Chapter 12
Evie
I watch as Tessa shakes Zane’s hand, and can’t help but laugh at Tessa.
I’m pretty sure she would squeal right now if she could.
Zane, as kind as he is, shakes her hand.
“Oh my word. Oh my word. I can’t believe I just shook hands with—” she stops midsentence.
“Ohmywordyou’reReidMarshall.” I look at the tall guy she’s squealing at, the same guy that’s been with Zane each time I’ve seen him.
Tessa grabs my arm and squeezes it. “Can we get a picture with both of you?”
“I’m here too, you know,” another voice adds. I take in the guy standing with them. He has dark hair and is handsome too, not quite as tall as Reid or as broad as Zane.
“Quint Ashwood, wide receiver. You hit a school record last year—over a thousand yards and sixteen touchdowns. You’re expected to surpass that this year.”
I can’t help my laugh when the three of them stare at Tessa like she’s grown two heads. Quint’s the first to recover. “She knows my stats.” His voice is smug, but Tessa takes care of that.
“I know all your stats. Reid’s our high scorer for basketball.
He averages twenty-seven points a game, three assists, and three rebounds.
And Zane is like the best quarterback our school has ever produced.
He holds the record for both passing and rushing yards for our school, and I’m pretty sure he’s going to shatter his own record this year.
Last year, he threw for 4,889 yards; everybody says he’s going to crush 5,000 this year. ”
When she finally comes up for air, Quint stares at her in amazement. “We should have you go with us everywhere we go; you’re good for morale.”
Her eyes widen. “I would totally travel with the team!” She turns to me, eyes wide. “Can you imagine?”
My eyes meet Zane’s for just a moment, and I can’t help but return the smile he gives me.
It’s like we connect for just a moment, both of us knowing how impractical and impossible it would be for Tessa to travel with the team.
I hook my arm through Tessa’s. “Well, we don’t want to take any more of your time. ”
“Oh, right,” Tessa says, finally coming to her senses.
“Are you both coming to the game on Saturday?” Zane asks. I can’t help but notice his eyes land on me when he asks. Those piercing green eyes see too much, and I drop my gaze.
“We are,” Tessa says with gusto.
“I can’t, sorry.” My words are quiet.
Tessa turns to me. “Why not?”
“I have plans.”
“I thought you were going to go with me. Do you have to work?”
I glance at the guys and then back at Tessa. “No.” I take a step back, trying to get out of this awkward situation. I give her a look, but she doesn’t seem to get it.
Then Zane has to add to it and make things worse. “If it’s a ticket problem, I can get you one.”
“No, that’s not it.” I flash him a brief smile. “Thank you, though.”
“Then what is it?” Tessa asks in a huff.
“I have a date,” I blurt out.
Tessa doesn’t skip a beat. “With Jace?” her face is scrunched up in distaste.
I feel my face heat up. “Let’s talk about it later,” I tell her quietly, hoping she’ll let it go.
“Fine.” I turn back to the guys and make the mistake of meeting Zane’s eyes again. They’re not quite as friendly as they were moments ago.
“It’s Tessa, right?” Quint asks, drawing her attention to him. Reid joins him, and I don’t fail to notice that Zane steps over to me. I look up at him and take in just how big he is, and yet, he doesn’t make me nervous.
“So, orange chicken, not a fan of black coffee, and not nearly as much of a sports’ fan as your friend,” he says easily. “What else is there to know about you?”
“I think that’s a pretty fair amount,” I tell him. “What about you?”
“I think your friend knows everything about me,” he says dryly. “Just ask her my height and weight; I bet she’s got that memorized too.”
I can’t help my smile. “You’re probably right.” I take a step back. “Well, have a good afternoon.”
“Wait,” he says, lifting his hand. My attention snags on his hand, but he drops it to his side. I absently wonder what he was going to do. “Can I get your number?”
In that moment, I want to; I want to cave. I tighten my resolve. “I’m sorry. I—I,” I pause, unsure what to say.
“You’re going on a date, right?” His voice is kind, gentle even.
“Yeah.” My voice is soft, a little uncertain.
“Okay.” He smiles at me.
Relief flows through me that he’s being cool with all this. I need to make a hasty retreat before I change my mind and give him my number. I walk over to Tessa. “Ready?” I ask brightly.
She’s laughing at something Quint said, but she turns to me. She must see something on my face because her face sobers. “Yeah. It was so nice to officially meet you guys. Bye.” The guys call out goodbyes, and we start towards our dorm.
“Evie.” I turn back to Zane. “I’m not going to give up.” I stare at him for just a moment and then turn around and keep going.
“Not going to give up what?” Tessa asks. I just shake my head. “What was that?” she whispers loudly.
“Nothing.”
She stops and gives me a look, but I tug on her arm to keep us moving. She looks behind us and then stops me. “Evie, what was he saying that he’s not going to give up?”
Realizing I’m not going to get out of this, I cave. “He asked for my number.”
Her eyes go comically wide. “Zane Blackwood asked for your number?” she shrieks.
“Shh.”
“Did you give it to him?” she whisper-asks.
“No.”
She blinks in shock. “No? Why in the star-filled cosmos not?”
I frown at her question because who even says that? “Tessa, I’m going on a date on Saturday. With Jace.”
“So?”
I stare at her. “I’m going on a date with Jace. Why would I get another guy’s number?”
“Evie, he’s just asking for your number. He's not asking you to marry him. That’s what friends do; they get each other’s numbers. What if he just wanted to text you something?”
Unease flows through me. Should I have gotten his number? “No, I’m going out with Jace. I’m not going to do that to him.”
“You’re giving up a chance to get Zane Blackwood’s number, so you can go out with Jace?” the tone of her voice leaves no doubt about how she feels about that.
“Yes.” I start towards our dorm. I’ve got to get back and get ready for the week. “It may not make sense to you, but it does to me. I committed to going on this date with Jace. I wouldn’t want him getting some other girl’s number between now and then.”
“I get it,” Tessa says, releasing a sigh. “You’re a good person. And yeah, it’s the right thing to do.”
I laugh at the way she says it. “You don’t sound very happy.”
“I’m not. It’s Zane Blackwood we’re talking about. Any girl on campus would die to get his number or just a chance to talk to him.”
“I don’t think it’s really that big a deal.”
She gives me a no-nonsense look. “It is. It’s a really big deal. Evie, he’s like the most sought-after guy on campus.” Her words make me uncomfortable.
“He was just being nice.”
She purses her lips. “Evie, he doesn’t date. Ever. He’s a junior on campus and as far as the people know, he’s never even gone on a single date.”
“The people?” I ask with a smirk.
“Aka, the single ladies of FMU.”
I shake my head. “Well, he was just being nice; so, all the single ladies of FMU have nothing to worry about.” She makes a sound but doesn’t say anything. “I am sorry that I can’t go to the game with you this weekend. I enjoyed the first one and want to go to another one.”
Tessa turns to me. “Then no more dates on Saturdays.”
I nod and raise my right hand. “No more dates on Saturdays.” She pushes my hand down and nods.
“That’s all I want for my birthday wish.”
“When’s your birthday, Tessa?”
“On Friday.”
“This Friday?” I ask.
“Yep.”
“What are we going to do for it?”
“Classes,” she says with absolutely no joy.
“We can do better than that.”
“We can?” she asks, and I hear the hope in her voice.
“Yes. We’ll do something to make it special.”
“Yeah?”
“Yes.” I have some ideas running through my mind.
I suddenly wish I would have let Zane put his number in my phone; because now I’m going to need it.
Between classes and working at the shop, I keep an eye out for Zane or Reid or even Quint.
But of course, I don’t see them during the week.
I’m starting to panic that I’m not going to run into any of them, but then I finally get lucky on Thursday.
I’m walking towards my class after lunch, and I see a group of guys ahead of me.
I clock them immediately as athletes, and my heart starts pounding faster.
I scan the group and find the guy I’m looking for almost instantly.
Summoning my courage, I call out, “Zane.”
I’m pretty sure I’m too far away for him to hear me, but he surprises me by turning instantly.
His eyes lock on mine, and I walk towards him, trying to ignore my racing heart.
I swallow and try to push my nerves aside as I approach the group of guys.
They’re all obviously football guys because they’re all big.
Zane walks towards me, covering the distance between us quickly with his long legs. “Hey, Evie.” His eyes scan my face.
“Hi,” I say breathlessly. I stare up at him for a moment before it hits me that I’m supposed to be saying something.
“So, I have a favor to ask of you. Well, actually, you and your teammates.” His eyebrows rise in surprise.
“Tessa’s birthday is tomorrow. I have a picture, I was wondering if you and your teammates would sign it.
” I suddenly notice that every eye is on us, but I refuse to back down.
This is for Tessa. She’s been so good to me and become a good friend. I want to do this for her.
“Do you have it with you?” he asks, even as his eyes run over my face again. I try to keep my cheeks from heating up, but I’m pretty sure I fail.
“I do.” I’m thankful for something to focus on. I pull out the 8x10 canvas with the FMU football logo painted on it and a black sharpie. I hold it out to him and wait for him to take it. “Thank you so much for doing this; I know she’ll love it.”
“Anything for our super fan,” he says with a grin. “I’ll take it to practice tonight and get the guys to sign it.”
“And Reid,” I add.
“Even though he doesn’t play football?” he asks with a quirked eyebrow.
“Yes.”
“Okay. I’ll get it done.”
I’m suddenly filled with gratitude. “Thank you, Zane; I really appreciate it.”
“Sure. When do you need it back?”
“Her birthday is tomorrow, but whenever I get it back is fine.”