Page 113 of Playing for Keeps
He holds my gaze. “You don’t need to apologize. I want you to feel like you can tell me anything.”
“I do feel like that, Wyatt,” I tell him. “I want you to be able to tell me anything too.”
“I already know I can, baby.”
“What did you mean last night when you said you felt lost?”
He exhales slowly, then rolls onto his side, the mattress dipping with his weight. Propping himself up on one elbow, his fingers slide along my waist before settling on my hip. I shift too, turning toward him, mirroring him as the sheets rustle between us.
“There’s the guy everyone sees, the football player. The one with the stats and the privileged life, the one people cheer for on game days. And then there’s… me. The real me. The one who’s quieter off the field, who overthinks everything and who’s tired of the performance.”
I brush my fingers over his bicep, waiting quietly, letting him have the space to speak.
“For a while, I didn’t even notice how far apart those two versions of me had become. I was living this life that looked great from the outside, but it didn’t feel like mine anymore. I just felt... disconnected. And I had no idea how to fix it.”
I move my hand down to his, tangling our fingers together in a quiet show of support.
“I watched Nash fall for Paisley, Cade reconnect with Sophie, Seb fall for Taylor… and I realized that no matter how great everything looked, I was missing something. I wanted that kindof love, the kind that doesn’t need a performance. But I wanted it with someone who saw all of me and chose to stay anyway.”
His hand leaves my hip and cups my face, his thumb brushing against my cheek.
“I didn’t expect it to be you, Ivy,” he says, his voice vulnerable. “And maybe that’s why it hit me so hard when it was. Because with you, I don’t have to split myself in two. I can just be me. And for the first time ever, that feelsright.”
I don’t speak straight away. I can’t. His words knock the air from my lungs. He’s just handed me a piece of himself I don’t know if anyone else has seen, and that takes my breath away.
“You don’t ever have to pretend with me, Wyatt,” I say. “I like the guy underneath the jersey. I always have.”
A hint of vulnerability flickers across his face, and he exhales quietly. He leans forward and kisses me.
There’s a flash of something behind his eyes. Relief, maybe.
“I think we’ve both been acting like we’ve got it all figured out,” he says, his forehead resting lightly against mine. “Like we’re fine, even when we’re not. But I don’t want to pretend anymore. Not with you.”
“I don’t either,” I whisper, knowing he’s right.
Ash knows how badly I’ve wanted something genuine. She’s the only one who’s seen what’s behind the smiles, the quiet ache every time another friend found their forever, while I waited for mine. I hope he had someone to talk to. Maybe Seb was there for him.
“Did you tell anyone how you were feeling?” I ask quietly.
“I told Ash,” he says with a small smile. “She was surprised. Can’t really blame her. I got good at hiding it. But it felt good to finally let someone in.”
“Ash is the best.”
“Yeah,” he agrees, smiling. “She really is.”
I laugh quietly, and his brow lifts in curiosity.
“What?” he asks, his eyes warm. “What’s funny?”
I shake my head with a smirk. “Ash. She engineered this whole thing.”
He frowns in confusion. “What do you mean?”
“I knew she’d set us up for the charity auction, but now you’ve just told me what you have, I know why. It wasn’t just my crush on you. She knows I’ve always had a hard time letting guys in. Honestly, I think my own insecurities have kept me from meeting someone. But looking back… I’m kind of grateful they did. Because if I hadn’t held back, I might not be lying here with you right now.”
I lean in and press a soft kiss to his lips. He smiles when I pull back, and the warmth in his eyes leaves my heart aching in the best way.
“If you told Ash you were looking for something genuine,” I say slowly, a teasing note in my voice. “And she already knew that’s exactly what I’ve been hoping for…”
