Page 13

CHAPTER 13

blue

FALL OF HIS SOPHOMORE YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL

I peeled my helmet off and shoved my bangs out of my eyes, scanning the crowd for Anna. My Anna. Man, I loved the sound of that. Beneath the west scoreboard, closest to the parking lot, she pushed up on her tiptoes and waved. I grinned and jogged faster.

We’d been in a situationship since the second week of school. It had taken a month and a half before I got up the guts to call her Duncle Silas and ask if I could take her on a real date. My heart had almost come up out of my throat when he told me no. But then he’d revised his statement saying she was too young. But I was welcome to hang out with her at their house. Which I did. Every chance I got.

So after three long months of knowing her, staring at her gorgeous face every second we were together, and dreaming about her whenever we weren’t, we’d finally made things official two weeks ago. But Silas had her on lockdown.

He took the dad thing seriously. Like right now. He may have been chatting with Mr. Alvarez, the athletic director, but he was giving me a stern side-eye.

I tossed my chin up at him as I ran by.

He said, “Nice game, Blue.” But it sounded like it hurt him to say it.

“Thanks,” I threw out and kept going.

The man was determined to hate me. I was doing everything in my power to change his mind. But if he knew my plans for tonight, he’d probably deadbolt Anna in her room and make her finish her freshman year online. You’d think I was going to kidnap her and take her to a South American country to marry her and never return.

I just wanted to kiss her.

So badly. And the best part was, she wanted it too. We’d talked about it for weeks. Covertly, of course. We spoke in code, in case he checked her phone. So tonight, after the game, we were supposed to meet up so she could give me back my “sweatshirt.” Except sweatshirt was really code for kiss.

“Blue!” Mom called from behind where the cheerleaders usually stood. She waved me over.

“I gotta grab my sweatshirt from Anna!” I hollered. But Mom shook her head, insisting. I glanced at Anna and held up a finger to let her know I’d be a second. She nodded, patiently waiting fifty yards away.

My fingers drummed against my thigh as I jogged to Mom.

Mom put a hand on her hip. “Mom always gets the first hug. Do you hear me?”

I chuckled. “Yeah. Okay.”

“Such a great game, Blue Boy.” She wrapped her arms around me.

“Thanks, Mom.” I hugged her back. “Sorry I’m so sweaty.”

She pushed my bangs out of my eyes. “Mommas don’t care about that.” She pulled my face into her hands. “I’m just happy there were no injuries.”

“Where’s Colt?” I asked, glancing around for my ten-year-old brother.

She tipped her head toward the concessions stand. “Lining up for popcorn.”

I chewed my bottom lip and frowned. They always handed out leftovers at the end of the game. Which was…whatever. Lots of people lined up for it. It was the fact that we couldn’t afford the two dollars for him to eat it during the game like a normal kid that bothered me.

“I’ll see you at home?” Mom asked.

“Uh, yeah. Hope so.” A normal fifteen-year-old would’ve known if he was going to be home to sleep. But with my dad, it wasn’t a guarantee. If he got it in his head that it was my night to sleep at his house, then it was my night. Whether it actually was or not. And after a game? He always wanted to watch “tape” and analyze my every move. My only hope was that he’d be too tired to do it tonight.

Mom frowned knowingly. “You need a ride?”

I shook my head. Getting a ride with her meant I’d have to leave ASAP. “I gotta get my sweatshirt from Anna. I’ll find a ride.”

“Okay.” Mom smiled, a twinkle in her eye. “You get that sweatshirt. ” My mom was no dummy. She knew I’d been trying to kiss Anna for a while now.

“I’m trying.” I fought back the blush that was attempting to take over my face.

She tipped her head toward my gorgeous girlfriend, who waved when we looked over. “Tell her hi for me. Go on ahead now.”

“Yes, ma’am.” I took off again. And almost groaned ten feet later, when Mr. Dupree, Anna’s grandpa, called my name. I sighed but turned and walked over wearing a smile.

He had his hand out, ready for a shake. “Great game, Blue. Great game. You should be proud.”

I returned his strong grip. “Thank you, sir.”

“You keep throwing like that and Seddledowne won’t be able to keep you. Some big city school will try to recruit you.”

“Aw, thanks. But I’m happy right here.” And I was. Especially now that Anna was mine.

Anna’s granny was next to him. “Really good game, Blue. I know Anna’s proud of you.” The three of us glanced at her. She smiled and waved. And then waved for me to come on.

“Looks like you’d better go,” Mr. Dupree said. “You’re coming over tomorrow to ride horses?” They’d invited me earlier in the week.

“Wouldn’t miss it. See you then.” I nodded and took off, my eyes trained on my beautiful girl. I was not stopping again. For anyone.

But then Silas stepped in front of me, blocking my view. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Not so fast there, Romeo.”

Thankfully, his wife, Lemon, walked up just then. “ Babe. Let him see Anna.” She winked at me from behind his shoulder, holding a large black trash bag. Then she twined her fingers from her free hand through his. “She hasn’t even told him good game yet.”

Silas’s eyebrow rose skyward. “Fine. But she needs to head straight over to help pick up trash. You tell her that.”

“Yes, sir.” But I didn’t miss Lemon shooing me on. Get your sweatshirt , she mouthed.

I stifled my laughter until I was a few feet away. Finally, I was through the gate. Anna squealed and threw herself into my arms. Her hands slid around my back. I held her tiny waist as I kissed the top of her beautiful head.

“Hey.” I was drenched in sweat and I knew I stank. I could smell myself.

She tilted away just enough to look at me, her eyes sparkling like if I did stink, she didn’t notice. “You were just…” She made the mind-blown gesture. “Holy amazing. I’m so proud of you.”

I grinned, mesmerized by those dark eyes. That perfect smile. Those long lashes. “Thanks.” Just being in her arms was making me breathless.

Her eyebrows wiggled. “Where should we exchange the sweatshirt ?”

“Uh, I was thinking up by the school. Maybe we could just slip around the corner.” My voice cracked. So embarrassing. She smiled, biting her lip. I didn’t know if this girl knew the effect she had on me, but I thought maybe she was beginning to. “Maybe I should run in the locker room and take a super fast shower. I can be out in two minutes.” It wasn’t my first kiss, but it was hers—and I wanted it to be perfect for her.

She had me by the hand, pulling me toward the school. “No way. Who knows how long we’ve got and if we don’t do this tonight I am actually going to die.”

I chuckled. “Me too.” It came out in a hush. Because I was on the verge of imploding just thinking about having her lips on mine. Seeing what she tasted like.

As we walked, hands intertwined, we both went quiet, only sharing occasional nervous glances. It took all my focus to keep breathing. My knees were shaking. A few more people told me good game, but we didn’t slow down. The farther we got from the field, the quieter the two of us became.

When we made it to the locker room entrance I held up a finger. “Just let me put my helmet away really fast. It’ll take me thirty seconds.”

“Okay.” She bit her bottom lip and looked up at me with hooded eyes. “But hurry, please.”

“Will do.” I jogged inside. In fifteen seconds I had my locker open, digging through my duffel for the T-shirt I’d thrown in that morning. I shrugged off my shoulder pads, swiped a stripe of deodorant up each armpit, and slipped on a clean shirt in record time.

“Somebody’s in a hurry,” Daxton Davis said with a hoot when he walked in, still in full gear. “Saw Anna waiting outside.”

“Yup,” was all I took time to say before I was back out the door.

I came around the corner and ran smack into Anna’s back. She almost toppled forward and I caught her around the middle, righting her against me. My dad was in his car, parked in front of her, talking to her through the open passenger window. I didn’t know what he’d said to her but from the way she was carrying herself—stiff and on high alert—it couldn’t have been good.

I slipped an arm around her waist and tucked her against my side. “Hey, Dad.”

“Get in the car,” Dad ordered. “We need to watch tape.”

Anna’s arm curled around my waist and locked me in place. She didn’t want me to go. But if I stayed, it would turn ugly, and I didn’t want her to know how terrible my dad could be. Not yet, anyway. I wanted to protect what we had for as long as I could.

“I just need to grab my sweatshirt from Anna real quick.” I tugged her toward me, trying to walk away.

Dad swore. “No! Get in the car right now. I’m tired and we need to watch tape so I can go to bed. I have a twelve-hour shift tomorrow. You can get it later.”

“Dad,” I said, my voice tight. “It’ll just take a minute.”

“She’s nothing but a distraction, Blue,” he spat like she wasn’t standing right next to me. “You need to focus on football, not girls.”

My fists curled and I fought the urge to dive through the window and deck him.

Anna was staring over at me, her body rigid. I didn’t want to look at her. Didn’t want her to see my humiliation. I exhaled slowly, forcing myself to stay calm.

“Blue?”

My head turned to see Mom coming up the sidewalk with Colt. Mom’s gaze skittered between Anna and me, and Dad in the car. Her eyes widened. “Did you get your sweatshirt yet?”

I gave her an almost imperceptible shake of the head.

“He can get it tomorrow, Missy,” Dad yelled, his tone threatening.

“It’s okay,” I said as I took a step away from Anna. My mom didn’t need to be collateral damage in this. I hated that Anna already was. This was not how her first kiss needed to go. We could do this on another day when my dad wasn’t around to mess it up.

I glanced over at Anna, trying to apologize without words. “I’ll grab it when I’m at the ranch tomorrow?” She looked crushed.

“No.” Mom put her hands on her hips and her eyes narrowed. “You go. I’ve got this.” Colt’s hands balled and I could see him swallow even in the dimness of the parking lot light.

I cocked my head and widened my eyes, asking if she was sure. There would be hell to pay if I did. She’d have to pay first. I’d pay later.

She nodded for me to go. “Go on. Git.”

“Okay.” I turned, Anna’s arm still around me, my heart thunking like a bowling ball bouncing down a lane. We speed-walked and ducked around the corner, stepping into the darkness. I let go of her. My hands pressed against the brick wall as I breathed it out.

She ducked between my arms, her face right in front of mine. “Hey, it’s okay.” Her hands slid up around my neck. “I’m okay. It’s just us. Forget all that. This is our moment. Starting right now.”

But my hands were shaking too badly and my eyes were full of tears. “This isn’t…” I blew out my breath, blinking, taking a second. “This isn’t how I wanted things to go.” I lifted my gaze, finally looking into those beautiful eyes. “You’re not a distraction. Don’t listen to him.”

She shrugged and smiled. “Sure I am. But I’m not going to get between you and football.” She pulled me down until our foreheads were touching. “You know that, right?” Her voice was low and soft. “I just want you to be happy. I want to make you happy.”

My hands were finally on her waist, my heart calming. “You do make me happy. Like stupid-happy.” Our noses were touching, our lips just millimeters apart.

“You make me stupid-happy too.” Her thumb brushed over my cheek. “I love you, Blue,” she breathed. It was the first time she’d said it.

And it tipped me over the edge.

I couldn’t even hold back long enough to return the sentiment. I placed a kiss to her lips so feathery soft, I almost didn’t feel it. Because Anna was porcelain. Something to be treasured. I fully planned on doing just that.

But then she smashed her mouth onto mine so hard it made me smile. Her fingers were in the back of my hair. She wove her arms around my neck pressing her whole body into me. I pushed my tongue against her teeth to see if she’d let me in. Which she did, eagerly. Her tongue slid against mine and we both let out an embarrassing, unified moan. Which made us both smile. But we didn’t stop. Went right back to it, staying there way too long. Probably five solid minutes, melded together, hormones thrumming out a sweet, heady harmony.

When I finally pulled back, it came rushing out. “I love you too, Anna.”

“I know you do.” She pressed a kiss to my cheek. “I have to go. My phone has been ringing in my back pocket for at least two minutes.” She tossed her head back, giddy. “Silas is going to kill me. But I don’t care.” She kissed me again. “Because Blue Bishop is mine and it was totally worth it.”

I gave her one last squeeze before reluctantly unlocking my arms from around her back. I picked up her hand and kissed the center of her palm. “I’m never giving you up. I hope you know that. Not for no one or nothing. I am one hundred percent committed.”

She beamed. “Me too. All to pieces.’”

“All to pieces?” My forehead furrowed.

“It’s a Dupree thing. My momma used to say it.” She lifted her hand in a wave. “We can talk about it tomorrow. See you then.”

“See you.”

But she stepped back over and pecked me on the mouth one last time, just because she could.

Then she disappeared around the corner.

My hands went to the back of my head and I grinned. Anna Dupree was so many things. Hilarious, confident, sassy, gorgeous. A high-class girl. Somebody who could roll crap off, like what my dad had just done, and turn things around in a heartbeat. Why she wanted a nobody like me, with nothing to my name, I didn’t know.

But I was never going to give her a reason to change her mind.

Tomorrow, at the ranch, we’d be exchanging that sweatshirt again. And every day after. I was going to make sure of that.