to stream gloomily toward the exits. Utah State had fought bravely, but unfortunately, the University of Utah had managed to emerge victorious. “Lucas will likely need some cheering up after that whooping.”
“Are we meeting up with him?” Alex asked, the fluttering of butterflies beginning in her middle.
“Yep, we’re going to take him to dinner,” Sealey replied. Alex heard Ashley huff behind them.
“Honestly, I don’t know why we have to change plans last minute,” Ashley protested. “We told him that you and I were going to meet him. He’s not expecting Alex. Don’t you think he’ll be a little irritated?”
“I doubt it, Ash,” Sealey said over his shoulder as he once again took Alex’s arm above the elbow and led her toward the exit. “Lucas really likes Alex.”
Ashley muttered something under her breath, but Alex didn’t catchit. She gritted her teeth for what felt like the fiftieth time that day and clenched her fists, trying to stifle her irritation.
Twenty minutes later, the three of them stood outside the stadium in an uncomfortable silence.
Alex didn’t want to say anything to Sealey, knowing that Ashley would hear every word, and she assumed Sealey felt the same way. She rocked back and forth on her heels, willing Lucas to hurry up.
“There he is,” Ashley said suddenly, pointing to the form of her brother emerging from a metal door to their left. She raised her arms and waved, even though he was only twenty feet away and couldn’t possibly have missed the tall, white-blond figure of Sealey Witchburn.
“Oh, hey, guys,” Lucas said in a slightly morose voice. “I almost wish you hadn’t—” Suddenly he froze, his eyes falling on Alex. “Alex!” he exclaimed. “What are you doing here?”
It was at that point that Alex realized she didn’t have a story. She couldn’t tell him that Sealey had insisted she come because she didn’t know football. She glanced, panicked, up at Sealey’s face, but he looked utterly unconcerned.
“Oh, I invited her,” Sealey said easily. “I ran into her this morning and mentioned I was going to the game. She told me she didn’t know much about football, and since I had an extra ticket and knew you two went out last night, I figured it would be a good thing to educate her. After all, how can you ever expect to get a repeat date with her if she doesn’t fully appreciate your football brilliance? I mean, really, what motivation does she have to say yes?” Sealey smiled teasingly at his friend.
Alex glanced at Lucas, noticing how red he appeared. Wait a minute, was he blushing? Could it be possible that Lucas had mentioned something about wanting a repeat date with her to Sealey? She suddenly felt like singing.
“Well, if I was hoping to impress her, I’ve done a poor job,” Lucas said ruefully to Sealey, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. He glanced self-consciously again at Alex and shifted his gym bag uncomfortably on his shoulder.
“Well, we’re giving you the opportunity to redeem yourself,” Sealey announced. “We’re going to take you out to dinner.”
“Not sure I’ll be the best company tonight,” Lucas said, wincing. “This was a painful one.”
“Oh, come on,” Ashley said, running to him and giving him a hug. “Even if your team lost, at least you did well personally.”
“Wish I could see it that way,” Lucas said glumly.
“Well, not that what I think means anything, but you certainly seemed faster than anyone else on the field,” Alex spoke up, feeling stupid for her contribution to the conversation. “I imagine that makes a big difference.”
“Speed is very important for a wide receiver,” Sealey agreed, nodding. “And nobody is faster than Luke.”
Lucas grinned. “Well, if you’re trying to cheer me up, you guys are definitely off to a good start.” They started toward the parking lot.
“Hey, Alex, why don’t you drive with me?” Lucas said, brushing his fingers down her
“Are we meeting up with him?” Alex asked, the fluttering of butterflies beginning in her middle.
“Yep, we’re going to take him to dinner,” Sealey replied. Alex heard Ashley huff behind them.
“Honestly, I don’t know why we have to change plans last minute,” Ashley protested. “We told him that you and I were going to meet him. He’s not expecting Alex. Don’t you think he’ll be a little irritated?”
“I doubt it, Ash,” Sealey said over his shoulder as he once again took Alex’s arm above the elbow and led her toward the exit. “Lucas really likes Alex.”
Ashley muttered something under her breath, but Alex didn’t catchit. She gritted her teeth for what felt like the fiftieth time that day and clenched her fists, trying to stifle her irritation.
Twenty minutes later, the three of them stood outside the stadium in an uncomfortable silence.
Alex didn’t want to say anything to Sealey, knowing that Ashley would hear every word, and she assumed Sealey felt the same way. She rocked back and forth on her heels, willing Lucas to hurry up.
“There he is,” Ashley said suddenly, pointing to the form of her brother emerging from a metal door to their left. She raised her arms and waved, even though he was only twenty feet away and couldn’t possibly have missed the tall, white-blond figure of Sealey Witchburn.
“Oh, hey, guys,” Lucas said in a slightly morose voice. “I almost wish you hadn’t—” Suddenly he froze, his eyes falling on Alex. “Alex!” he exclaimed. “What are you doing here?”
It was at that point that Alex realized she didn’t have a story. She couldn’t tell him that Sealey had insisted she come because she didn’t know football. She glanced, panicked, up at Sealey’s face, but he looked utterly unconcerned.
“Oh, I invited her,” Sealey said easily. “I ran into her this morning and mentioned I was going to the game. She told me she didn’t know much about football, and since I had an extra ticket and knew you two went out last night, I figured it would be a good thing to educate her. After all, how can you ever expect to get a repeat date with her if she doesn’t fully appreciate your football brilliance? I mean, really, what motivation does she have to say yes?” Sealey smiled teasingly at his friend.
Alex glanced at Lucas, noticing how red he appeared. Wait a minute, was he blushing? Could it be possible that Lucas had mentioned something about wanting a repeat date with her to Sealey? She suddenly felt like singing.
“Well, if I was hoping to impress her, I’ve done a poor job,” Lucas said ruefully to Sealey, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. He glanced self-consciously again at Alex and shifted his gym bag uncomfortably on his shoulder.
“Well, we’re giving you the opportunity to redeem yourself,” Sealey announced. “We’re going to take you out to dinner.”
“Not sure I’ll be the best company tonight,” Lucas said, wincing. “This was a painful one.”
“Oh, come on,” Ashley said, running to him and giving him a hug. “Even if your team lost, at least you did well personally.”
“Wish I could see it that way,” Lucas said glumly.
“Well, not that what I think means anything, but you certainly seemed faster than anyone else on the field,” Alex spoke up, feeling stupid for her contribution to the conversation. “I imagine that makes a big difference.”
“Speed is very important for a wide receiver,” Sealey agreed, nodding. “And nobody is faster than Luke.”
Lucas grinned. “Well, if you’re trying to cheer me up, you guys are definitely off to a good start.” They started toward the parking lot.
“Hey, Alex, why don’t you drive with me?” Lucas said, brushing his fingers down her
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