had screamed cautious optimism. He seemed to like his coach and teammates. I’d even asked him if he was fine with not starting, and he’d just slid me that lopsided smile of his and said, “Somebody reminded me I should be thankin’ my lucky stars even if I’m number two, and that’s what I’m doin’, darlin’.”
So yeah, I was goddamn worried now.
“Zac, what happened?” I whispered, instantly reaching up and sliding my arms around his neck. I hugged him. Uninvited, yes, but something wasn’t right.
And he’d tell me to back up if he didn’t want me there.
I stroked my palm up and down along his spine as I looked up into his Disney prince face.
But he didn’t respond, at least not with words. What he did do was exhale. His body loosened and then curled into me, some part of his head coming to rest against the top of mine. One forearm went around the lowest spot on my back, anchoring me in place, right there. Against him.
I held him, and he held me, and I stood there and listened to his deep breaths. If he didn’t want to tell me what was up, that was okay. I didn’t need to know.
It wasn’t like I didn’t keep things from him that my gut believed he had no business hearing. Or more like, he didn’t need to be bothered by comments that had no purpose. Not anymore.
More than anything though, if he really wanted to tell me, he would. He’d told me about signing with Houston before he’d told anybody else. I’d been in the car with him when he’d called his mom and grandpa on the way back to Houston after the night of the party. Part of me still couldn’t believe even that.
We kept on standing there. With his chest inhaling and exhaling in front of mine. With his arm around the back of my neck and what might have been his cheek or his forehead resting against the top of my head. With the tips of our shoes touching. My purse resting on the top of them.
And I kept on moving my palm up and down his back, trying my best to soothe whatever the hell was bothering him.
What could have been half an hour later, he finally lifted his head off mine, and I took that moment to take a small step back, arching my neck upward to take in his features again.
He was already focused down on me, those baby blues stark against his face, his mouth still formed into a shape that wasn’t anywhere near the happy one I was used to.
I didn’t like it.
I reached up and set the tip of my finger on the end of his nose in the longest boop of all time. We didn’t need to talk about it. That was all right with me. “I’m having a crappy day and was going to order some delivery. Want to eat with me?”
Those blue eyes stayed on my face, and I was glad I’d gotten a little more sleep than usual the night before and that I hadn’t been stingy with makeup. Just because I realized we had no chance in hell for that to matter, I still cared. Whatever. I could take pride in my appearance.
He gave me another one of those half smiles that said everything and nothing at the same time.
I tapped my finger on his nose again. “I’ll let you pick what we eat if it’ll cheer you up.”
He didn’t laugh… but he did smile. A small but genuine one. A genuine one with something in its depths that made my little heart ache a bit at whatever was bothering him.
“I could use a chalupa,” he told me. “It’s been that kinda day.”
Chalupa? That was what he wanted?
I was probably going to regret it, but I still said, “Okay. The nearest one is too far for delivery, but I’ll drive.”
He made some kind of noise that almost sounded like a sniff. “It’ll taste better warm.”
I bet it would. “I’m gonna get the shits, so I hope it’ll be worth it.”
He blinked, and at the exact same time, we both burst out freaking laughing.
Zac covered his eyes with his palm as he muttered, “Jesus H. Christ, kiddo.”
He didn’t see me smiling as I poked him in the ribs, but I caught his own mouth beginning to form into one. All right, maybe everything wasn’t totally right in the world, but it was getting there.
Zac’s hand dropped from his