The Best Mistake - Cookie O'Gorman Page 0,60

my response.

Me: Okay done. It’s gone.

Honor: Hmm, thank you—you really deleted it, right?

She was too perceptive for her own good.

Me: I did.

Though I may or may not have plans to go back and recover it from my recently deleted photos. Hey, it was the only picture I had of just her…and what was the big deal anyway? So my dress shirt had a little wet patch on it. Her lips had been parted slightly in the sweetest way, and how she’d cuddled up next to me? Yeah, I didn’t want to forget or delete that memory.

Honor: Well, that’s a relief lol. I’d hate to think that was how you’d always see me. Drool pics really aren’t all that attractive ;)

Me: Trust me. It was sexy.

It took her a second to respond after that, but I waited to see what she’d say. After several starts and stops, this is what came through.

Honor: Okay well…I’ll let you go back to getting ready. Good luck, today, Archer! I hope you guys kill it out there!!!

Me: Oh, we will—and Honor?

Honor: Yeah?

I decided to ask the question that’d been bothering me since the bus.

Me: Who’s Jamie?

Honor: ???

Me: Jamie…you said his name a couple of times in your sleep. Was just curious.

I waited with bated breath. Her answer that came a minute later wasn’t long, but it told me a lot.

Honor: Oh him! I met him in a bookstore. He was so beautiful, just sitting there, waiting for me to notice him. It was all very romantic.

I was slower this time with my reply, unsure of what to say.

Me: Ah…well that’s…nice? I guess…

Honor was laughing at me. I knew it by the tone of her response as well as all the crying-laughing little emojis she included.

Honor: OMG!!! Archer, I’m just kidding! Jamie Fraser is a character from Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander books. He’s one of my many book boyfriends!

The breath that flew from my lips was pure relief.

Me: Oh, good one lol.

Honor: Really? You thought it was funny? There were a lot of ellipses in one text ;)

Me: Hilarious.

Honor: Ask Chase about Jamie if you don’t believe me.

Me: That’s okay.

Though I planned on doing just that after we got done with this conversation.

Me: So, book boyfriend, huh?

Honor: Yep.

Me: That mean he’s imaginary?

Honor: Yes, he’s fictional. But that doesn’t make my love for him any less real! <3

This girl was seriously something else, I thought, shaking my head.

Honor: Now, go catch some balls and good luck in the game!

Go catch some balls? Who said things like that? I put the phone aside—then looked up to see Baylor staring at me.

“Did you need something?” I asked.

“Nope,” he said. “Just haven’t seen you smile like that in a while.”

Was I smiling? Reaching up for a quick check, I found that yeah. I was. It was entirely thanks to Honor.

With a shrug, I said, “Didn’t realize. You ready for the game? Scouts will be at this one.”

Baylor stared for another second. “Yeah, I’m always ready.”

His tone was off, though, so I stood and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t worry,” I said quietly. “You’ve got nothing to be nervous about. Just show out like you usually do, and you’ll be great.”

“I know this,” Baylor scoffed. “Besides Chase is the one who gets nervous at these things, not me. You should go give him some of this pep talk.”

But I could sense he wanted to say more. “Something else bothering you?”

“I’m worried about you,” he said. “Not the scouts.”

That took me by surprise. “Me? Why?” I asked.

“I know you like Honor,” he said, “and it seems like she likes you. But just…be careful. Okay?” When I didn’t say anything, he added, “If she’s playing you, I don’t want to see you get hurt.”

“She wouldn’t do that,” I said.

“You never know.”

I tilted my head. “Listen, I know you’ve been burned in the past. That doesn’t mean it’s going to happen to me—or you again, for that matter.”

“Doesn’t mean it won’t either,” he said.

“You sound concerned? That’s not really like you.”

“No worries. I’ll be back to my carefree self in a second.” Baylor laughed then reached out to squeeze my shoulder. “I’m just saying…remember to guard your heart. You only get one.”

And with that, he left to join T.J., the two talking about how bad we were going to whoop up on this team and how they’d never want to have us back. I did my rounds, checked in with everyone, making sure they were in the right state of mind. We played