Page 80 of Scoring the Player
“And you for him,” Jane says. “He needs a girl that sees him for more than being the star quarterback. And you need someone to remind you daily how absolutely incredible you are.”
I snort a laugh.
“I’m serious,” she insists, voice climbing. “I’ve heard some of the things that man says to you. He thinks you’re amazing and he gets off on letting you know it.”
My face heats. “That’s just Felix. He knows how to make people feel good. I think that’s why he’s such a good quarterback. He sees people, knows their strengths, and wants to help them be their best.”
“Good quarterback skills and good boyfriend skills.” Violet stands and holds up the dress she’s been working on for the past couple hours. It’s a beautiful dark pink with a square neckline and thick straps. Vi loves designing and making dresses. Beautiful gowns with long skirts or decadent layers. And the details are always stunning. The pink one she’s holding up is no exception.
“He’s not really my boyfriend, but agreed. He’s the best. And that’s gorgeous,” I say, changing the subject.
Jane sighs dreamily. “I wish I could pull off that color.”
“You can pull off any color you want,” I say pointedly. She can. I’ve seen her in hunter orange and beige and every color in between.
“No. My skin tone does better with lighter shades of pink. That’d look great on you, though, Dahlia.”
It’s not like anything I’d pick for myself, but since I started living out of Jane’s closet a month ago, I’ve been wearing a lot of dresses that I never would have imagined myself in.
“Try it on,” Vi says. “I’m dying to see what it looks like on someone.”
“Ooooh, should we put onPride and Prejudiceand make it a whole thing?” Daisy asks, excitement clear in her tone.
Saturday nights hanging at home, watching old movies, drinking wine, eating junk food, and trying on dresses used to be a regular occurrence. I’ve missed it. And from the looks on my friends’ faces, I think they have too.
Thirty minutes later, we’ve pulled out all of Violet’s dresses (we keep them in the coat closet because no one needs a coat in Arizona ten months out of the year), opened two bottles of wine, and cued up Darcy and Elizabeth on the TV.
The movie is really just background noise at this point. We’ve seen it so many times, I can practically quote it word for word.
I do try on the magenta dress and then a black one, a green one, before going back to the magenta.
“I knew that one was perfect for you.” Jane winks at the same time my phone buzzes on the coffee table.
I reach for it a little faster than usual.
“The winning QB?” Jane asks, a smile in her tone.
“Yeah. They’re on their way back.”
“What time will he get in?”
“Not until late,” I say, rereading his text and tapping out one of my own.
Felix
Thanks for the good luck text. Hope you know you’re now a part of my official pre-game good luck charms. Gonna need one of those texts before every game. How’s Valley? Tell me everything I’m missing. I’m too amped up to sleep and I’m on this bus for the next four hours.
Me
Campus was pretty dead earlier today, so I don’t think you’re missing much.
Felix
What are you doing tonight?
Me
Watching Pride and Prejudice with the girls while drinking wine and trying on fancy dresses.
