Wild (The Ivy Chronicles #3)(14)

Rachel’s words felt like a stab into the open wound.

I watched as she moved ahead, weaving her way down to the bottom of the bleachers and catching up with Reece and Pepper.

I TRAILED AT A sedate pace, determined to keep my distance from them as they approached the dugout. A chain link fence separated the players from the fans, but Reece’s deep voice carried as he called for Logan. I knew from Pepper it was important to Reece that Logan knew they came. That Logan knew they loved and supported him.

Logan’s head popped up at the sound of his name. His signature grin broke out and he separated himself from his teammates and stepped up to the fence to talk to his brother and Pepper. Rachel soon joined them, too.

Logan pushed back his cap on his head slightly, revealing more of his face. Still so good-looking it made my chest ache a little.

God. This was stupid. Me being here. I couldn’t take it back now, but I wasn’t going to rush to the fence and be the pathetic thing Rachel just claimed I was.

Logan nodded, smiling almost modestly, and I knew they must be congratulating him, insisting that he won the game. He shook his head and motioned behind him, probably insisting it was a team effort. I could read it in his body language. Logan might be one of the most self-aware guys I’d ever met, but he wasn’t full of himself.

He was looking at Pepper, listening to her when suddenly his posture changed. He head shot up, scanning the diminishing crowd, searching.

For me.

I ceased to breathe. Pepper must have mentioned that I’d joined them. Or maybe he just sensed me. I didn’t know. I only knew that he was looking for me. I knew it the second before his eyes jerked to a stop on me.

I moved slowly, my steps dragging, unwilling to meet up with them, but knowing I’d have to eventually. I couldn’t pass that spot without stopping. The polite thing to do would be to congratulate him, and I was all about politeness. Good manners had been mixed in with my baby cereal.

I’d have to face him and then I would see the same knowledge in his eyes that I had seen in Rachel’s. He would think I was pathetic, too. That I came here because I wanted another taste of him. Just like Rachel accused.

Then, miraculously, I was saved. The coach called for all the players.

Logan stared at me one moment longer, his blue eyes unreadable from this distance, before he turned and grabbed his stuff from the dugout alongside the rest of his team. They all trotted toward the locker room.

I stopped alongside Pepper and Reece. Pepper looked at me. “Hey, you just missed Logan. He had to go.”

I nodded, fixing my lips into a bland little smile.

Pepper turned to Reece. “Text him and see if he wants to grab dinner—”

“He has plans. Big after-party,” Rachel explained, looking at me. Of course, she would be looking at me.

“Oh, sure.” Pepper nodded in understanding. “Then it’s just us.”

We all started down the path that led past the concession stands. The fried goodness of funnel cakes filled the air.

“You stay out of trouble tonight, Rachel,” Reece said, sounding so much like a dad that I smiled.

“Always do.” With a flutter of her fingers, she headed for the parking lot, her hips doing that sexy slink again. I somehow felt certain she was headed for trouble.

Pepper tugged on Reece’s sleeve. “I want a funnel cake.”

“I thought we were going to dinner.” He pointed toward the concession stand. “And that line is really long.”

She played with the hem of his shirt, flashing the world a glimpse of his super-cut abs. “They don’t serve funnel cakes at any restaurant I know.”

He relented with an exaggerated sigh, pulling her close and tucking her to his side. “This is true.” He looked at me. “Georgia? Want one?”

“No, thanks.” I inclined my head to the parking lot. “My mom called. I’m gonna call her back. I’ll wait by the car.”

Of course, I was lying. Needing to use the phone seemed like a good excuse. And I needed an excuse. I didn’t want to be stuck standing in line with them in case Logan came back. I couldn’t undo coming to this game, but if I could escape without talking to him, I would feel markedly better about the whole thing.

My shoes crunched over the gravel lot as I made my way to Reece’s Jeep. I leaned against the door and pulled out my phone and started thumbing through it. I was browsing my sister’s Instagram when a pair of baseball cleats stopped directly in my line of vision. I looked up, my gaze skimming Logan’s legs before stopping on his face. How did a guy so big move with ninjalike stealth? I hadn’t heard his approach, and Amber’s latest pictures of gummy bears and her freshly painted toenails wasn’t that riveting.

“No funnel cake for you?”

I shoved my phone back into my pocket. “Not in the mood.” At least my voice came out normal.

“Were you ‘not in the mood’ to tell me hello, too?”

Heat crawled over my face. “Hi,” I said lamely.

“Why’d you come?” That was direct. Nearly as direct as those piercing blue of his eyes.

I shifted my feet, opting for distraction. “Gr-great game.”

“Yeah, thanks.” He shrugged one shoulder, brushing it aside as if it were nothing, but his eyes were no less relentless, dismissing my attempt at distraction and demanding an answer.