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“How often do you braid people’s hair?” he asks as I gesture for the comb.
He hands it up to me, and I start on one of the side braids. “Never. But I promise I'm an expert.”
And that gets a deep chuckle out of him. A warm feeling bursts through me. I’m making him laugh, and I don’t have to do much for it.
It doesn't take long before it's all done, and I'm kind of sad. I love touching his hair, and the fact that he let me touch it makes my heart soar. I come around to his front and study my work.
Roman looks up at me, and I can't wipe the smile from my face.
“Looks good?” he asks.
I clap my hands and nod. Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I bring it up to take a photo. He doesn’t move or smile, but he doesn't tell me I can't take one. I snap a quick photo then show it to him.
He runs his hand over the braids as he peers at the photo. “They look fantastic, Mila.”
I giggle. “I told you I was an expert.”
He stands up and hands me my phone back. The bell rings as I look down at the photo. God, I wish he could see how handsome he is.
A large, warm body surrounds me, and I freeze. I turn my face and it snuggles…into Roman’s chest. My heart starts to race. He's hugging me. I don't know what to do. I want to hug him back, but I'm scared he’ll pull away if I touch him.
I slowly raise one of my hands and place it gently on his side. He lets out a deep breath. “Thank you,” he whispers low, and I smile into his chest.
“Thank you for being my guinea pig, Roman.”
He chuckles again as he pulls away. God, will I ever want to stop listening to his laugh? Unlikely. It’s so Roman.
“Anytime, Mila.” He smiles and walks off, leaving me to gather my thoughts and supplies.
I’m on a high when I meet Ella and Daniel outside their house. They’re taking me to the game tonight. I’m wearing the jersey Hunter gave me…after I washed it, of course. It isn’t like the one Jace had changed me into last Saturday; that one smelled like his cologne and him. Hunter’s smelled like feet.
Jace and Grady’s parents are the best. They greet me with huge hugs, and Ella kisses my head and calls me her long-lost daughter.
“We need to have you over for dinner next week, Mila. We’ve missed you so much,” Ella says from the front seat of the car.
Getting a lift with the Monteros is so much better than being stuck on a bus with a bunch of other students.
“Sounds great to me. Just tell me what day suits you both.”
“How does Monday sound to you? The boys finish at six, but I'll be home just before to start dinner. You can come over, and we can talk about girl stuff, like makeup, clothes, and boys.”
I laugh at the way she says boys.
“Sounds perfect. I'll come over early to help you.”
We sit together at the game. Since Sadie and Cadence still aren’t into football, just the players, I don’t have anyone else to sit with. But I’m grateful to have Ella and Daniel with me. They always treated me like I was their daughter, and they still do. Daniel makes sure we get to our seats before he takes off to buy us hot dogs and soda.
“The boys look great this year,” I hear someone tell Daniel as he takes a seat next to Ella. Another says the same thing, and I love the way he beams at the praise for his boys.
It’s true. They do look good. At football…football is what I meant. Yep, good at football.
I find the three of them on the field. I’d put my hair in pigtails, and I twirl the strands of one side through my fingers. I’d be lying if I said I’m not nervous. I want the boys to win so badly. I really believe I’m part of the reason they lost last week, and I don’t want to do that to them ever again. Especially now that we’re all friends again.
Plus, I know how much Jace needs a football scholarship. I assume Hunter won’t? His dad will probably send him somewhere big and pompous. Roman, I haven’t spoken to about it. But with how well he plays, he could get a scholarship. If he wants to go to college, that is.
Hunter looks up at me, and I smile. He found me in the sea of red. I wave down at him. He smirks, taps his chest, and kisses his fingers and points to me. I laugh and shake my head at him, my cheeks flushing.
“OMG, dork,” I mutter to myself. But the butterflies in my stomach tell me I liked that a little too much.
