Page 66 of The Love You Win

Did you post them?

No. I wanted to talk to you about it first. Dating anyone on the team can mean extra attention and scrutiny, but dating me…

I practically hold my breath, waiting for him to finish his sentence. When it comes, my heart aches for him.

Maddox

I know you don’t believe what my ex-girlfriends said about me, but most people do. Dating me could mean a lot of curiosity and more than a little extra scrutiny. Not sure if it’s worth it.

Reading between the lines, I hear what he’s not saying.

I’m not sure if I’m worth it.

I don’t give myself any time to think about it. Not that there’s anything to think about. I know what it’s like to wonder if you’re worth the trouble, and I won’t let him feel that way. Not on my account.

I pick a selfie where we both look undeniably happy. Our faces are lit with smiles, our eyes sparkle, and I’m leaning back against Maddox’s broad chest. He’s got his cheek resting on the top of my head. Uploading it to my Instagram account, I add a caption that reads: Most romantic night of my life. I don’t know what made me more lightheaded—the altitude, or his touch. And then I hit share.

Me

Check my Insta now.

A minute goes by, and just as I’m starting to worry that I did something wrong, my phone rings.

“I made you lightheaded, huh?”

Chuckling, I hum my agreement. “Very. You seem to have that effect on me.”

“I want to post one of the photos of us,” he says. “I want to show you off. But I also want to keep you to myself a while longer.” My heart squeezes at the quiet admission. “Is that selfish?”

“Not at all. That sounds like a good plan.” And not just because I’m dreading the attention. But because this is all so very new, I worry the extra eyes will put a strain on something that could be good. As terrifying as it is to entertain that hope.

“How is setting up your classroom going?”

A few posters decorate the walls, and most of my desk is unpacked and organized, but there’s still a lot left to do. It’ll take me a few days to get things looking the way I want. “I’m off to a good start. I’ll probably keep going for another hour, then take a lunch break. How’s practice?”

“Done,” Maddox tells me. “It was an early start. The guys and I will probably hit the weight room in a bit.”

“Are you talking to Isla?” a muffled voice says in the background. It has an instant grin spreading across my face. Maddox says that he is, and Navarro speaks again. “Tell her, hey. And did you tell her about our first preseason game?”

“Not yet, man. I will.”

“You’d better,” Navarro warns him. Then louder, he says, “Later, Isla.”

“Bye, Bash,” I say, even though I doubt he can hear me. It earns a chuckle from Maddox.

“You’re supposed to tell me about a preseason game?”

“Yeah. I was hoping you’d come.” He sounds like he’s not sure if I’ll agree or not.

“Of course, I’ll come. Just give me the details.”

“I will. I’ll text you all the information. Hey, I’ve got to do something. Call you later?”

Disappointment rises like floodwaters in me. I try to push the unwelcome sensation down. I need to get myself under control where Maddox Graves is concerned. He’s consumed my thoughts since our date, and I need to focus on the start of the school year. I need to focus on my job and my students.

And I have to remind myself that we’ve gone on one real date. It’s not like we’re serious or even exclusively dating right now. At least, we haven’t discussed that. I need to suppress my expectations and hopes before I end up hurt. Maddox is sweet and charming, and damn if he doesn’t give the most mind-blowing oral, but I’ve grown a lot since I was a naïve high school girl who fell in love with a boy way too quickly. I won’t fall into that same trap with Maddox.

“Isla?”

---