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I wasn’t sure if I was saying that because I needed to hear those words, or because she needed to hear them.
The sinking feeling inside my gut told me once we left for college, everything, including everything between us, was going to change.
Chloe
I SAT IN the stands and watched as Rip hit a homerun. Jumping up, I cheered for him as Jonathon and Rip Senior did the same. My father walked up with a bunch of hot dogs and beers.
“Shit! I missed a homerun, didn’t I?” he asked, handing Rip Senior and Jonathon their food.
“Sure did. That’s my son!” Rip Senior cried out while Jonathon rolled his eyes.
“Dad, what did Rip say you needed to stop doing?”
Rip’s dad sank back down on the bench. “Calling out ‘that’s my son.’”
We all laughed. My father handed me bottle of water as he said, “Looks like we’re going to have to be road tripping it when he plays for A&M.” He turned to me and winked.
I smiled. My father treated Rip like his son and never missed his football and baseball games. Once upon a time, when I was much younger, I was open about my crush on Rip and it drove Daddy mad. Now I keep it to myself—ever since the time he caught us kissing. Yeah, that had been my idea, but that wasn’t my last kiss. I had been kissed by a boy or two in high school. Nothing that sparked a flame inside of me. I also wasn’t the least bit interested in dating anyone in school. The idea of being with someone other than Rip wasn’t even a thought in my head. My life revolved around a very tight circle of people—and goats—and I liked it that way.
Rip was running back to the dugout and glanced up at us. I waved and he waved back before the other players all started to congratulate him.
“That boy will be snapped up within weeks of heading to college.”
All of a sudden, I picked up on some chatter that had me on high alert. My gaze moved to a few women sitting below us on the bleachers. They were mothers of two of the other players on the team. I had no idea who they were because Rip played for a select team. There were guys from all around the area who played with him, all from different schools.
I tuned into their words. “Mary has the biggest crush on him. Look at her down there.”
Following their gaze, I saw group of girls younger than me standing above the dugout, trying desperately not to act like they were looking at the boys. I couldn’t help but smile in relief because I initially thought Mary was someone our age who could possibly catch Rip’s eye.
They soon drifted off into another conversation about redecorating or something, so I tuned them out. I let my thoughts wander as I looked at Rip in the outfield now. Chewing on my lip, I made a mental list of pros and cons in my head for telling Rip how I really felt about him. Did I tell him now? Prom? Maybe graduation. Or did I wait until we were away from the watchful eye of my father and freer to do things while at college?
In the end, I decided I’d have to be patient and wait. If Rip was afraid of making a move because of Daddy, he wouldn’t be once we were in College Station and on our own. That is, if he decided to go to A&M. If not, I’d have to tell him before we left for college.
With a wide smile, I dared to let myself believe that soon I would have Rip Myers all to myself.
SPRING BREAK SENIOR YEAR
“Come on, Alyssa! Just do it!” I said with a laugh.
“I can’t!” she cried as she swung from the rope swing over the water and then back.
Laughing, I shook my head. “It’s spring break. You know you have to jump in at least once. It’s tradition!”
She was now back on solid ground, holding the rope and gnawing on her lip.
“Come on, Alyssa! Do it!” I shouted. “Do it! Do it! Do it!”
“Stop peer pressuring me, woman!”
“Hey, Chloe!”
Turning around, I found Justin Rivers walking over to me.
Crap. Crap. Crap.
He was going to ask me to prom again, I just knew it.
I smiled and waved. I was not looking forward to hurting his feelings, but everyone knew Rip and I went to all the school dances together. That was Rip’s idea, not mine. If he had wanted to ask someone else, I would have dealt with it, but he always asked me, and I always said yes. Except this year, he hadn’t asked yet. Alyssa said he probably assumed I knew we were going together, but then Rachel said he had hinted about asking her.
