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Again, I wish I could lie. This is the curse of having a lifelong best friend who isn’t averse to calling you out.
I decide not to answer.
Morgan blows out a breath. “Just look at him, Carlee. Just once. You’ll see what I’m talking about.”
I shouldn’t.
Corey’s words from Thanksgiving play in my head. He accused me of being optimistic. If I look at him like Morgan wants, he’ll be right.
And so is Morgan.
A foolish part of me still yearns for my childhood fantasy of ending up with Corey to come true. I used to daydream about our wedding all the time. I’d wear a white sundress and he’d wear khakis and a loose, white button-up. We’d get married in Rose Hill’s famous namesake, the rose hill. Surrounded by a sea of red, pink, and yellow roses we would vow to be together forever.
I filled more than one notebook with doodles of our initials together, surrounded by hearts and spirals. When Carter inevitably found the drawings, I had to lie and say I was just writing my own initials over and over again. Thank God Corey and I share the same initials. Carter would’ve never let me live it down if he knew I liked Corey.
But I’m not the timid girl I once was.
I stopped being the wallflower who only daydreamed about romance the moment I agreed to go to prom with Augie Olsen. I’m a confident, grown woman who isn’t afraid to go for what she wants.
At least, not usually.
With that thought in mind, I lift my chin and force myself to look across the field.
Like a magnet to metal, my eyes are drawn to Corey. He’s still standing with Kendrick, but Greg Winston has joined them.Despite what he said at Lawrence’s end-of-season party, the catcher seems friendly with the team’s new pitcher. I’m glad. The more the players spend time with Corey, the greater the chance that they will realize reports about him being a shitty teammate are lies. Once they realize he’s a good guy, they’ll welcome him to the team and Corey’s future in baseball will be secure.
There I go again… being optimistic.
I shrug off the distracting thoughts and take in Corey’s dark blue jeans, admiring how they show off his perfect ass. His black combat boots scream bad boy while his green V-neck sweater makes it look like he put in a small effort to look festive. His wavy brown hair is windblown, but it looks like it was styled that way. His good looks have always been effortless. As a kid, he seemed unaware of it. I’m sure that’s no longer the case.
Kendrick takes out his cell phone and holds it above his head, motioning for Greg and Corey to get close for the selfie. My lips twitch when an annoyed grimace flickers across Corey’s face, but he listens to his buddy and leans closer anyway.
He smiles, and I feel a jolt to my heart.
God, he’s so handsome.
It’s not fair.
How am I ever going to get over these lingering feelings when he looks likethat?
You’ll never get over him.
I wish that weren’t true.
One day, it might not be.
But for now, Morgan is right. I may have accepted my dreams of being with Corey will never come true, but I’ve never forgotten my feelings for him. They’re as much a part of me as my love for my family.
“See what I’m talking about?” Morgan quietly squeals in my ear.
I blink. I’m about to ask what she means but a steel-blue stare catches my attention.
The smile has fallen from Corey’s face as he stares at me. The men next to him laugh about something, but he doesn’t react. His attention is focused on me. My heart begins to race.
Should I go ask him to talk so we can clear the air?
Should I be bold and ask him if Morgan is right? Does he have feelings for me?
I continue debating what to do when a shadow falls over his rugged features, breaking the hopeful spell that had spun itself around me.
