Football and Ballet - Jason Collins Page 0,52

guys are doing nowadays.”

“Thanks, Mr. McEntire!” Adam happily shouted before he grabbed Wanda by the wrist. “Come on! We need to ask them for a pic before they leave!”

I kept my distance as my students swarmed Dakota and Hunter. They both seemed happy enough to take photos with them, including cutesy poses and silly faces, giving the students whatever they asked for in a pic.

For their last picture with a student, the student whispered something in Dakota’s ear, something that appeared to make her giggle like a little girl. And then, as their phone camera flashed in their faces, Dakota turned toward Hunter, giving him a sudden kiss on the cheek.

Hunter laughed in response, bringing his hand up toward his skin, playfully wiping her lipstick away. Dakota laughed now, too, the both of them seeming to share a moment as the student looked on with bright eyes.

And I couldn’t help the way my heart crumpled in my chest at the sight.

When the temporary show was over, I watched as Elana came into the picture, flanked with Gretel by her side. I started to approach the group, wondering if they were talking about the upcoming fundraiser, a conversation I knew I would’ve been welcome to.

But when I was only a few steps away, I stopped myself short.

Would I have really been welcome to that conversation?

Did they even need me in that conversation anymore? Wasn’t Dakota—my shadow—already there?

I leaned on the other side of the doorway, keeping myself out of view but remaining in earshot of the conversation, just in case someone noticed I wasn’t part of the group.

“Can I just say that you two are a beautiful couple?” Gretel started. “I heard rumors of your relationship, but it’s an entirely different thing to see it in person. You’re so… natural together.”

“Thank you,” Dakota said in a sarcastic tone. “You know, I told Hunter for months that we should be together, but no, he thought we’d be better off as friends.”

“And why was that?”

“Because he wasn’t ready for someone to call him out on his shit.” Dakota chuckled.

“Yeah, that sounds like my brother.” Elana chuckled. “Seriously, though. I’m glad you two found each other. I was worried that Hunter wasn’t ever going to settle down with anyone.”

“Crisis averted,” Dakota chimed in.

And then, I heard someone’s phone ringing out of their pocket. Gretel soon let out a small gasp before she spoke again. “I apologize. It looks like my sister is calling me. My niece must finally be having her baby. I have to take this.”

After that, I heard the sound of footsteps walking away from the conversation, with Gretel seemingly headed in the opposite direction.

“Shit, that reminds me, I need to call my agent about that event next week. This should only take a sec,” Dakota spoke, and I then heard another pair of footsteps walking down the hall, away from Hunter and Elana.

“Are you still dating that other girl?” Elana said.

“Yes… why?” Hunter’s voice seemed cautious.

“Because I’m starting to think you and Dakota might be the real deal,” Elana continued. “Not to intrude or anything.”

“Since when do you not want to intrude?” Hunter joked.

“Seriously, Hunter,” Elana went on. “I know you two are under contract, but there are real sparks there. Don’t you feel them?”

“No.”

“No?” Elana sounded like she was in disbelief. “You’re seriously saying you don’t feel any sparks between you and Dakota? Not even a little bit?”

“I’m not feeling anything, Elana,” Hunter replied. “But even if I was, I wouldn’t tell you about it.”

“Why not?”

“Because you’d just try to put a dollar sign on it.”

“Right…” Elana’s words seemed to trail off before she continued the conversation. “It is a girl, right?”

“What are you talking about?”

“The other person you’re seeing?” Elana pressed. “You’re seeing another girl, aren’t you?”

“Why are you even asking me that, Elana?”

“Because you’re telling me that you’re not attracted to a girl who was voted the hottest girl online two years in a row,” Elana explained. “And because I think if you were seeing another girl and you really cared about her, you would’ve introduced me to her by now, or at least shown me a picture.”

“Great. So, now you think I’m into guys, just because I try to have a piece of my own life all to myself?”

“You know I wouldn’t care, right?” Elana replied. “I mean, as long as you two kept it under wraps. You couldn’t come out, clearly, unless you were willing to throw everything we’ve worked for away, but you could still—”

“Don’t