his thumb up and down the back of my hand as we walked. I felt like all the nerves in my body were centered in my hand at this moment.
When we got inside, he didn’t wait for someone to seat us but seemed to be making a beeline for a booth that had another couple in it. There was lots of hooting and hollering as we walked in. I felt like ducking. I saw the girls in the corner and half waved, not wanting to draw to attention to myself. I sort of kept my eyes on his back and just followed. He stopped in front of the booth, put his hand on my elbow, and helped me in. I scooted across the seat, and he plopped down next to me.
“My man, you’re late. We’re celebrating.” The blond boy across from Easton slapped him on the shoulder.
“Chase, this is Jasmine. Jasmine, this is my cousin and favorite receiver, Chase.” He stuck his hand out and I shook it. He actually didn’t look at all like Easton. He was very good-looking, but he was blond with a different shade of blue eyes. He did, however, have the same grin.
“Lovely to meet you, Miss Jasmine. This is the love of my life, Whitney.”
I recognized her from school. Whitney was beautiful. She had dark-brown hair, brown eyes, and bowtie lips. She smiled and stuck her hand out.
“I believe we have English together. So nice to meet you, Jasmine.” Her voice was quiet but lilting, and with her accent, I could have listened to her all day.
“Nice to meet you both.” We chatted a bit about California and the differences between the schools and weather. The waitress took our order quickly, looking like she couldn’t wait for us all to leave. Easton and I decided to share a hot fudge sundae.
I was starting to relax, when a bunch of football players jostled up to our table. They were shoving each other and being loud. One of the players decided to be the spokesperson for the group.
“Who’s the girl, East?” Some catcalling from the group ensued.
“Jessie, this is Jasmine.” Easton narrowed his eyes at them and continued. “Jasmine, this is Jessie and the whole offensive line. Please forgive them their poor manners. Apparently winning has gone to their heads.” More catcalling and shoving.
“Ohhh, Jasmine. Like the flower. Nice to meet you, flower girl.”
Chase spoke up. “Obviously you losers were unable to get dates for the evening. No one is shocked, by the way. We would appreciate you not ruining ours. You also forget that Easton and I are captains of the team and therefore in charge of deciding exactly what conditioning y’all will be doing next week at practice. I’m sure you won’t be interrupting again?”
There was grumbling and mumbling and lots of pushing and shoving up the aisle. Easton and Chase executed a casual fist bump and carried on the conversation as if the interruption had never happened. I looked at Whitney, and she just rolled her eyes as if this kind of thing came with the territory.
We finished our desserts. Then Whitney reminded Chase that her curfew was not too far off. Chase leaned in and looked at me.
“We need to head out. Can’t get on Whitney’s dad’s bad side. He’s the principal.” He wiggled his eyebrows.
I giggled. “Oh my gosh!”
Chase had a long-suffering look. “Tell me about it. I must love her.”
Whitney shook her head and shoved him to get out of the booth. “Come on, Trouble. Let’s go.” They walked out and I looked at the time. It was getting late. Julia needed to be in soon too.
“What time do you have to be home?” he asked.
“I’m not going home. I am spending the night at Julia’s.” I pointed to the girls’ booth. He nodded. “But Julia needs to be home in half an hour. I don’t want to get her in trouble, so…”
Easton smiled easily. “Of course, Jasmine. I will have you to Julia’s in plenty of time.” We got up from the table after he left enough for the check and a nice tip. I just loved that. If someone was a generous tipper, it seemed to me they had a generous
When we got inside, he didn’t wait for someone to seat us but seemed to be making a beeline for a booth that had another couple in it. There was lots of hooting and hollering as we walked in. I felt like ducking. I saw the girls in the corner and half waved, not wanting to draw to attention to myself. I sort of kept my eyes on his back and just followed. He stopped in front of the booth, put his hand on my elbow, and helped me in. I scooted across the seat, and he plopped down next to me.
“My man, you’re late. We’re celebrating.” The blond boy across from Easton slapped him on the shoulder.
“Chase, this is Jasmine. Jasmine, this is my cousin and favorite receiver, Chase.” He stuck his hand out and I shook it. He actually didn’t look at all like Easton. He was very good-looking, but he was blond with a different shade of blue eyes. He did, however, have the same grin.
“Lovely to meet you, Miss Jasmine. This is the love of my life, Whitney.”
I recognized her from school. Whitney was beautiful. She had dark-brown hair, brown eyes, and bowtie lips. She smiled and stuck her hand out.
“I believe we have English together. So nice to meet you, Jasmine.” Her voice was quiet but lilting, and with her accent, I could have listened to her all day.
“Nice to meet you both.” We chatted a bit about California and the differences between the schools and weather. The waitress took our order quickly, looking like she couldn’t wait for us all to leave. Easton and I decided to share a hot fudge sundae.
I was starting to relax, when a bunch of football players jostled up to our table. They were shoving each other and being loud. One of the players decided to be the spokesperson for the group.
“Who’s the girl, East?” Some catcalling from the group ensued.
“Jessie, this is Jasmine.” Easton narrowed his eyes at them and continued. “Jasmine, this is Jessie and the whole offensive line. Please forgive them their poor manners. Apparently winning has gone to their heads.” More catcalling and shoving.
“Ohhh, Jasmine. Like the flower. Nice to meet you, flower girl.”
Chase spoke up. “Obviously you losers were unable to get dates for the evening. No one is shocked, by the way. We would appreciate you not ruining ours. You also forget that Easton and I are captains of the team and therefore in charge of deciding exactly what conditioning y’all will be doing next week at practice. I’m sure you won’t be interrupting again?”
There was grumbling and mumbling and lots of pushing and shoving up the aisle. Easton and Chase executed a casual fist bump and carried on the conversation as if the interruption had never happened. I looked at Whitney, and she just rolled her eyes as if this kind of thing came with the territory.
We finished our desserts. Then Whitney reminded Chase that her curfew was not too far off. Chase leaned in and looked at me.
“We need to head out. Can’t get on Whitney’s dad’s bad side. He’s the principal.” He wiggled his eyebrows.
I giggled. “Oh my gosh!”
Chase had a long-suffering look. “Tell me about it. I must love her.”
Whitney shook her head and shoved him to get out of the booth. “Come on, Trouble. Let’s go.” They walked out and I looked at the time. It was getting late. Julia needed to be in soon too.
“What time do you have to be home?” he asked.
“I’m not going home. I am spending the night at Julia’s.” I pointed to the girls’ booth. He nodded. “But Julia needs to be home in half an hour. I don’t want to get her in trouble, so…”
Easton smiled easily. “Of course, Jasmine. I will have you to Julia’s in plenty of time.” We got up from the table after he left enough for the check and a nice tip. I just loved that. If someone was a generous tipper, it seemed to me they had a generous
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