Close to Me

by Monica Murphy

  He’s worth it.

  Thirty-Nine

  Ash

  My girl is a blubbering mess.

  “I don’t want you to go.” She flings herself at me and I have no choice but to hold her tight, not that I’m protesting. Honestly, I don’t want to let her go, though I have to.

  “I’m only a couple of miles away,” I murmur into her hair, breathing deep the sweet fragrance of her shampoo. “And I’ll see you every day at school.”

  “Thank God. My parents have turned this place into a jail.”

  Exactly what Fable wanted to avoid has now come true. Oh, they didn’t put the cameras in the house, but Autumn is on lockdown for the next two months. We’re not allowed to go on dates on the weekend or see each other after school. We can hang out during school hours, and we can give each other a quick hug after the games, but that’s about it.

  Two months. Two long months.

  I guess we deserve the punishment.

  I’ve already spent a little time with the Weldmans, who I’m going to live with for the rest of my senior year. They’re nice people, much older than Drew and Fable, and Mrs. Weldman—Laura—has a grandmotherly vibe. She’s already baked me a giant plate piled high with chocolate chip cookies and they were fucking delicious, but I told her I couldn’t indulge too much since it’s still football season.

  The lady just laughed at me, which says she’s going to keep on making cookies, and I’ll probably keep on eating them.

  I’m going to miss living with Drew and Fable. They took me in, they listened to me, and they tried to help me. They’re still helping me, but at a distance. I guess I deserve that, since I had sex with their daughter and they found out in the worst possible way.

  “The two months will go by fast,” I tell Autumn, clutching her tight. I’m grateful they allowed us a little alone time before I left. Most of my stuff was ruined by the fire—which Rylie most definitely set—and I was left with pretty much nothing. Not even a phone.

  Fable took me shopping and bought me new clothes. They also gave me one of the latest iPhones and set me up on their plan. They may be disappointed in me, but that doesn’t mean they stopped caring about me. That’s the difference between Autumn’s parents and my mom.

  She hates me and is disappointed in everything I do. She doesn’t love me either. I will never make that woman happy no matter what I do, so fuck her.

  Fuck her.

  Fuck Rylie too, though Autumn says I shouldn’t be so hard on her. But I can’t help it. Turns out she came to the house, broke into the side door and went to my room. How she figured out that was my room, I don’t know. We can only conclude that she’d been spying on me, on all of us, for a while. When she discovered I wasn’t there, she set the giant candle she brought with her on the bedside table and lit all three wicks, then promptly fell asleep while waiting for me. The candle knocked over, and whoosh. A fire started.

  All that nonsense about us being together and her being pregnant with my baby? All untrue. Her parents said that she was acting more and more unstable this school year, and when I broke up with her, that’s when she seemed to snap. Her erratic behavior concerned them, and they started taking her to a psychologist, but I guess it wasn’t enough.

  Last I heard, they put her on medication and she’s going to start seeing a counselor twice a week. I hope it helps her.

  “Two months is going to be an eternity.” Autumn glances over her shoulder real quick before she returns her attention to me. “Kiss me before they come over here.”

  I do what she asks with no hesitation, sealing my lips to hers, parting them with my tongue. The kiss turns deep in an instant, and I know I shouldn’t do this, but damn, it will be my last time kissing her like this until…

  Tomorrow, when I see her at school and we can leave for lunch. Thank God we’re seniors and haven’t lost that privilege.

  Hey, I might not sneak around at the Callahan house, but no one said we can’t sneak around off campus and find a private spot so we can spend our lunch hour doing…other things.

  I’m going to hell for my dirty thoughts, I swear.

  Autumn pulls away, a reluctant noise sounding in her throat. “We should go to the front. I think I just heard a car pull up.”

  I follow after her as she leads me to the front of the house, her fingers entwined with mine. We don’t hide how we feel about each other to her parents, but we are respectful. No obvious displays of affection. I’m not about to piss off Drew Callahan again.

  The Weldmans are standing outside of their car, a silver sedan, and when they spot me, they both smile. “There he is,” Laura says, beaming at me. I think she’s happy to have someone back in the house, someone for her to take care of.

  And I’m not going to turn her down. It’s nice, having someone treat me like they actually care. Now that I’ve witnessed what a real family is like at the Callahan house, I don’t ever want to lose it.

  I’ve already started on my community service, volunteering at the local Boys and Girls Club. I hang out with the kids and play games with them, or just listen to them talk. It’s fun. And…enlightening. Some of them remind me of myself when I was that age. A little lost, a lot pissed off. All I wanted was for someone to believe in me back then. While I know I can’t offer too much to these kids, I’ll do what I can to help out.

  It’s kind of nice, to feel wanted. To help someone who didn’t ask for it.

  All the Callahans are out in front of the house, ready to send me off. I hold out my hand and Beck slaps it, extra hard. “See ya later!” he yells, beaming up at me.

  Damn, the kid can pack a punch. That kind of hurt.

  Ava gives me a shy hug, keeping her gaze averted. Shit, Drew is in trouble with this one. She’s going to be beautiful. Not as pretty as my girl, though.

  Jake and I do some complicated knuckle shake we all made up at football camp over the summer, his expression impassive. We’ve come to a sort of peace, though I know he’s not my biggest fan. But he’ll get over it.

  I’m not going anywhere.

  Fable wraps me up in a hug, holding me tight, and whispers in my ear, “Don’t fuck this up, okay?”

  I start to laugh as I pull away from her. “I won’t.”

  Nerves make me jittery as I approach Drew. He watches me, a serious expression on his face, his lips thin, and I wish I could rewind time and fix all of this.

  But I can’t.

  “I’m sorry I disappointed you, sir. I hope I can one day earn your respect and trust again,” I tell him, sounding like a complete suck-up.

  But fuck it, I mean every word.

  “You don’t disappoint me on the field, that’s for damn sure.” Drew holds out his right hand for me to shake. I take it, giving him a firm shake, and then he hauls me in at the last second into one of those slapping on the back bro-type hugs.

  I’m so grateful for it, my knees get wobbly.

  “See you at practice tomorrow,” he tells me, and I nod my response before I turn to Autumn.

  She’s standing before me in a thin little summer dress, and she’s never looked more beautiful. Though I always think that. Every time I see her, I think, how’d I get so lucky to find her? To find all of them?

  I don’t know what I did, but I’m fucking grateful.

  “We’re acting like I’m moving away, when I’m only moving down the road,” I say, loud enough for everyone to hear, and they all start to laugh.

  Then they all shift away from us, taking their conversation closer to the Weldmans’ car, giving Autumn and me one last bit of privacy.

  “I’m going to miss living here with you,” I tell her.

  She’s not crying anymore, which is good. Breaks my heart when she cries like that. I hate it. “I’m going to miss having you here.”

  “I’ll see you tomorrow, though. And in two months, we’re free to see each other on the weekends,” I tell her.

  “I seriously can’t wait.” She steps closer, slipping her arms ar
ound my waist, and lifts up on tiptoe to press a sweet kiss to my lips. “I love you.”

  “I love you too.” So damn much, I don’t know if she’ll ever understand how I feel.

  I’m just going to do my damnedest to show her, every single day.

  For the rest of my life.

  Epilogue

  Autumn

  Nine months later…

  “What do you think?” Ash throws his arms up into the air, slowly turning in a circle as he stands in the middle of the empty football field.

  “I think you look good out there,” I call out to him. I’m sitting on one of the sideline benches, sweating under the hot summer sun as I cup my hand over my eyes to shield them so I can witness the boy I love have a total moment.

  “Really?” He turns to look at me, an adorable smile on his face. He looks so happy. Downright boyish. After witnessing a scowling Ash for so many years, this constant smiling Ash is a more than welcome sight.

  I know I’ve contributed to putting a smile on that handsome face, but the reason for today’s happiness is the meeting he just had with his new team coach. He’s so excited to play college football, he can barely contain his emotions.

  “Really,” I say as I rise to my feet and start walking toward him. The stadium is huge, and I’ve watched a few games here before with my family, though it’s been a while. The stands were always full when I attended, the fans wearing red and white in support of their team. It was exciting, even as a spectator, and I can’t imagine the adrenaline rush the players must experience when they’re out on that field during a game.

  Ash meets me halfway, his arms slipping around my waist so he can lift me off my feet and twirl me around. Squealing, I grab hold of his broad shoulders, then slip my arms around his neck when he gently sets me on my feet. We hold each other for a moment, the only two people on this field, and it almost feels like we’re the only two people on this entire college campus. I press my head against his chest so I can listen to his heart’s steady thumping rhythm, and I close my eyes, savoring the moment.

  “All my dreams are becoming real,” he whispers. “I sound fucking ridiculous, but it’s true. This is all I ever wanted, to play football in college. The fact that I even got in…”

  I pull away so I can look into his eyes. “You got in on your own merits,” I remind him, my voice firm. “You don’t owe my parents anything.”

  He feels obligated toward them, and it’s understandable. Especially my father, who did ask a recruiter to come out and watch him play—and that recruiter just so happened to come from this very university. But Ash earned his spot on his team fair and square, and while he’ll be a backup the first year or two, the fact that he’s on this team is everything to him.

  “They helped,” he says, his expression serious as he studies me. “You know they did. If I would’ve stayed with my mom, I wouldn’t be here right now.”

  He’s right. He was on a path of complete self-destruction, living with his mother. She tried her best to ruin him.

  Look at him now.

  “And you helped too,” he continues, his voice soft, his eyes glowing, full of love and affection. All of it for me. “You’re everything to me, Autumn. I don’t know what I’m going to do when you leave.”

  “Stop.” I rise up on my toes and kiss him, silencing his depressing words. It’s weird to think how I will never know what it’s like to cheer on the sidelines of this team while my boyfriend is playing.

  I’m going to a different college. I put on a positive front, but deep down, it scares me a little, to think of us separated while we’re in school. But we’re not going to let anything bad happen to our relationship. We’ve been through so much together. I love him, he loves me. We trust each other.

  And that’s all we need.

  “What do we got?” he asks after he breaks the kiss. “Six weeks?”

  “Seven,” I say. “Seven long, glorious weeks until I leave.”

  I won’t give up my dreams for him, and I don’t expect him to do that for me either. He wanted to come to the local university, while I’m headed south, to Santa Barbara. It’s not that far, a little over a five-hour drive one way. We can see each other on weekends. Meaning I’m the one who has to come up to see him when I can during the fall semester, since he’ll be playing on Saturdays—or at the very least, bench warming.

  Though I would never put it like that to him.

  “I’m going to have to work extra hard then to make the next seven weeks count,” he says just before he settles his mouth back on mine.

  His kiss is warm and sweet at first, then with one swipe of his perfect tongue, it deepens. His hands wander, and so do mine. Until I’m gasping and clutching at his shirt, desperate for more.

  Ash sets me away from him with a chuckle, reaching down to readjust himself before he glances around the stadium one last time. “Don’t know if I’ll get used to this,” he says with a slight shake of his head.

  I take his hand and we head for the exit. “Someday, you’re going to be a superstar out on this field.”

  “We’ll see.” His tone is cryptic.

  “You will,” I reaffirm. “And once you graduate, you’ll go on to even bigger and better things.”

  “Stop talking so much, Callahan. You’re gonna jinx me,” he teases, squeezing my hand.

  “Never,” I say. I have faith that he will accomplish whatever he sets his mind to. And I will be right there beside him.

  Every step of the way.

  Want more? Jake’s story is next with Falling For Her, the second book in The Callahan’s series! Keep reading for a sneak peek!

  Falling For Her

  Chapter One

  Jake

  “How about that one?”

  We all snicker when we see who Diego’s discreetly pointing at as we walk past her in the hallway. Some freshman who looks about ten with big blue eyes and a mouth full of metal. She’s cute enough, but way too young. “I don’t think so,” I tell my friends as we stride toward the quad.

  It’s lunch time. Our senior year. We’re able to drive off campus now, but not today. Coach wants us to watch game film of the team we’re playing tomorrow night. So we have about fifteen minutes to grab food before we all meet in the team room to study our opponents. Learn their weak spots, their strengths. See if they’re better defensively or offensively.

  When I say Coach, I’m talking about my dad. I just try and keep that shit separate. It’s easier that way.

  “Check her out,” Diego—one of my best friends—says, nudging me in the shoulder and now not-so-discreetly pointing at a group of girls sitting at a nearby picnic table.

  “Which one?” Again, they’re young. Maybe sophomores? I don’t really recognize any of them. If they’re a couple of years younger than me and not friends with my sister Ava who’s a junior, or on the football team, I don’t bother getting to know them.

  That makes me sound like an asshole, but I don’t have the time. I have my circle of friends. I even have my circle of acquaintances. This year, my last year in high school, I don’t need to add to either group. I’m perfectly content with what I have.

  “Any of them.” Diego slaps me on the back, a giant grin on his face. “You need to find a girl, bro. This single, I-don’t-bother-with-any-girl business is getting old.”

  I don’t bother with any girl anymore because when I do, they tend to take my heart and rip it to shreds. It’s ridiculous, but when I fall, I tend to fall hard. Mom told me once I’m too sensitive, and that pissed me right the hell off, even though deep down I knew she meant it as a compliment.

  “Girls like sensitive boys,” Mom said to me a couple years ago, her green eyes glowing as she grabbed my hands and gave them a squeeze. At the time, I was inconsolable, whining over a broken heart. “You listen when people talk, Jacob. You pay attention. You care, so much that you get hurt sometimes. But that’s such a great quality, and when you find the right person, they’re going to love you for it.
”

  Yeah, yeah. The last thing I want to be is sensitive. Sophomore year I got my heart broken twice and after Cami Lockhart ended our relationship out of nowhere via Snapchat, I’ve never bothered with a girl again. Fuck ‘em. I’d rather focus on football and my friends and school, exactly in that order.

  “Too young,” I tell Diego, and Caleb, my other best friend, bursts out laughing.

  “There’s no such thing as too young. Trust me. When they’re what you call too young, they don’t ask as many questions,” he says with a smirk.

  Caleb is an actual asshole. He hooks up with an endless stream of girls, yet none of them complain. It’s like they’re proud to be a Caleb fan girl.

  “Find him a senior then,” Diego says, stopping in the direct center of the crowded quad. He settles his hands on his hips and turns in a slow circle, scanning the area with a narrowed gaze. Diego has a girl and they’re madly in love. I mean, good for him. They’re totally into each other. They’ve been together for over a year, and Jocelyn treats him like a god, while she’s his princess, as he calls her. I’m pretty sure they’ve talked about getting married, which is just…insane if you ask me.

  “Her.”

  We all swivel our heads to see Tony—our quietest friend—inclining his head toward a table to the left of where we’re standing.

  There’s a girl sitting there, her back to us. Alone. She’s wearing a black T-shirt, her reddish-blonde hair spilling down her back in loose waves. Her elbow’s propped on the table and she’s resting her cheek on her fist, an open book in front of her. Like she’s reading.

  What the hell?

  “No way,” Diego says with a dismissive wave of his hand. “Jake’s not into smart girls.”

  I’m immediately offended. “Who says?”

  “You, with the choices you’ve made in the past,” Diego points out.