Page 172 of The Surprise Play

You never win. Keep your guard up.

Sipping the drink, I sway to the beat beside Wily, who’s leaning against the wall, smiling at people who keep greeting him, then glancing down to check on me.

“You feeling a little better?”

“Yeah.” I let out a shaky laugh. “Singing was fun.”

“You’re so amazing at it.” He grins. “We’ll do some more soon, and then it’s cake time.”

“Cake? Really? You’ve gone all out.”

“Of course I have. I want this night to be the best for you.” He looks around, his eyes grazing the room as his expression gets a little tense. “Those people who were hassling you… they still here?”

I don’t want to look and give away the culprits, but his expectant face forces me to do a quick sweep of the room. “I don’t think so. Maybe your singing scared them off.” I throw in a little joke to lighten the mood, and it works like a charm.

Grabbing me around the waist, he tickles me, and I nearly spill my drink all over him. He laughs, giving my neck a raspberry that makes me squawk.

“Stop,” I laugh. “I take it back. Your singing is amazing.”

“That’s a bit of bullshit right there.” He snickers against my neck, and I wrap my arms around him, wishing I had even an eighth of his confidence. He seems to have no problem owning his weaknesses.

My heart fills with affection for this incredible man, and I hold him a little tighter.

“Love you,” I whisper, brushing my hands through the back of his hair.

He leans away from me, rubbing his nose against mine before our little moment is shattered by one of Wily’s football buddies. He slaps my boyfriend on the back, pulling us apart so they can talk about the game for a minute. I hold Wily’s hand, listening in and managing to keep up. PlayingMaddenhas taught me so much about the game. Not to mention all of the conversations I’ve had with Wily about football.

As they continue talking, I start to relax even more, actually getting pumped to maybe do another singing session. That was pretty fun, and people cheering me on… that part felt pretty good too. I’m not used to being lavished with positive attention from people who aren’t my family.

It felt weird.

But like a really cool weird.

The kind of weird I could get used to.

Maybe itisokay to have eyes on me sometimes.

“Good talking to you, man.” Wily wraps up his chat while taking the cup from my hand and placing both our finished drinks on the sideboard. “I gotta go dance with my girl now.”

“Cool.” The guy smiles at me, then turns back to the table…and my insides start to spasm.

“Uh…” I wince, so not up for dancing in front of everybody. Wily will probably try to pull off some crazy rock-n-roll moves, and I don’t want to embarrass him with my terrible lack of coordination. “I need to pee.” I attempt to get out of it and start making a beeline for the bathroom. “Back in a sec.”

“Cool.” He follows me with his gaze, then startsshifting through the crowd after me. He’s watching me like he’s my bodyguard, and I don’t mind it so much.

He’s so big and strong. He can protect me from anything.

That’s the way he’s making me feel as I slip past a couple making out, and then a group of girls who are preening their ’50s costumes and hair.

They all look amazing, like they’re about to attend that dance fromBack to the Future.

Smiling at them when they tell me “Happy birthday,” I give them a soft thanks before trying to open the bathroom door. It’s occupied.

“Give us a minute,” someone calls from inside.

I wince, stepping back from the door and checking over my shoulder to find Wily caught in a conversation with a couple who are dressed up like Archie and Betty.

His smile is so beautiful, and whatever he just said made them all laugh.