Page 48 of The Playbook

“I know anyone would. But I’m askingyou. I want you. So will you wear it? I mean, your dad is our coach and all too. So it’s not just for me. It’s for him too. I was going to ask you this morning. . .” His voice trailed off, and his cheeks flushed pink as he rambled, a new look for him.

“But what?”

“I was nervous. Figured you’d say no. You always tell me no.” He let out a soft laugh, his eyes downcast.

My heartstrings gave a tremendous tug.

“Fine, I’ll wear it.” The words tumbled out of my mouth before I could stop them.

His eyes met mine, the biggest smile on his face. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” I breathed out, feeling my face heat. “I’ll, uh, just go change.”

“You have no idea how happy you’ve made me, Gracie.”

He bent down, and before I could react, he planted a kiss on my cheek. Without another word, he left me standing there, my hand pressed to my face where his lips had just been.

The butterflies somersaulted in my chest, causing my face to flame more. But it was the smile curving my lips up that sealed the deal for me.

Logan Walker and I were really friends.

CHAPTER26

Logan

The pep rally was in full swing, the student body cheering loudly for us as we ran into the gym. The cheerleaders danced and bobbed around us while the band played the school song.

I hadn’t seen Grace since lunch. But everyone was talking about her wearing my jersey. It was my Hail Mary play and one of my tasks. Andy hadn’t given his jersey to Marissa. This would create the wildfire I needed. It helped that every fiber in my body wanted Grace in my jersey, and not just for the bet. I longed to see it on her small body, my name printed in bold letters across her back, branding her as mine. It was an unspoken rule among the players that only girlfriends were allowed to wear our practice jerseys. No one had ever worn mine, not in the four years I’d been playing for the team. So Grace having mine on was causing quite the stir. She had no idea about the tradition. Hopefully, Coach was unaware too. Grace didn’t know that though. Her having it on was the talk of the school. I was desperate to know if she was still wearing it.

My eyes traveled over the band sitting in the bleachers until my gaze landed on her. My heart jackknifed in my chest as I took her in, my jersey gracing her slender frame. Now I knew why I’d never let another girl wear it … before. It wouldn’t have meant anything if it was any other girl. Nikki had begged me nearly every game day, but I’d always told her no. Seeing Grace in it had me brimming with pride.

Desperate times called for desperate measures. Everything else would fall into place now. I wanted to shout it out to the whole student body that she was mine, confirm what they were all thinking now that she had my number on her chest. Only problem was,shedidn’t know it meant that. And once she realized it, I knew she’d storm down here and probably punch me in the damn throat. But hell, I didn’t even know what it meant for Grace to be mine. Or how the hell I’d get out of the shit I’d piled around myself to get her.

For now, I pushed those thoughts out of my head and focused on the beautiful girl wearing my jersey.

Mine. Mine. Fuckingmine.

I couldn’t keep the chant out of my head. It made me stand a little taller to know it.

I was winning. Not just against Andy. I felt like I was winning the damn world. And all because she was in my jersey.

Coach launched into his pep talk, firing the school up, but my eyes stayed glued to Grace. Even when Coach praised my skills and said I was taking them to the state championship, my gaze never left her. She gave me the smallest smile, making the butterflies dancing in the pit of my stomach burst with energy.

“Does Coach know Grace is wearing your jersey?” Andy asked from beside me as we smiled out at the crowd.

“I’m sure he will.”

“That’s a shady move, Walker. Real shady.”

“Whatever gets me the win,” I grunted, watching as some guy in the band who wasn’t Noah spoke to Grace.

An ugly monster unfurled its wings in my guts as she laughed. They continued to chat, her leaning closer to hear him. By the time the rally was over, I was seeing fucking red. I elbowed my way through the crowd and approached Grace. I draped my arm over her shoulder as she spoke to the guy.

“Logan?” She looked at me confused.

“Hey, Gracie.” I gave her my best smile, a blush painting her cheeks crimson.

I turned to the guy who’d been chatting her up. “Hey.”

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