The music changes to “Eres Mia” by Romeo Santos and it’s the perfect song to show her how I feel.
I hold my hand out across the table. “Dance with me.”
She looks over at the couples walking up to the open area as the song begins. She smiles and I’m relieved she hasn’t refused. Her small hand lands in mine and I guide her in tow to the area to dance. Placing my hand on her waist, she gets in position with my left leg between hers and we begin the three-step movements, side to side and front to back. The back of my hand caresses her face with one hand and my other hand on the swell of her butt over her tight leggings, just like old times, except this time, there is more passion, and we are both not afraid to show it. She can tell me she wants us to be only friends but the fire I see inside her eyes tells me otherwise. She can lie and hide it all she wants but I see it. It is hidden under all the hurt and pain I have caused her, and I promise to replace it with precious memories of us.
* * *
Running up the field for the last play, Aiden takes off his helmet. He wipes the sweat off his forehead and squints his eyes against the blaring of the son. It is hot today, really hot. The dry Arizona heat does nothing to make it any better at practice.
“Go catch. That is exactly how we need to run the play next game. The opposing team will never see you coming like a freight train.”
“Dude, you look like you’re on steroids. You look like a monster out there,” Colton chimes in, running up to us.
“I’m not on steroids. I just get bulkier when I eat and hit the gym. All the running we do burns the fat and it just melts off,” I snap. I hate when anyone tells me that. It raises questions about my size and the last thing I need is rumors going around when I’m part of the starting lineup. My father will give me hell about it.
“It’s all the food he is consuming going out to eat with Lucy,” Aiden says with a smirk. “You guys good now? No more moping and snapping at each other.”
“I guess. I’m trying to make things right and avoid Gloria and her friends. The whole thing with Jessica and her friend’s senior year really pissed her off. You know how she feels about Khalani. They are tight and watch each other’s backs. Girl code. Gloria running her mouth all the time didn’t help.”
“It’s my fault for fucking around. I just can’t help myself. My bad, ese,” Colton says.
“Then talk to your dick and fuck something else,” I counter, getting annoyed thinking about it. It really is my fault, but I can’t tell that to the guys.
“You guys heading somewhere this weekend?” Aiden asks.
I nod, giving him a smile. “Yeah, I asked her to hang out this weekend. I want to take her somewhere different. It’s been more than a year since we’ve hung out and I need to make it up to her.”
“Where are you planning on taking her?” Leo asks.
“We are taking off at five in the morning tomorrow and will be back in the evening on Sunday.”
“Where the fuck are you taking her, Rome?” Colton says, teasing me. He is always being a smart-ass.
“Abu Dhabi, the Ferrari Park.”
“Damn, baller. You really want to make her happy. I remember her saying that she wanted to go their sophomore year, but my father said she was too young to go with you by herself. He said he wasn’t going on a long flight to go to a theme park,” Aiden says.
“I remember she was so disappointed. I promised her that we would go when we were eighteen.”
“Does she know?”
“Nope. It’s a surprise. She will find out when we get to the airport.”
“I’m happy you are doing this, brother. It means a lot to me and Khalani. Lucy hasn’t been the same since you two started avoiding each other.”
“Yeah, it sucks watching her all alone.”
I give him a brotherly hug. “You know I care about Lucy. I’ll always protect her. We’re family.”
We break apart and I feel guilty not being able to tell him the truth, but I can’t. My focus right now is Lucy.
Chapter Fifteen
Lucy
“Where are we going?” I ask Mason, full of excitement. I used to love when he would surprise me when we were kids. He always listened to what I wanted since I was a little girl. It makes sense that he was the one that bought me the Porsche. He would stay silent and listen. A girl can’t help but fall for a guy who just listens to you. He wouldn’t judge or think what I wanted or the places I wanted to go were senseless. He would always find a way to put a smile on my face. There were times after he hurt me that I thought he slept with me because he wanted to make me happy. Because he noticed the looks of longing I would throw his way when I thought he wasn’t paying attention. There were so many what-ifs.
“You will find out when we get there.”