I was shocked he actually answered every one of her questions, including when and where he’d had his first kiss. I had a feeling he was only playing along to placate her, but the reason didn’t matter. He was acting like the good guy I knew he was, and Petra was finally getting to see this side of him.
As the seats filled in around us, I heard the whispers. I was wearing my now-notorious hoodie again, and Tristin’s arm was casually draped over my shoulders. We weren’t doing anything overtly affectionate, but I had a feeling his presence alone was enough to get tongues wagging.
After the game began, Leo took his helmet off and blew me a kiss at his first opportunity, as had become his habit. This time, though, I blew one back. I refused to be embarrassed about how sickeningly in love with him I was.
I was happy. Who cared if the world knew it?
Leo’s smile broadened at the return kiss and broadened even more when he spotted Tristin next to me. It had to mean a lot to him that his brother was here, supporting him. At the beginning of the season, none of us could have imagined that their relationship would change so dramatically in a matter of months.
Peering up into Tristin’s ridiculously attractive face, I said, “Thank you for coming. Your presence is important to him, even if he doesn’t say it.”
His mouth twitched enticingly. “I wouldn’t have missed it.”
Unable to resist, I brushed my lips over his cheek. I immediately heard the murmurs from behind us, but I didn’t even care. Let them talk. I had better things to do with my time than worry about idle gossip.
When I faced forward again, Petra released a low whistle. “Well, you’ve done it now. Are you ready for the fallout?”
“What’s the worst they can do to me?” I immediately pictured being dragged to the middle of the quad and tied to a platform so my fellow students could throw rotten fruit at me while spouting crude remarks. Maybe that had been a stupid question.
She took my hand and squeezed it. “Just promise me you won’t let them slut-shame you. You’re amazing and deserve the love of as many men as you can possibly handle.”
My eyes filled with tears, and I blinked them back. “You’re a really great friend, you know that?”
“Um, duh.”
We both laughed. And then we watched the game, cheering louder than anyone else in the stands. Even Tristin jumped up and shouted when Leo threw a ridiculously long pass that resulted in a touchdown.
My man looked better than ever out there. Even though I wasn’t anything close to a football expert, I had no trouble recognizing that he was the best player on the field. He had an undeniable grace that made every play, every movement, appear natural instead of practiced.
I understood why he’d decided to stay in Moss Harbor instead of playing for a Division I team—he hadn’t believed he’d deserved anything better. But it still made me sad for him. If anyone had been born to be a star, it was Leo Sharpe. He had the good looks, the charming personality, and the raw talent. He was the whole package and more.
And he wanted me.
Lucky didn’t even begin to cover how I felt right now.
By the end of the fourth quarter, I wasn’t feeling as lucky as I was a ball of anxiety. Petra hadn’t been kidding when she’d said our defense wouldn’t be able to cut it. Every time Leo and the offense scored, our defense turned around and allowed the other team to do the same. It was the highest scoring game of Harbor U’s season, and I could barely handle it. Especially when we fell three points behind.
With less than a minute on the clock and too many yards to go, Leo threw another beautiful pass, getting us into field goal range. As the teams moved into position, I stood, not caring if anyone behind me got annoyed. This was it. We’d either tie the game, or the season was over.
I held my breath as the kicker approached the football and swung back his leg. His foot connected, and the ball soared through the air…landing just shy of the goalpost. A collective groan reverberated through the crowd, echoing my own disappointment.
I’d never cared about the outcome of a football game in my life. But this had been different. The team was important to Leo, which meant I had to