Page 61 of In The Game

I pull my phone out and open the text thread from Sully. This is why he’s my best friend. He read through all our old texts and found examples of me“not getting over her,”in case it would help. Thoughtful son of a bitch. He knows how bad I need this.

Sully: Kayla’s asking about you.

Barrett: Not interested. Ral or bust.

Sully: Dude, you gotttttta get over that chick.

Barrett: I can’t.

I swipe to the next frame.

Barrett: thought I saw Raleigh leaving the arena, chased her to the parking lot, yelled out her name, she turned around…it was Fred’s daughter.

Sully: You’re losing your fucking mind.

Barrett: I know.

Another one.

Sully: Lots of pretty girls here tonight…

Barrett: Any blonde-haired ones with golden skin and southern accents?

Sully: Wtf? Did you just say “golden skin”?

Barrett: You know what I mean.

Sully: Lol no I don’t. And no. Sorry bud.

She laughs and flips through the various screenshots. Her eyes meet mine and she’s still smiling. Fuck, having that happiness aimed at me almost knocks me over.

Sully: You over Raleigh yet?

Barrett: Nope.

Sully: Just checking.

She hands it back, and I pull up the video he sent. The guys are shout-singing “Wagon Wheel”in the locker room. As soon as it gets to the part about hoping for Raleigh, the camera pans over to me and all the boys sing louder, pointing in my direction. I learned to despise that song. Every time it came on, it was the same old shit, and annoyed the hell out of me, but it might actually be the thing to save my ass now. In the video, I look away but nod and raise my hand. I want her to see that eventhenshe had me under her spell. Everybody knew about it, so much so that my infatuation with her became a locker room joke.

“This is from a year and a half ago.”

She laughs and replays the video. I roll my eyes. “Okay, we don’t need to watch it more than once.”

She spins away from me on the sofa, phone still clutched in her hand. “Yeah we do—Camden Teller drops his towel in the last frame.”

I grab her side and steal my phone back, stuffing it in my pocket.

“Oh, she’s got the jokes tonight!”

“My jokes are prettykoala-ty,” she mocks.

Her smile drives me wild. She’s loosening up.

“I know this makes me look a little obsessed, but it’s the only evidence that proves I never stopped looking.” She purses her lips and nods.Now or never.“And I still have feelings for you.”

Her eyes snap to mine, and she winces. “It was one night, Bear.”

Uff.

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