Page 88 of Forever Mine
“I’m happy to finally meet the family Elijah talks about all the time.”
Fallon changes seats when Liz practically pushes him out of his, so that April can sit next to her. I take the end seat beside Fallon.
“Thanks for coming.”
Fallon bumps my shoulder, his way of saying you’re welcome, then leans forward and says to Liz, “Goldfish.”
She replies, “Jell-O.”
He laughs.Fucking laughs. What bizarro world did I just walk into?
“Jell-O?”
Ryder takes Liz’s hand, threading their fingers together. “They won’t tell me either.”
Mr. Jameson’s gaze drops to their joined hands before moving back to the field where Julien is warming up with his team. Suddenly, everything becomes slightly uncomfortable. The last time they saw Liz, she was Jayson’s girlfriend. They love Ryder, but Jayson is their son. I wonder how they’re dealing with the whole Liz situation. Liz’s parents were their good friends. The Jamesons lived right next door to the Fairchilds. Julien and Jayson don’t like to go home often because seeing Liz’s house brings back all the bad stuff of what happened there.
April shares a pom-pom with Liz. “Where are the cheerleaders?”
Ash tips his head back to see her past everyone. “Right?”
The first time Ash came to one of Julien’s games with me, he bitched about soccer not having cheerleaders on the sidelines.
Everyone gets quiet when Julien walks to the center of the field for the coin toss. He looks up in the stands, his silver gaze finding us, and brings his hands together in a heart at his chest.
I do the same and mouth, “Love you.”
“Aww,” April croons and shakes her pom-pom.
The CU Wildcats win the toss and decide to take first possession for the kick-off. Sounds of the soccer game fill the air—whistles blowing, coaches shouting, the rhythmic thud of the ball being kicked back and forth. Our row erupts from our seats when Julien makes an incredible shot, the ball soaring past the goalkeeper and into the net. He runs a victory lap as his teammates take turns jumping on his back. When he looks up, our eyes meet, and he gives me that gorgeous, full smile that first made me fall in love with him.
“That’s my boy!” Mrs. Jameson shouts.
The first half goes by quickly, but I’m too nervous to enjoy the game with Julien’s parents sitting two feet away.
Halftime arrives with the CU Wildcats up one-zero. Everyone stands en masse as the teams head off the field to the locker rooms.
“That was more action-packed than I expected,” Liz comments, bouncing on her toes to get circulation moving. The stadium seats aren’t the most comfortable.
“That’s because Jules is awesome,” Jayson says.
Ryder seems perplexed. “Why are you so wiggly?”
“Girls’ room,” she whispers.
“I’ll come with,” April says.
Ash stretches his arms overhead. “I need a food refill. Anyone else?”
“Me.” Jayson collects the empty drink cups and trash and takes them with him to throw away.
Fallon leans close to my ear. “Now’s your chance. Don’t chicken out.”
“What?”
He gives me that no-bullshit blue stare.
Now? He wants me to do it now?
