Page 158 of Sporty Girls Don't Fall For Loners

We break apart. “Crap,” I mutter.

“I don’t want to let you go,” he murmurs.

“I don’t want to let you go, either.”

“Zoey!” Now Dad calls.

My eyes widen, “Except I should let you go right now before I’m grounded.”

He reluctantly nods. I squeeze his hand, then slowly walk away, my hand sliding out of his. I don’t release my gaze from his as I step further and further away from him.

He presses his fingers to his lips, then blows the kiss to me.

I smile and blow the kiss back to him. Then I mouth “Love you forever.”

He responds with, “Love you more.”

We stand there staring at each other because we don’t want to part, but then my parents call me for a third time. I have no choice but to leave the most important guy in my life.

We’re only sixteen and will have many, many years together. Just like my parents. Just like Aunt Ally and Uncle Zack. Just like the rest of the Musketeers.

I feel it deep in my heart and I can’t wait for the future.

Chapter Forty-Three

Zoey

Us girls and the guys are hanging out at Mia’s house the next Sunday. It’s been a hard week of tests, so it’s nice to just lounge around with my best friends and amazing boyfriend.

We’re in her room with lots of snacks and drinks. We’re going to binge a TV show that everyone’s been obsessed with lately. It’s a high school romance with some paranormal elements.

Rylee and Mason are sitting on the floor in each other’s arms, Kade and I are on the bed, holding hands, and Mia has taken her chair.

We don’t start the show yet because Mia’s scrolling through social media, Rylee and Mason are rubbing noses, and Kade and I are sneaking in some sweet, light kisses.

“Ugh!” Mia grumbles as she glares at her phone. “Why the heck is he popping up on my feed?”

“Who?” I ask.

Her grimace deepens. “Him Who Shall Not Be Named.”

Kade lifts a brow.

I fill him in on Mia’s first on-screen kiss and how terrible it was.

“How do you know she’s talking about him?” he asks me. “She never said his name.”

Rylee and I laugh. “Trust me, we know,” she says.

Mia continues to scowl. “I looked him up once. Just once to see what movies he’s working on and now he keeps popping up. And no matter how many times I tell Spill It! not to show me stuff from him, it doesn’t listen. Ugh! Easton needs to fix his app, pronto.”

Mason chuckles as he says, “Are you sure you only looked him up once? Because it’s likely he keeps popping up because you looked at him a few times.”

Mia’s face goes red. “No I didn’t. It was just, like, maybe three times.”

The rest of us laugh again.

“It’s so not funny. Declan Hart is henceforth banned from my feed. Ignore, ignore, ignore!” She nods in triumph. “That should do it. Okay, are we ready to start the show?”

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