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I sigh. “No, unfortunately not.”
“That explains a lot,” she says directly but pats my leg twice. “When one of them sets their sights on you, they’ll do anything to take care of you. It’s just how their family rolls.”
A comfortable silence ensues when a man announces, “Taking our field for the first time in twelve years, the number three ranked, Ole Miss Rebels.” Their fans yell and ours boo. That would never happen in gymnastics.
“Please get loud for the number six ranked team in the nation. Your Kentucky Staaaaallions.”
The crowd, including everyone in the suite, is on their feet clapping and cheering. Logan’s niece, Dani, yells, “Go Uncle Lolo.” How cute is she?
White pom-poms wave throughout the stadium, to our fight song. The teams fill the sidelines. The Stallions are wearing their charcoal gray uniforms, white jerseys with their bright blue chrome helmets.
The public address announcer asks us to stand for Kentucky’s anthem. I follow the words on the big screen with my hand over my heart. I’m captivated when I glance down and Hagan’s singing “My Old Kentucky Home.”
But my heart swells when I see how excited he is when Logan and Pearse come out for the coin toss. Hagan’s bouncing on his toes, screaming their names. “You’ve got this. Let’s go, Lo!” We win the toss and elect to receive the ball first in the second half.
Kentucky fans are shouting “Defense.” And on the second play of the game, Pearse intercepts the ball and runs it in for a touchdown. Hagan can’t quit yelling, “That’s my roomie!”
He really is a loving person underneath that cocky exterior. I need to apologize. Maybe I can show him I’m a loving person too, if it wasn’t for all the pain. My mom. My dad. Even Chaz. The wall I’ve created around myself is made of bomb shelter material.
ChapterSixteen
Hagan
We don’t speakduring the first half. I’m so fucking angry that I can’t figure this girl out. I don’t know how to be nicer or more helpful. Maybe I need to be a dick—girls like that these days. They want guys to treat them like meat and they keep coming back. Logan is the exception; he only hooks up with girls that also only want a one-night stand. Sure, some of them leach on but he reminds them of their agreement.
Realization hits me, I’m the girl and she’s the dick. No. Not happening. Operation Dickface starts now. One, she deserves it. Two, I’m willing to try anything for a chance with this girl.
Crossing the room during halftime, I find Logan’s parents who are here from California. I met them earlier in the year when they came to babysit for Logan’s sister. His mom has Dani in her arms, and it looks like a damn Hallmark movie.
Other than playing baseball, creating a loving large family like my own is the goal. Of course, I need to find the right person first.
When Megan asks to hold the baby, Archer whispers to her, “I want us to have a baby, Beautiful.” Often, I catch him calling her Beautiful like it’s her name. I don’t want to wait until I’m in my thirties for the love they have. I want it soon, very soon.
A smile creeps across my face as Adalee flashes through my mind; she’s holding our child in a hospital bed. Lone brown strands stick to her forehead as she admires our baby’s hand curled around my finger.WTF?At the same moment, a small hand lands on my bicep.
I know it’s her.
“Hey, can we talk?”
“Nothing to say.” I slip my phone out of my pocket and pretend to send a message. “Excuse me.” I take the elevator down and enter the crowd of people where I can get some fucking air. Being around Adalee suffocates me. I can’t breathe. So even being packed in like a can of sardines is better than being a suite with Adalee right now.
I find some of the baseball guys and hang out until the third quarter starts.
Entering the suite, I grab some popcorn and scan the seating to see that the only place left is beside Adalee. How is my mission to be a dick going to work if I have to sit by her?
Reluctantly, I take the seat and she gives me a faint smile then asks, “Did you see Joe and Ginger?”
“Nope.” I pop the P.
“Oh, she texted me and wanted to make sure we were coming to the party.”
Nodding, I respond. “I might have other plans.” I don’t, but this isn’t going as planned.
Stay on mission. Be a dick.
“I intended on heading to the party, but I guess I’ll just go home after the game.” Adalee’s voice sounds small and faraway as the wordgameis almost a whisper.
Fuck. I want to console her and not be an ass but I’m sticking with my plan. While throwing a few kernels into my mouth in a smug manner, I simply state, “It sucks for you that Logan’s going with Josie.”
