Hard Game (Wild Boys Sports Romance Book 1)

by Harper Lauren

  I looked up from my conversation with the women and instantly met Cassy’s gaze. She looked stunning in a sophisticated-looking white dress and flat sandals. I thought she’d curled the ends of her hair too, which gave her a more alluring, feminine appearance. She had on some light makeup that enhanced her natural beauty just right.

  Suddenly, I felt conscious as I approached to welcome them. Clad in a plain blue button-down and a pair of jeans, it was probably the most I’d dressed up the past weeks I had been home. I was glad I’d also shaved and gotten a new haircut.

  “Hi,” Cassy said casually.

  Before I could say anything, my mom appeared right beside me to usher them into the living room. “Is this your niece from the city, Ellen?”

  “Yes, this is Cassy,” Miss Young answered. “Cassy, this is Lisa Willard, Ivan’s mom.”

  “Oh, my, “You’re much more beautiful than your aunt Ellen told me,” Mom gushed.

  Cassy and her aunt laughed.

  “Thank you, Mrs. Willard,” Cassy said. “It’s nice to meet you. And you look really pretty yourself.”

  That made Mom beam. “That’s so sweet of you, darling.” She then turned to the guests spread out in the living room and dining area. “Let’s go to the back, everyone. My sons have set up dinner there.”

  With the dishes laid out on the table along with Owen’s centerpiece and the soft yellow lights in the background, the scene actually looked like a picture out of a country and garden magazine. Not that I’d ever read one, of course.

  Cassy and I ended up sitting beside each other. She took one bite of Mom’s roasted chicken and closed her eyes with a heavenly look. The way she looked at that moment made my heart pulsate quicker.

  “This is sooo good,” she said, opening her eyes again and looking at me. “Your mom’s a wonderful cook. I’d probably get fat if I had to eat her meals all the time.”

  I chuckled. “Yeah, I’ve had to resist them all these years to keep fit whenever I’m home.”

  To my amazement and amusement, she actually ate a whole plate of chicken and pasta and even got a bit more for her second serving.

  “So…” Jenny, who was seated on the other side of Cassy, began. “I’ve been telling Mel here about this dress you made for me, and she’s absolutely envious!”

  I glanced at the dress Jenny had on and nodded with approval. It was a replica of the one Cassy had worn before.

  “Can you make one for me too, please?” Mel pleaded, leaning toward Cassy. She was seated next to Jenny. “I’ll pay you, I promise. Or how about an ex-deal?”

  Cassy laughed, her eyes twinkling in the dimness. “Sure thing. You want one that’s exactly like that? Or how about another style?”

  “Okay, maybe a different kind of dress,” Mel said. “Something conservative I could wear at work. But still fashionable.”

  “Oh, of course,” Cassy said. “I’ll draw up some options later. Perhaps something else that would be more flattering for your slim figure.”

  “She’s really talented, Mel,” Jenny said. “You should see her other drawings.”

  Mel’s eyes brightened. “You know, I’ve got an idea! How about if you design a new outfit for our high school cheerleaders? They’re thinking of upgrading their look, you know? They’ve been wearing the same outdated uniform for years and finally the school’s agreed to give them the budget.”

  Cassy looked excited. “That would be awesome, Mel.”

  They continued to discuss the idea as I listened with fascination. It wasn’t that I was actually interested in fashion, but I just loved the fact that Cassy was blending in so well and being opened up to new opportunities.

  Everybody had fun during dinner, especially Mom. I was truly relieved and happy to see her mingling with other people again like her old self.

  As for me and Cassy, it was a miracle we didn’t exchange one word of insult or sarcasm. Perhaps we wanted to be nice in front of everyone, or maybe she was on good behavior because she was in my territory this time.

  The other guests had to go early after dessert, but Aunt Ellen was still caught up in a conversation with Mom, leaving me more time with Cassy. We hung out in the backyard with Owen who seemed very comfortable with her, sharing a lot of his college adventures and pranks. She even shocked us with some of her own stories.

  Owen’s phone rang. It was his ex-girlfriend. He suddenly turned all serious and excused himself.

  “Cassy, I want to give you something,” I started when it was just the two of us.

  “What for?” she asked in surprise.

  “Just,” was all I said. I left and went back with a medium-sized box wrapped in brown paper.

  “Well, that’s a big package,” she said, looking at it with a puzzled expression on her face. “What is it?”

  I placed it on the long table. “Open it.”

  She did, revealing a second-hand sewing machine that was modern and handy. It was of the latest model too. She gasped when she saw it. “I can’t accept this, Ivan,” she told me, though her face showed how much she wanted it.

  “Hey, it’s fine,” I told her. “It’s slightly used, though, but Mrs. Wells promised me it’s still in mint condition. I just came across it while getting some stuff for Mom at The Craft Lady.”

  “I don’t know what to say,” she admitted, her fingers sliding across the surface of the machine.

  “How about thank you?” I suggested with a grin.

  “It’s just weird coming from you,” she said.

  I laughed. Then I actually took her hand in mine and looked into her eyes. “Consider it a peace offering, Cassy. A truce.”

  A grin began to form on her lips. “A truce? I’ll think about it.”

  “Oh, come on! I got it so you can do your fashion shit and get out of this town quick, all right?”

  She grinned wider. “All right,” she said, nodding. “Thanks. But let me pay you when I start earning from it.”

  “No problem,” I agreed, squeezing her hand. I didn’t let go and she didn’t pull away, either. We stood there for a while, gazing into each other’s eyes, feeling our connection taking on a deeper level. Our hearts seemed to speak in silence.

  Suddenly, Owen came bounding back. “Hey, guys! What did I miss?”

  Cassy broke off from our shared gaze. Smiling at Owen, she said, “Nothing much.”

  I quickly let her hand go. “Yeah, nothing much,” I seconded.

  Chapter 13

  Cassy

  Three weeks passed. I didn’t spend much time with Ivan except during our work in the farm. He’d been busy helping his brother get a job while he was on a break from school. Meanwhile, I’d also been preoccupied designing clothes for women in town. Word got around fast here, which was doing wonders for my business.

  What was more, the high school cheerleaders had gone gaga over my designs. It had taken them a while to decide. I sewed one piece which they loved, so I actually got the services of two other local dressmakers to make the rest.

  A knock came on the door. “Cassy?” Aunt Ellen called. “Ivan’s downstairs to pick you up.”

  It was a sunny Saturday, a very special day for me because of two reasons--- I was going to watch the cheerleaders perform their halftime routine wearing my design, and I was going there with Ivan on our sort of first date.

  I smoothed down my skirt and retouched my lipstick before going down.

  I remembered how Ivan had casually mentioned about the football game and the cheerleaders’ performance. I’d been so ecstatic I almost threw my arms around him. But I hadn’t.

  For weeks, we had both been careful not to touch each other or be left alone. I really don’t get it, but it was all good because I didn’t think I’d want to have an affair with someone right now and get into all that emotional shit. And with Ivan, it was always more than physical. There was something there that we were both afraid to explore further.

  Then he’d offered to pick me up and go to the game together. That h
ad been quite surprising. I’d hesitated, but eventually said yes. It wouldn’t really be a date. It just sort of made sense because he’d been there since Day One of this project.

  “Hey,” he greeted when he saw me. He seemed to appreciate how I looked, but didn’t say anything. I was a little disappointed.

  He looked really handsome with his hair brushed up in a tousled way and his intense brown eyes drilling a hole into mine. There were stubbles growing on his chin again, which complemented his rugged features and made him look more irresistible. I think I was more drawn to this version of him than the shaved one.

  He was wearing a simple black collared shirt and jeans, but radiated like the star that he was. Even though he hasn’t been on the playing field for long, his aura of confidence was still apparent.

  “Gotta brace myself for your fans again,” I kidded while we were on the road.

  He chuckled. “Well, can’t blame them.”

  That made me groan. “You are so full of yourself, Willard!” I said with exaggerated disgust, punching him lightly on the shoulder.

  Through the weeks, our banter had turned into something friendlier. Even when he would insult me or call me names, I didn’t get offended anymore. Maybe we just got used to each other.

  Just as I had expected, we had to weave our way through a crowd of raving football fans who recognized Ivan. Most of them wanted pictures taken with him, so I slipped off to settle on the bleachers where Jenny and her new local boyfriend were seated. I surely didn’t want to see the women swooning over Ivan. It was gross. Or was I just jealous?

  Right before the game started, Ivan plopped on the seat beside me. “Hey, you disappeared,” he said to me. “Sorry I got trampled on by the fans.”

  I made a face at him, which made him laugh. “Oh, don’t apologize for your stardom,” I said in a sarcastic tone.

  He was about to make a retort but was interrupted by another couple joining our group.

  “Alex, my man!” he greeted the muscular guy who had arrived with his pretty girlfriend. They were actually both good-looking. “Glad you made it,” Ivan said.

  “Told you we’re staying in town,” Alex answered.

  Introductions were made. I found out that this was the other superstar in town, the first one who’d gotten into the professional football league in the city. And he was now the quarterback of Windfield Warriors, which made him an even bigger name than Ivan.

  Suddenly, Jenny gave a little scream which startled us all. She held up Rosie’s hand where a shiny diamond ring was sparkling from her ring finger. I wasn’t an expert on jewelry, but I could tell it was an expensive one.

  “I can’t believe you guys are getting married,” Jenny gushed. She and Rosie hugged and laughed while the guys each gave Alex a slap on the back.

  “Congratulations,” Ivan said. “Settling down, huh?”

  “Yeah,” Alex said, grinning. “What about you? Anyone special yet?”

  “Nah,” Ivan replied. “Nobody worth my time and attention.”

  Alex laughed. “You’re gonna grow old and wrinkly alone, dude.”

  Hearing what Ivan had said made my heart sink. Had I actually been hoping I meant more to him than just someone he had to babysit or someone he could pick on?

  My mood shifted to a much better one when the game began and the cheerleaders came out on the field, looking chic and dandy in my original design. The uniforms were short cutout dresses in black, blue, and gold that brought out their sexy figures and made their legs look longer.

  “Oh, my gosh, Cassy,” Jenny said. “They look gorgeous in those outfits!”

  “Wow!” Rosie exclaimed. “Their cheerleading outfits are awesome. Those must have cost a fortune.”

  Jenny laughed. “Rosie, their fashion designer’s sitting right with us.” She pointed to me, and I gave her a little smile.

  “You designed that?” Rosie said, obviously surprised.

  I nodded. “Just starting my fashion career, though.”

  “Wow, I’m impressed,” Rosie said genuinely.

  “Thanks,” I said.

  The game was beginning, and the crowd went wild already as the football team members got into position.

  “Let’s talk later after the game,” Rosie whispered. “You might just be the answer to my prayers.”

  I wondered what that meant, but it sounded promising. I smiled at her as she intertwined hands with her fiancé. They looked really happy together. I began to wonder how it would feel to have someone special like that.

  I tried to focus on the game, but I couldn’t really understand a thing. It looked like a bunch of big guys trying to tackle everybody else, which didn’t really excite me. It was, after all, the very first football game I had ever watched. Nope, I never stayed long to watch even our own team’s games back in my high school and in college. I only went to the games when I was dating one of the players.

  Finally, halftime came. I leaned forward with renewed interest as the cheerleaders did their dance and stunts smoothly and gracefully. The crowd went wild. I beamed with pride, knowing that the outfits somehow contributed to their wonderful performance.

  After the game, as we were leaving the high school’s open stadium, the head cheerleader caught up to me.

  “Miss Cassy?” she said. “I wanted to personally thank you for designing our new uniforms. The whole look is fantastic, and the design allows us to move more freely. The material you chose is perfect too.”

  “That’s great,” I said, smiling from ear to ear. “Just call me Cassy, please.”

  “Okay, thanks again, Cassy!” she said.

  When she left, Ivan gave a low whistle. “Somebody’s going to be busier in the coming month,” he said, grinning.

  “And I’ll finally be able to pay you back.” I told him.

  “Don’t even think about it, Cassy,” he said. “I told you that’s supposed to be a gift.”

  “But you already agreed to let me pay you,” I insisted.

  “Fine, it’s up to you,” he said, conceding with a look of annoyance on his handsome face.

  “You guys make a really cute couple,” Rosie remarked, giggling.

  Ivan and I exchanged an uncomfortable look. I heard Jenny and her boyfriend snickering, though.

  “We’re just friends, Rosie,” Ivan said.

  “Actually, we’re more like friend-nemies,” I added.

  “Oh,” Rosie said with a puzzled look on her face. Then she broke into a smile and said, “Even better then!”

  Before we could react further, she changed the topic, talking about her wedding plans which they planned to hold in town soon.

  “When are you getting married?” Jenny asked in an excited tone.

  “In two months,” Rosie answered, her eyes lighting up and her face glowing.

  “Oh, I’m so excited,” Jenny enthused. “You’re having it on your horse farm? It’s gonna be sooo beautiful!”

  Rosie nodded. “I know. I’m getting the jitters, but really excited about the wedding. And of course, life with Alex.”

  We headed straight to The Creamery for an early dinner where we talked more about the wedding. I was utterly shocked when Rosie turned to me and asked how I’d feel about designing a wedding gown for her.

  “Me?” I said, not sure if I’d heard her right.

  “Yes,” she said with a smile. “Just show me some designs so I can weigh more options. I really want a local talent to make my dress for this big day.”

  “Oh, but I’m not originally from here,” I told her. “I grew up in Windfield. It’s my dad and his sisters who are from this town. I’ve been staying with my Aunt Ellen for more than a month now.”

  “Her dad owns Diamond Industries,” Jenny added.

  Rosie’s eyes grew wide. “Wow. The IT company. I’ve seen their main tower in Windfield.”

  “Tell me more about your dream dress and the theme you want for your wedding,” I told Rosie, veering away from the subject of my dad and his compa
ny. I didn’t want to be associated with it for now because I wanted to make a name in a different field, without any help whatsoever from my parents.

  As she spoke, I leaned forward, listening intently. I could picture the scene she was describing as if it was happening before my very eyes--- a western-themed wedding with touches of rustic elements and country flowers. The bridesmaids would be wearing cowboy boots with their dresses, while the groomsmen would have cowboy hats on their heads.

  With my chin perched on my hand, I twirled around a strand of my hair as Rosie went on. It was just a habit, I guessed. But when I glanced to the right, I caught Ivan staring at me. He quickly looked away, though, while my heart began to beat very fast.

  My fingers shifted to my ear. That’s when I realized with alarm that my earring was missing. I touched my other ear quickly. The other one was still there.

  “Oh, my God,” I whispered in panic. “My earring’s missing. I must have dropped it on the bleachers.”

  “Is it expensive?” Jenny asked, her eyes shifting to the one that was still on my ear. Her eyes widened as she gazed at the remaining gold hoop earring with real rubies and diamond studs.

  “Yes,” I answered. “My dad gave it to me.”

  “Let’s check the car first,” Ivan suggested. “Come on, Cassy.”