Page 132 of Only in Your Dreams

SUMMER:WHAT?

SUMMER:What did he want?

BROOKS:Today of all days.

BROOKS:Mels, are you okay?

I appreciate that he might have wanted me to have the support, but why would Parker feel the need to broadcast it in the group chat like this?

And then my heart bounces into my throat when my phone goes off andZAC PORTERflashes across the screen.

“Zac—”

“I swear to God, I will murder him. I will tear him to fuckingshreds.” Zac’s voice is shaking, livid. He must be out on the field already because I can hear vague sounds around him, and the wind rushing into the phone. “Melody, are you okay?”

Even in his anger, his voice is enough to soothe me. I melt back onto the bed. “I am. I’m okay. Thank you for calling. I really needed to hear your voice.”

“Calling? I’m already halfway out of this god forsaken stadium. I’m coming home, Clo.”

I jerk upright. “No—don’t do that. I swear I’m fine. I don’t need you to come home.”

He sighs into the phone. “Then I’m coming home for my sake. There’s no way I can sit here like this—”

“You have to, okay? It’s a whole plane ride, and you just landed, and I really want you to coach this game.”

“Did he put his hands on you?”

Shit. “He—he tried to, but Parker got in his face—”

I wince at the barrage of angry curses now streaming out of Zac. His voice sounds far away, like he’s moved the phone from his mouth, but I can still feel his fury.

“Did he hurt you?” he says into the phone.

“No, he didn’t. I swear,” I whisper. “Zac, your team needs you. Please stay there.”

“I can’t. Ask me for anything else, because that’s the one thing I can’t do. I’m losing my mind,” he pleads. “It was bad enough coming here missing you. But this is unbearable.”

My eyes prickle at the thick emotion in his voice. “I miss you, too. I was thinking about you when he showed up. How happy you make me.” I listen to the sounds of his breathing slow down, even out. “You’ve really got some kind of nerve making me care about you like this.”

Making me love you like this.Those were the words you were supposed to say.

Zac breathes out a laugh, and I’m relieved to hear the return of some of its usual warmth. “Hold on a second, okay? Stay on the phone.”

The sounds on his end cut off abruptly, and I sit there a few minutes until he comes back.

“The next flight coming here leaves in an hour and a half,” he tells me. “You think you can swing that?”

My heart leaps in my chest. “I think so.”

“Good, the ticket’s in your inbox. If you won’t let me come to you, then you’re coming to me.”

Chapter 33

Zac

The game was unbearable.

The post-game debrief was downright torture.

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