Never Said I Didn't Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Bella delivers another strike. Her eyes meet mine, and her lips pull up into the tiniest grin.

“I never had a chance,” Jake mumbles, and I laugh.

“I told you she was in love with me.”

“She told you?”

I tuck my hands in my pockets and shrug awkwardly.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought. I couldn’t get her to say it either.”

“You love her?”

“Sure,” he says, like it’s no big deal. Like, of course he was in love with her. And why wouldn’t he have been? Hell, they hung out essentially all year, and who knows how many dates they went on, how many times he was in her room I didn’t know about.

I wish I could’ve known that I loved her that easily. I wish I hadn’t wasted so much time without Bella. Who knows where we could be by now, or how much more in love we could be? She does love me, right?

Jake narrows his eyes and claps me on the back. “She’ll say it. She does. She’s just being Bella.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because she weighs everything. She doesn’t say things she doesn’t mean. Just like she doesn’t do things she doesn’t mean or regret. I’m sure that’s why she was never really my girlfriend. She just didn’t feel that way. But with you, I see it. Damn. Right here.” He draws his fingers over his eyes and wipes away a pretend tear with a pout.

“Shut up, loser. Watch the game. My girl’s about to win it.”

“Yeah, she is. We love you, Bella!” Jake shouts, and her shoulders shake with laughter before she pulls it together and nails her next pitch.

Strike!

She pumps her fists in front of her chest, and the girls rush her, screaming and cheering.

I holler along with everyone else, until Jake smacks my stomach. “Go get her, idiot. She loves you.”

Dammit, he’s right. I want on that field, and I want her in my arms. I jog down the bleachers and hop the short fence on the side before running to her. She catches my eyes through the crowd and runs toward me, leaping into my arms.

“That was amazing. Did you feel that energy? Omigosh! I’m so high right now I could do anything!” She’s breathless, her cheeks pink, her skin hot and tacky to the touch. She’s so damn sexy.

“You were fantastic out there. You did it!”

“Hell, yeah, she did,” howls a girl behind her, and Bella gets a butt slap from her teammate. Hot.

“I did,” Bella agrees, nodding and laughing, her eyes alight with happiness. I always want to see her this way, always, so I sear it in my memory and seal it with a kiss right there on the field. Even where Charlie can see from his spot in the bleachers. Oh, well.