“Oh you guys,” I say. “You shouldn’t have.”
But I’m smiling.
I peel back the paper, and squeal in surprise.
“Oh my god,” I shout. “Is that what I think it is?”
My Spanish still isn’t that great, but Pablo Neruda’s name is the same in both languages, and I know that a loose translation of the book’s title from Spanish to English is The Lost Poems.
“This is the only book my mom didn’t have in her collection!” I exclaim.
“I know,” Wesley says. “You told me about it. And I happened to know that your BFF Taylor here is a Latin American literature major…”
“…who is doing a research work- study job with a Chilean professor,” Taylor finishes for him. “So it all worked out quite nicely, to be able to have my boss call in a special favor with some family members of his back in Chile. Apparently this book is all over the used bookstores there. All I had to do was ask.”
“Is that all?” I say, with a grin still filling up my entire face.
The missing connection with my mom was right there within my reach the whole time. I just had to have Wesley and Taylor’s help to get it.
“That you guys so much,” I say. “You have no idea how much this means to me.”
“Happy birthday,” they shout in unison.
“Whatever helps you feel closer to your mom,” Wesley says. “We know that she will always be a very important part of your life.”
“And so are you guys,” I tell her. “I never want to not have either of you in my daily life ever again.”
“I’m sorry I got in the way of your happiness with Wesley,” Taylor says.
“I know you didn’t mean it. You were just trying to look out for me.”
“Well,” Taylor says, looking as if she doesn’t know if she should say anything further, but deciding to anyway. “I guess there was an aspect of jealousy there. I kind of went out of my way for a while to find and focus on reasons I thought Wesley wasn’t good for you, instead of the obvious reasons why he was. I guess it’s just hard sometimes and a little lonely, being the third wheel.”
“I understand,” I tell her.
And I really do. For most of our friendship it’s been Taylor who has had a lot of dates and a revolving door of boyfriends. I’ve been the one on the sidelines.
“There were quite a few suspicious things that you had every right to be wary of,” I say. “I’m just glad you came around and realized how awesome Wesley is.”
“And I’m glad you did too,” Wesley says to me.
“Oh my god,” Taylor exclaims. “I just got a text.”
“How weird,” I tell her. “My phone hasn’t had reception.”
“Mine either, but a bunch are randomly coming in now.”
She looks at her phone. “One of them is from Mandy’s mom. She texted me because she hadn’t heard back from her texts to you. She says Mandy is out of her coma and starting to recover. We can go visit her next week, as soon as we get back. She also said that no one knew how serious of a problem Mandy’s partying had become or that it had gotten so out of hand. Mandy has agreed to seek help and stop drinking and doing any other kind of drugs.”
“That’s awesome,” I say. “I’m glad she’ll be okay. And I know she can do whatever she sets her mind to. Her discipline in cheerleading is awesome. But I wonder when or if she’ll be able to come back. I just can’t believe all of this has happened.”
“Me neither,” Wesley says. “I thought I was leaving drama behind when I left Huningdale, but I didn’t realize I’d run right smack back into it at Calton.”
“But you’ve managed to avoid being the one to cause the drama. Congratulations,” I say.
Both Wesley and Taylor laugh.
Then I decide to face the facts and address the obvious elephant in the room, which I hadn’t even had the courage to face last night when Wesley and I were alone, because I just wanted to enjoy being reunited with him, and the hot sex too of course.
“I bet you can’t wait to get back to playing for a good team,” I tell him. “Now you’ll probably be able to go back to Huningdale in time for next year’s season, since you’ve gotten back into the administration’s good graces.”
“I already do play for a good team,” Wesley says.
“What?” I ask, incredulous.
“And that’s why I told Coach Thompson I’m going to stay at Calton for good and play for the Wildcats for the rest of my college career.”
“Really?” I can’t believe it, but from his mischievous, handsome smile I know it’s true.
Just then I hear my dad’s voice, as he and Taylor’s mom come up to us, having finished their walk.
“Did I hear my name?”
“Wesley just told Taylor and me the good news,” I tell him. “That he’ll be staying at Calton.”
My dad beams happily. “And let me just add on to the good news while we’re at it,” he says.
Taylor’s mom holds up her ring finger.
“I want to be the one to tell them,” she shouts. “He proposed!”
“Yay!” says Taylor, and runs over to hug her mom.
Now I see what all her excitement has been about. I’ve never seen her mom so happy. My dad either, for that matter— not since my mom died, at least.
Wesley and I join them for another group hug.
This is the best birthday I ever could have asked for.
Chapter 53 – Wesley
The following week, I go to pick up Chelsea from her house.
I still can’t believe I can walk right up and knock on her front door.
“Hello Wesley,” Coach Thompson says, as he answers it. “I hear that you’ve come to take my daughter on a date.”
“Yes I did, Coach,” I say.
He raises his eyebrows at me and clears his throat.
I quickly correct it to, “I mean, Sir.”
Our first real, out in the open date. No more secrets. No more hiding. This is so fucking great.
“I hope you understand that my daughter is a very precious treasure,” Coach Thompson says. “You break her heart, I’ll break your legs. And then I’ll be one good quarterback short of a football team. So don’t make me do it.”
“Only a good quarterback?” I ask him. “Come on, Coach. I’m better than good.”
“Reynolds,” Coach Thompson snaps. “I’m serious.”
“Yes sir.” I smile at him, and mean it. “I won’t break your daughter’s heart, sir. If anything, she’ll be the one breaking mine.”
“That’s more like it.”
“Dad,” Chelsea groans, coming to the door. “I told you not to get in the way.”
She looks great. A short skirt over those curvy hips, and her hair pulled back into a cute ponytail. I kind of wish we could just stay here and have a different kind of fun than what we’d already planned.
But I’m not going to change my mind about this date.
I’m not going to back down. It’s time to face my fears head on.
“I just wanted to wish you and Wesley well,” Dad says. “I hope you have a good date, Sweetheart.”
“Thanks Dad,” Chelsea says, and rolls her eyes.
“Ready?” I ask her.
“Definitely,” she says. “But I think I should be the one asking you that question. Are you ready?”
“Definitely,” I say.
“Are you sure? You don’t have to do it.”
“I’m sure, Chelsea. I’ve never been surer of anything in my fucking life.”
“Hey. Watch your language,” Coach Thompson cuts in.
“Dad, you’re not supposed to be here anymore. Don’t you and Sherry have something to do? Wedding planning or something?”
“All right, all right, I’m leaving. And the wedding isn’t for a year. What’s the rush? We’re already two old people. Have fun today, guys.”
“I don’t know if ‘fun’ is the right way to describe it,” Chelsea says. “But we�
�ll definitely have an exciting time.”
Chapter 54 – Wesley
Half an hour later, we stand in line waiting to get into the amusement park as paying customers. Then we walk through the park and stand in line again, this time to ride The Beast.
It still looks menacing, towering over our heads, but I’m not nearly as scared as I was before.
“You’ve already warmed up for this by riding The Rattler,” Chelsea says, as we near the beginning of the line.
“Chels, driving up to the lake cabin with your dad, wondering what had happened to you and if you were okay was the scariest experience of my life. If I can get through that, I can get through anything.”
“Little did you know I had it handled,” she says, grinning.
“Yes you did.”
I grab her, and kiss her before I resume talking.
“And I’m so glad you’re okay. I don’t know what I’d do without you. I…”
“Hey, Lovebirds,” shouts one of the ride operators. “Break it up. Time to get on the ride, if you really wanna go.”
“We really wanna go,” I tell him, grabbing Chelsea’s hand and pulling her onto the ride.
He had really bad timing in interrupting what I wanted to tell Chelsea, but I know that there will be another chance soon.
“Wow, you really do want to ride this ride with me,” Chelsea says with a laugh, as we sit down and buckle ourselves in.
“I really, really, really fucking do.”
My heart quickens its pace as the ride starts, but it’s more like pleasant excitement than sheer terror. We grab hands and there’s an immediate drop— no nice warm-up portion like on The Rattler.
“Oh. My. God!” We yell together.
It’s scary. It’s exhilarating. It’s perfect.
It’s everything that life should be.
It’s everything I love that I have with Chelsea.
And as the roller coaster comes to an end, I look at her. Her hair is blown all over the place, her cheeks are red and the wind is still hitting us.
I’m glad I didn’t say it back when we were in line.
This is a much better time.
“I love you, Chelsea.”
She looks like she might cry.
But then she smiles and says, “I love you too, Wesley.”
We kiss again, and ignore the same operator who yelled at us to get onto the ride, who is now yelling at us to get off.
“Hold on,” I finally tell him, when I come up for air. “Give us a minute, will you? I just went on the ride of my life. And I fucking loved it. I don’t ever want it to end.”
Chapter 55 – Chelsea
It’s late, and Wesley and I have been at the amusement park all day. We’ve ridden so many rides and eaten so much food that I feel like a little kid.
“I still can’t believe you actually rode The Beast with me,” I say, as we hold hands and walk around the park.
“It just goes to show that there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you,” Wesley tells me. “I’d even come rescue you from a bad guy who has you tied up, even if you didn’t need me to do it.”
“It’s amazing how we can laugh about that now,” I say. “But it sure was scary at the time.”
“It definitely was. And I’m so glad you’re here to make me ride scary roller coasters with you. That was a really close call.”
“So what do you want to do now?” I ask. “Have you had enough of my favorite place in the world?”
It really is now that he’s ridden The Beast with me.
“Not quite,” he says, and pulls me in the direction of the games. “I still need to win you that fucking stuffed animal that got me into a huge fight last time.”
“Oh yeah,” I agree. “Just try not to get kicked out before you can do it this time.”
“I won’t. If anyone grabs your ass, now I know you can handle them for yourself,” he says, as we approach the game.
His aim seems to have improved a lot, because he wins me a stuffed bear right away.
“It’s red and orange,” I tell him, impressed. “Our school colors.”
“I’ll give you one of my jerseys to dress your teddy bear in,” he says. “Now let’s get you home before you turn into a pumpkin.”
“On that note. There’s one more thing I think we should do,” I tell him.
“Do you still want to do it under that old, yucky abandoned roller coaster?” he asks. “You naughty girl.”
“We’ll save that for next time,” I tell him.
“There’s a next time?”
“There’s definitely a next time. Don’t think you can get out of riding The Beast with me again and again.”
“All right. Sounds good to me.”
He shrugs.
“But right now I think we should do something even more risky,” I say.
“Such as?”
“I think my dad is at Sherry’s,” I tell him. “And I need to christen my own bed.”
“Wow, that really is risky,” he says. “Does your house even have an attic I can hide in this time?”
“No,” I laugh. “But we’ll be fine.”
“Okay. If you say so. But if things go south, let it be noted that this was not my idea.”
When we get back to my house, I’m relieved that my dad isn’t here.
“I’m so fucking nervous,” Wesley says. “I feel like a high schooler.”
“Good. That’s the whole point.”
When we get to my room I hide the stuffed animal that Wesley just won me under the bed, along with the one from my mom. I don’t want to ruin their innocence.
“We’d better be fast,” Wesley says, taking his clothes off and looking around as if he’s waiting for my dad to show up any minute.
I admire his abs, chest and tattoos again before taking off my own clothes.
He pulls me down onto the bed and starts working my clit with his tongue.
“This feels even better than the thrill of getting you to ride that roller coaster with me,” I tell him.
I shift my position so that I can put his cock in my mouth. I lick it up and down as he licks my pussy.
“Fuck yeah,” he moans. “This is what I’m talking about.”
He’s shoving his cock into my mouth and I’m riding his face.
He takes my clit in between his teeth and gently sucks on it until I’m going wild.
“I’m coming,” I say— or try to say— but my mouth is completely full of his large and throbbing cock.
“Hold on,” he says, as soon as I finish. “I want to come inside you.”
He gets on top of me and looks down at me, his brown hair spilling over his handsome face.
Missionary style. This is the position I’d always assumed I’d be in when I lost my virginity. But somehow it feels right to only now be doing it with Wesley.
“I love your body and I love the way you suck my cock,” he says, as he pushes himself inside me.
I wrap my legs around his hips and feel him deep inside me.
“I love your wet, tight pussy,” he continues. “And your perfect breasts.”
He takes my breasts in his hands and squeezes them, and my nipples tingle along with my clit.
“You’re going to make me come again,” I tell him.
“Good,” he says, as he rides me hard and wild. “Because I love to make you come. I love when you make me come.”
I feel a huge wave rush through my body and I know that he’s feeling the same thing. His cock pulsates inside me.
“I love everything about you,” he moans, as we come together. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” I say, with what little energy I have left. “I’m so fucking tired now. I just want to fall asleep.”
“Well let me get out of here before you do,” he says, kissing me on the top of my head. “Because I’m still scared of your father. He still holds a lot of power over my career.”
“You’ll be fine,” I tell him. “I’m pretty s
ure he knows what’s up.”
“But I don’t want to rub it in his face,” he says. “Plus, it’s fun to have to keep some parts of our relationship a secret. You’re still the coach’s forbidden daughter in some ways. And that’s hot.”
“You’re hot,” I say, as he throws his clothes back on— to my chagrin— and heads out the door in a hurry.
Even though I’m tired, there’s something I want to do. I reach under the bed and pick up my two stuffed animals.
I put them on the bedside table, knowing it’s the last time I’ll ever talk to the one from my mom again.
“Thanks for always being there for me,” I tell its beady eyes. “But I don’t need you any more. I know my mom will always be here with in spirit. And I have Wesley here for me now too.”
I feel a little guilty, so then I add, “Don’t worry. You have the bear that Wesley won me to keep you company now. There’s no need for anyone to feel lonely anymore.”
Epilogue – Chelsea
My dad’s and Sherry’s wedding reception has been a big hit. The food is delicious and the drinks are flowing.
“And now we have a very special dance,” the DJ announces. “It’s a father- daughter dance, between the groom and his daughter Chelsea.”
The spotlight is on Dad and me now, and all of his and Sherry’s wedding guests cheer. My brother is here, which is great because I haven’t seen him in quite a while.
The entire football team is also in attendance, including Wesley of course. Last season the Wildcats were football conference champions and this season is already shaping up to be even better than last year.
As Dad and I dance to “Butterfly Kisses,” I swear I see tears well up in his eyes. That’s a rare thing, because he almost never cries.
“It was a beautiful wedding ceremony, Dad,” I tell him, not mentioning his tears. “Everything was absolutely perfect. And now this reception is rocking. Good job.”
“Thank you for your support,” he says. “I know it was hard to get used to the idea of Sherry and me being together, and I would never want to replace your mother…”
“I know,” I tell him, squeezing his shoulder.
Yes Boss: A Bad Boy Office Romance Page 33
