sky over Bloomington. Her family joined her ten minutes later, and Ricky squinted his eyes at her. “Why didn’t you stay? Cody wanted to see you.”
“He was busy.” She worked to sound lighthearted about the matter.
“What?” Ricky was completely baffled. The struggles between Cody and Bailey had gone unnoticed by Ricky — other than the obvious: the fact that Bailey dated Brandon now. Ricky took the spot beside her and made a confused face. “He kept looking back at the tunnel. Like he was waiting for you.” Ricky sounded upset. “You didn’t even tell him congratulations.” He shook his head. “That’s crazy.”
The boys climbed in, filling every empty seat. In the front, her parents took their places and after a few seconds her dad looked at her in the rearview mirror. “Ricky’s right.” His tone was kind, but he also seemed confused by Bailey’s actions. “People kept coming up and saying hello, telling him what a great game it was, but it was like he couldn’t focus.” He paused, his eyes on hers. “Clearly he wanted to talk to you, honey.”
Bailey shrugged one shoulder. “I didn’t want to be in the way.”
Her mom glanced back, as if she didn’t buy the argument.
On the way home, the conversation shifted when Ricky launched into a replay of the game. The chatter gave Bailey a chance to analyze her behavior. She probably should’ve walked up and talked to him like everyone else. That shouldn’t have been too tough, right? The fact that she couldn’t stay had to mean something.
Bailey just wasn’t sure what.
When they were home, her mom pulled her aside. “He might come over. I wanted you to know.”
“Who?”
“Cody.” Her mom’s look almost pleaded with her. “He talked to me before we left. Asked if it would be okay if he stopped by … if it would be crossing any lines.”
“Mom!” Bailey felt immediately frustrated. “It crosses every line.” She sighed out loud. “You should’ve told him no.”
“Honey …” Jenny looked over her shoulder. “The boys don’tknow. This is between you and Cody, but I really think you need to talk.”
“Why?” Like yesterday, she hated being short with her mom, but somehow it seemed like her mom would only be happy if she and Cody got back together. “Mom, we’re dating other people. I don’t see the point.”
“Even as a friend … if he wants to talk to you, I think you should hear him out.”
Bailey forced herself to relax. “You mean well.” She allowed a weak smile. “If he comes by, I’ll talk to him. But I really wish you would have discouraged it.”
“I’m sorry … I did what I thought was best.” Her mom smiled, her eyes deep. “Maybe this will be the closure you’re looking for.”
“Maybe.”
For a long while her mom looked at her, loving her, caring about the hurt in Bailey’s voice. Finally she gave Bailey a quick hug. “If he comes … I’ll be praying. For both of you.”
“Okay.” She smiled again. “I’m going out front now. So I can call Brandon.”
The boys were congregated in the TV room to catch the local news and the highlights from Cody’s title game. Bailey squeezed her mom’s hand and then headed for the porch. She dialed Brandon as soon as she was outside.
“Hey …” The joy in his voice made her heart dizzy. Brandon cared. He loved her like no one ever had. “How was the game?”
“Great.” Her answer was quick and a little too upbeat. “Cody’s team won by a touchdown.”
“Really? That’s awesome. He’s got to be one of the only coaches to take a high school team from winless to an undefeated state title.”
“Yeah. The only coach in Indiana history.”
“That’s fantastic.” Brandon’s confidence was attractive. Hesimply trusted that her feelings were for him. Period. “Did you congratulate him?”
“No. He was busy.” She hesitated and squeezed her eyes shut. “But my mom told him he could stop by later. So, yeah … we’ll see.”
“He was busy.” She worked to sound lighthearted about the matter.
“What?” Ricky was completely baffled. The struggles between Cody and Bailey had gone unnoticed by Ricky — other than the obvious: the fact that Bailey dated Brandon now. Ricky took the spot beside her and made a confused face. “He kept looking back at the tunnel. Like he was waiting for you.” Ricky sounded upset. “You didn’t even tell him congratulations.” He shook his head. “That’s crazy.”
The boys climbed in, filling every empty seat. In the front, her parents took their places and after a few seconds her dad looked at her in the rearview mirror. “Ricky’s right.” His tone was kind, but he also seemed confused by Bailey’s actions. “People kept coming up and saying hello, telling him what a great game it was, but it was like he couldn’t focus.” He paused, his eyes on hers. “Clearly he wanted to talk to you, honey.”
Bailey shrugged one shoulder. “I didn’t want to be in the way.”
Her mom glanced back, as if she didn’t buy the argument.
On the way home, the conversation shifted when Ricky launched into a replay of the game. The chatter gave Bailey a chance to analyze her behavior. She probably should’ve walked up and talked to him like everyone else. That shouldn’t have been too tough, right? The fact that she couldn’t stay had to mean something.
Bailey just wasn’t sure what.
When they were home, her mom pulled her aside. “He might come over. I wanted you to know.”
“Who?”
“Cody.” Her mom’s look almost pleaded with her. “He talked to me before we left. Asked if it would be okay if he stopped by … if it would be crossing any lines.”
“Mom!” Bailey felt immediately frustrated. “It crosses every line.” She sighed out loud. “You should’ve told him no.”
“Honey …” Jenny looked over her shoulder. “The boys don’tknow. This is between you and Cody, but I really think you need to talk.”
“Why?” Like yesterday, she hated being short with her mom, but somehow it seemed like her mom would only be happy if she and Cody got back together. “Mom, we’re dating other people. I don’t see the point.”
“Even as a friend … if he wants to talk to you, I think you should hear him out.”
Bailey forced herself to relax. “You mean well.” She allowed a weak smile. “If he comes by, I’ll talk to him. But I really wish you would have discouraged it.”
“I’m sorry … I did what I thought was best.” Her mom smiled, her eyes deep. “Maybe this will be the closure you’re looking for.”
“Maybe.”
For a long while her mom looked at her, loving her, caring about the hurt in Bailey’s voice. Finally she gave Bailey a quick hug. “If he comes … I’ll be praying. For both of you.”
“Okay.” She smiled again. “I’m going out front now. So I can call Brandon.”
The boys were congregated in the TV room to catch the local news and the highlights from Cody’s title game. Bailey squeezed her mom’s hand and then headed for the porch. She dialed Brandon as soon as she was outside.
“Hey …” The joy in his voice made her heart dizzy. Brandon cared. He loved her like no one ever had. “How was the game?”
“Great.” Her answer was quick and a little too upbeat. “Cody’s team won by a touchdown.”
“Really? That’s awesome. He’s got to be one of the only coaches to take a high school team from winless to an undefeated state title.”
“Yeah. The only coach in Indiana history.”
“That’s fantastic.” Brandon’s confidence was attractive. Hesimply trusted that her feelings were for him. Period. “Did you congratulate him?”
“No. He was busy.” She hesitated and squeezed her eyes shut. “But my mom told him he could stop by later. So, yeah … we’ll see.”
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