The Hard Way: a Sports Romance

by Katie Ashley

  Margie laughed. “I didn’t mean on the phone. I’ll have to call for her in person.

  She’s working on the south field today.”

  “Excuse me?”

  She laughed. “I don’t suppose you know too much about farming.”

  “No, ma’am. I don’t.”

  “Avery is plowing corn in the south field.”

  Holy shit, I wasn’t expecting that one at all. Sure, the house was out in the bumblefuck, but I’d never been on a real life farm before. Avery Prescott, who was slated to be valedictorian of Harlington, was plowing the south field…whatever the hell that meant.

  “You mean, Avery’s on, like, a tractor?”

  “Well, it’s actually called a harvester, but it’s like a tractor. When she’s on it, she wears a headset to protect her ears from the noise. That’s why she leaves her phone behind.”

  I grinned. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Perkins, but Avery doesn’t come across as the harvester type.”

  “Well, she’s always done chores around the farm, but since I lost my husband this past summer, she and her mother have taken up the plowing.”

  My heart twisted a little at the news of Avery losing her grandfather. I’d lost mine two years ago. He was one of the few decent people in my life who had actually shown me love, and it had been hard as hell to say goodbye. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

  “Thank you. You’re very kind.”

  “What does he want with Avery?” a voice questioned from the kitchen doorway. When I glanced behind Margie, I saw an adult version of Avery—well, if Avery was more of a free spirit who let her hair down and liked wearing tight shirts that showed off her rack along with short shorts. Damn, Avery’s mom was a straight-up MILF.

  With her arms crossed over her large chest, she glared suspiciously at me. I didn’t know if she was pissed because she could read the NC17-rated thoughts in my mind or because I was there to see Avery.

  “We’re working on a project together for our AP British literature class,” I said.

  “That better be all you’re working on with her. I know your kind,” Avery’s mother spat.

  “Rose,” Margie chided.

  Since you could cut the tension in the air with a fucking chainsaw, I took a step back. “If this is a bad time, I can hook up with Avery later.” At Rose’s hiss, I quickly added, “I mean, hook up like get together. You know, to work on our project. It’s about anti-love in Shakespeare’s love stories.”

  Jesus, I was babbling now. No one ever got me rattled, but Rose sure as hell could. Maybe it was because the look in her eyes told me she would be happy to dismember my dick without a second thought.

  Rose rolled her eyes. “I’ve got to go change and get to the shop.” With one final death glare, she brushed past me and headed up the stairs.

  Margie gave Rose’s retreating form a disapproving look before forcing a smile to her lips. “Come on. Let’s go find Avery.”

  “Sounds good.”

  I followed Margie through the kitchen, out the back door, and down the porch steps into the yard. We walked in silence for a few moments before she turned to me. "I'm sorry about my daughter."

  I shrugged. "It's not the first time a mom thought I was going to take advantage of her daughter."

  "It's about more than that with Rose." When I glanced at her, Margie said, "I’d say you remind her of Avery's father."

  "Avery's never told me anything about her dad." Actually, I didn’t know Avery well enough for her to really tell me anything. I’d put two and two together from our conversations that she didn’t have a dad around. Although I was curious, I sure as hell wasn’t going to be a nosy dickhead and ask her. He could have been some drunk abuser who had left Avery scarred emotionally, and maybe even physically.

  As I processed what Margie said, I couldn’t help asking, “Do I look like him or something?”

  Margie shook her head. “No. It’s more about the fact that like you, Avery’s father came from a wealthy background with a political father.”

  “You know who my family is?”

  She nodded. “This is his district, is it not?”

  “Yeah, it is.” I guessed Margie had seen my face along with my father’s on some of his campaign paraphernalia.

  “I wish I could say I voted for him,” Margie mused.

  With a contemptuous snort, I replied, “Don’t feel bad for saying that. He’s an asshole.”

  Margie laughed. “I didn’t vote for him because he’s a Republican, and I’m a life-long Democrat.”

  “Oh, my bad.”

  We reached the top of a massive hill. At the bottom of the rolling grass sat a red painted barn. The sound of an engine could be heard in the distance. “Avery must be taking a break if she’s bringing the harvester back to the barn.”

  “Okay, I’ll head down there and meet up with her.”

  Margie nodded. “It was nice meeting you, Cade.”

  “Thanks. Same to you.” For one of the first times in my life, I actually believed a word of praise. Margie Perkins hadn’t said that to be nice or to impress me. She’d meant it. Even though I was really an asshole who didn’t deserve compliments, somehow it felt good to hear one from her.

  As I started down the hillside, I became enveloped in the waist-high grass. Since I wasn’t a big fan of snakes, I hoped I wouldn’t step on one. The last thing I needed was my man card revoked after Avery and Margie heard me scream like a little girl.

  By the time I got to the bottom of the hill and made my way across the pasture, the harvester’s engine had silenced, and I guessed Avery was in the barn. When I came around the side of the barn, I skidded to a stop. Avery held a bucket over her head while water cascaded over her body. “Fuck me,” I muttered, but it was more like fuck her—at least I wanted to.

  Seeing Avery in her work uniform was nothing compared to seeing her in a pair of jean shorts and a white tank top that had become see-through now that it was wet. My mouth ran dry as I watched the streams of water running over Avery’s curves—the very curves that for the first time, I wanted to get my hands on. My dick jumped in my pants at the sight of her nipples hardening with the cold.

  What the hell was wrong with me? I couldn’t be having X-rated thoughts about my school partner. She was not one of my spank bank girls. She was way too good of a person for me to be fantasizing about banging her against the barn.

  When Avery turned to put the bucket down, she caught sight of me and jumped.

  I knew I needed to call attention away from the half-mast boner in my pants, so I went with the first thought that entered my mind: a Kenny Chesney song.

  “She thinks my tractor’s sexy. It really turns her on!” I belted.

  Avery’s face turned the same color of the barn. I knew she was hella mortified when the redness spilled off her face and onto her shoulders.

  “W-what are you d-doing here?” Her hands flew to fluff out the skin-tight t-shirt currently molded against her body. I hid my frustration that she had cock-blocked the fantastically detailed view of her tits.

  “My dad needs me home tomorrow for a ‘let’s pretend we’re the perfect family’ photo shoot. When you didn’t answer your phone, I went by Rose’s, and your cousin gave me your address with a side order of eye-fucking.”

  Avery’s embarrassment turned to amusement as she picked up a towel beside the water basin. “I guess you met Mae.”

  “Yeah, I did.”

  “She’s my mom’s older sister’s daughter, and she’s a man-eater.”

  “I totally got that vibe.”

  “I’m sorry you had to be objectified because I didn’t answer my phone,” Avery teased as she toweled some of the water off her hair.

  “Nah. It’s okay. We all have our shit to do.” When Avery started drying her body off, my mouth ran dry again. I fought the urge to take the towel away from her and let it be my hands on her body, not hers.

  Needing a subject change, I jerked my chin at the barn. “So you’r
e a real life farmer, huh?”

  “Sort of. I just help out from time to time.”

  I pointed past her at the harvester. “It’s pretty badass that you drive that thing.”

  Avery laughed. “Really, it’s not that hard.”

  “It looks it to me.”

  “Maybe I can teach you how to drive it one day.”

  “Why not today?”

  Avery’s green eyes widened. “You’re serious?”

  “I’ve never been on a real farm before. Might as well see how it’s done.”

  Avery stared at me like I’d just said I was a woman or something bat-shit crazy like that. “You actually want to go on the harvester?”

  “Why does that seem so shocking?”

  “Uh, maybe because you’re not the farm type.”

  “I’m all about new experiences.”

  “What about our Shakespeare paper?”

  “We’ve got the rest of the afternoon to work on it.”

  Avery nibbled on her bottom lip. “Okay. I was just about to put it in the barn, but I guess it wouldn’t hurt to get in another half an acre.”

  “Awesome!”

  She grinned as she shook her head at me. “You really are a man of mystery.”

  I laughed. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

  We walked over to the harvester, which looked just like your average tractor except for the funny circular things on the front and the fact that it had a small cab. “Go ahead and get in,” Avery urged.

  After climbing inside the cab of the harvester, I gazed around, taking everything in. “It looks like the inside of a video game,” I remarked. When I glanced to my right, I saw a control pad full of buttons. “What do these do?”

  “Don’t touch those!” Avery commanded from her perch on the step.

  I held my hands up. “Sorry. My bad.”

  She gave me a sheepish grin. “It’s just I don’t know what half of those do. I only use a few.”

  After she climbed inside, we both tried squeezing our asses on the small seat. “This really isn’t made for a team effort.”

  “It’s okay.” I cocked my head at her. “You could always sit on my lap.”

  Her face colored. “I think I’ll pass.”

  “I won’t bite.” After winking, I added, “Unless you ask me to.”

  My teasing little come-on was rewarded with a snort that made Avery seem even more real to me. The A-crowd girls would have cared too much about what people thought of them to snort.

  Avery raised her brows at me. “Do girls actually like those kind of jokes?”

  “Most of the time.”

  “That’s pretty sad.”

  “Once again, you’re busting my balls, Prescott.”

  “At least I’m not sitting on them.”

  I couldn’t help busting out laughing since it so wasn’t something I expected her to say. Avery grinned at me as she leaned forward to crank up the harvester. “Okay, now you’re going to want to put it into gear.”

  “How do I do that?”

  “By putting your hand on the gear with the black knob and then pulling it back toward you.”

  “I can do that.” Of course when I reached forward, my hand accidentally brushed against the underside of her breast. When she flushed and ducked her head, I quickly said, “Sorry.”

  “It’s okay,” she murmured.

  Once I pulled back on the black gear, the harvester lurched forward. “Put your hands on the wheel.”

  I cut my eyes over at Avery. “Wow, you don’t say. I would have had no idea.”

  “You’re such a smartass.”

  “Hold the phone. Did you actually just say a cuss word?” I questioned incredulously.

  “Yes, I did. I’m not a total goody two-shoes.”

  “Could have fooled me.”

  After shooting me a pointed look, Avery instructed, “Now accelerate slightly.”

  I eased my foot down on the gas and we started picking up speed. “This is pretty cool. Kinda like driving a 5-speed car.”

  “I told you it was easy.”

  Taking one hand off the steering wheel, I motioned to the circular things on the front of the thresher. “How do you make those things go?”

  “Well, first, you want to wait until you’re ready to work a row of corn.” Avery pointed to the left. “Pull over there to where I had stopped.”

  “Yes, captain,” I replied with a mock salute.

  Once I got in place, Avery motioned to a yellow gear that had several black buttons on it. Although I tried paying attention to all she said, I started getting lost. “Um, maybe you should just push them.”

  She laughed. “Okay. I can handle that.” After working the buttons, a loud grinding noise filled the air before the whooshing sound of the circular things got going.

  Since it was pretty loud, Avery leaned closer to me. “Basically, the harvester strips the stalks from the ground. Then the conveying system separates the ears from the stalks. The ears get dropped into the bucket down below while the stalks get blown out the fan duct to the ground.”

  “Ooh, I love it when you get all technical on me,” I teasingly shouted.

  Avery threw her head back and laughed. Although I couldn’t hear the sound over the engine, I liked the way she looked when she did it. We continued down the row, and we rode along silently as corn stalks disappeared before our eyes.

  “Had enough yet?” Avery called over the roar. When I nodded, she shouted, “Then just take a right and pull us out to the barn.”

  “Gotcha.”

  When we were out of the high stalks, Avery once again worked the black buttons. Thankfully, the noise died down, and I could hear myself think again. Of course, I probably needed to tune out what my mind was thinking about Avery’s body pressed against mine. There was also the fact that even after toweling off, she was still pretty wet from her bucket bath.

  A wet, hot body within reach of my hands just itching to do some grabbing? Oh yeah, it was time to get out of the harvester—ASAP.

  “Can I hop out for some fresh air?”

  “Sure.”

  Instead of me having to clamber over Avery to get out, she hopped down as well. Avery brought her hand to her forehead to shield her face from the sun then threw her hand up in a wave. “My mom’s leaving for work.”

  “You know, you and your mom definitely have a Gilmore Girls vibe.”

  Avery jerked her attention from the hillside and over to me. “You actually watched that show?”

  “My sister loved it back in the day. She got me hooked. I might’ve Netflixed it some when I was by myself too.”

  She shook her head. “You are full of surprises, Mr. Hall.”

  “Just don’t tell anyone at Harlington about it. I have a reputation to protect.”

  “Yeah, I know all about your reputation.”

  “You do?”

  “Yep.”

  “Well, a wise person once said not to believe everything you hear.”

  “Then tell me what’s fact and what’s fiction,” Avery countered.

  “Fine. Ask away.”

  “Did you get kicked out of your last prep school?”

  “Fact.”

  She cocked her head at me. “Was it really for having an affair with the French teacher?”

  I snorted. “Is that what people said?”

  “It’s one of the rumors I heard.”

  “Well, that would be a big fucking no, especially since the French teacher at my last school was not only seventy years old, but a dude.”

  Avery wrinkled her nose. “I guess not.”

  “But I did get kicked out because of a teacher.”

  “Oh?”

  “Yeah, I stole and hacked into my history teacher’s laptop to change some of my grades.”

  “Cade, that’s horrible.”

  “Yeah, well, that’s not all of it.”

  “You mean you did something else besides stealing to try to cheat?”

&n
bsp; “While I was going through the files, I found this folder full of naked pics of Dr. Hagler. They were ones he was sending to chicks on dating sites. He had probably uploaded them to his work computer by accident. So, I decided to leak them.”

  Avery gasped. “You didn’t?”

  “I did.”

  “What happened?”

  “Well, the IT department was eventually able to trace the leak to me. I got expelled, and Dr. Hagler got fired.”

  “Wow,” Avery murmured.

  “Yep. Pretty much.”

  Avery and I had been so lost in conversation I didn’t realize we’d crested another hill and started toward the pasture fence.

  “So this is all your grandparents’ property?"

  Avery nodded. "Yep. All fifty acres. Well, it’s my grandmother’s now that my grandfather passed away." She motioned to the fence. "Except for that land there, that belongs to grumpy old Mr. Frost.” Avery continued staring out into the woods. “It’s a shame too because it has this beautiful pond with crystal clear water."

  It was then that I was struck with another one of my ideas. "So let's go swimming."

  Avery’s eyes bulged. "W-what?"

  "I said let’s go swimming.”

  After swallowing hard, she replied, “I thought that was what you said.”

  “Come on. It's hot as balls out here, so let's cool off."

  "But what about working on our paper?"

  “Would you lighten up? It’s only noon, and I don’t have to be home until eight. Unless you have some pressing social engagement I don’t know about, we’ve got all afternoon to work on the project.”

  “You just automatically assume I don’t have anything to do,” Avery huffed.

  “That’s not what I said at all.”

  “You alluded to it.”

  “No. I didn’t. It would make sense that if you had something to do, you would have let me know earlier.”

  “I guess you’re right.”

  “Of course I am.” I then hoisted myself up on the fence and sat down. Turning around, I held out my hand. “Come on. Live a little, Prescott.”

  Avery took a cautious step back. “But Mr. Frost is known to call the police whenever he catches someone on his property.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I have a feeling we can outrun Mr. Old Fart Frost before he can call the police.”