Jake took the phone from me and spoke into it. “Thank you for the offer. She’ll call you back in a bit.” He hung up and stared at me. “So? What was that about?”
“University of Texas.” I paused, my brain still processing the words from the coach. “Full-ride scholarship.”
“No way! That’s amazing. And their program is awesome. You should commit to them.” He wrapped me in his strong arms, and I’d never been happier.
When I pulled back, I looked at him, feeling a twist in my stomach. “But what about you? Weren’t you thinking about Odessa or one of the schools in Western Texas? I don’t want to be that far away from you.”
He got a goofy grin and said, “I just got an email from Wharton earlier today, and they want me to play there. They have a bunch of pro scouts who are alumni from there, and Coach Maddox thinks that would be a great place to start. We’d only be an hour away from each other, and we could drive to see one another on weekends or whatever we have free.”
“Are you serious? I’ve been worrying about it for the last few months, wondering how we would be close enough to see each other while still in school. Because I don’t think I could make it to the breaks before seeing you.” I leaned forward and gave him a peck on the lips, feeling the adrenaline rush through me.
“It might still be hard with practices and games, but we’ll find a way to make it work.”
We settled back to watch the movie, my brain abuzz with excitement. It was something we’d both been working hard for, the chance to pursue our futures, and all the hard work had paid off. People said the odds were against us, having started dating so young, but I was ready for the future, ready to cheer on my shortstop and see where his talents led him.
And I was ready to chase my dream of becoming a family therapist. It would be a lot of work and several years, but we’d get through it. Life wasn’t a perfect game, but there were moments that were perfect, and I couldn’t ask for anything better.
Thank you for reading The Perfect Play! If you enjoyed it, I would love to see a review from you. You can also subscribe to Britney’s newsletter by visiting
britneymmills.com
Also by Britney M. Mills
The Perfect Play: A Boy Next Door Young Adult Romance (Rosemont High Baseball Book 1) Page 15