“I should’ve been paying attention to my surroundings.” Coach Eskelson blows her whistle, letting everyone know they can quit and get dressed.
“I have a feeling we could argue about whose fault it was for the rest of the day,” Ford says with a laugh.
I smirk at him. “Wanna try it and find out?”
“I can think of a hundred other things I’d rather do with you.” Ford leans down, kissing my cheek.
I bump his hip for that saucy comment because, damn, if I don’t want to do those things, too.
“Cross, where have you been?” Tyler yells, jumping on Ford’s back.
The guys laugh and walk toward the locker room. Ford glances back at me. “I’ll see you later.”
I think about yelling and telling him to wait, that I need to talk to him, but I don’t.
Ford is waiting for me when I come out of the locker room for cheer practice. He’s dressed in his football pads, his helmet in his hands.
I run up to him, relieved that I get to talk to him before practice. “Hey, if I’d known you were waiting, I would’ve hurried.”
“It’s okay. I’m not going to be too late. I’ll get the stink eye from Coach Anderson, maybe a lap or two. I wouldn’t mind since I didn’t really get any running time today. Honestly, any punishment is worth it for some time with you.”
I twist my fingers into his jersey. “All my major organs just turned into goo at your words.”
“Ah shucks, just what I was hoping for.” Ford scuffs his cleats against the floor.
“Stop it.” I hit his shoulder.
“I wanted to make sure you’re coming over after practice.”
“I—I—um.” I trace my fingers over the number on his jersey, not saying anything.
Ford puts two fingers under my chin, making me look at him. “Hannah, you are coming over, right?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, my gosh.” Ford crushes me to him. “You had me worried for a second.”
“There’s a butt,” I say into his chest.
He lets go, and I look up at him. “Micah got me a lesson with a dance teacher at 4:30 today. I’m not sure how long it’s going to go. I’d guess forty-five minutes to an hour. I couldn’t tell him no. This teacher is amazing and almost impossible to get a lesson with.”
“But you’re still going to come over?” Ford asks.
“Yes, it will just be a little later, probably around 6 o’clock.”
“Okay, I can live with that.” Ford leans down, giving me a gentle kiss.
“I better go. I don’t want Leah to yell at me again for being late. I’ll see you tonight.” I reach up, kiss him on the nose, then run up the stairs.
Ford calls up to me. “Don’t be late, Clark!” And gives me a wink.
I just shake my head at him.
“What can’t you be late for?” Piper Lockwood asks.
“Dinner,” I say, tilting my head and giving her a cheesy smile.
“Okay, girls, we have a lot to review for tomorrow’s game. Let’s get into formation and practice our stunts for, let’s go, titans.”
