“Plus we need a rookie to pay for our beer,” one of the linebackers added.
Kyle’s teammates had been asking him to stay for the weekend since the beginning of camp. He’d resorted to blaming it on his family business. Sure, there was plenty of work for him to do, but he really just wanted to get home and see Cami. That girl had him all twisted up. At first he thought she’d be a fun summer distraction, but the more time he spent with her the more entranced he became.
“I don’t think so, guys,” Kyle said. “My mama would skin my ass if I didn’t get home and keep up on my work. Summer’s the busiest time of year for landscaping.”
“You work too hard,” Fletcher told him. “You’ve got a full ride. Have you even celebrated the fact yet?”
Kyle sighed behind the door of his locker. He hadn’t celebrated. Not one bit. The same day his acceptance letter came his mom had dropped the bomb about his dad leaving. His sister had given his neck a good squeeze and his mom baked him a cake, but it wasn’t the kind of celebration he’d expected. Couldn’t be with the looming cloud his dad had left hanging over them.
“We had a big bash back home the day I got my letter,” he lied. “I’m still recovering.” He forced out a harsh laugh. “Once I’m here full time, I promise to spring for drinks.”
Kyle had dreamt about leaving Hope’s Grove behind and playing college football his entire life, but now, with everything that had happened, the idea was starting to fade from his mind. His future didn’t seem nearly as promising and exciting as it once had. How could he leave his sister and mom with all that responsibility? Someone had to be the man of the house now that his dad was gone.
“Deal,” Fletcher said as he slapped him on the back.
Kyle closed his locker, sat his bag and phone down on the bench next to him, and started to tie up the running shoes he’d been given the first day of camp. His phone chimed and his screen lit up with bright brown eyes. He tried to fight back the dopey smile he got every time she called.
“Belle?” Fletcher pulled a face, looking down at the name flashing above the picture. “Day-um, Mason. Well, no wonder you want to go back home. If that was calling me, I’d be hauling ass too.”
Kyle just smiled and nodded as he excused himself to answer his phone.
“Hey, beautiful,” he said quietly, not wanting his teammates to hear. There was nothing a bunch of big dumb jocks liked more than teasing a buddy about being whipped. Kyle knew he was well on his way to becoming a prime example of just that.
“Hi,” she replied. He could practically see the blush rising in her cheeks from ninety miles away. It still blew his mind that, for whatever reason, this sure and confident girl blushed when he told her she was pretty. She was a beauty queen for Christ’s sake.
Something had changed in her since that first day. She’d let her guard down a little with him. Every time they talked or touched, she became more vulnerable. She’d told him about her mother forcing her to be in pageants and about how her dad was absent most of the time.
Every word out of her mouth made him want to kiss her that much more. Their first kiss in the pool the other day had almost destroyed all the willpower he had left for taking it slow. He didn’t know if he’d ever get enough of her perfect little mouth.
“So you missing me or what?” he asked with a deep laugh.
“A little,” she confessed. He felt warmth spread in his chest from her confession. She wasn’t the type to admit to missing people, to needing them. “I actually had to water the rose bushes yesterday. Someone forgot to set the sprinklers last time he was here. Middle of an Oklahoma heat wave and he forgot. Can you believe that?” She might have been letting her guard down with him, but she still kept him on his toes with her sharp tongue.
“My guess is that he was probably too distracted the last time he was there. Probably because you were flouncing around in that pitiful excuse for a bikini. Give the guy a break.”
“I don’t flounce,” she informed him. “I sashay. And it’s not my fault if the guy is easily distracted.” He knew exactly what she meant. He fondly recalled watching her hips and ass sashay around the pool. It was quickly replacing football as his favorite pastime.
“I seem to recall you drooling over me a time or two.” He imagined she was shaking her head and trying not to smile.
“I’m thinking if I’m going to be doing all the gardening around this place I might have to fire the landscaper,” she teased.
“You wouldn’t dream of it.”
“It’s not that hard of a job. I’m starting to think we overpay you.”
“You’re really funny today,” he told her. “I think you’re covering up how much you actually miss me with jokes.”
“Maybe you’re right,” she admitted.
“I’m always right.” He let her giggle ring in his ear before he added, “Since you got all my work done I guess I don’t need to come by on Sunday.”
“No. I think you still need to come by. There are still a few jobs around here that require a professional’s touch.”
“You know that I’m turning everything you say into an innuendo, right?” he asked.
“I’m counting on it.”
He bit his lip and shook his head, not wanting to be the one to break down and blurt out just how much he wanted her. Cameron Nickelson had perfected the art of toying with him.
“Not to mention, I just got a package in the mail containing a brand new piss-poor excuse of a bikini. I think you’ll be thoroughly distracted with it.”
“I’ll see you Sunday,” he added without hesitation, gripping the locker closest for support as the mental image assaulted him.
He might as well have T-shirts printed. He was officially whipped and he didn’t mind it one bit.
14
Ella Jane
“SO what passes for fun around here?”
“Oh, you know, cow tippin’, square dancin’, and cousin kissin’. The usual.” She purposely thickened her accent as she tried to keep a straight face. But Hayden’s eyebrows rose so high they nearly hit the rim of his backwards ball cap. Laughter escaped at his reaction. “I’m kidding. Don’t have an aneurysm, City Boy.”
“Very funny,” he deadpanned as he dug the hole for the peonies she held. “But I’ve been to what you people call downtown and I’d be willing to bet you just named the three favorite activities of most of the townsfolk.”
“Ha-ha.” EJ lowered the roots into the hole he’d dug. “Actually on the Fourth there will be a carnival and huge fireworks display. Me and Kyle and…” She interrupted herself to swallow the pain saying his name still caused. “Coop. The three of us, we watch the fireworks from The Ridge. But Kyle said he has other plans and I’m sure Coop’s going to be with one of his many racing groupies. So it’ll just be me this year.” She tried not to think about how much she hated the undeniable proof that everything was changing this summer. And none of it for the better.
Together they shoved dirt into the hole, patting the ground around the plant once they were done. “Yeah? Maybe I’ll join you. When I get done cow tipping, that is.” Hayden winked and the smile on his lips flipped her stomach right over.
She had to remind herself she wasn’t really interested in him. This was just to make Coop jealous. Except…sometimes she forgot about that part. Especially when it was just her and Hayden sitting up on The Ridge, watching the night train pass through.