Page 38 of I Wish He Would

I thought I was going crazy at the game when he searched for me in the crowd after the win. But since last night, I’m more confused than ever.

Maybe I’m losing it, but I almost think he was flirting.

With me.

He didn’t say anything straightforward, but there was this vibe about him. Whatever it was, I need to stop thinking about him. Rhett is about to call me. That’s what I should be focusing on—a good guy who may actually be interested in me, not the guy who sees me as a friend.

All my roommates left for the biscuit shop a little earlier than usual so I would have the living space to myself for this conversation. They dropped some not-so-subtle hints about asking him to the wedding, but little do they know I already told Bianca and Bradley that I’m bringing Austin. If things go well on this call, hopefully Rhett won’t be too upset to find out that I’m taking another man to my cousin’s wedding.

I glance down at the article on my phone. I’ve asked a few more of the “20 Questions to Fall in Love” questions over the past few weeks in our text conversations, but I’m looking forward to actually seeing his face today. To see how he answers them not just in word, but in expression.

Kelsey’s golden retriever, Winston, comes barreling down the stairs and looks up at me as if he can sense my nerves. I pet his head and he lies down on my feet.

The phone vibrates in my hand with an incoming video call. I do my best to push my conflicting thoughts aside and answer the call with a smile. “Hi.”

Rhett looks handsome in a jean shirt with the sleeves cut off—I’m convinced this man doesn’t own a single shirt with the sleeves still attached—and an acoustic guitar in his hands. “Hey, how did you sleep?”

I tossed and turned for most of the night. And when I did sleep, I dreamed of a guy that wasn’t him. “Not too bad.” I swallow hard. “How about you?”

“The drive from Charleston to Baltimore was a little longer than most of the other legs, so I slept like a baby after the concert last night.”

“Did you have another sobbing girl onstage for your serenade song?”

Rhett laughs. “No, but this one was a little handsy.”

“Is it always like this?”

“Not always. Every fan interaction is different, so I never know what to expect.”

“You just have to learn to expect the unexpected?”

“Exactly, but enough about me.” Rhett grins. “How was the rest of your weekend? I’m still hurting over the Fireflies loss.” He repositions the camera and closes his eyes like he’s readying himself. “But I can take it.”

I giggle at his antics. I like that he cheers for his favorite team but isn’t someone who’s going to let a loss ruin his weekend. “It was good. We grabbed a late dinner to celebrate.”

“Where’d you go?”

“It’s a little hole-in-the-wall place that sells the best gyros. They usually close at nine, but Austin knows the owner, so they stayed open a little late for us.”

“I love that the team celebrates their wins together.”

I run my fingers through the bottom of my curls. “It was actually just me and Austin.”

Rhett’s smile dims. “You haven’t told me much about your friendship with him. How did y’all meet?”

I swallow hard, hoping he can’t sense my panic. “There was a fancy event in downtown Louisville that I got called to for an emergency hair appointment. I met Austin at the dessert table. He had just moved to Louisville after being called up by the Mustangs, and I offered to show him around the city.”

It’s the truth. Just not the whole truth. If we end up dating, I’ll share more of my dating history with him, including the one kiss with Austin. But that’s a moment I’ve kept sacred—even from my friends—so I’m hesitant to disclose the full truth yet.

It’s time to change the subject before this whole conversation becomes about my friend. I need to figure out if I can see Rhett in a more romantic light, and asking him more of the questions from that article seems like a good place to start. “I’ve been wondering, when you’re out on tour and life is chaotic, what do you do to de-stress?”

Thankfully, Rhett doesn’t seem bothered by my quick change in topic. He smiles at me. “I watch the Fireflies games as often as I can, like I mentioned. But otherwise, I’m not a big TV guy. I prefer going out and sightseeing in each city. I feel alive in the buzz of a busy town.”

Literally the complete opposite of me, but that’s okay, right? People in a relationship don’t have to decompress after a long day in the same way. But him mentioning the Fireflies again takes my mind back to baseball…which brings my thoughts right back to Austin. And how his favorite way to relieve stress is to bake for me and watch our favorite show together.

I ball my hand into a fist, trying to bring myself back to reality. This is ridiculous. I have a very attractive country music star on a video call, yet I keep thinking about Austin.

“I guess that’s an easy way to get in a lot of mini vacations,” I say, and he nods. “When you’re in a new city, are you the kind of guy that likes flexible plans or a packed itinerary?”