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‘I’m touching you, Katelyn.’
“Look.” Kelly pointed to the Jumbotron. The team’s intro video was starting. “What’s Cam’s jersey number?”
“Twenty-two.”
Kelly squeezed her hand. “Watch for him.”
In the middle of the video he flashed on the big-screen. Katie kept one eye on the Jumbotron and the other on the field as the video ended. The band, cheer squad, dance team—everyone was lined up on the field. The flags came out first, navy-blue smoke billowing from their staffs. Coaches. Finally the players in navy-blue jerseys and white pants emerged from the tunnel. Music blared. Pyrotechnics shot off from the top of the stadium, heralding their arrival.
There was no way Cam could see her from where she was, but she waved anyway as he ran by. She had to admit, he looked good out there. After their run across the field, he jogged over to the bench with his teammates and turned, gazing up into the stands like he was searching for someone. Was he looking for her?
There wasn’t a girl on this campus who wouldn’t want to be in her shoes right now. Cameron was everything she should want, right? If she hadn’t kissed a stranger in the park that night Katie would have thought him perfect. But she had kissed Brendan. Let him touch her. He made her feel things. She was just going to have to unfeel them. Forget them. And him.
It was an insane fourth quarter. Cameron ran for two touchdowns. They had the win in the bag and Katie cheered wildly in the stands, Brendan’s rejection temporarily forgotten, along with everybody else. After it was over, she and Kelly slowly made their way out of the packed stadium. She’d agreed to meet him at the west gate. Kelly insisted on waiting with her until he got there.
“Have fun and be safe.” Kelly handed her a tube of lip gloss. “And don’t drink the jungle juice—or any open drinks. You don’t know what might be in it. I would tell you not to drink at all but I know better and that’s not realistic. It’s not that I condone you drinking underage but if you’re going to, stick to beer and make sure…”
Her aunt was talking a mile a minute.
“Take a damn breath, Kelly.” Katie swiped the gloss on. “You’re rambling. I’ve been to a party before, you know.” She handed the tube back to her. “And I don’t like beer.”
“You’re so young, Katie-Kate.” Kelly took her hand and worried her lip. “This isn’t like high school, trust me.”
“I am so sick and tired of people pointing that out to me.” She snagged her hand back. “I’m eighteen, not eight.”
“You know I didn’t mean it like that.” Kelly tilted her head with a sympathetic smile. “What’s going on with you, sweetie?”
“Nothing.”
Nothing she wanted to talk about anyway. Especially not now. Kelly could try to get it out of her tomorrow, but right now a certain running back was jogging toward them. Katie glanced over at Cameron. His eyes met hers and a smile spread across his face.
“Bullshit.” Kelly followed her gaze. “Your date’s here, so we’ll have to finish this conversation later—but we will have it.”
“I know.”
Kelly squeezed her hand. “You know it’s because I love you, right? I just don’t want to see you make any mistakes.”
“Isn’t that how we learn, Kell?” She tilted her head to the side. “Making a mistake or two.”
“Yeah, well, you always did have to learn the hard way.” Kelly chuckled and leaned in for a hug. She held her tight and softly said, “Just try not to make one you’ll regret, because they can last a lifetime.”
There was a tap on her shoulder. Kelly let her go. Cameron stood at her side, his smile wide like he was actually happy to see her. “Hi, Katie.”
He leaned over to kiss her on the cheek and she smiled. He was so damn sweet. Why didn’t she feel butterflies? She so desperately wanted to feel them. For her breath to catch. Her palms to sweat. To feel that pull in her belly and her pulse beating between her thighs.
She just needed the ache he’d left her with to go away.
He didn’t want her.
Cameron did.
Katie stood on her tiptoes to reach his cheek. She softly touched it with her lips and his arm came around her shoulders. Her aunt sighed. “You two are just too fucking cute.”
Shut up, Kelly.
Cam grinned. “Ready?”
“Yeah.”
