That was why he decided to pursue a teaching degree while working as an assistant coach for a stipend as well. When he graduated he had hopes of taking over the Fairfield High School’s phys ed teaching job since their current teacher was rumored to be leaving soon.
We both knew better than to try and plan ahead too much. Fate had a way of stepping in when you least expected it. For now, at least, the universe seemed to be working to keep us together.
The scholarship offer from Fairfield University was too good to pass up, and once Noah realized he wanted to major in education, he’d discovered that Fairfield had the exact program he was looking for.
Some people said we were lucky, but I liked to think that it was fate. I mean, it wasn’t like we’d asked to be next door neighbors when we were kids, and it wasn’t as though Noah had asked for the injury that opened his eyes to what was right in front of his face.
So yeah, some days it felt like everything was out of our control and all we could do was go along for the ride.
He leaned down and kissed me as my teammates filed past us, making teasing comments about how we ought to get a room.
He grinned against my lips. “You heard ‘em, Cooper. We should get a room.” He arched his brows teasingly. “Maybe even a house?”
I groaned because the temptation was totally there. Noah had been gently pushing the idea of me being his new roomie next year now that Neil had moved out to a house off-campus with Avery. But I wasn’t quite sure I was ready to leave the dorms.
He sighed at the sound of my reluctant groan. “Fine,” he said. “I can be patient.”
I rewarded him with another kiss, this one even less suited for a public hallway. “You know it’s not because I have doubts about us,” I started when I pulled back.
His smile was reassuring. “I know that.”
“It’s just that—”
“We have all the time in the world,” he finished, stroking my hair back from my face. “I know.”
“And my parents—”
“Would freak,” he finished. We may or may not have had this conversation before so he didn’t sound disappointed so much as amused. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and we headed toward the exit. I had a team to celebrate with and Noah was always happy to come along. “Not to mention Eric,” he added.
I laughed as I leaned into him. “Oh man, he’d go ballistic.”
Noah laughed too. “That’s actually a good reason for you to move in, don’t you think?”
“His reaction would be something to see,” I admitted.
We were both laughing at the thought of it. Noah and I had been joined at the hip as a couple for nearly two years now, and Eric was totally on board with our relationship.
For the most part.
Just as long as we kept the PDA to a minimum around him.
But no matter how fine he might be about us being together, he and my parents would never not see me as the baby girl in our family. I pretended to mull it over. “Maybe I should consider moving in next fall…”
Noah laughed and kissed the top of my head. “Stay in the dorms, Cal. There’s always next year.”
I grinned up at him. “There’s always next year,” I repeated. The rest was unspoken. And the year after that, and the year after that…
One thing had become clear for both of us these past two years. This was no mere crush and it was no short-lived fling. What we had was the real deal and whatever came next? We’d face it together.
His arm tightened around me and he leaned down to talk softly into my ear, repeating the phrase we’d come to love so much. “We have all the time in the world, my love.”
Keep reading for a sneak peek of Kate & Levi’s story in The Perfect Match.
Thank you for reading The Perfect Catch! If you enjoyed it, reviews are always appreciated. To stay up to date on sales and new releases, sign up for Maggie Dallen’s newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/bFEVsL
Looking for more YA sports romance? Check out the Briarwood High series. The entire series can be found here, and each book can be read as a standalone.
Out of His League
A Whole New League
The Perfect League
The Holiday Kiss
The Prom Kiss
The Candy Cane Kiss
The Perfect Match
Levi
The cafeteria was loud and crowded, but it still looked pathetically small compared to my old school. I made my way through the line, trying not to notice the stares and the whispers, which were all saying basically the same thing. Check out the new kid.
Starting a new school senior year of high school sucked. And starting over at a school that was about a quarter the size of my old one in a rinky-dink town in Upstate New York was just beyond lame. I mean, no town could compare to New York City, but Fairfield? This was the end of the earth. My mom literally dragged me to the outer limits of civilization, and all so she could marry Bob—AKA Robert Arnold Senior. Not to be confused with his annoying seven-year-old son, Robert Arnold Junior, AKA Bobby.
AKA pain in my butt.
Bob and Bobby were the reason I was stuck here, in my own personal hell, while the rest of my friends were back in New York enjoying good pizza, and perfect bagels, and cafeteria food that didn’t look eerily similar to the gross mush my old neighbor’s dog enjoyed so much.
I frowned down at the food on my plate as I headed into the depths of the cafeteria, pointedly not making eye contact with any of these losers who were way too excited at the sight of a new kid in their midst.
I just needed to find one table that wasn’t packed so I could sit alone, or at least with a few empty chairs around me. I needed a buffer between me and this sea of strangers.
Well, they were almost all strangers. All but three. In a fit of boredom I’d joined a local charity softball tournament over the summer when we’d first moved here. Three other Fairfield seniors had been on the team and one of them was waving enthusiastically in my direction.
Maddie.
Sweet girl, but way too cheery for my liking. She was the ultimate joiner—the kind of girl who thought everyone should have a million friends and belong to every club.
I played soccer. That was it. I’d been playing since before I could walk, my mom liked to say. I had no dreams of going pro or anything, I just liked it. I liked to be moving. If I didn’t keep moving I got bored.
Hence, the softball team this past summer and my new soccer team which would start up in about a week.
“Levi!” Maddie called out from my right as I drew closer. “Levi, over here!”
The girl was persistent, you had to give her that. Wasn’t it obvious that I was ignoring her? I didn’t need any new friends, I had plenty back home and I’d be back there as soon as humanly possible. There was no point getting close to any of these people, not when I was one foot out the door, and even if I did want a friend I definitely couldn’t deal with one who was so…friendly.
Maddie was still beaming and waving in my direction. I looked to my left but all the tables were full. I spotted Ox, one of the other teammates from the summer. Big and brooding, the giant mute was surrounded by his football team, although true to form, he kept his mouth shut and his eyes on the food in front of him.
Friendly he was not. In fact, I don’t think I’d heard him say more than a handful of words the whole time we played together. For that alone, I sort of liked the guy. But not enough to go join him and the other meatheads for lunch.
“Levi Havish, I know you can hear me.”
I could hear her. Maddie’s voice was louder than the rest of the chattering voices combined.
I finally looked straight at her and was rewarded by a giant grin and a big wave. “Come join us!”
I went up to her table and looked to see who “us” referred to. There were girls I didn’t recognize sitting on either side of her, but it was the brunette, sitting across from her, who caught my eye.
Kate.
She was the other Fairfield High girl on the softball team, and she drove me nuts. Not necessarily in a bad way. Actually, not at all in a bad way. She was just…intriguing.
Kate glanced up at me from beneath a thick curtain of dark hair and looked away quickly, her cheeks turning a pretty shade of pink from just that little interaction. Like she was embarrassed she’d been caught looking in my direction.
She’d been like this the whole time we’d practiced together and during the tournament, and even afterward when we’d all go out for pizza or back to the coach’s place to celebrate. She’d avoided me like the plague.
She wasn’t outgoing with anyone on the team, but she outright avoided me.
In fact, I was pretty sure she hated me.
The feeling was not mutual.
Unlike Maddie, Kate was shy. Unlike Ox, Kate was sweet. Unlike me, Kate was nice.
I wanted to get to know her but every time I tried to talk to her she found some way to avoid me. Which was fine. I mean, I wasn’t heartbroken or anything. Sure she was cute, but I didn’t have a thing for her. I just wanted to get to know her.
Like I said—she intrigued me. I’d honestly never met anyone who held their cards so close to their chest, or any girl who acted so weird around me. Every time I said anything to her she blushed or ducked her head or ran away. Sometimes all three. I was one big walking, talking personal affront to this girl.
And that intrigued the hell out of me. Maybe that made me a masochist, I didn’t know.
All I knew was that I was dying to know what went on behind those big green eyes of hers. Every thought and emotion was locked up tight and she gave nothing away.
She had the overall demeanor of a scared kitten, but when she got out on the field she was all business. In fact, on the field she was kind of a badass.
She was like no girl I’d ever met before. Maybe it was a location thing. A girl like Kate would have been eaten alive in my old public school. To me, Kate was an enigma. A riddle. A mystery.
And she was ignoring me. Again.
“Have a seat,” Maddie said, gesturing to the empty seat beside Kate.
I saw her stiffen as I sat down beside her.
Seriously, did I smell? Most girls liked me—that was not me being cocky, just stating a fact. Girls tended to like me. I wasn’t unattractive, and I was easy to be around. That’s what I’d been told, at least. I cracked jokes, I hung out. I wasn’t like that brick wall, Ox, or our intense and way-too-serious softball coach, Noah. I was normal, or at least I was close to it.
“This is Tracy,” Maddie said, pointing to a pretty redhead to her right. She turned to the blonde beside her. “And this is Kelly.”
Both girls smiled and greeted me like normal people.
Unlike Kate.
“And of course, you know Kate,” Maddie finished. Kate was not normal. That was the only explanation I had for the way she bobbed her head and shot me a smile that was quick and more like a wince than a grin.
Her reaction to me was like a cattle prod to my sarcastic reflexes. It was a jolt to some part of me—that part of me that hated to be ignored.
I wanted to make her smile. I wanted to make her look at me—to acknowledge me, at the very least. “What’s up, Kate?” I leaned over so I was in her space, and I dropped my voice to a mock sexy tone. “Did you miss me?”
“Um…” She stared down at her sandwich like it might have the answer.
She was too nice to say no, and not confident enough to tease me back. For the first time in this whole miserable day my smile felt genuine. I leaned down slightly to try and see past her hair but she tucked her chin further until she resembled an armadillo curling in on itself.
Maddie intervened. “How’s your first day going?”
I arched a brow in response and shoved a fry into my mouth. They were the only food item I recognized on my plate so it looked like I’d be carb loading it today. Note to self—tomorrow follow Kate’s example and bring a lunch.
“That good, huh?” the redhead teased. See, now she got it. She understood how to interact at a lunch table like a normal human being. What the hell was her name again?
“Let’s just say I’m underwhelmed,” I said as I chewed.
“Levi just moved here from New York,” Maddie explained to the others.
“Uh, yeah, we know,” the blonde said. She gave me a cute little smile. “You’re all anyone is talking about.”
I returned her smile and there was definitely a moment. A meshing of gazes, a certain understanding. The blonde was totally flirting with me.
I looked away from her, smug as all hell in my first-but-not-last conquest, but not eager to take that flirtation to the next level. Two reasons. One, I had less than one year at this school and in this town. Then I was on the first train back to New York, and back to my real life. Two, this school was small, but I’d caught sight of at least a dozen hotties this morning alone. It wouldn’t do to choose one before I had a chance to browse.
I was an equal opportunity flirt like that.
With that in mind I moved my gaze to the redhead and was rewarded with an equally flirty smile. “So, what brought you to Fairfield?” she asked.
Ugh. Wrong question, redhead. “What can I say? I just couldn’t resist the epic apple orchard scene you guys have got going on.”
My tone dripped sarcasm and the blonde and the redhead giggled in response. “Yeah, it’s pretty boring here,” the blonde said.
“I’d kill to move to New York one day,” the redhead added with a sigh.
Yeah, no kidding. Who wouldn’t prefer the big city to this Podunk town? I managed to keep my mouth shut so I didn’t offend…Tiffany? Carla?
Crap. What were their names? I made a mental note to ask Maddie later. Maddie was most definitely not making eyes at me or giving me flirty grins. And thank God. I liked the girl—it was impossible not to. She was so damned friendly. But after all of five seconds in her company it had become clear that she and I had a totally platonic vibe between us.
We’d gotten along great on the team but in that brother-sister way that made it hard to think about her as an actual girl, despite the fact that she did little but talk about boys. But despite her obvious love of the male species and my corresponding love of all things female, we would never be more than friends.
Now Kate, on the other hand… She was definitely not my friend. For better or worse. Though, I noted with satisfaction that she seemed to have relaxed beside me as I’d made small talk with her friend. She’d even tucked some of her hair back behind her ear so I could see her profile.
Yup, still pretty. Hot, even. Or she would be if she ever looked a guy in the eyes.
One of our teammates had said that about her, and I’d realized it was true. Honestly up until that point I’d thought she was cute, but I’d been more focused on the fact that she played soccer.
Have I mentioned that I love soccer?
Of course, every attempt I’d made to talk to her about it had ended with her blushing or finding an excuse to run away.
But then Neil had made that comment and I’d looked at her. Really looked at her. Holy hell, had he been right. It was easy to overlook her beauty because she was always hiding—behind her hair, averting her eyes, or tucking her chin.
But the looks were there. It was undeniable. The girl wasn’t just cute, she was a freakin’ ten.
“What about you, Kate?” I asked.
She stiffened, her eyes darting up to meet mine and then back down again. “What?” Her voice was little more than a whisper as her shoulders curled in. Jeez, did she think I was going to hit her or something?
“You ever been to New York?”
She shook her head, simultaneously saying no and shaking loose her hair so it once more fell in front of her face.
I felt a now-familiar surge of irritation. What would it take to get her to talk to me? Hell, I’d settle for her making eye contact. Just acknowledging I’m alive.
�
��How do you guys know each other?” the redhead asked. Her gaze was going back and forth between me and Kate.
Maddie started to explain. “The three of us were on the same—”
I interrupted, throwing an arm over Kate’s shoulders and ignoring the fact that she shrank into herself like I was a human carrier of the plague. “Kate and I go way back. Don’t we, Kate?”
I’d imbued the words with all sorts of double meanings. Dirty innuendos filled the air and Kate turned a crimson red.
Maddie rolled her eyes. “Don’t be an idiot.” To the other girls, she finished explaining. “The three of us were on the same softball team this summer.”
“Oh, that’s right.” The blonde looked to Kate. “I forgot Maddie said you signed up for that charity thing too.”
The blonde’s voice was super nice when she talked to Kate, almost like Kate was Maddie’s little sister, or something, or a friend who had some sort of mental handicap.
I waited for Kate to respond but she just dipped her head, her face still flushed. She hated being the center of attention. I knew that. Anyone who had known her for more than a heartbeat knew that.
“She was surprisingly good,” I said, mainly so someone would say something.
Kate shot me a look but I missed it. She’d turned her head back down before I could see. “Don’t get me wrong,” I said to Kate. “You were good. Just not as good as Maddie.”
Maddie beamed and tossed her hair back. “Yes, well. I am Fairfield’s star player, you know.”
“I think I did hear that somewhere,” I said. It had become something of a joke between us because unlike Kate, Maddie knew how to take a joke.
“Rumor has it Kate here plays soccer,” I said.
I felt her stiffen beside me.
“Maddie says she’s good—”
“She’s amazing,” Maddie gushed. But then again, Maddie was a gusher. Her friends were the funniest, smartest, most talented people in the whole wide world—at least, that’s how Maddie saw it.
The Perfect Catch (Kissing the Enemy Book 1) Page 16
