The Pass (Smart Jocks #5) - Rebecca Jenshak Page 0,76
but I’m willing to take the risk. Quitting either one just didn’t feel right.”
“I’m proud of you.”
“Wes told me he admired me.” I shake my head. “He’s the last person I expected to hear that from. Coach was happy because he knew if I was going to quit one it was probably baseball, but I assumed everyone else was hoping I’d pick one or the other.”
“You can handle both. You’re the most hardworking and dedicated person I know. I have no doubt that you’ll crush it this year and get drafted to the NBA and MLB next year and I’m excited to travel all around and cheer you on at both.”
“You would do that? Travel to games and events and stuff?”
“If you wanted me to, yeah.” She stares at me with a weird expression. “You seem surprised? Am I freaking you out? Is it too soon to say things like that?” She cringes. “Sorry, it feels like we’ve been together a lot longer than we have.”
“I’m not freaked out,” I assure her. “I’m surprised, but in a good way. That’s a lot to ask of someone. I have no idea where I’ll end up and it might change year to year.”
She shrugs. “I want to be where you are.”
“Even tonight?”
“Nice try. I promised Emily.”
“Well, fine, I’m stealing you now, then. Grab your drink.”
I lead her up the stairs and to my room. Hesitating at the door, I squeeze her hand. “Remember that night you came over to the house with Nathan and Chloe, after we’d all gone to The Hideout?”
“Of course. That was the night we first kissed and then I opened my big mouth and told you I wasn’t going to sleep with you. How dumb was I?”
I chuckle. “It worked out okay.”
“Yeah, but all those years of missed sex.”
“Well, I might have a solution of sorts for that.” I open the door and let her go in first.
“Tanner, oh my gosh.” She walks in, stops, and glances back at me with wide eyes and mouth open. “What is this?”
“It’s date number five.”
“It’s perfect.”
I finally move into the room with her and shut the door. Not half bad, I have to admit. I bought a bunch of twinkle lights and strung them around the room, much safer than candles since I wasn’t sure how long before I could get her up here and they don’t smell like weird combinations of food and flowers. Speaking of, I also bought flowers and placed them in vases around the room. Colorful bouquets in yellows, oranges, and bright pinks. Roses didn’t feel right. Too predictable and too boring.
She walks to me and rests her hands on my shoulder. “You didn’t need to do all this to make up for the past.”
“I didn’t.”
She looks unconvinced.
“I admit that before this summer I always felt like I missed my shot and when we finally got together I wanted to do everything I could to make up for it, but the thing is you’ve always been exactly what I needed, when I needed it, and I wouldn’t change that. But now, I need you to be my girl.” I graze my teeth lightly along her neck. “Today, tomorrow, ten years from now… it’s always going to be me and you. I love you. So, this, date number five isn’t about looking back—it’s about celebrating it all.”
“I like the sound of that.” She tilts her head to give me better access and then pulls back with a sigh. “Emily’s going to kill me.”
“We’ll stay at your place tomorrow night,” I promise.
Sydney pulls away and flops onto my bed. She taps a button on her phone and music starts playing. “Okay, let’s see your moves?”
“My moves?”
“Oh, I’m sorry. Did you have a special song picked out?”
“A special song? What the hell are you talking about?”
Her mouth puckers into a smug smile. “I believe I was promised a striptease on date number five. Don’t think I forgot.”
I toss my head back and laugh. “Anything you want, babe.”
Epilogue
Sydney
Two years later
“I think I might puke… or shit myself,” Tanner says, voice high and tight.
“Charming. I’ll be the laughingstock of the Wags section. They’ll call you Skidmark and I’ll be Skidmark’s girl.”
“Skidmark’s fiancée,” he corrects me, suddenly sounding calmer.
“You’re going to be great. I’m going to FaceTime Tara and the new boyfriend so we can watch the game together.”
He grunts.
Over the past two years, Tara has dated a series of guys, each one worse than the last. I admire her perseverance, but I