Page 27 of The Transfer
She blushes at that, and it makes me smile. “I didn’t wear them tonight. I was, um, out.”
My smile drops because even though she didn’t say it, she was with Drew Cole.
“With Drew.”
“Yeah, I was. We were at dinner, and I just wanted to dress up a little,” she says it with a hint of insecurity.
“Well, you look beautiful no matter what. This is just my opinion, but I love seeing you in Dunks. They’re your thing.” That has her eyes widening a little.
“I’m surprised you noticed. Although you are a sneakerhead yourself. How many Jordans does one person need?” I laugh because she is right. I own more than my share.
“Sunshine, I notice everything about you.”
“You do?” She stands there, staring at me like I spoke a foreign language
I’m fighting an inner battle here. My heart is telling me to lay it all out there for her and fight, just as my dad told me to. My brain is saying it’s too much, and she might already be spoken for. Thinking about my dad and time sends me down the path I hope I don’t regret.
Walking closer, until I’m just a breath away, I cup her cheek in my palm, and her eyes slowly rise to meet mine. We’re both breathing heavy, and the tension crackles between us.
“Yeah, I do.”
And just as I lean in to press my lips to hers, my phone blares with a distinct ringing set for only one person, my mom.
TWENTY-ONE
REAGAN
“So he says that to you and…then what?” Mack asks after I spilled everything that happened a few nights ago. After my dinner with Drew and late-night shooting with Riggs, my mind is a jumbled mess. To say I was shocked by Riggs’s impromptu confession is an understatement.
“I think he was going to kiss me, but then his phone rang. His dad needed help, and he had to go home. Mack, the look on his face when he saw who was calling was terrifying. I would hate to be living in fear that anytime my phone rang, it could be someone on the other side telling me my father was dead.”
“That would be so hard. Is his dad okay now?”
“Yeah, he just had a bad dizzy spell. I haven’t talked much to Riggs since then, though,” I admit.
“Why not?”
I’m not sure I have the answer to that question. “It’s like he doesn’t know what to say to me. But I also think he’s so busy with the first week of practice and helping his parents that there isn’t enough time for me. I don’t know. Plus, there is the whole Drew factor.”
“Can I just say that I’m grateful the boy drama is all about you today and not me,” Mack says with a laugh. She’s right, though. We usually talk about her and Trey because my love life has been almost nonexistent.
Groaning, I give a short laugh. “I’m glad you and Trey are good. But I really hate that I’m in this situation. Two amazing guys have my attention. I feel like I’m in some sort of alternate universe.”
“Reagan, I get it. I’m not surprised, though. You are amazing, and it’s about time these boys get it together and pursue you.”
“I guess,” I tell her honestly.
“Tell me about things with Drew?”
I blush a little at the mention of his name, just like throwing myself back into high school.
“Drew is still the charming, funny guy he was in high school, but there’s more to him than I thought. He’s been through so much more than he should have as a teenager, and he’s stronger for it.”
“It’s great that he’s finally stepping into the good guy role instead of the playboy persona from high school. How are things between you two?”
I think about this for a moment before I answer. No one has talked to me about Drew, and I haven’t brought up seeing him to my parents. My family wouldn’t understand, and my brother has made it clear he won’t talk about Drew. Mackenzie is the only one who knows Drew from before, so it’s nice to be able to share with her.
“He makes me laugh. We’ve had fun talking, catching up, and reminiscing about our high school days. Hearing his whole story was really enlightening for me. The chemistry is there. I don’t have much to compare, but I felt a spark when we kissed.”
