closer to you, and you kept pushing him away. You expected him to do what Eli did—cheat on you—and you didn’t give Connor much of a choice. Same as now. Don’t you think if Connor is dating Jodi—and I don’t know that he is—it’s at least partially because he doesn’t think you’re an option?”
My frown deepened. “But if he’s really in love with me, why would he even consider dating her?”
“Maybe he thinks you’re telling him to move on. Maybe he thinks you’ve already started the process. That there’s no chance for you two.”
I gaped at her. “Did he tell you that?”
“Not so plainly, but I can tell he’s thought it.” Abbie pinned me with a stare. “If Connor wanted to be with Jodi, he would’ve started dating her sometime in the last four months. That’s gonna have to be enough of an answer for you.”
I turned back to the television and so did she, though neither of us really cared about TBS’s Sunday night movie.
“Heard anything from Lance since we got back?”
Abbie shook her head. “Jenna said he’s got a new girlfriend. Some rich chick who goes to St. Teresa’s. Should keep him preoccupied anyway.”
“I just can’t believe anyone would date him knowing he got a girl pregnant but won’t help with the baby.”
She shrugged. “I’m sure that’s why he’s not having much luck with Shawnee Mission girls.”
I thought of Alexis’s ignorance regarding Aaron. “Guys like him should be forced to wear a sandwich board or something.”
“God knows,” Abbie said. “That’s enough.”
Okay, why did everyone suddenly seem so much more spiritually mature than me? Even my baby sister. Because of course God knew. Of course that was enough. But how come I couldn’t internalize that? Why, when I looked at Jodi, could I not think anything but, Are you for real?
I should be better about that. I didn’t want to be her friend, but I could at least be civil. Unless she and Connor really had gotten together. That’d make it harder.
I sighed. “You know, if you’d told me last summer that I’d be sitting here pining away for Connor Ross of all people, I’d have thought you were deranged.”
Abbie grinned. “If you’d told me you’d be pining away for anyone , I’d have said the same thing.”
“A lot’s changed in a year.”
Abbie caressed Owen’s hair. “And it’s not all bad.”
Sitting there with my sister, who a year ago had rarely said anything to me outside of, “When are you gonna be done in the bathroom?” I totally agreed.
My first opportunity to be civil to Jodi arrived Wednesday night.
I arrived late at the sports complex because I left the house wearing outfit number seven and hairstyle number four. When I finally spotted our church team (Connor had neglected to tell me which field they’d be playing on), I found Jodi seated in the bleachers with Amy Ross and Cameron and Curtis.
What was Jodi doing here? But her behavior made it pretty clear—she and Amy chatted amicably, their gazes turned toward the field. Jodi looked like a poster child for the perfect girlfriend.
I took a few steps back, but Cameron noticed me before I could flee. “Skylar!”
He and Curtis scrambled down the bleachers. They grabbed hold of my hands to drag me to where they’d been sitting, and when I caught Jodi’s eye, victory engulfed me. Quickly followed by shame for feeling victorious.
“Hi, Skylar,” Amy said with her normal warm smile. “Sorry I missed you at the house Saturday.”
“I didn’t stay long.” I glanced at Jodi. “Hi.”
“Hey,” she said, not quite as welcoming as Amy, but much nicer than I’d sounded. “Have a seat.”
I took a seat on the other side of her and said a very civil, “Thanks.”
Amy filled me in. “We’re winning two to one. Connor scored one of the runners, Chris lined out, and Brian hasn’t batted yet.”
“It sucks that you can’t hit them out of the park.” Jodi turned to me. “Brian can crank
My frown deepened. “But if he’s really in love with me, why would he even consider dating her?”
“Maybe he thinks you’re telling him to move on. Maybe he thinks you’ve already started the process. That there’s no chance for you two.”
I gaped at her. “Did he tell you that?”
“Not so plainly, but I can tell he’s thought it.” Abbie pinned me with a stare. “If Connor wanted to be with Jodi, he would’ve started dating her sometime in the last four months. That’s gonna have to be enough of an answer for you.”
I turned back to the television and so did she, though neither of us really cared about TBS’s Sunday night movie.
“Heard anything from Lance since we got back?”
Abbie shook her head. “Jenna said he’s got a new girlfriend. Some rich chick who goes to St. Teresa’s. Should keep him preoccupied anyway.”
“I just can’t believe anyone would date him knowing he got a girl pregnant but won’t help with the baby.”
She shrugged. “I’m sure that’s why he’s not having much luck with Shawnee Mission girls.”
I thought of Alexis’s ignorance regarding Aaron. “Guys like him should be forced to wear a sandwich board or something.”
“God knows,” Abbie said. “That’s enough.”
Okay, why did everyone suddenly seem so much more spiritually mature than me? Even my baby sister. Because of course God knew. Of course that was enough. But how come I couldn’t internalize that? Why, when I looked at Jodi, could I not think anything but, Are you for real?
I should be better about that. I didn’t want to be her friend, but I could at least be civil. Unless she and Connor really had gotten together. That’d make it harder.
I sighed. “You know, if you’d told me last summer that I’d be sitting here pining away for Connor Ross of all people, I’d have thought you were deranged.”
Abbie grinned. “If you’d told me you’d be pining away for anyone , I’d have said the same thing.”
“A lot’s changed in a year.”
Abbie caressed Owen’s hair. “And it’s not all bad.”
Sitting there with my sister, who a year ago had rarely said anything to me outside of, “When are you gonna be done in the bathroom?” I totally agreed.
My first opportunity to be civil to Jodi arrived Wednesday night.
I arrived late at the sports complex because I left the house wearing outfit number seven and hairstyle number four. When I finally spotted our church team (Connor had neglected to tell me which field they’d be playing on), I found Jodi seated in the bleachers with Amy Ross and Cameron and Curtis.
What was Jodi doing here? But her behavior made it pretty clear—she and Amy chatted amicably, their gazes turned toward the field. Jodi looked like a poster child for the perfect girlfriend.
I took a few steps back, but Cameron noticed me before I could flee. “Skylar!”
He and Curtis scrambled down the bleachers. They grabbed hold of my hands to drag me to where they’d been sitting, and when I caught Jodi’s eye, victory engulfed me. Quickly followed by shame for feeling victorious.
“Hi, Skylar,” Amy said with her normal warm smile. “Sorry I missed you at the house Saturday.”
“I didn’t stay long.” I glanced at Jodi. “Hi.”
“Hey,” she said, not quite as welcoming as Amy, but much nicer than I’d sounded. “Have a seat.”
I took a seat on the other side of her and said a very civil, “Thanks.”
Amy filled me in. “We’re winning two to one. Connor scored one of the runners, Chris lined out, and Brian hasn’t batted yet.”
“It sucks that you can’t hit them out of the park.” Jodi turned to me. “Brian can crank
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