Page 37 of Changing the Play

We both startle and he jumps back, putting distance between us and grabbing for it where it’s sitting on the table.

“Dad?” he says as he answers.

I let myself fall against the couch, my body tingling from the letdown of almost, but not enough.

“Yeah, I can do that. Just let them know to email me. This is my last available slot, though. With West and Caleb and then my classes, I can only take one more.”

He’s quiet for a minute, clearly listening intently to his dad, nodding slightly every so often. “Yeah. I think West is catching on with no problems, so I can probably scale back with himquickly now that he’s figured out a way to connect it to things he knows. Once that happens, I’ll be able to take another.”

My heart drops out, my stomach flipping in a way that has nothing to do with excited nerves, but instead with dread. He’s talking about tutoring.Once that happens?Once he’s fulfilled his obligation to me. That’s what he means.

I’m not sure how I let myself forget that this is his job. I guess somewhere in the haze of football and cookies and coffee and falling asleep together watching movies, I just… forgot what this was meant to be.

I’m a fucking idiot.

Chapter 12

Darcy

My heart still hasn’t calmed down at all since West almost kissed me. I don’t even know why I took the call. I should have ignored it. I’m not sure what I was thinking.

I can still feel the ghost of his touch on my face, and a massive part of me wants to tell Dad to be quiet so I can finish what we started.

“I told you there was an intellect in Weston,” Dad muses.

Ugh. Please,pleasebe quiet so I can get back to him. “I know.”

“Well, kiddo, I’ll let you go.”Thank God.“I love you and I’ll see you later.”

“Love you too, Dad.”

I hang up the phone, my heart lurching in excitement.

I turn to West, only to find he’s definitelynotwhere I left him. Or at least the version of him I had a few minutes ago isn’t.

There’s something… detached on his face. His jaw is tight, like he’s grinding his teeth together. Like the look he got when he was jealous of Parker, only not at all like that because this time he won’t even meet my eyes.

If that wasn’t bad enough, the physical distance he’s put between us is glaringly obvious. Where before he was leaned into me, a breath away, now his entire body is shifted away.

It doesn’t take a body language expert to put two and two together and realize that whatever closeness he just initiated is gone. And with it, the hope for more. It seems he came to his senses at the last minute. “West? Are… is everything okay?”

He glances at me, but doesn’t let his gaze linger. “Yes.”

My stomach goes cold. It doesn’t feel like things are okay. “Are you sure?”

He nods, sighing heavily before finally,finallylooking at me.

He smiles, but it looks forced. Nothing at all like the usual radiance that graces his face. “I have a bit of a headache. I think I might go lie down. Would it be okay to pick this up another day? Maybe next week?”

Trying to hide my disappointment, I nod quickly. “Yeah, of course. Do you want some company?” I have no right to ask, but I can’t help myself. I don’t want to leave, especially not after that almost kiss.

West hesitates, and my heart soars when he looks like he might be about to say yes, but then his shoulders slump, bringing my heart down with them. “Probably not the best idea. I wouldn’t want to take a chance on getting you sick in case I’m coming down with something.”

“Okay… that makes sense. Can I get the jersey before I leave?”

His eyebrows shoot up in surprise before he schools his expression. “You still want to come to the game?”

“Of course I do.” Why would he think I wouldn’t? I don’t understand what’s happening right now. Is this because he almost kissed me? “Why wouldn’t I? Unless… if you don’t want me to come, that’s fine.”

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