I turned and saw Clay standing there, looking at me. “Your mom?” he asked. I nodded and realized I was still in my bra and panties. If my mom could see me now, she’d have a heart attack. I tried to discreetly slide into my skirt and I noticed Clay respectfully look away.
After I was dressed, he and I walked back to his car. I wrung my hair out but shivered as the water made its way down my back. Clay reached over and pulled my heavy, wet hair over my shoulder, his fingers skimming the back of my neck.
“Was she mad you weren’t home yet?” he asked after we had gotten in and were backing out of the field.
“She’s just majorly overprotective,” I said, watching him shift gears. There was something seriously sexy about his hands.
“Understandable. I’d be overprotective too if you were my daughter.” He smirked at me and I smirked back. Okay, how to broach the subject that they wanted to meet him, without sounding incredibly lame?
“Well, um... Clay. They sort of want to meet you.”
Clay cocked his eyebrow and gave me a quick look. “Okay,” he said slowly.
I hurried on. “It’s just they’re weird about me being in cars with guys. And I told her we’re just friends, but she still wants to meet you and I promise you it’ll be cool. It’s just that they want to make sure you’re not a serial killer or anything.” I was rambling to try to cover my complete mortification.
Clay reached over and squeezed the hand that sat clenched in my lap. “Mags. It’s okay. I understand. I want them to be cool with us hanging out. I’ll meet them,” he assured me. I let out a breath and sighed with relief. He made me feel like less of a tool, and I appreciated that.
“Thanks,” I said quietly. He smiled.
“No, thank you, Maggie. For today. I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun.” I felt warm at his compliment. He took a deep breath. “The last few months have been really tough and sometimes I forget that it’s okay to let loose and just live life, you know? I have a feeling you’ll be really good for me.” The look he gave me made me tingle to my toes.
“I hope so,” I said.
Clay smiled coyly. “Oh, Iknowso.”
chapter
five
if I could have cut off my legs, I would have. Every muscle from the waist down ached and I couldn’t suppress a groan as I sat down at my usual lunch table. Rachel looked up from her phone and tried to hide the smile on her face.
“What?” I growled, slowly swinging my legs around as I situated myself oh-so-carefully. Rachel spooned some pudding into her mouth and shook her head.
“Nothing,” she mumbled around her food. I glared at her.
Daniel wasn’t so discreet. “Why are you moving like an old lady, Mags? You look ridiculous.” I picked up a potato chip and chucked it at him.
“Coach Kline made me run this morning because I didn’t show up for practice a couple of days this week. He was kind of pissed.” I leaned down and rubbed my calf muscles, trying to alleviate the burning sensation.
I understood why Coach was mad. I was his star runner and I had disappointed him. We had our first meet coming up on Friday and I had blown off practice three times this week. I felt guilty for shirking my responsibility. But I couldn’t regret using the time to get to know Clay instead.
We had gone “exploring” a few more times. We went hiking at Crooked Run National Park, played minigolf in Warminster, and saw a movie at the IMAX theater in Charlottesville. I loved spending time with Clay. For the first time, my life felt interesting; exhilarating, even.
I found myself doing things and trying things that I never would have before. Like eating Thai food and watching a foreign movie with subtitles. Okay, that might not seem like a lot... but I would never have thought to do any of that stuff until Clay came along.
“You blew off practice? Seriously?” Daniel asked incredulously. Rachel looked out the window behind her.
“Is it snowing?” she asked in mock surprise.
“Hardee-har-har, you two.” I got what they were saying. My doing something outside of my norm was unheard of. I went along, doing my thing, not deviating. Which is why, until three weeks ago, I had been hopelessly and utterly bored.
Now, well... I looked forward to getting out of bed.
“Where the heck have you been slinking off to, then?” Daniel seemed really confused by this. I understood his surprise. Typically if I wasn’t at (a) school or (b) home, I was with him and Rachel. My developing a life outside of them was just weird. Like the earth had been thrown off its axis.
“Well, I—” I started, but was cut off by a voice behind me.
“Mind if I sit with you guys?” I turned (very carefully, of course; sore muscles, here) and saw Clay standing there with his lunch tray. He gave me a small smile, his eyes flicking to Rachel and Daniel.
