Page 100 of Scoring the Player
I get the feeling he knows I’m avoiding him because he hasn’t shown up at my door (or my window) like he would have a couple weeks ago, but I appreciate that he’s giving me space to figure out what I want. The only downside is that all the time apart has me picking through every conversation we’ve ever had, every interaction. I’m looking for clues that we should or shouldn’t be together like I’m Sherlock freaking Holmes.
On Thursday, we planned to meet up to grab dinner after both of us were done with practice, but his runs late and then he doesn’t have time before he has to go to a football alumni mixer. It’s only then that I worry him giving me space is really him changing his mind or deciding I’m not worth all the effort.
I have a mini panic attack over it as I’m packing up everything for my trip. Not just over Felix. It’s also knowing that I’m going to show my designs to Eddie and his team. A literal rock star.
All week I’ve been stressing over the situation with Felix, and I pushed away the impending freak out of seeing Eddie. But now that I’m less than twenty-four hours from arguably the biggest meeting with a potential client ever, I’m panicking over that too. The jumper I made for Penelope was an amazing opportunity. Landing Eddie could show people that I’m more than a one-trick pony. It would give me another amazing design for my portfolio.
There’s a knock on my bedroom door followed by Daisy’s voice, “Dahlia? Can I come in?”
I swing the door open and smile at her. “Hey.”
She steps into my room. “Woah. What happened here?”
“I’m panicking,” I tell her honestly. “I don’t know what to pack to wear to meet Eddie Dillon. And I still need to email my professors to let them know I’m going to miss classes tomorrow. And I haven’t showered.” I smooth a hand over my messy bun.
“Deep breaths.” She comes closer and meets my gaze.
I inhale and then nod. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” She holds out a package of red licorice with a white envelope on top. “This was on the front porch for you.”
I take it from her and smile. All my worries feel dumb when I see his gift.
“Felix?”
“Yeah. It’s his way of saying good luck.”
“Have you talked to him yet?” she asks. It didn’t take Daisy and Vi long to get the Felix gossip out of me Sunday.
I shake my head. “We’ve been texting every day, and we were going to hang out tonight, but it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen. His practice ran late.”
“I’m sorry,” she says.
“It’s okay. I need to focus on killing this meeting with Eddie anyway.”
“All right. Well, what can I do to help?”
I glance around my room. It looks like a tornado came through it.
“Help me figure out what outfits to pack?” As I ask the question, Jane and Violet appear in my doorway with takeout containers and a bottle of wine.
“As if we’d leave you alone to prepare for Eddie Dillon,” Vi says.
So with my three roommates in my horribly messy room and a new bag of red licorice, I finally take a deep breath.
35
FELIX
Friday morning at breakfast,I decide to come clean about things with Dahlia. To be fair, I only intended to tell Lucas. But then Teddy and my sisters showed up, followed by Brogan and Archer, and it’s a freaking after-school special as they all weigh in with their unsolicited advice and opinions. And questions. So many questions.
“So, you were faking it the whole time?” Lucas asks, for at least the third time. He’s struggling to let the news sink in.
“Yes. No. Sort of.” I sigh. “It’s complicated.”
Holly tosses an apple at me, hitting my left shoulder.
“Ouch. What the hell, Holl? That hurt.”
