Page 78 of Wild About You
“You’re blushing,” Scarlett says with a grin.
“We skipped over a lot of conversation, but yeah, we’re together.”
“Why do you look like you want to throw up?” Jade asks.
“I don’t think I’ve processed it all yet,” I admit. “A month ago, I was still planning on never seeing him again and now…”
“But you’re happy, right? This is what you want?” Scarlett asks, lowering her voice and checking to make sure Everly is still preoccupied.
“Of course. I’ve never stopped wanting him, even when I hated him, but am I being dumb? I mean, the guy shattered my heart into a million pieces. And that was before he was all…” I struggle to find the words again. “He’s this grown man now who is super hot and built, and that isn’t even the sexiest thing about him. The way he cares for his sister and his teammates.” I blow out a breath, and Jade and Scarlett laugh at me.
“If they can’t break you, is it even true love?” Scarlett asks.
Jade snorts. “God, I hope so. I’d like to keep my black heart perfectly intact, thank you.”
“If things ended with Sam, you wouldn’t be devastated?” I ask her.
“I’d be upset, but broken?” She takes a drink of her wine before shaking her head. She looks at me and then Scarlett. “Does that make me an awful fiancée?”
“No,” Scarlett says immediately. “Relationships are different. You’re different.”
“That I am.” Jade smiles proudly. “Sam and I picked out our wedding flowers today. We’re doing tulips. Tulips are going to be big this year.”
The attention turns to Jade and her upcoming wedding. She refuses to pick a date or venue, but basically everything else she’s selected so she could feature it in her articles for the magazine where she and Scarlett work.
Maybe Jade is right. Just because Tyler and I are together again doesn’t mean I have to hand over my heart on a silver platter. Okay, she didn’t say that exactly, but I think she might be on to something.
When Everly and I walk home after the game, I text Tyler to congratulate him. The Wildcats won and he got an assist. He played great and I’m proud of him, but I turn off my phone and go to sleep in my own bed because I’d like to keep my heart in one piece this time around.
* * *
The next afternoon Everly stops by my classroom after school.
“Hey,” I say, smiling. “I thought you had stage crew today.”
“I do, but Grace invited me to dinner and then to the basketball game.” She looks at me expectantly. “Is it okay if I go with her?”
“Yeah, I don’t see why not. I can come get you after the game.”
“That’s okay. She said she could bring me home. She has a car.”
“Do you need cash or anything?” I pull out my wallet from my purse.
“Nah, Ty always makes sure I have cash when he leaves for games.”
“All right. Well, have fun. Text me if you need anything.”
Her smile is maybe the biggest I’ve ever seen out of her. “Thanks, Piper.”
She hurries out of the classroom, and I sit back in my chair behind the desk. I shoot Tyler a text to let him know Everly’s plans and then, because I don’t feel like facing him just yet, I grab a stack of art projects to grade.
Tyler and Ash both slept in this morning. God knows what time they got in. I half expected him to climb into bed with me last night, but I guess my message was pretty clear when I chose not to wait for him in his.
My head is a mess.
He finally texts back about thirty minutes later.Free for dinner?
Dinner sounds great,I type back. I can’t hide from him forever.I’m getting ready to leave the school now.
