Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 98023 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 490(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98023 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 490(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
She’s a tough—insanely intelligent—nut to crack, but I’m bound and determined to show her why we’ll be so damn good together.
Which is why, as much as I’ve wanted to, I haven’t spammed her with any messages this morning.
She doesn’t need a man riding her ass. She needs a man who is willing to stand on her sidelines, cheering her on and supporting her in the ways that she needs.
And fuck, do I want to be that man for her.
Fingers to the keys, I type out a message.
Me: I’m done with training at noon. I’m going to drop off lunch to you at the lab. Your food should be there around 12:30.
Lexi: And how would you even know what I want?
Me: Burger with ketchup only. Side of fries, but well-done. Coke, but no ice.
Lexi: LOL. Are you keeping spreadsheets of my favorite foods?
Me: I don’t need spreadsheets, Lex. You’re my favorite subject.
Lexi: I can’t decide if that line is cheesy or cute.
Me: Pretty sure it’s a healthy combo of both.
“Back on the field!” Coach Gordan shouts, blowing his whistle right after his words. I hustle to send Lex one final text before I get my ass reamed.
Me: Gotta get back to practice. See you at 12:30 p.m., babe. PS: Will you be my girlfriend?
Her response is instant.
Lex: Sounds great. No.
Me: But will you sleep over at my place tonight?
Lex: Yes.
Another night with Lex in my arms means another chance to convince her to give in. One of these nights, she’s going to realize we’re made for each other.
Friday, July 25th
Lexi
Zip’s Diner is alive with the warm hum of chatter, the clinking of silverware against plates, and the faint scent of burgers and milkshakes lingering in the air. The place is filled with everyone who loves and cares about Scottie Bardeaux: my mom and stepdad Wes, the rest of the Winslow family, Finn’s mom Helen and all his siblings, Scottie’s cheerleading teammates, Kline, Georgia, Thatch, Cassie, and even Scottie’s dad, sister, and—surprisingly—her mom, despite the rocky relationship I know they’ve had.
The lights twinkle above us, adding to the festive atmosphere as the group waits in hushed anticipation. And the moment Finn pushes Scottie through the front doors, the room bursts to life, everyone, including me, shouting in unison, “Surprise!”
Ace and Julia and Kayla stand at the front, ready to greet her. And Blake is there too, a big, breathtaking smile etched on his handsome face. I don’t miss the way a few of the girls from the Dragons’ cheerleading squad flit toward the star quarterback, their eyes aflutter with overzealous flirtations.
Everyone on campus knows Blake Boden, but none of them know him quite like I do.
Maybe one day, if I can ever get over myself or if he ends up on the Mavericks like it seems as if he might…maybe one day, everyone will see all the things I do because I let them.
Scottie’s eyes are as bright as a fully lit Christmas tree when her mind starts to process what is happening, and when she spots Blake and Ace and Julia and Kayla, she exclaims, “What? I thought you were all out of town!”
A big smile covers her lips, and she also glances over her shoulder to where Finn stands behind her chair. “This is your doing?”
He nods proudly. “Yep.”
From my spot in the back corner of Zip’s Diner, I can’t make out what else they say to each other, but whatever it is, it earns an equally big smile on Finn’s normally stoic face. He even leans down to whisper something into her ear that makes her cheeks blush pink, and he presses a kiss to her lips.
If I compared this version of Finn to the version of Finn I first met nearly a year ago, I would hardly recognize him.
He’s calmer. More relaxed. His smiles come easier, and he doesn’t look like a guy who is walking around with a proverbial chip on his shoulder. He’s happy.
I know his family life has changed dramatically, with his dad behind bars and his mom and siblings in a better school district and better house that’s located in a safer part of town than where they were living.
But there’s more to Finn’s happiness. It’s written all over his face, the real-life embodiment of the heart-eyes emoji as he watches Scottie move through the crowd, getting hugs and “happy birthdays” from friends and family alike.
A hypothesis instantly takes shape in my mind: Could love be defined as finding genuine happiness in someone else’s joy? Is that the true measure of connection—when their happiness feels inseparable from your own?
The problem with my hypothesis, of course, is the same as always—the subject of love itself. It’s abstract, elusive, and defies the laws of logic in ways that can’t be studied, even by me.
It’s the part of it I hate the most, and yet, it’s the very thing that makes it so special. Love can’t be analyzed or duplicated—it’s recklessly intrinsic.