“With all my heart.” His lips sweep over mine in an intoxicating kiss. I commit this moment to memory as I completely drown into him. Each peck, each sip leaves me breathless. I don’t want to face the harsh reality we’ll soon be thrust into, and as if I have no control over my mind or my mouth, I ruin the quite with fear.
“But what about after high school? I can't sit back and watch as other girls throw themselves at you, Robert, and I can't ask you to come with me to South Carolina.”
“We’ll worry about it when the time comes.”
“I’m not really a sit back and wait kinda girl, Robert. I’ve fallen for you, hard, and the idea of saying goodbye to you is terrifying.”
“Don’t say goodbye then Pres. I know you want a definitive answer, but I can’t give it to you right now. Just say you’ll be there, and we’ll take it one day at a time. Yes, I want Ole Miss, but they haven’t even sent a scout out yet. At the end of the day, my only deciding factor is who offers me the largest scholarship. I need money.” He kisses my nose a final time before rolling out of bed taking his warmth with him.
Chapter Thirteen
“Hey, Coach. Gotta second?”
Coach looks up from his desk and waves me in. “Hey, Brice. What can I do for you? I heard you were quite the hero over break.”
“Oh, umm, yea. Right place at the right time, I guess. But I wanted to talk to you about Ole Miss.”
Coach quickly stops me. “I’m sorry, Brice, but you know how strict I have to be with the scouts.”
“Yeah, I know, and I get it but, it’s— well—they haven’t sent anyone out yet, and I have to be prepared maybe they won't. I think I need to open up my list of colleges I’d be willing to play for.”
He sits back in his chair “Alright. So, who do you want me to put on your roster?”
“South Carolina University.”
He raises his eyebrows at my decision, and leans forward again, his fingers grazing the keyboard in front of him before he settles back in his chair. “This wouldn’t happen to have anything to do with a certain girl now, would it? I know how set you’ve been on Ole Miss.”
“Maybe it does, and maybe it doesn’t, but I know they’ve sent four scouts out. It would be a shame not give them a chance. You know what I’m saying?”
He grins and nods his head. “Yea, son, I think I do. I’ve got them added to your list already and will send out the appropriate email update.”
I nod my thanks and head to the choir hall so I can take Presley home.
Most of the students have already cleared out of the building, leaving only a few remaining voices to echo through the hallways. Olivia’s voice is, of course, one of the louder ones as she lets off a little squeal.
“So tell me EVERYTHING. Don’t leave a single detail out.”
“I don’t really remember much, Liv, just what Brice has told me.”
I like that she only calls me Robert when it’s just the two of us tucked away at home, like a private little secret we share.
“You could have died out there. Weren’t you scared?”
Sneaking up behind her, I wrap my arms tightly around her waist, resting my chin on her shoulder as she angles her head, giving me perfect access to place a kiss on her cheek.
“But she didn’t,” I respond back to Liv’s statement. Presley’s radiant smile takes my breath away as she nuzzles into me before kissing me back.
“My knight in shining armor,” she beams proudly.
“Hell no! Armor is too damn cold. We would’ve both been dead. I’ll take knight in Carhart instead.” The three of us laugh, and Liv speaks up again.
“I can't. You guys are seriously the cutest! Total relationship goals right here.” She sighs through her smile.
“What about you and Trey?” Presley asks. I don’t know why I’ve never thought of them together before. Trey has always had a thing for Olivia but has never done anything about it.
“I don’t know. He’s cute and all, but high school boys are so dumb.”
I pretend to take offense to what she’s said, but in reality, we really are.
“Brice, you’re the exception, though. You’ve got a good one, Presley. However, maybe it’s because you didn’t know him in his younger days. I’m sure you would be rethinking this relationship if you had known him just a few years ago.”
Presley and I look at each other unobserved, her cheeks turning a slight shade of pink, her tell, when she’s trying to hide something. I love how she reveals more and more of herself to me with each passing day.
But I do feel bad for Trey and feel it’s my duty as a friend to stick up for him. “Give him a chance Liv. You never know what’ll happen. I know he really likes you.”
Liv rolls her eyes as if she doesn’t care, but I’ve known her long enough to know her tells as well. She cast her eyes down to the ground, and a smile pulls the corners of her mouth.
“Ehhh.” Typical Liv.
“Oh, I know! Double date!” Presley is overly excited as she looks at me. Good girl, Pres.
“I guess it wouldn’t be the end of the world, but I’ll only go if he asks. I’m not doing this setup type thing where we both show up and surprise,” she throws her hands up to frame her face while wiggling her fingers, “I’m your date. But speaking of dates, which one of you asked the other out?”
She looks back and forth between the two of us, and it occurs to me I’ve never actually taken Presley out. It kinda happened organically, and we usually end up spending our time together on the ranch.
“I’ll talk to him tomorrow at practice, Liv. I’ll get him to ask you out.”
She smiles, nervously.
“It’ll be fine, Livie Lou.” I smile because I know how much she hates my nickname for her.
“Brice Lucas! How many times have I told you not to call me that! I laugh as she chases after me, hand held high as if she’s waiting for the right opportunity to swing at me. Presley stands off to the side, watching us, and soon I put my hands up in surrender.
“You ready babe?” She gives me her cutely bashful smile and places her hand in mine.
“Always. See you tomorrow, Liv.”
*****
Brice is coming out of Coach’s office as I’m rounding the corner of the athletics’ hallway. I have absolutely no reason to be down here, so I quickly duck into an open door and plaster myself against the wall. He’s whistling, and it causes my blood to boil. Brice was supposed to be mine before little miss pure and innocent showed up and twisted him so tightly around her little finger; I’m surprised she still has any circulation in it.
“Heather?” The sound of my name scares the bejesus out of me, sending my racing heart into my throat, my hands flying to my chest to hold my body together.
“Jesus Christ, Marcus! What the hell are you doing here?”
“I could ask you the same thing.” He raises his eyebrows at me as I shove him out of the doorway.
I follow Brice down the hallway, stopping to keep myself hidden behind a corner, but still close enough to hear everything they’re saying. Occasionally peering around the corner, I watch him wrap his arms around little miss damsel in distress and look at her like she’s the greatest thing since sliced bread.