Page 56 of Game Changer

How mad you’ll be.

Me

I need you planted solidly on the team Sydney sidelines.

Mom

I am, sweetheart, one hundred percent.

Another text from Boone comes in.

Boone

Look out your window.

I text back,no,as I move into the spare bedroom, peek out of the window, and see Boone standing in the middle of the road.

I open the window. “What is wrong with you? Get out of the road.”

“Probably should have waited until I had a boombox to make a John CusackSay Anythinggrand gesture, huh, Cupcake?”

“Get out of the road,” I snip at him.

“Gonna change the song when I do. You like country music? I’m thinking ‘Wanted’ by Hunter Hayes.”

“That’s Harper and Maddox’s song.”

“Thought he was rock and roll?” He holds up devil horns and sticks out his tongue.

Flustered by all he is, I wave him off. “It doesn’t matter, anyway. Would you get out of the road, please?”

“Even pissed, you’re all sweet as pie.”

“Oh my God, get out of the road,” I plead.

“You have your phone?”

I nod.

“I’m going to call you, Sydney Sparks.”

I watch as he walks to his truck, and my phone rings.

I answer with, “I’m mad at you.”

“Let’s circle back to that in a bit, you with me?”

“Whaaaaat?” I grip the back of my neck and squeeze

“Lovey and Cakey.” He holds them up in one of his giant hands while he holds the phone with his ear to his shoulder and pulls a bag out, too. “Her favorite footies, which she calls her New York jammies, her hairbrush that doesn’t hurt when you brush, her vitamins, a couple of little outfits, underclothes, and socks. The girl loves her socks.” He exhales. “I miss my girl, Syd.”

“Well, I assure you you’re not missing much right now.” I hit FaceTime as I walk back to my bedroom, and he answers immediately. I turn the camera so it shows her sleeping in the middle of my bed. “She’s okay. Doing good. Gonna make sure she stays hydrated and eats when she feels up to it.” I turn the camera back around. “And you’ve gotta promise me something.”

He looks me over as he wets his lips. “Anything.”

“Stop telling people we’re a couple.”

“Shit, did you break up with me already?” he asks, eyes full of amusement.

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