Page 79 of The Cheerleader is Off Limits

“Yeah, I’d love to.” I give him a nod, and the crowd around us all begins to cheer.

“I’d give you a hug, but I am sweaty as hell, and I would prefer not to with an audience,” he says low, for only me to hear, and I nod in agreement.

“Uncle River, what’s that!? What happened?” I make out as the crowd quiets and begins to disperse.

Shit. That all happened in front of them.

Does his family know about me?

Wait, they know he met someone on a plane and that we went on a date.

Do they know we slept together?

Do they know that I turned out to be one of his students?

“So you're coming to Sam’s tonight, right?” Mack asks, breaking me from my thoughts, and I hate that I’m not giving him more of my attention after he did this very sweet gesture.

“Yeah, of course. I’m just going to go home first and shower, and then Delaney and I will be over later.”

“I can pick you guys up if you want,” he says while he wipes his face with a towel that was slung around his shoulder.

“That would be great!” Delaney interjects just as I was going to tell him we were good and didn’t need a ride. I don’t glare at her because I know he’s just being friendly, but I don’t need Mack getting the wrong idea about what this homecoming date meant.

Relax, it’s just a ride, and Delaney will be there too.

“Great. And this means I can finally have your number.” He chuckles. “My phone is in the locker room. D, can you text it to me?” he asks.

“I got you!” she says, giving him a high five.

“Alright, I’ll see you tonight.” He nods at me before giving me a playful nudge, and then he’s gone with his lingering teammates trailing him.

It takes everything in me not to look toward the area where River and his family were standing because I wasn’t sure if they were still staring at me.

And more importantly, if River was still staring at me.

“Did you know he was going to ask me?” I ask Delaney while we’re driving home from the game.

“Maaaaybe.”She shimmies as she drives.

“And you didn’t tell me?”

“He wanted it to be a surprise!” She turns her head to meet my gaze. “Are you upset? Do you not want to go with him?Shit… I thought you liked him!”I know Delaney only has the best intentions toward me, and if she thought I didn’t like him, I know she wouldn’t have encouraged him to ask me out.

“I don’t…notlike him. It’s fine! I just… I wish you had told me so I’d be prepared. That was intense… with everyone staring at me like that.”

She waves me off. “Oh, you know that’s how homecoming proposals are, though. Everyone just likes to be in everyone’s business. Plus, it’s cute! Also”—she points at the red roses in my lap—“those flowers are gorgeous and probably cost him a pretty penny. He must be iiiinto you.” I stare at the flowers in my hands before bringing them to my nose. They were beautiful, and it seemed there were about two dozen here, which, yes, I know, was not cheap.

Was he expecting me to be his girlfriend now?

No, it’s just a school dance.

I briefly wonder if I should text River.

Was he mad?

Probably, but he shouldn’t be.

He said we were over.