But I needed to do this—I needed him to know I was here and that I supported him and believed in him.
I believed him in so freaking much.
The second I moved, he moved too, the two of us crashing into one another as he picked me up and kissed me. “You’re here,” he breathed.
“I’m here. And you were good, Nix. You were so damn good.” I clung onto him, not daring to look anywhere but at him.
“You’re shaking,” he said, leaning back to look at me.
“I…” Heat flooded my cheeks as I realized people were watching us. Not everyone because of the angle of where I stood but enough to make my skin crawl.
Nix noticed and moved into the exit a little, giving us limited privacy.
“You came.” Awe coated his words.
“I promised I would.”
“Nix, son,” Coach Farringdon appeared on our periphery. “Miss Maguire,” he acknowledged me with a tight nod. “Nix, the scout wants to talk to you.”
Nix didn’t take his eyes off me as he said, “Yeah, okay.”
“Go,” I urged when he made no move to put me down. “You need to go.”
“Later,” he whispered. “You and me and—”
“Let’s go, Wilder,” Coach barked, heading back to his team.
“I think he’s mad,” I whispered.
“Don’t give a shit.” Nix kissed me again before lowering me to the ground. “I’ll call you as soon as we get done.”
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak, sinking back into the safety of the shadows.
‘I love you,’ he mouthed, waiting.
“I swear to God, Wilder. Get—”
“Coming, Coach.” With a cocky smirk, Nix jogged away.
Chloe and Celeste each laced their arm through one of mine and Celeste shrieked, “That. Was. Epic.”
“She’s right, Harleigh,” Chloe added. “I didn’t know you had it in you.”
Neither did I.
But the night wasn’t over yet…
And I still had one thing left to do.