part that directly determines your future? The part they would want to know about the most?”
“Yes, Coach.” I hold his gaze. I do get where he’s coming from on this, but it’s also something I won’t budge on. It’s my decision, and Iwill notrisk their state of mind and mental focus just to lessen the weight and worry that plagues my own.
This is me being a better friend, being stronger. For their sake, I will ride this storm alone.
He nods, not necessarily in understanding but perhaps acceptance.
“Coach, I don’t mean to be rude, but can you just say whatever it is? I can handle it, I swear.”
Coach Rogan scoffs, his lips tipping up. “Relax, son. I have good news, not bad. I wouldn’t risk telling you something confidential out here where someone might overhear.”
His words don’t settle anything in me. In fact, I hold my breath harder, just waiting to hear if we have the same idea of good.
“I got an email this morning from Texas.” He pauses. “And this afternoon, I got a second. That one from LA.”
My pulse sputters, and for one wild second, hope races through my bloodstream, electrifying my limbs. It’s a reckless feeling, dangerous, and I try to smother it, swallowing beyond the knot in my throat. “Coach?” I rasp.
Coach Rogan grins wide. “They’re coming to the Oregon game next month. They’re coming for you, son.”
