Page 8 of Falling for the Bombshell (Falling for #1)

Popcorn, Pepsi and a Ping

Sadie ’ s apartment was the coziest place in the universe. Fluffy blankets were piled on every surface, twinkle lights sparkled around her big bay windows, and the smell of buttered popcorn and vanilla candles made it feel like stepping into a Pinterest dream.

Jade was already in her fuzzy slippers and had claimed the best spot on the couch — sprawled right in front of the TV, halfway through a bag of Sour Patch Kids.

I was curled up next to Sadie, oversized hoodie, no makeup, and a glass of Diet Pepsi I probably didn ’ t need but definitely wanted.

The sleeves covered my hands and the cola fizzed on my tongue in the way that felt like high school sleepovers and simpler times.

It was a perfect night.

Just us girls.

No pressure. No stress. And definitely no football.

“ The Bachelor is so dumb ,” Jade said as the new episode started, but she was already ten minutes into a passionate rant about which guy was “ emotionally unavailable” and which one had “ serial killer eyes.” She gestured wildly at the screen like she was defending someone in court.

Sadie handed me a bowl of popcorn, still warm.

“ So... what ’ s going on with you, miss dancer captain?

You ’ ve been quiet since dinner.” I shrugged, trying to play it off, but then my phone buzzed against my leg.

Just one little vibration. But it felt like a lightning bolt hit me square in the chest.

One notification .

Blaine Austin.

I blinked. My whole body went still, like the room held its breath with me. “ Linnie?” Jade said, eyebrow raised. “ Why do you look like you just saw a ghost?”

“ I…” My fingers tightened around my phone. “ He texted back.”

Sadie gasped and grabbed my arm. “ No. Shut up. Blaine?” I nodded slowly, heart in my throat. I opened the message with trembling thumbs:

Hey. Sorry for not replying sooner. Yesterday was wild. You crushed it, by the way.

Simple.

Casual.

But it was him.

And somehow, that made it feel huge. Jade grabbed a pillow and screamed into it. “ You guys, this is so a slow burn romance. We ’ re talking chapter one of a fanfic level slow burn.”

I couldn ’ t stop smiling. “ It ’ s just a text. ”

Sadie smirked. “ No, babe. This is the start of the texting. Capital T.” “ I don ’ t even know if I should respond,” I said. “ Technically, there ’ s that stupid contract and—” Girl, technically, he replied,” Jade cut in. “ So if it ’ s wrong, y ’ all are both already guilty.”

We all laughed, the kind that rolls through your ribs and makes you feel a little lighter.

“ I don ’ t want to mess things up with the team,” I admitted, softer now.

“ And he ’ s… well, he ’ s Coach Ben ’ s new favorite.

” Sadie leaned her head on my shoulder. “ Then don ’ t mess it up.

Just… talk. Be friends. Nothing wrong with that, right?

” I nodded slowly. “ Right.” “ Besides,” Jade added, “ if you don ’ t reply, I will.

And I ’ ll use a glitter gif.” That made me laugh out loud.

I pulled the blanket tighter around me, my heart still fluttering as I typed back:

Linnie: Thanks :) It was a wild day. You didn ’ t look too bad yourself out there. Hope you ’ re recovering from Coach ’ s ‘ conditioning ’ ??

Sent.

That was it. I tossed my phone face-down like it was about to explode, then grabbed a handful of popcorn like it could protect me from the butterflies taking flight in my chest.

Whatever happened next… I was surrounded by my girls.

And The Bachelor was heating up. The show cut to commercial, but none of us were really watching anymore.

The glow from the TV gave the whole room a dreamy pink hue, like we were wrapped inside a soft filter.

My phone buzzed again next to me. But I didn ’ t reach for it.

Not yet. I was still thinking about Blaine.

His voice. His smile. The way he ’ d looked at me from the field like I was the only person in the stands .

Sadie nudged me gently. “ Okay. Spill. You ’ ve been stuck in your head all week.

” Jade sat up straighter, curls bouncing, her eyes serious now.

“ We love you, Linnie. And you ’ re always the one taking care of everyone else.

So… what ’ s really going on?” I stared into my glass, feeling that familiar sting behind my eyes.

“ I think I ’ m scared I don ’ t know who I am without a spotlight.

” They didn ’ t say anything. Just listened.

The good kind of quiet. The kind that made you feel safe enough to keep going.

“ I ’ ve danced since I was two. I was a flyer in cheer.

I was always ‘ the girl in the air. ’ And when I fell—when I fractured my back—it felt like the world kept spinning without me.

Like I didn ’ t matter unless I was being seen. ”

Sadie reached for my hand without saying a word.

“ I left school. Got homeschooled. Lost friends. JJ was… one of the few people who stuck around. But not because he cared. It was because I made him feel bigger.” Jade ’ s eyes narrowed.

“ He is actual garbage.” “ I know,” I said, blinking fast. “ But for a long time, he made me feel like I was the problem. Like I was too much, or not enough — depending on what version of me he needed that day.” Sadie squeezed my hand tighter.

“ I told myself I didn ’ t need anyone. That I ’ d swear off guys.

Focus on dancing. Be enough for me. And I want that to be true so bad.

But then…”

“ Then Blaine,” Jade said softly.

I laughed through my breath. “ Yeah. Then Blaine.” “ He ’ s not JJ,” Sadie said gently.

“ You don ’ t have to disappear to love someone.

You don ’ t have to shrink.” “ He saw me,” I whispered.

“ Like… actually saw me. And he didn ’ t even know me.

” Jade gave me this smile — the kind you give someone when they ’ re finally letting themselves hope.

“ You glow when you talk about him. That ’ s not nothing.

” Tears spilled over before I could stop them.

Sadie pulled me into a hug while Jade tossed a blanket over all three of us like she was shielding us from the world.

“ I just don ’ t want to break the rules,” I said into Sadie ’ s shoulder.

“ Or get him in trouble. Or fall too fast and end up with a fractured heart this time.”

Jade snorted. “ Girl, same. Welcome to the sisterhood of slightly- traumatized romantics.”

We all cracked up — messily, loudly, beautifully. Sadie grabbed the popcorn bowl and tossed a few kernels into the air, catching one in her mouth. “ Okay. I vote we let the universe figure it out. You texted him. That ’ s all you had to do.”

Jade raised her glass. “ To starting soft. To friendships, feelings, and figuring it out.” We clinked our drinks together like it was some sacred ritual.

And in that moment — even with all the mess and questions and fears — I felt safe.

Not sure of everything. But sure of this: I didn ’ t have to have it all figured out.

I just had to be here.

Open. Brave. Me.

And maybe, just maybe… that was enough.