AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Lily, that’s not—”
“I get it. I didn’t before.” She finally pinned me with her baby blues, and something twisted inside me. “I thought you were just using it as an excuse or something. But after last night, I get it.”
“My dad is an asshole. I didn’t expect him to show up like that.”
“He really hates my dad, huh?” Sadness crept into her eyes.
“He hates everyone.” I tipped my head toward one of the benches lining the promenade, and before I could convince myself it was a bad idea, said, “Do you want to sit?”
“Okay.”
We moved over to the bench and I fought a smile when Lily sat as far away from me as possible.
“Are you okay?” she asked. “After last night, I mean.”
“Yeah,” I breathed. “I’m used to it. Was hoping Coach and the team would never have to see it, but it is what it is.”
“Is he…?” Lily bit her lip, swallowing whatever she was about to ask. She looked so fucking cute, all curious big eyes and that uncertain smile that made her cheeks dimple.
Lily Ford was the kind of girl who wore her feelings for all to see. Fear. Sadness. Regret. A rainbow of emotion lived in her eyes that changed depending on the moment.
And right now, they were glittering with so much sympathy it felt like the wind had been knocked right out of my lungs.
“Is he a drunk?” she said, and I nodded. “He was. He’s supposed to be in recovery, but he has good and bad days. Yesterday was a bad day.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. It is what—”
“It is. Yeah. I get it. But it doesn’t mean you just have to accept it.”
“I’d rather focus on things I can control.”
“Like what?”
“Like giving my all to football. Getting out of Rixon.”Not kissing you.
She pressed her thumb to her lip, poking the corner of her mouth, drawing my attention there. When I was trying really fucking hardnotto stare at her lips.
“You want to leave Rixon?”
“Yeah, there’s nothing for me here.” My shoulders lifted in a half-hearted shrug.
“Where do you want to go?”
“Alabama.”
“Wow, that’s… a long way away.”
“It is. But it’s one of the best football programs in the country. And to be the best you have to play with the best.”
“Is that why you came to Rixon High, instead of transferring to Millington or Fenn Hill?”
“Something like that. Although I’m beginning to think it wasn’t my best idea ever.”
Lily dropped her gaze. “I guess there’s a lot of history between our families.”
“It was a long time ago.”
