“I did.”
He and Ella both watch me intently, and when his eyes narrow to my hands with an unspoken question, that's when I realize they're shaking.
Way to play it cool and act like nothing’s going on.
“But you're early.” I pull my hair out of its messy bun to give my hands something to do and make them less of the focus.
“Practice ended thirty minutes ago.”
“Really?”
How? Jamie knocked on the door shortly after Zach left. What happened to all that time? Was I just sitting there wallowing in my own misery?
He sets Ella down, and she immediately runs back to her dolls to play.
“Yeah,” he drawls, scratching the back of his neck. “I'm home earlier than usual because I didn’t sit outside Honey's dorm today.”
Honey. Zach’s ex, but still the love of his life.
“I checked the location app and saw Honey wasn’t there. Figured I lost every shred of dignity I had left when I talked shit about the hockey team in my last press conference, I should probably wait at least a week before she can accuse me of stalking. Growth, right?”
His tone is light, and he plays it off, trying to look unbothered. Unfortunately, Zach doesn’t do unbothered when Honey’s concerned. He’s bothered. Deeply, constantly, probably forever.
“Growth,” I repeat, my eyes drifting to the inked honeycomb on his forearm. “That’s good,” I say halfheartedly. Who am I to judge the fact he got a breakup tattoo as part of his growth when I'm lying through my teeth right now?
“Are you sure you're okay?” Zach asks, taking a step closer to me. “You seem a little on edge.”
I swallow hard and take him in. Should I tell him? I know for a fact, he’ll fight any battle I ask him to, but do I want him involved in this one?
Hell no. This is Zach Evans we're talking about. He'll hunt Jamie down and break his face… again. He might be the starquarterback of this school, but Zach knows how to throw a mean punch when he wants to.
“I’m fine,” I lie, sounding about as convincing as if Zach were to tell me he's over Honey. I clasp my shaking hands together, hoping he doesn’t see it.
“Are you sure?” He's not buying it for a second. Zach and I were raised more like siblings. That’s what happens when your mothers are sisters who grew up in the same town. He can read me like a book, and I don’t like it.
“Yeah.” I shake my head. Then I force a smile that feels more like a grimace as I look up at him. “I was just… startled by a noise outside. Thought I heard someone on the porch and then got too nervous to put Ella down.”
“That’s because there was someone at the door.”
He raises his hand to show me the familiar pink peonies.
Fuck.
All I can think about is Jamie’s face as he pushed those flowers in my direction with a haphazard smile. The same smile that made my heart flutter all those years ago.
He’s not here to be my knight in shining armor.
It’s a trick. That’s the only explanation.
“Oh, they must be from your fans again,” I say in an attempt to change the subject, and onto one he hates talking about. The people who leave footballs, jerseys, whatever they have, on Zach’s porch just to get him to sign them.
Zach winces before shaking his head. “Have myfansever given me flowers?”
“I don’t know, but you did mention that Jenni girl was getting a little clingy.”
“Jenni’s gone,” he says forcefully.
I nod quickly, and raise my hands. “You're right. You're right. Sorry. I didn’t mean to-”