He coughed, then shoved my shoulder. “We’ve always been tight, bro. I’m all ears when you need it.”
“What are you two doing now?”
“Notta. Going home,” Nick said.
“Daddy’s workin’ the late shift, so I’m taking Jamie to hang with Asher for a bit,” Michael said.
“Gotta be rough sharing a car.”
Michael shrugged. “Nah. See ya.”
“Later,” I said to Michael’s retreating back, then turned to Nick. “Wanna check out the FC game with me?”
Nick laughed. “For real? Counseling brainwash you that fast? Do I need to order Team Jack shirts?”
“Forget it.” I dunno why I asked. I should just go home, call Momma, call Sasha, do my duty like the good Cal I’d always been, then avoid life for a while.
“Nah, man.” Nick slapped my shoulder lightly with the back of his fingers. “You know I’m just messin’. Yeah, let’s check it out.”
Tellinghimagaintoforget it sat in my throat, but I wouldn’t deny I really wanted to watch the game. Maybe if I did, maybe if I had more chances to watch Jack without him putting his angry face in mine, I could figure out why he got in my head and how to get him out.
I tossed my bag in my truck, then met up with Nick. Since the start of senior year, I’d inadvertently learned more about soccer than I had in my life leading up to that point. Football clubs, aka soccer, had seasons during multiple times in the year. Youth leagues for teenagers held a fall season that a lot of kids participated in since it didn’t interfere with their school’s season.
Made sense.
Their games were all over, using whatever field they could get their hands on, and with Hickory Bend updating its soccer field, they’d planned a few games here. Today was one of those.
“Is that Cara?” Nick leaned closer and pointed in front of us.
“Yeah,” I grumbled and headed her way, scanning the crowds for Sasha, who I didn’t want to deal with right now. The more I thought that very thing, the more it told me I should break upwith her, but God, I already had my fair share of drama going on.
Cara’s little group of friends blushed and whispered behind their hands to each other as we neared. Only Cara seemed slightly annoyed as I pulled her away from them. Nick took Cara’s place and had the girls giggling in seconds.
“Thought you were getting a ride home with Kitty after practice. Daddy know you’re hangin’ around longer?”
“Yeah, he knows,” she said. “You come out here lookin’ for me, or were you gonna watch the soccer game?”
Now, that would’ve been an excellent excuse for all this, but in my doom and gloom, I’d not thought of it. Daddy hadn’t mentioned me being grounded since I saw him last week at dinner. I hadn’t thought about checking in with him or Cara before I landed on this idea.
I glanced at the field, then shook my head. Shit, I needed to get it together.
“Thought about it. Why’re you watchin’?” I asked.
“Uh, ’cause it’s guys, and I like guys, duh.”
“Cara.”
“Cal. Don’t be a downer. Come on.” She looped her arm in mine and rejoined the group. “The more, the merrier.”
Her friends didn’t seem to mind one bit, and Nick only shrugged.
We took seats in the bleachers, Nick and me sitting behind Cara and her friends. Before my butt had settled on the metal bench, I’d honed in on one particular player warming up before the game.
Jack was an athlete, through and through. I didn’t know everything about soccer, but he and Ty were leaders. No wonder Hayes had gone with them as captains for this year. The other players constantly looked to them for direction on the field. Well, all but Blaine. The little shit shoulder-checked Jack morethan once. Jack never gave in to the gesture, though, only glared at him a few times.
Jack and Ty were front and center of nearly every play. And they were so fucking quick. Their legs were a blur as they jetted this way and that. Maybe they were play fakes, I didn’t know, but they ran the other team ragged as they kept the ball away and set up goals.
Their kits had long and loose shorts. Whenever Jack stopped, he hiked them high and rested his hands just over his knees. His quads were thick and cut, not surprisingly. Even when stationary, as he watched and calculated a play, his muscles flexed and bunched to run at any second. He barked one word here or there. The only time he said more was when Ty was right next to him.
