Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 94119 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 471(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94119 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 471(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
“June!” Sheridan, Jesse’s teammate and close friend, saw me from the stairs and waved me over. He had a red Solo cup in his hand, sloshing the beer or whatever was in it all over the floor. We made our way toward him, and he threw an arm around me. “You seen your guy yet?”
“I was just looking for him,” I shouted back.
“What?” Sheridan bellowed, then shook his head. “I can’t hear you.” He pointed to the kitchen. “He’s this way.”
I clutched Sydney’s hand as we followed Sheridan into the kitchen. People bashed into us from all sides, and I held my breath until we entered the kitchen and I saw him.
Jesse was stood with his teammates, a beer in his hand. He wasn’t a drinker, but I guessed he had a lot to celebrate tonight. The moment my eyes found him, my heart raced. I didn’t think there would ever be a time I didn’t look at Jesse Taylor and feel lightheaded. His hair was longer now, curling around his ears, random curls flopping on his forehead in the most adorable way. He had gained more muscle, the evidence obvious from the sleeveless Longhorns shirt he wore right now, showing his defined biceps.
As if he could feel me watching, Jesse lifted his head, and a huge smile broke out on his face. Despite not seeing one another as much as we’d like, when we did, it was like the moon and stars aligned and all was right again in the world.
Jesse didn’t even let his teammate finish whatever he was saying. Instead, he rushed straight for me and, wrapping his arms around me, lifted me off the floor. I put my arms around his neck and let the party fall away until it was just us in our own little world.
“Junebug,” he whispered, then kissed me so thoroughly that the even the tops of my toes tingled with the sensation. When he broke away, he pressed his forehead to mine. “You came.”
“You were amazing today,” I said, running my hands through his curls at the back of his head. “I’m so proud of you.”
His smile lit up the room. I hugged him tighter, then he put me down.
As he did, I noticed a group of girls glaring our way. My stomach churned. That was another part of our life here I hadn’t expected—the attention Jesse got from girls. I trusted Jesse 100 percent, and I knew I was naive to not have expected it. But the disbelief on girls’ faces when they saw us together bothered me. I was embarrassed to say it, but it did. I knew that if he kept getting time on the field like he had today and he played as well as he did today, it would only get worse.
“Hey, Syd,” Jesse said to Sydney and gave her a quick hug. “Do you guys want a drink?”
“A soda, please,” Sydney said.
“And a water for you, Junebug?” I heard a few snide comments from those girls nearby again but tried to ignore it. I didn’t drink. After getting through terminal cancer, I tried to be as good to my body as I could. I let myself have treats, of course, but both Jesse and I knew the odds on relapse, and we did our best to give ourselves the best shot.
“Taylor!” someone called from behind, just as Jesse handed us our drinks. Lockwood, a Longhorns defensive tackle, was waving Jesse over.
Jesse shook his head. “I’m with my girl.” He wrapped his arms around me, keeping me close. “Sorry I couldn’t see you after the game. Things got crazy.”
I smiled at him. He was so happy, he seemed euphoric. Cupping his cheeks, I said, “You were incredible.”
Jesse kissed me just as someone else called his name. He groaned and dropped his forehead to mine. “I shouldn’t have come here.”
“Of course you should’ve,” I said, and was truly touched by how many people wanted to celebrate him tonight. He’d fought hard for this moment. His dream was coming true.
“Go,” I said, and pointed to the players trying to get his attention. “I’ll wait here.”
“You sure?” he asked warily.
“Go,” I said, laughing as he kissed me again, then made a heart with his hands as he walked away in the cheesiest move known to man. I turned to Sydney, who looked like a deer in the headlights. Now that Jesse had left the kitchen, it cleared out pretty quickly, leaving us alone.
“It’s like he’s famous,” Sydney said, watching as everyone flocked to him.
“He’s always been this magnetic,” I said, recalling the day I’d arrived at Harmony Ranch, the way everyone surrounded him, including myself. Girls moved to him again, hands trying to touch his arms, his back—just anything to get closer.
“Does it bother you?” Sydney asked, clearly seeing the same thing.