to me, she added, “Oh and Honor, wear your hair down. I bet Archer would love that.”
My cheeks flushed hot as I looked away. “Like I said, we’re friends.”
I couldn’t see it, but I knew she was grinning.
“I hate to point it out, but I’m your friend,” she said. “And you’ve never cared this much about what you wear in front of me.”
Embarrassment rolled through my body, but it was only because she was so right. I had never cared what I wore in front of any of my other friends.
“Hair down,” she said again.
“It’ll probably be hot,” I said stubbornly. “I think I’ll just wear it up.”
Charlie chuckled as she left, leaving me there with my mess of a room and lots to think about.
I wore my hair down.
Well, half-up, half-down, which was the perfect representation for how I was feeling. Confused, like I didn’t know quite where Archer and I stood. Friends didn’t get excited about hugging their friends, right? I’d definitely felt breathless when Archer had pulled me into his arms the other day. And they also didn’t go all googly-eyed when they saw said friend run out of the dugout onto the field to warm-up. And when that friend looked for them in the stands and waved, their bones didn’t get all weak and melty, right?
Gah.
Okay, I was going to have to work on the friend thing.
But geez, he looked good in that uniform.
A female voice spoke, breaking me out of my Archer daze. “Hey, Honor. Would you mind if I sit here?”
I looked up and smiled when I saw June. “No, go ahead. Hey June, I didn’t know you’d be here.”
“Oh yeah,” she said, taking a seat beside me. “I never miss a game.”
“Big Wolves fan?” I asked.
June shrugged. “I guess you could say that.”
As her eyes roamed the players and got stuck on one in particular, I knew it wasn’t just the team she was here for. I could totally relate to that feeling. Though her eyes were only on Baylor.
“This is my first game,” I said.
“Really? Emmy’s going to freak when she hears that. Wait until you see them play. They’re really incredible.”
“I saw the team practice once,” I said. “Do you have a favorite player?”
June laughed, but it looked like she was blushing. “Oh, not really. Chase is a great pitcher, and Archer does amazing things behind the plate. Not to even mention Dex, who’s always ready for anything.”
“And Baylor?” I asked gently.
“He’s good, too,” she said all nonchalant. “Baylor’s really smart, and he doesn’t ever get scared. Statistically speaking, he’s probably got the best batting average and RBIs—but it’s not like I follow all of his stats or anything.”
Jeez, was this what I sounded like when I tried to deny my feelings? No wonder Charlie hadn’t believed me. As the players came in from warm-up and walked past us in the stands, Baylor looked up and threw June a wink. She smiled and bit her lip.
“June seriously, don’t encourage him,” Emmy said, sitting down beside her. She was carrying a bottle of water and a towel. I noticed then that, for the most part, we were all dressed the same—jeans and t-shirt—and gave a sigh of relief. Thank you, Charlie. “You know he’s a player,” Emmy went on. “Plus, you’re my best friend. He knows better than to try something with you.”
June rolled her eyes. “As if I’d be interested.”
“Do you know how many friends I’ve lost because they went behind my back and screwed him? Not to mention how many have tried to befriend me to hook up with my brothers? Too many to count.”
“Nothing to worry about, Em,” June said. “It’s not like he’d ever notice me anyway.”
Emmy shot her a look that said yeah-right before switching her gaze to me. “And how are things with you and Archer?”
“We decided to just be friends,” I said.
“Who decided? You or him?”
“Well, I came up with the idea, but—”
“Ah,” she said. “I see.”
June sat forward. “So, you’re going to try and be friends? With Archer?”
“Yeah,” I said slowly as the two of the exchanged a significant look. “Is there something wrong with that?”
“Oh no,” June said at the same time Emmy said, “Not really.”
I waited, knowing there was more to it.
Emmy sighed after a moment then added, “Arch isn’t really a just-friends type of guy. I don’t remember him ever having a friend who was a girl. Do you, June?”
“Nope,” June said. “Can’t say I do. The others yes, but not