Page 16 of A Sky Full Of Stars

“No, I get it. You don’t like my singing.” I fake a pout.

“Nooo. It’s not that,” she says, hiding her wince. “I just had no idea what you were trying to sing.”

“‘Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy’…obviously.”

“Oh of course. So obvious.”

“Well, what song would you have picked, huh?”

“‘Dancing in the Dark’ by Bruce Springsteen.” She shrugs as though it’s the most obvious choice anddamn.

It’s not at all the direction I was going. “Okay, sure. That works.” It’s not really a dancing song, but whatever. “Didn’t pick you for a Brucey fan.”

“A Brucey fan?” She giggles.

I have no idea why I said that. “Yep.”

“My dad loves him,” she says in response. “He plays his songs all the time. But, no matter the song. You’re off the hook. I feel better and you don’t have to dance with me.”

“I dodged a bullet.” I laugh, but my stomach twists. I wanted to dance. With her. With Lainey… and that’s completely foreignto me. There’s something about her that’s drawing me in. Something that makes me want to spend all my time with her. Just us. Under the moonlight.

“Tell me something about you, Thomas,” Lainey says, hooking her arms over the top of the fence, pulling me from my thoughts. “That’s a much better topic than my issue.” Her eyes widen as the words leave her mouth, and I bite back a smirk. “I didn’t meanyouwere a good topic. I don’t talk about you. I meantanythingwill be better.”

“Of course.” I smirk. “But what to say? What to say?”

“You can say anything. Favorite food, name of your first pet, football her—”

“I’m terrified that I won’t make it as a quarterback.” What?!Jesus. She just pulled the same move I did when I was in her room. Only she substituted food for color. That shit’s powerful. “I’ve never really said that out loud before.”

Lainey smiles. “I wonder if that’s a ploy they use in interrogation?”

“If they don’t, they really should.”

“They should, but back to you. You’ve never told anyone that? Never talked about options?”

“No. Actually, I’ve talked through some options with a guidance counselor, but even then I was pretty closed off to alternatives.”

“Did you ever do that ‘which career suits me’ test? I know that’s not what it’s called, but they made me do it this year.”

“I did.”

“Oh yeah?” Her brows rise in intrigue. “Care to share?”

“I didn’t pay much attention but I think part of it was outdoor work.”

“Well, that’s a good start. Mine said I should work with children.”

“Do you like children?”

“I do.”

“That’s good then. I’ve never had the chance to think outside the box. Dad’s been on the football train since I could walk. This is his dream as much as it’s mine.”

“Are you sure it’s your dream then?”

My lips pull into a smile as my eyes meet hers. “Without a doubt. I was born to go pro.”

Lainey grins and her eyes light up. “Then you don’t need a backup plan. Not yet, anyway.”

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