Page 75 of The Illicit Play

Glancing at the blue-eyed blonde with her pale skin and dainty features, I take in the smirk she’s throwing Wily and know exactly what I’m gonna be asking the guys at practice this afternoon. Hopefully they won’t mind adding another member to our spring break hiking team.

CHAPTER 21

GRADY

Staring down at my bed, I take in the neatly laid out supplies for the upcoming hiking trip. We’re leaving in less than two days.

I have one more test to get through, and then it’s on.

I’ve been gathering supplies all week and have mapped out the trails we’ll be taking. The weather has been playing fair, and the forecast is telling me we’re good to go. Although Nolan has taken another hit of rain, the area we’re going to has managed to avoid the worst of it, and the conditions should be perfect for a really decent time.

I’ve ignored Wily’s lame-ass suggestion and decided to combine two of my favorite trails. They intersect on the second day; we’ll take the northern trail up to an awesome ridge with a view anyone in their right mind will be blown away by.

Like I’m gonna find some camping spot near the parking lot and set Blake up for the week. Whatever. That’s not adventure.

Besides, Nylah can’t even make it. She’s got a thing with her grandmother… and much to my disappointment, Carson’s decided to go with her.

He felt really torn over the whole thing, and Nylah felt bad too. I could tell when they came to talk to me about it. I wasn’t gonna add any more fuel to their guilt fire and told them not to worry about it.

So we’re down to Tyrell, Blake, and me. It’ll be a good trio. Tyrell is awesome company. In fact, he’s so nonthreatening that there’s a chance Blake might open up to him too. Then she’ll have two people in her corner when she finally tells Wily she’s withdrawn from college, is being blackmailed by a girl she considered her best friend in Chicago, and has no idea what the future holds.

Thankfully, the guy’s on board with Blake coming. He even helped her shop for some stuff online, although I wouldn’t let them get any hiking boots that she hadn’t actually tried on. So, on the weekend, Blake, Wily, and I drove down to Denver and checked out my favorite store. Managed to find her an awesome pair of boots on sale. She’s been wearing them the past few days, breaking them in.

We also swung by her parents’ place while we were in town, which was awkward as hell. If you’d been a fly on the wall, you probably wouldn’t have even noticed. Everyone was all smiles and geniality, but I was sitting next to Blake on the couch, and her tension was palpable. Everyone else in the room seemed oblivious, too focused on Wily’s knee injury and his recovery. We talked football most of the time, and Blake was probably on tenterhooks just waiting for them to bring up Chicago. And I found it impossible to relax because her parents are too much, ifyou ask me. Talk about pressure. It’s all high performance, and the expectation for excellence was right in your face. No wonder Blake blew up when she left home. No wonder she doesn’t want to admit anything.

Thankfully, we had to go before discussions could veer toward her. Wily wanted to get back to Satch, and Blake couldn’t jump off that couch fast enough.

The drive back to Nolan was a quiet one. Wily ended up falling asleep in the back and Blake sat in the front, staring out the window, her face puckered into a frown. I couldn’t risk talking to her about any of it in case Wily woke up, so I just had to drive his fancy-ass truck in pained silence.

Thank God we’re getting away for a few days. Blake needs this break so badly.

Tyrell’s been awesome, checking in if I need help with anything, but I’m pretty organized. I’ve done this enough times to pack in my sleep.

Scanning the contents of what I’ll be carrying, I figure it’ll weigh in at about forty-five pounds, which is a good weight for a multiday hike. Ultimately, I’d usually carry less, but I’m trying to compensate for Blake. Her pack will be as light as I can make it.

Thankfully, Tyrell’s an ox, so between the two of us, we’ve got both tents and all the sleeping gear. Blake’s just got her own clothes, plus some food supplies. I’m hoping to catch some fresh fish along the way, but you always have to plan for worst-case scenarios when going into the woods for a prolonged amount of time.

Having run through all the scenarios I can think of, I nod, happy with my supplies, and figure I can get packing.

I just want to check on Tyrell’s stuff first.

Walking out of my room, I head across the hallway and tap twice on his door.

“Yeah, come in,” he calls from inside.

Easing the door open, I peek inside and notice he’s on the phone.

He beckons me with his fingers, but the move is distracted.

“Yeah, it’s okay, Ma. Keep going…” He frowns. “What do you mean?”

I study his reaction.

Oh shit. Something’s not good.

“Is it bad?” Scrubbing a hand down his face, he lets out a soft sigh. “I’m real sorry… Hey, it’s okay. Don’t cry. He’s alive. He’s gonna heal.” Closing his eyes, his shoulders deflate, and my gut sinks.

Is this about his brother? Cyrus has Down syndrome, and it’s been a lot of work for the family. Tyrell’s really protective of him. They all are. That’s why they moved to Texas, so he could attend a college there. I’m pretty sure his family is hoping that Tyrell will move down there after he graduates.