Page 95 of The Quarterback Sneak

“I’m proud of you, son.” My dad clasps my shoulder, smiling at me approvingly. “I knew you could do it; I’m just sorry it took us so long to come out and see you win.”

“Za Za,” Ella calls, and I chuckle at her little voice.

“Hey, baby,” I coo, taking Ella from Tiff and hugging her while I do it. Whispering so only Ella can hear, I say, “I did all of that for you.” She giggles as I nuzzle my nose into her cheek, leaving a kiss behind.

“Congratulations, Z,” Tiff says, slapping me on the back. “I’m so proud of you.”

“I’m proud of you too,” I reply. I still can’t believe she decided to come tonight, but when I tried to convince her to stay at home, she refused. “Are you okay?” I ask with hesitation. She closes her eyes briefly, then smiles. “Yes. I needed to see everything for myself.”

“Did it help you gain some clarity?” I talk cryptically because I know someone might hear us.

“I think so. I’m still not sure how to move forward, but I’ll figure it out.”

“Good.” Chewing her bottom lip, she looks around. “Why do you look like someone tried to steal your Froot Loops this morning?”

She doesn’t laugh, just replies with an awkward smile. “I think I did something bad.”

Immediately, I’m ready to take action, and start looking around the stadium. “You didn’t confront him, did you? I already toldyou we should wait until I’ve got a little more money in my pocket for a lawyer before we do anything.”

“No. I’m not that stupid.” Leaning in on a whisper, she says, “But I did something that I don’t think you’ll like.”

“Spit it out.”

“I told her.”

Tiff winces, waiting for the blowout, but I draw a blank. “Told who, what?”

“Honey,” she says simply and confidently. My stomach curls.

“Honey? She’s not here.” I search for a set of whiskey-colored eyes among the celebrations, but I know she’s not there. I can feel it.

“No, she’s not. But she was. She was watching the game until about ten minutes ago.”

All I feel is regret, because Honey was here to watch me. She waited for me like I asked but didn’t stay long enough to celebrate.

“I can’t believe you told her I was your girlfriend.” Tiffany wretches, and Ella giggles at her mom’s facial expression.

“I didn’t. Jamie did.” Her lips purse and she quiets. “What did you tell her?”

“The truth. That you’re my overbearing and overprotective cousin and that Ella is my daughter, not yours. No wonder she was running from the game, crying like a heaping mess when she saw me.”

“She was crying.”

“Yes. I thought it was because she missed you, so I chased after her, thinking I could help you guys out. I didn’t realize it’s because she thought she was a homewrecker.”

“That’s what she was crying about?” Tiff nods. As if she couldn’t make me feel worse. I know I’ve been a bad fake boyfriend, and I should have explained everything, but I didn’t think she cared. I thought she only saw me as a wad of cash.

Turning to my parents, I say, “I’m sorry to cut the celebrations short, but I need to see someone, so I’ll see you back home.”

They barely bat an eyelash as I make my way to the parking lot, looking for Honey’s clit-pink car to see if she’s still here.

Throwing a leg over my bike, I drive to Honey’s house, hoping she’ll be there.

An hour and a half later, I relax my foot against the street opposite Honey’s estate. She only lives fifteen minutes away from school, but I didn’t know what to say when I first arrived, so I took a detour. I rode around the area, looking at all the ostentatious buildings before finally realizing I needed to tell her the truth.

I stare at her room, noticing that the climbing hydrangea bush is gone. I’ve never been the type of guy to consider scaling a house to sneak into a girl’s window, but Honey has changed all of that. Too bad the bush has been trimmed to make that an impossibility.

Shaking my head in amusement, I watch as I scuff my boot across the concrete. What has Honey done to me? She’s got me fake dating her, offering to take her to snobby balls, and confronting her jealous ex. All so she’ll kiss me again.

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