Page 8

Eight

Hailey

Two years later – 19 years old

Laughter and chatter filled the elegant banquet hall of the stylish hotel in downtown Houston, but I only half listened as I glanced around, sipping a watered-down cocktail at some fundraiser my father had forced me to attend. The sooner I could get out of the world of polished smiles, dull small talk, and worst of all — a date handpicked by father dearest, the better.

After excusing myself from a conversation about someone’s boring hedge fund, I headed over to the buffet table, giving Nico, my date from hell, a wide berth. My dad had really outdone himself with this one. On the outside, he was the picture of perfection — pearly whites, symmetrical face with chiseled features, immaculate haircut and grooming, and of course, the tailored suit .

However, the ride over here was more than enough time to make it clear that even if he had been my type, his character was rotten enough to crush any potential appeal from the get-go. Maybe stuffing my face with some hors d’oeuvres would help me survive this evening.

As I reached for a mini quiche, I noticed someone familiar out of the corner of my eye — Alicia Michaels, Colt’s mom. She always had a glow about her, a quiet elegance. I’d known Colt’s mother for years, and she was one of the few adults at these events I actually enjoyed talking to.

“Hailey! How lovely to see you!” Alicia exclaimed, pulling me into a brief hug.

“Hi, Alicia. It’s good to see you too,” I replied with a genuine smile — the first of the evening.

“Your mother told me all about your plans for brU. I bet you can hardly wait!” She winked.

She had no idea how spot on she was with this. I was dying to get away from it all. Being two states away from my parents and all the suffocating social obligations sounded like heaven. And getting to see Colt more often? Sign me the fuck up.

“Yeah …” I nodded, a blush creeping up my cheeks. “I’m really excited.” Blue Ridge University wasn’t just my best option — it was the only one that mattered. Colt was there.

Her eyes twinkled, and she gave me a little conspiratorial smile. “Well, I might have some good news for you.”

My eyebrows raised. “Good news?”

“I talked to Colt about your move next weekend,” she said, leaning in as if to share a secret. “He’s going to help you.”

“Wait … really?” I tried not to sound too eager, but my heart jumped a little at the idea of Colt helping me move.

“Yes, really. He’s a good boy. I told him how important this move is for you, and of course, he’s more than happy to lend a hand.” Alicia winked, and I let out a soft laugh.

I could totally see Colt being roped into this without his knowledge, but if it meant I got to spend some unexpected time with him, I wouldn’t complain.

I’d always suspected that Colt’s mom tried to play matchmaker here and there.

“That’s really sweet of him,” I said, trying to sound casual, but inside, I was doing somersaults.

“Honey, he’ll be thrilled to help. Besides, I think it’s time for you two to catch up.” She gave me that knowing smile again, as if she could read my mind. “I’ll text you his number later, and you can coordinate. He’s been so busy with football, all this summer training, you know how it is, but this will be good for him. And for you.”

This was exactly the opportunity I’d been waiting for — time with Colt, one-on-one, and a chance to prove to him I wasn’t the preppy girl my parents liked to pretend I was.

“There you are.” Cringing slightly at the sound of Nico’s arrogant voice ringing out from behind me, I turned my head as he sidled up next to me, earning a sympathetic look from Alicia.

“Here I am,” I replied weakly, doing my best not to visibly shy away as his palm rested far too low on the curve of my spine.

Nico turned to Alicia with a smarmy smile on his lips. “Mrs. Michaels, always a pleasure.” They shook hands and exchanged pleasantries, but I only tuned back in when Colt’s name was mentioned.

“… his stats sure have been good. I wouldn’t want to play him. ”

I snorted. “Good is an understatement. He’s the leading sacker in the entire division.” When he shot me a not-so-pleased sideways glance, I stubbornly thrust out my chin.

“You’re well-informed. Didn’t know you were a fan of brU.” He narrowed his eyes on me.

Alicia came to my rescue. “Well, I hope so, considering she’s about to start at brU herself.”

Nico’s smile was tight, and I had the distinct impression he’d momentarily forgotten Colt’s mother was still standing there as well. “Ah, of course. Well, I can’t wait to see you there soon. Maybe you’ll come watch me play.”

I gaped at him. Had my dad really gone out of his way to set me up with someone attending the college I’d enrolled in? It was spring break, so it wasn’t too far off that he was here instead of Tennessee, but it still made a tight ball of unease grow in my stomach. It was silly, but I almost felt like I had betrayed Colt by going on a date with one of his teammates.

Trying to regain my composure, I regarded him with a cool gaze. “Actually, I’ve been coming to your games for quite some time. Can’t say you’ve made much of an impression.” He didn’t need to know the reason for that was that I didn’t have eyes for anyone but Colt and everyone else simply became invisible. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught the amused twitch of Alicia’s lips.

Nico’s eyes blazed with fury, but he didn’t dare say anything in front of Alicia. He was too much like my dad — appearances and image were everything.

“I guess I’ll just have to try harder,” he ground out through clenched teeth before muttering something about getting another drink, bidding Alicia a quick goodbye, and stalking off. Good riddance .

“Hailey, honey, I have to be on my way. Remember what we talked about. I’ll be in touch.” Her fingers lightly brushed my arm before she walked away.

I stood there, trying to process what had happened. Colt was going to help me move. His mom was basically setting us up. Nico would hopefully be nothing more than a bump in the road. It seemed like everything was falling into place.

I couldn’t wait to not only finally have him back within my reach, closer than ever, to be exact, but for the next phase of my life to begin. The parties, the chance to make new friends — fingers crossed — and the full college experience were all waiting for me.

I had been popular in high school, yes, but my upbringing just didn’t align with the lifestyle and beliefs of the majority of people whom I used to hang out with. All my relationships there were superficial.

I suppose it didn’t help that I fit the stereotype of the pretty, rich girl, complete with head cheerleader position and all the trappings that go with that. Great for my college application but nothing beyond that.

It was always one of two things when I was trying to make friends. I was labeled a bitch because I was pretty and a cheerleader, or I overheard someone saying not-so-nice things about Colt, and the person immediately landed on my shit list.

Don’t even get me started on the dudes. Privileged guys didn’t like hearing “no,” especially more than once. Nico, incidentally, fit perfectly into both of these categories. He already had a permanent spot on my shit list.

It all sounded depressing and lonely, but I refused to open up to anyone who was prejudiced against me or Colt. No, thanks. With that in mind, I had a mission to turn the tide at college. Hoping that because we were all more mature and the cliques were mostly split up, I’d make some real friends and, oh yeah, bag my dream man along the way. A piece of fucking cake, right?

It had been about two years since I’d actually seen Colt, except for his games, which I’d gone to whenever I could. As far as I knew, he was unaware of that. I never stopped religiously posting on the private story I’d created for him, and the fact he was still watching each and every one gave me a glimmer of hope.

I was pretty sure he hadn’t known or expected that I would attend brU until his mother told him. The past year had been torture without catching at least the occasional glimpse of him in the hallway at school, but all the waiting was over now.

I longed for his presence with a desperation that bordered on madness, and I couldn’t wait to see him again. This time, I would bring out the big guns.

Beware, Colt Michaels.