Suddenly, I knew the perfect place to take Maiken.
I skirted a bench when Tessa’s laugh switched on the alarm in my head. So much for avoiding her.
“Quinn.” Tessa said my name in a sweet but salty tone. “I’ve been looking for you.”
Be nice. I didn’t know what else to do other than to run like I usually did when I saw her. Yet running in heels wouldn’t get me far.
She approached me, wearing a bright-red gown with a short-cropped sweater. Her black hair was braided, and if she didn’t have maliciousness flickering in her eyes, then her beauty would shine.
I glanced over her shoulder. The twenty-something couple was still talking as they hovered under the heater.
“Don’t worry,” Tessa said. “I only want to talk.”
I got the feeling she wanted to do more than talk. I mean, Tessa wasn’t nice to me ever. But maybe she was changing her tune since it was Christmas.
“I heard you might skate again.”
I’d never said such a thing to anyone. I might’ve thought about it, but I hadn’t verbalized it at all.
“W-who told you that?”
“No one. I overheard Kade talking to his wife inside.”
Kade had suggested that I compete. He probably said something like that, and Tessa took it out of context.
She crossed her arms over her chest, hunching into herself. “Well?”
“You heard wrong.” Even if I were, I wouldn’t tell her. She would drum up ways to make sure I didn’t skate.
“You wouldn’t beat me anyway.” Her tone now had more salt than sugar.
I clamped down on my tongue. I wanted to beat Tessa at something. I wanted to show her that I was better than her.
That’s not who you are.
My nostrils widened.
She smirked as though she could see my anger brewing. “Well, you wouldn’t.”
I inhaled deeply before pushing out all the air in my lungs. “It seems I already won.”
She invaded my personal space. “Yeah. How’s that?”
I edged back, studying her as my stomach tumbled with nausea. Don’t be afraid of her. She can’t do anything to you at her party. Be bold and strong like your brothers.
Carter wouldn’t stand for her jeers at all, and neither would Liam. I often questioned why I hadn’t inherited their confidence or, as Granny would say, their sass.
Nevertheless, it wasn’t the place to get into an argument. I tried to get around her.
She blocked me. “Answer me.”
I moved to my left.
She followed. “What are you? Mute?”
My hands began to shake as I curled my fingers into my palm. “I don’t want to argue.”
She rolled back her shoulders. “Answer me. How have you already won?”
I held on to my bottom lip. I couldn’t get past her without hopping over a bench or falling into the pool unless I took the path around in the other direction. I gave her one last glare then started to turn when she grasped my arm to the point of pain.
“We’re not done.”
I tried to shrug her off, but she tightened her grip.
I wiggled my arm hard, but that only caused me to sway to one side, so much so that I could feel myself about to fall.
Her eyes opened wide.
My heart was in my throat. I silently pleaded with her not to let go because if she did, I was going into the icy water.
Then a cruel smile spread across her face.
If I was going in, then so was she.
As if in slow motion, her grip loosened. I gulped in air as I reached for her. When my fingers grazed the hem of her sweater, I latched on.
She squealed.
I screamed as I pulled her with me.
I waited for Quinn outside the bathroom, but when the door opened, a man with salt-and-pepper hair waltzed out. Panic surged through me. Just the same, I checked the bathroom, knowing she wasn’t in there.
I also knew she wasn’t with Chase. I’d left him with Lacey and Aunt Eleanor. He seemed to be entranced with Lacey and her baseball career.
I wandered around the house, searching for Quinn, when I saw Celia chatting with Liam in the kitchen.
I ponied up to the long island. “Hey, where’s Quinn?”
Liam went as white as the marble on the countertop. It was as if he knew Quinn might be in trouble.
Celia wrinkled her nose. “I thought she was with you.”
I didn’t get a chance to talk or think when a chilling scream made the hairs on my arms stiffen. I sprinted out of the kitchen.
A group of guests were piling out onto the patio.
I pushed through them just as Tessa was falling into the pool on top of Quinn, who was sinking to the bottom.
I dove into the pool as if I were swimming in a fifty-meter race. In seconds, I was wrapping my arms around her. When I reached the surface, Quinn coughed, shivering.
Liam stood on the edge with his arms out. “Give her to me.”
Celia stood next to him with her hand clamped over her mouth.
Quinn continued to cough as her teeth knocked together.
“What is going on?” a man asked. “Tessa?” His voice sounded strained as he helped Tessa out of the pool.
“Nothing, Daddy,” Tessa said to the salt-and-pepper-haired man I’d bumped into outside the bathroom.
Mr. Stevens’s tone dropped an octave. “Doesn’t look like nothing.”
I gripped Quinn’s waist, lifting her up to Liam. “Take her over to the fire.”
“There’s blankets on the bench,” Celia said. “Help Maiken out. I’ll take Quinn.”
“Get some towels,” someone shouted.
We were going to need more than towels.
As Liam helped me out, Tessa sent a scathing look my way. “It’s your girlfriend’s fault.”
It was good to know she acknowledged Quinn was my girl. Maybe that meant she would finally leave me alone.
Mr. Stevens ushered his daughter inside as the crowd went back to their normal conversations as if someone falling into a freezing pool happened all the time.
I hurried over to Quinn, feeling the sting of the cold seeping into my veins.
Quinn held on to the flannel blanket as she stared down at the fire. Her lips were blue, and her body quivered. “Cold.”
Liam tossed me a blanket.
“I don’t need one,” I said.
“We need to get you out of those wet clothes, Quinn,” Celia said.
She let out a weird laugh.
A low growl erupted from Liam.
I rolled my eyes, as did Celia.
Aunt Eleanor and Uncle Martin came out with expressions that were equal parts shock and concern.
“Oh my,” Aunt Eleanor said.
Uncle Martin snapped into doctor mode. “Both of you need to get inside.”
I would agree that the fire was only helping to thaw the ice from my body.
“What happened?” Aunt Eleanor asked.
“Yeah,” Liam parroted.
Quinn shivered endlessly.
At that moment, it didn’t matter what had happened. Quinn needed warmth. I was about to cocoon her in between my arms when Chase appeared.
Horror colored his ugly mug. “Please tell me my sister didn’t throw you into the pool.”
“Chase,” Aunt Eleanor said. “Maybe you can get some dry clothes of Tessa’s.”
He nodded without squabbling. “You’ll need some too, Maxwell. Come on. I’ll take you both upstairs.”
I didn’t have time to be shocked over how nice Chase was acting.
Celia must have sensed Quinn’s tension. “I’ll come with.”
Aunt Eleanor nodded. “That’s a good idea.”
“Maiken, after that, take Quinn home,” Uncle Martin said.
We left my aunt and uncle standing by the fire as we followed Chase inside and up to the second floor.
“Celia, Tessa’s room is down the hall on the left,” Chase
said. “Take Quinn into her bathroom.” He opened the door to his bedroom. “Maxwell, in here.”
“I’d rather stay with Quinn,” I said.
“No,” Chase and Liam said at the same time.
It wasn’t as if I were going to watch her undress. I just wanted to make sure Tessa wasn’t in there. “Where’s Tessa?”
“She in my parents’ room downstairs,” Chase said.
Quinn had been quiet up until that moment. “I’ll m-m-meet y-you right back h-h-here.” Her teeth chattered.
It was then that I started to shiver. The sooner we both got out of the wet clothes, the faster we could warm up and the faster Quinn and I could get the hell out of the Stevenses’ house. My first party and my last one. I vowed that I would stay away from parties, especially ones hosted by my enemy.
Chase disappeared into his room while I watched Celia and Quinn go into Tessa’s. Then Chase threw a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt at me. “Bathroom is inside. I’ll wait out here.”
I walked into my enemy’s lair, and my jaw came unhinged. The bedroom was bigger than my house in North Carolina. But I didn’t linger to admire the black-and-white room. I made quick work of changing into dry clothes. Once I was done, I returned to find Chase was gone.
Liam was leaning against the wall. “Where are your clothes?”
“In his shower. I’ll get them later.” Or Chase could burn them. Mom wouldn’t be happy since that was my only set of dress clothes, although Quinn had my suit jacket.
But my clothes weren’t my concern. I went down to Tessa’s bedroom and knocked.
“We’ll be right out,” Celia said in an elevated voice.
“So how’s Carter?” I asked Liam. “Is he still pissed about that rumor?” I hadn’t seen or talked to Carter since he’d punched me.
“He’s fine. He’s more protective than I am.”
“You don’t say,” I teased.
He took off his bow tie. “Quinn is our baby sister. We’ve protected her since forever. So cut him some slack. Anyway, you have sisters. You’ll see.”
I couldn’t protest. I would probably be in Carter’s position one day, either with Emma, Charlotte, or Maple.
“Now, are you going to work on your point-guard skills?” Liam asked. “We need to win games.”
Sadly, we’d lost our first two. At least I could say the second game wasn’t my fault. “During Christmas break.” We were out of school for two weeks. I would use that time to work hard at perfecting the position when I wasn’t spending time with Quinn.
Tessa appeared at the end of the hall, wearing a terrycloth robe and a towel bundled around her head. She swung her dark gaze from Liam to me. Then without a word, she hoofed down to her room. Just as she was about to go in, Quinn came out.
Liam and I exchanged a hesitant look.
“You were in my room?” Tessa sounded outraged. “Ew! You’re in my clothes? Who said you could wear my clothes?”
Quinn bumped Tessa’s shoulder with her own as she passed. “I’ll return them.”
“Don’t bother,” Tessa said.
“What happened anyway?” I asked as the two girls swapped venom.
Quinn held her head high. “Accident.” She started walking toward me then paused. “Oh, and Tessa. You know that rhyme you blab about me all the time? How does it go? Quinn, Quinn never wins. I’ll never get the boy.”
Tessa rolled her eyes. “So?”
The tension bounced off the walls.
Celia scooted around Tessa to stand beside Liam.
Quinn took my hand. “I did get the boy.” Then she tugged on my arm. The four of us headed to the staircase.
After hearing that, I had no words. Tessa was a piece of work for sure.
“Quinn,” Tessa called. “You haven’t won anyone or anything yet.”
Quinn let go of me then spun on her heel. “When school starts back up after the holidays, be prepared for a different Quinn.”
My eyebrows flew to my hairline as I glanced at Liam, whose mouth hung open.
I didn’t know what my girlfriend meant by a different Quinn, but I was eager yet wary to find out.
Dear Reader
I hope you enjoyed reading about all the new Maxwells. There are more books in the series on the horizon. Books 2 and 3 will feature more of Maiken and Quinn. If you would like to stay up-to-date on Maxwell news, come join my reader group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/maxwellmania/
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Have you read Kade Maxwell’s story? If not, chapter 1 of Dare to Kiss can be found at the end of this book.
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Dare to Kiss
Chapter 1
The ball left my hand and zigzagged on its way to home plate, missing Tyler Langley’s glove. I kicked the dirt in frustration as he yelled something back at me—what, I couldn’t say. The buzzing in my ears masked all sound around me. I usually got this imaginary bee in my head when I was upset or angry with myself or even when I was nervous. I didn’t know why it happened. My psychiatrist said it was a way for my body to protect me. It sounded like a bunch of crap, but what did I know about my brain?
Tyler came running out to the mound, waving his catcher’s mitt at me. His mouth was moving, but the little bee zipping around in my head was still loud. When he reached the pitcher’s mound, he tipped up my chin with his gloved hand.
Embarrassed at my performance, I looked away. I hated myself right now.
“Look at me.”
I shook my head.
“It’s okay, Lacey. You’re just tired. You have both your fast pitch and curveball ready. The slider isn’t that important for tryouts. It’s only high school baseball.”
My head snapped up, and I met his soft blue eyes that had helped to lessen the constant noise in my head. “Easy for you to say. This is important to me.” I pushed him away.
What was I doing? I didn’t mean to be such a bitch. He’d been patient with me over these past few weeks, helping me practice. He’d given up some of his summer fun in between his football practice, and here I was giving him attitude.
“I know it is, but you have two excellent pitches, and the coach is only requiring two for tryouts.” He enfolded my hand with his callused one.
A small twinge of jealousy hit me. Things came easy for Tyler, it seemed. Whenever he’d thrown a few pitches to me to show me how the curveball looked, my mouth would always fall open at how perfectly he pitched. He’d played on the baseball team his first year in high school, but gave it up when the football coach asked him to concentrate on football. He’d agreed because he loved the game more than baseball, and it gave him better scholarship opportunities.
“I’m sorry. You’re right. I’m just tired.” I pushed the envy aside. It was stupid of me to feel it in the first place. My performance had nothing to do with Tyler’s talents. I was just extremely hard on myself. I strove for perfection. I had to make the team. Everything I’d wanted was riding on this year, my senior year, and my last chance to show the scouts at Arizona State University that I was worthy of a scholarship. They’d seen me play at my old school, Crestview High in California, and were so impressed that they sat down with me to discuss a potential offer to play for their school.
They gave me two stipulations. One, I had to continue to improve my pitching skills, and two, keep up my grades. If I met these requirements I had a shot at not only a scholarship, but
at being the first female to grace an all boys’ college baseball team—or at least ASU’s.
“It’s getting late. Why don’t we call it quits? You need to rest your arm.” Tyler tapped my ball cap.
I nodded. I did need my arm loose if I was going to continue to practice hard up until tryouts next week. I prayed I could regain my skills. I’d gone a whole year without picking up a baseball. My hands started to shake as I thought about Mom and my sister Julie.
“Are you okay?” He wiped a tear off my cheek.
“Yeah.” Not really.
Almost a year after Mom and Julie’s deaths, I wasn’t sure I had the confidence to face a new life in a new school and a new home. Did Dad and I make the right decision to move clear across the country? My psychiatrist, Dr. Meyers, had recommended it. The memories and the pain had been too much for my dad, my brother Rob, and me. We weren’t healing. We weren’t even living. I’d abandoned my friends. My dad moped around, hiding in his home office. My brother Rob turned down his dream of playing for the LA Dodgers.
Tyler flicked his head toward home plate. “Come on. Pack up.”
We walked over to the dugout in silence. Once inside, I packed my bag, removed my cleats, and slipped my feet into a pair of flip-flops.
As Tyler changed into his tennis shoes, he said, “I’ll get the lights and meet you at your car. We can go get a shake and fries before you head home. I know you like dunking your fries into your shake.” He grinned. It was the same cocky grin that made the girls I’d seen watching us occasionally swoon over him, especially with his blond locks that had a way of curling around his ball cap, and, of course, his ocean-blue eyes.
He was sweet, trying to cheer me up. We’d met when I’d barged into Coach Dean’s office right after I moved here in July. I wanted to talk to him about tryouts and the schedule. I didn’t think the coach would be busy. After all, it was summertime, and baseball didn’t ramp up until tryouts in the fall. Boy, how wrong I’d been. I’d walked into Coach’s office without knocking, and interrupted a meeting between Tyler, Coach Dean, the football coach, and a scout for a large university. Immediately, Coach jumped out of his desk chair, yelling at me for my lack of manners, and to get out. As I slumped my shoulders, cowering like a turtle retreating into her shell, someone in the room had snorted. As I scurried out, I caught a glimpse of Tyler with a grin on his face. Since that day we’d become friends, mostly hanging out on the ball field for practices.
My Heart To Touch: A Maxwell Family Saga - Book One Page 20
