Page 160 of Only With You

“Yeah, anything.”

“I really hope I’m not overstepping, but what do you know about Landon’s parents?”

She winces and breathes out a long, heavy breath. “I don’t know a lot, because Landon doesn’t like to share, but when I dated his brother, Ashton,” she sneers, “he told me a few things. Like Landon’s mother was an alcoholic, and that’s the reason John brought him to the US, because he was living in the UK up until he was fourteen. He’s not really close with them, except for Lucy, who you met the other day. His mom and John are a sore subject, so don’t ask him about it because he’ll just shut you out. Trust me, we’ve tried.”

I let silence sweep over us as I think of all the things he’s shared with me.

“It’s why he chose to study here, because we’re all from Montana and he wanted to be as far away from John as possible. But I guess it still didn’t work out, because John has been here on work trips and tries to see Landon every chance he gets, even though Landon doesn’t want to see him. That’s why Landon agreed to tutor you. At least, I’m guessing.”

I know that Landon could’ve gone to any Ivy League, but chose not to because he’s here out of spite and pettiness.

He shared with me the other day that this was and still is Ashton’s dream school. When the scouts were looking at them, they offered Landon and Jagger scholarships, but not Ashton. And because Landon knew it’d piss him off, he accepted it.

“What do you mean?”

She explains it all to me, and when she’s done, I can’t help but feel a tiny little dip in my stomach. I completely understandwhy Landon wants to be away from his father. I don’t blame him after everything he’s been through.

So I have no reason to be upset, because his reasons are so valid, but still, my chest tightens and my stomach continues to sink at the reality.

Now it all makes sense why he’s always here early or stays longer than necessary. Why he’s been so willing to tutor me every day. He’s not here because he wants to be. He’s here because he has no other choice.

Thanks to Gabby, who’s the media coordinator for the basketball team, we were able to get great seats. We’re just three rows behind from where the guys sit. And that’s the reason she’s not here with us. She’s sitting with the rest of the photographers next to the basket, ready to take photos of the game.

I wanted El to come, but she had to work tonight, but she made me promise her that I’d send her pictures.

The team still isn’t out yet. Polly says they’ll be out of the tunnel in a few minutes. They had been warming up and were out on the court, but that was before we arrived.

“I’m so happy you’re here!” Polly wraps her arms around me, holding me in a crushing hug before she lets go. “I promise I will do my best to give you a play-by-play of everything that’s happening. I know when I first started watching it, I didn’t understand why they were fouled or what a layup was.”

For the next few minutes, she explains some of the rules and the positions each guy plays. I already know that Landon is a forward/center, because he told me Monday night when I stayed over. He also explained a few rules and how they get points and whatnot.

Though it was hard to focus on anything he was saying because he kept touching me. It wasn’t the kind of touch where he was insinuating he wanted to fuck me. It was soft, featherlight, gentle, and in the moment, I got lost in how his fingers brushed my skin.

“Look, they’re here!” She elbows my side, pulling my head out of the clouds and onto the guys who are now on the court.

I instantly find Landon and I hate that I do, because this was never supposed to happen. Messing around, sharing beds, confiding in each other, and all of the other things we’ve done. Not that there were many rules to begin with, but it shouldn’t matter because we’re just having fun.

Though now it’s become more, because I’ve fallen for him and I don’t know how to make it stop.

Polly says something to me, but it’s hard to pay attention when I’m secretly hoping he looks my way. He hasn’t and I’m sure he won’t. There are too many people packed in the arena. I practically blend in with the rest of the crowd, who are all wearing the same colors I am.

But somehow in the sea of people, his eyes lock on mine and I swear everything just stops. The loud cheering, the lights, the flashes, every possible thing around us just stops.

This moment feels unreal. I thought it only happened in the movies, where everything blurs, the noises become muted, and the focus is only on the two main characters. It sounds ridiculous, but that’s how it all feels.

I wave at him, hoping my smile doesn’t convey what I’m feeling inside. His gaze dips to my lips, but only briefly before they drop to my sweater and linger on the number in the middle of my chest.

He does a double take on the number and then casts me with an inscrutable expression. Then turns his back to me.

“Oh, he’s annoyed.” Polly snorts.

I blink, snapping out of the trance I was in.

“Who?” I play dumb.

“Number sixteen.” She plays along, head tipping in Landon’s direction. “I wonder if it has anything to do with the hot blond next to me not wearing his number.”

“There are like a hundred—no, over a thousand girls wearing his jersey. I’m sure he’ll be all right.”

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