Page 40 of Agent of the Heart (Hearts in Hawthorne #3)

Chapter

Twenty-Four

“ W e finished painting all the signs, Ms. Montgomery,” Carrie, the captain for the varsity cheer, said.

“Make sure all the brushes are rinsed and the paints are put away,” Darby replied, shutting down her tablet. She would finish reviewing the final layout for the rest of the yearbook pages tomorrow.

“We always do. Do you want to come look them over?”

“Sure,” she said, accompanying Carrie to where her cheerleading squads were already cleaning up.

Kay had been right. These girls were organized and operated as a well-oiled machine. Slipping into the role as their cheer coach had been a breeze, as well as fun. She moved among the signs, laughing at a few, praising the girls for their efforts.

“Once the brushes are rinsed and the paints stored, let’s go ahead and walk over and hang them in the stadium.” The cheerleaders used a quick-drying paint, which would make this possible.

Over the next hour, the signs were affixed to various points around Hawks Stadium, where they would face their arch enemy, the Eagles, tomorrow night for the school’s homecoming game. Darby was glad her life was so busy now.

Because it gave her very little time to mope over Jace.

The last six weeks had flown by as she had acclimated herself to her new teaching position.

The cheerleading squads were cooperative and ready to learn from her.

She had worked on choreographing new dances for them to perform at pep rallies and had beamed with pride as she’d watched the dances brought to life in front of the entire school.

She had also worked with the cheerleaders on the cheers they knew, some from her days as a Hawks cheerleader, and others new to the repertoire.

Once football season ended, they would began in earnest in working on their performance in nationals.

Already, Darby and Carrie had mapped out their overall routine and would refine it in the weeks to come.

She had enjoyed teaching the Intro to Journalism course, too.

Those students were eager to please and decent writers.

As far as the newspaper and yearbook staffs went, they practically ran themselves, just as Kay had predicted they would.

Both staffs were led by students who exhibited strong leadership skills and talent and got the best out of their fellow staff members.

“Gather around, ladies,” she called, and the cheer squads moved closer to her.

“I want to thank you for how welcomed you’ve made me feel over these last six weeks.

I know many of you were very close to Mrs. Timmons, and she would be proud of how open you’ve been in accepting me and the small changes I’ve asked for from you.

You make me proud to be a life-long Hawk.

Now, let’s go and change into your uniforms so that we can get ready for the homecoming parade. ”

Darby followed the teenagers from the stadium to the high school, seeing the parking lot already filling with the various floats.

Homecoming was a big deal in Hawthorne, and the town supported this parade.

She saw floats from various school clubs and organizations and walked passed ones representing the community, as well.

The bank. A local dentist’s office. Even Triple H had decide to participate, their float being the largest on the parking lot.

She had survived these last few weeks because of her family and friends.

Sawyer and Kelby had been her rocks. Her brother had continued to let Darby live with him, and she was now on the list to rent an apartment when the new complex opened the week after Thanksgiving.

Kelby had spent many hours in Darby’s company, helping with the cheerleaders and commiserating over a glass of wine.

She saw West at school every day, and he had smoothed the way for her, introducing her to various faculty members.

Some had even been teachers when Darby attended HHS, and she was proud to join their ranks.

The hardest had been being around Autumn and Eli.

She knew her cousin was torn, not wanting to take sides, but still wanting to support Darby.

Eli had simply given her a hug and told her that he would help in any way he could.

She did know that Autumn and Eli had gone down to Dallas for a weekend, spending it with Jace.

Eli had also gone a different weekend to spend time alone with his brother.

Jace had yet to visit Hawthorne again.

Darby still loved him. She yearned to be with him, but she had resigned herself to the fact that their lifestyles were too different.

If their jobs had been more compatible, she believed they would have been able to compromise and stay together.

Instead, she was glad she had been the one to make the decision to walk away from their relationship.

Giving herself permission to do so gave her the power to heal more quickly.

Unfortunately, that healing process was crawling along.

She knew she couldn’t flip a switch and stop loving Jace.

When she had a moment to herself, all she did was think about him, the hurt twisting in her gut painfully.

West had even offered to end his professional relationship with Jace, but Darby had forbid him from doing so, telling her cousin that Jace was the best sports agent in the business and that her past involvement with him shouldn’t influence West’s dealings with Jace.

She entered the high school and once the cheerleaders had changed from their paint-splattered T-shirts and into their uniforms, she helped them take the large bags of candy for them to toss from their float to the children in the crowd back to the parking lot.

Darby went over to Carrie’s dad, who would be driving the float the girls rode on.

“Thank you again for letting the cheerleaders work on building the float at your place, Mr. Johnson.”

“Happy to let them do so, Ms. Montgomery. We have plenty of land, and half the girls are at our place most of the time anyway. It was enjoyable to see the float come to life from scratch.”

“Carrie is a wonderful young lady,” Darby praised. “A real go-getter. She’s an excellent student and a terrific role model for all the girls on the squad.”

“I’m really proud of her. I didn’t know what I was going to do with myself after her mom and I divorced and Janie left the state.

Carrie was only three at the time. We struggled a bit, but she’s been an easy kid to raise.

I learned all about how to do French braids, and I pretty much know the lyrics to every Taylor Swift song written.

” He sighed. “I’m going to be pretty lonely once she leaves for college next year. ”

Darby gave him a hug. “You can FaceTime with her. Send her encouraging texts. You’ll get through it.”

She climbed aboard the float, having the cheerleaders set the bags of candy at intervals so each had access to one.

“Remember, don’t throw big handfuls. We need to make the candy last all the way from here to the square and back. Plus, we don’t want any little kids to be hit and hurt, so toss one piece at a time. Gently.”

The parade would move along its traditional route, from the high school to the center of Hawthorne.

It would loop around the town square and then head back to HHS on a parallel street.

She wanted to make certain that the children on the return route had just as much a chance to claim candy as those on the first half.

Darby climbed down from the float, West giving her a hand.

“You’ve done a great job with the cheer squads, Darby. Their float looks amazing.” He chuckled. “Unlike the football team’s.”

She glanced over to the flatbed, where the football team was gathering. Two pathetic, handmade signs adorned it, one on each side. The rest was completely bare.

“Your players have had more on their minds than decorating a float. We just need you to get out on the field tomorrow night and claim a win over the Eagles. After all these years, they’re still our number one enemy. They’ll be gunning for you and your team, West.”

He grinned. “We may have a trick or two up our sleeves tomorrow night. Just keep your eyes open at the beginning of the third quarter.”

She smiled. “I’ll do that. Something tells me I might see a halfback pass. Or Statue of Liberty play.”

Her cousin shrugged, laughing. “Just watch. That’s all I’m saying.”

Kelby appeared. She kissed her husband and hugged Darby as West waved goodbye, ambling toward his team.

“The float looks terrific!” she exclaimed. “I’ll be at the pep rally tomorrow.”

The homecoming pep rally always moved from the high school’s gym outdoors to the stadium. The entire town was invited to attend. Darby hoped there would be a good turnout.

“Are you ready to hear all the tinkling of cowbells in the halls tomorrow?” Kelby asked, referring to the mums girls would be wearing. Many times, these symbols of a Texas homecoming had cowbells of all sizes attached to the dozens of ribbons which flowed from the flowers.

“I’ve heard mums have grown even larger than when we were in high school,” she said. “They used to cover the entire front of us. I remember not even being able to sit behind a desk when I was wearing one.”

They both laughed, remembering good times, and then Kelby grew serious.

“How are you doing, Darby?”

“I’m content,” she said. “I’m busy as all get out, which really helps.

The newspaper staff has been a joy to work with.

Things have changed quite a bit since my time running the Herald .

It’s so much easier now with everything created digitally.

And Horizon is really beginning to take shape,” she said, referring to the yearbook.

“In fact, I need to go and meet with photographers from both staffs.”

Kelby hugged her again. “See you at the pep rally in the morning.”

Darby sent a group text to the photographers she knew were scattered about the parking lot, taking candids, and she went over their final game plan, as far as shots to be captured.

Two left after their meeting, heading to the town square so they could take photographs in a different setting and from different angles, as well as capturing crowd shots of the town’s residents as they watched the parade.

She saw Eli and Autumn near the Triple H float and made her way over to them.

“Hey!” she called.

Eli climbed from the bed of the float and helped Autumn down. They both greeted her warmly.

“What do you think so far about homecoming in Hawthorne?” she asked Eli.

“Obviously, I missed out on a lot when I was in high school.” He slipped an arm about his wife’s shoulder. “But Autumn is helping me make up for lost time.” He glanced over. “Your cheerleaders’ float is one of the best ones in the parking lot.”

“They’re hoping they’ll win in their division. I think Triple H will walk away the winner in the community division.”

“We have Kelby to thank for that,” Autumn told her. “She helped design the float for us.”

“I followed the progress of it being built on Instagram,” Darby said. “That was clever of her to capture volunteers for the hospital taking the float from nothing to something.”

“Kelby is brilliant when it comes to social media,” Eli praised.

“Hogan Health has decided to follow the beta program she began here in Hawthorne. Kelby will run the Hogan corporate account, as well as continue to post for Triple H here in Hawthorne, while being responsible for hiring locals to manage social media in the various small towns where Hogan Health has hospitals and medical facilities.”

“Kelby is going to need to hire some help,” she said. “Her company is growing. It’s becoming more than a one-woman job. Especially since they’re trying for a baby.”

Someone called Eli’s name, and he excused himself. Autumn reached out and took Darby’s hand.

“How are you doing?” she asked quietly.

She swallowed. “Okay. Some days are harder than others, but the job is keeping me very busy. For that, I’m grateful.”

Darby wanted to ask if Jace had asked about her but was too proud to do so.

“I don’t know if I should say this to you or not, but Jace seems very unhappy,” Autumn shared.

She shook her head. “It’s none of my business, Autumn. We’re already dancing a fine line with Jace being your brother-in-law. I hope that both you and Eli will continue to have a close relationship with him. I just don’t care to hear anything about him.”

Autumn squeezed Darby’s hand. “All right. I’ll see you at the game tomorrow night. Go, Hawks!”

“Go, Hawks!” she echoed, her heart suddenly not into any of the hoopla going on about her.

Darby told herself to fight off the sinking feeling.

To focus on what she had—and not what she didn’t.

This was the life she had chosen for herself, and she knew she would only be as happy as she allowed herself to be.

She did not regret leaving Cheer USA. Already, she was forming friendships with other staff members at HHS, and she enjoyed the variety that each day brought.

Blanche Biggerstaff began barking orders over a megaphone, saying, “It’s time to head out. You’ve done a great job lining up in the order you’re supposed to be in,” the principal praised. “Now, let’s go out and celebrate with the town of Hawthorne. Go, Hawks!”

“Go, Hawks!” thundered the crowd.

Darby had her cheer squads climb onto their float, and one of them asked, “Aren’t you coming with us, Ms. Montgomery?”

She recalled from her own cheering days that the cheer coach had never ridden in the float.

“No. It’s your night to shine. Soak up every minute of it. I’ll be waiting for you here when you get back.”

The cheerleaders began protesting, and Carrie said, “We want you to ride with us, Ms. Montgomery. You’ve done so much for us since you arrived. We want you to share in this moment with us.”

Touched, Darby’s eyes misted with tears. “Okay,” she said, climbing onto the float.

She joined the girls, looking out over the parking lot as Blanche gave instructions, signaling for the next float to depart, trying to space them out evenly.

She glanced over to the football team, and West caught her eye and waved to her.

For a moment, she was taken back to her own days in high school, when she and West, along with Kelby and Chance, were a tight foursome.

Darby said a quick prayer of thanks, glad to be back in her hometown, among family and friends.

Her heart still hurt, but she knew with time—and distance from Jace—that she would slowly begin to heal.