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Chapter Four

TAYLOR

“Hi, Jacqueline,” I approached my teammate’s girlfriend casually, knowing she was the one I could get information from with little to no follow-up questions. Leo was waltzing over to us after saying goodbye to Zaid, so my time was running out.

“Hi, T,” Jacqueline’s dark brown eyes slid over to her boyfriend.

“Nicole didn’t want to come watch us today?” I asked as I bent down to grab my water bottle. I was attempting to look casual about my inquiry.

“I didn’t ask,” Jacqueline lifted a shoulder with her response. Her gaze flicked over to me for a moment before focusing on her boyfriend again. I could practically see the little cartoon hearts a la Heartstopper floating around her head.

“Huh,” I took a sip before capping my bottle, I could hear Leo’s feet thumping on the grass as he picked up his pace to reach us, “Maybe I should ask her.”

Jacqueline shrugged again, clearly not focused on this conversation at all.

Perfect.

“Could I get her number from you?”

Jacqueline immediately reached into her pocket and slid her phone out, before pulling up the contact in question, “I’ll just send you her contact.”

“Thanks.”

“Whose contact are you sending to T?” Leo’s voice asked from right behind me.

Dammit .

“Nicole’s,” Jacqueline answered immediately.

“Oh really ?” Leo bent to kiss his girlfriend’s head, before plopping himself next to her on the ground and raising his dark eyebrows at me, “And why do you want Nicole’s number, T?”

I gave him a blank look as I responded, which wasn’t hard to do since I had been giving Leo those looks since the first day we met, “No reason.”

Leo snorted.

Jacqueline frowned as her dark brown eyes bounced between the two of us, “Wait, are you interested in Nicole?”

“I’m interested in inviting her to more of our practices,” I said while avoiding eye contact.

Jacqueline nodded as a pinch in her brows formed, “To motivate you to play better?”

I blinked at her, “What?”

Leo was grinning from ear to ear, leaning back on his arms as he let his girlfriend explain herself.

“When you first invited me to practice, it was because you wanted Leo to show off and play better. You thought that if I were here, it would motivate him,” Jacqueline nodded, “So, by your own logic, if you like Nicole, wouldn’t inviting her here make you play better, too?”

Well.

Leave it to Jacqueline to lay it all out there like that.

Might as well admit defeat.

“What if I was interested in Nicole?” I asked my question as I plopped down next to them, crossing one ankle over the other as we enjoyed the cool breeze brushing over the grass.

“Then you should ask her out,” Jacqueline nodded, “But be nice. She’s fragile.”

I grinned at Jacqueline, “Oh, I plan on being very nice.” I wiggled my eyebrows and winked. Jacqueline’s dark eyes widened as a blush stained her cheeks, and I chuckled to myself before Leo wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his chest.

“Jacqueline,” Leo’s voice lowered as he dropped his lips to her ear, “Don’t let them fluster you so easily.” He trailed his fingers down her arm once, and her faint blush turned bright crimson.

Yeah, Jacqueline was still mostly straight.

Unlike her boyfriend.

“What do you mean by fragile?” I asked.

Jacqueline leaned back into Leo’s embrace before replying, “She’s still recovering from her breakup.”

I frowned at that.

I couldn’t believe grown adults were still so horrible at relationships at our age. Why anyone in their thirties would think cheating on a partner instead of saying the words, “I think we should break up,” was a better option, was mind-boggling to me.

People were so selfish.

Nicole didn’t deserve that.

I barely knew her, but anyone with eyeballs could see how sweet she was. How kind.

The thought of anyone getting bored or annoyed with her astounded me.

I only shared one single kiss with her, and I was already becoming obsessed.

“Right,” I nodded, “I can’t believe that woman cheated on her.”

“It’s a fucked thing to do,” Leo nodded as he twirled some of Jacqueline’s hair between his fingers. His eyes were focused on the lock of hair as he continued, “I think you’re a good rebound for her, though.”

I felt the pinch in my forehead form before I caught myself and smoothed it out.

I grinned, but it felt…off.

Rebound? Was that all I was good for?

Leo knew I wasn’t interested in settling down with anyone soon, so I couldn’t give his word choice too much grief. But something about the bluntness of it stung all the same.

But… why did it sting?

“Yeah,” Jacqueline sighed, snuggling into a smelly Leo some more, “Maybe you can help get her confidence back.”

I nodded before checking my phone to ensure Nicole’s contact information went through to mine.

“I’m happy to help if she’s interested,” I shouldered my bag, and nodding to my friends, said, “I’m going to head out. See you next week.” I saluted the two of them while they waved back at me.

Rebound…

I was the rebound .

It made sense. She had recently been in a long-term relationship, and I pretty much avoided long-term relationships simply because it never felt right to me.

I never thought too much about it before.

So why was I stuck on Leo’s choice of words?

Hypothetically, let’s say his words bothered me because I didn’t want to be a rebound.

Hypothetically, let’s say that I did want a more substantial relationship with Nicole.

I was allowed to change my mind, wasn’t I?

I mean, it’s not every day I find someone who makes my heart do circus tricks in my ribcage.

I shook my head before heading to my car.

This was all too soon to say.

Step one, I needed to text her.

See what her vibe was, as the youths say.

I shouldn’t get ahead of myself.

Settling into the driver’s seat, I pulled my phone out and tapped on her new contact information, opening a new text thread.