26. Chapter 26
Chapter 26
TEAGAN
“Iforgot to ask you something. Are you dressing up tomorrow?” I lean back against the wash basin. Tomorrow is Halloween and I have plans to trick or treat with Lane and Sophie, something I’ve been looking forward to ever since I bulldozed my way into their plans last week.
Lane turns to face me. She’s done with the uniforms, her shift officially over until she needs to be at the field later today, which leaves us approximately five minutes before I have to get my ass to class.
A week has passed since our argument at the park, and neither of us have mentioned it again. I haven’t pushed, haven’t so much as laid a fucking hand on her even though I want to every second of every fucking day. Each time I’m with her, not kissing her, not holding her hand, fucking kills me.
Her mouth curves into a grin. “I usually dress up, yes, but nothing extravagant. This year, I’m just wearing white, using the fuzzy bunny ears from Sophie’s easter basket last year, and painting a bunny nose and whiskers on my face. Why? You’re not worried about it, are you? Most parents I see don’t dress up.”
“Oh, no. I already got something.” I flash her a smile. “I was just wondering if you wanted me to pick you up a costume, too.”
Her eyes brighten. “You really got a costume?”
“Sure did. Sophie’s going as a T. rex, right?”
Lane nods. “What did you get?”
“It’s a secret,” I wink. “You’ll just have to wait and see.”
She chuckles, then grunts. “No fair.” She fake pouts before asking, “What are Tommy and the others doing?”
I shrug. “A party.”
“You don’t want to go?”
“No.” I reach out and tug on a silken lock of her hair. “I’d rather be with you and Soph.”
She shakes her head like she’s afraid to believe me, like she’s stunned I’d rather spend time with her and Sophie than go to a party. Little does she know I’m over the whole party scene. I don’t need it. I had my fill in high school, and I’m not saying I don’t ever like to unwind and have a good time, but in truth, it’s lost its appeal. There’s nothing fun in getting wasted and feeling like shit the next day. Besides, there’s not much time for it in-season, anyway. Not unless you want to be sluggish as shit on the football field.
Lane bites her lip, and it takes everything I have not to reach out and pull her to me, claim her mouth with mine when my phone buzzes in my pocket, saving me.
I stifle a groan. “That’s my alarm, which means I have to go.”
“Come on. I’ll walk you out.” She motions toward the hall and guides us outside into the cooling autumn air.
“I’ll see you at the field later?” I ask.
She nods, though we both know just because we’ll see each other, it doesn’t mean we’ll get to spend time together.
We pause outside the door behind the cover of a small maple as a breeze rustles its branches. Most of the leaves have fallen, covering the sidewalk in a living watercolor beneath our feet. Above, the sky is gray and threatening rain, and a cursory glance around us reveals no one is watching. Students pass with their heads down, rushing to class to avoid the inclement weather, and I wonder what we look like to them. If we look like a couple.
My gaze falls to her mouth, but I quickly tear it away again because staring at her lips won’t do me any favors when I promised I’d behave.
As if sensing my inner turmoil, Lane reaches out and cups the side of my face with her hand, her thumb brushing over my jaw.
I lean into her touch, pathetic and lovesick, like a stray dog begging for pets.
She worries her lower lip with her teeth, then steps closer, and maybe I’m crazy, but when her blue eyes shift to my mouth, I think maybe she wants to kiss me, too. Instead, she leans into me with a sigh.
Pressing her forehead against mine, she whispers, “Thank you.”
“For what?” I choke out.
“Everything.”