“You’re always hungry,” she teased. “Where do you put it all?” She shook her head, looking bewildered. She climbed into the cab.
“I don’t know.” I shrugged, closing the door. “Do you like barbeque?”
“Yeah.”
“Good. Have you ever been to the Dinosaur Barbeque?”
“No. We hardly ever came into the city during our visits. We always spent all of our time at the farm.”
“You’re going to love the food at this joint.” As if to prove it, my stomach rumbled.
The place was jamming for a Sunday afternoon. We waited to sit down, hanging out on the outdoor patio, watching the motorcycles come and go. Finally we were called and the hostess led us to a table inside. The smell of barbecue made my mouth water.
“What do you usually order?” Mikayla asked me while poring over the menu.
“I have lots of favorites. Sometimes I get the pulled pork sandwich, the beef brisket, or the ribs.”
“I love ribs. Do you want to get the sweetheart deal for two? It says it comes with a full rack of ribs and four sides to share. You can pick two sides that you like and I can pick two that I like.”
“Sounds great.” I didn’t tell her that usually I ate the full rack and four sides all by myself. I didn’t want to seem like a pig.
We placed our order and then I grabbed her hand. I couldn’t believe my strong desire to be close to her. I’d never felt like this before. I couldn’t seem to get enough of her. “I’ve never met anyone like you,” I confessed, staring into her deep brown eyes.
She raised one eyebrow. “What exactly does that mean?”
“It’s a good thing. You’re different than all the other girls I’ve ever met. You’re honest, you aren’t afraid to speak your mind, and you’re fun to be with.” She relaxed. I wanted to tell her that I was falling for her, and hard, but I didn’t want to scare her. “I like hanging with you.”
She blushed—she looked adorable when she blushed. “I like hanging out with you too.”
“Do you want to play twenty questions again, while we wait for our food? I’ve been thinking of questions I want to ask you.”
“Sure, but I go first,” she said with a devilish grin.
“You went first yesterday.” I sounded like a little kid on the playground.
“I know.” She shrugged.
She was so beautiful, and I wanted her so badly, that I knew I’d have a hard time denying her anything she wanted. “Okay. Shoot.”
“How many girlfriends have you had?” she asked, surprising me. Now I understood the grin.
“Why do you want to know?”
“Just curious? You said I wasn’t like any girl you’d ever met, so it got me wondering how many girlfriends you’ve had.”
“I’ve never had a girlfriend,” I stated, which was the truth. I’d hooked up with a couple of girls, but I’d never had a girlfriend.
“No way,” she exclaimed. “You expect me to believe that you’ve never had a girlfriend?”
“It’s true. I’ve never had a girlfriend,” I repeated, hoping she’d see I was telling the truth. “Why’s that so hard to believe?”
“You’re totally hot, for one thing.” It was my turn to blush. I knew girls thought I was handsome, but to hear Mikayla say it point-blank made me feel uncomfortable. She continued, “You’re the star football player in a town where people eat, sleep, and breathe football.” My cheeks got even hotter. “You’re smart.” I was speechless. “And fun to be with. I thought for sure you’d had lots.”
“I guess I could’ve had a girlfriend if I’d wanted one. I’d never met anyone who I liked, until now.” I was still holding her hand and I squeezed it. “What about you? I bet you’ve had lots of boyfriends.”
“No. I’ve never had a boyfriend. Like you, I never met anyone I cared enough about, until now.”
Suddenly I was the happiest I’d ever been in my life. I couldn’t believe I met someone as special as Mikayla, and like me, she’d never been in a serious relationship. Things were beginning to sound too good to be true. I never had anything I ever really wanted before, and I kept waiting for something to go wrong. Pushing all negative thoughts out of my head, I seized the moment and kissed her full lips. We were here together now and that was all that mattered.
“My turn. What’s on your playlist?” I asked, pulling away and totally changing the subject.
“I have songs by Cold Play, the Fray, Katie Perry, Adele. I don’t have any country, that’s for sure.”
“You’ll come around. You’ll see.” I loved country music and if I had any say in it, Mikayla soon would too. She’d look hot as hell wearing a pair of her short jean shorts with cowboy boots and a hat.
“I doubt it,” she declared, shaking her head. I enjoyed a good challenge and couldn’t wait to prove her wrong.
“What’s your favorite subject at school?” she asked. “I already know you do your homework.”
I smiled at her light teasing. “Math. What about you?”
“Art.”
Just then the waitress arrived with our food. We made quick work out of the ribs and the accompanying sides.
“You were right. That was the best barbeque I’ve ever had. Thanks for bringing me here.” She leaned back and patted her stomach. “I’m stuffed. I think I ate as much as you.”
I laughed. “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
I threw enough money down on the table to cover the bill and we left.
“Thanks,” she said as we walked back to my truck.
“My pleasure.”
“Where to next?” It made me happy that she wasn’t ready for our date to end.
“The mall? I need to buy a new pair of jeans.”
“Sounds good to me.”
I wasn’t much of a shopper. We weren’t at the mall for more than five minutes when I grabbed two pairs of jeans and got in line to pay.
“You’re not going to try them on?” She sounded surprised..
“Nope, I already know these fit. I buy the same ones every time. Guys are all business when it comes to shopping. We get in and we get out. However, when it comes to important things, I take my time.” I winked.
She playfully bumped me in the arm. “Good to know.”
Searching for something else to do, I suggested, “Hey, let’s go check out a new game place that opened up earlier this summer. It’s in a plaza across the street. I haven’t been there yet.”
“Let’s go.”
A few minutes later I held open the door to the arcade. This place had it all—video games, simulators, carnival games, pool and air hockey tables, and even a five-lane bowling alley. I bought a card with unlimited games for two hours. She tried to pay, but there was no way I was allowing it. I asked her out and I wanted to do things right, and that included paying.
“So what’s your favorite game?” I asked.
“Skee-ball,” she answered without hesitation. “My dad took Emma and me to the Pier Saturday afternoons when we were kids. He gave us each our own money to spend. I always went straight to the Skee-ball machines. I saved all of my tickets, week after week, until I had enough to turn them in for a giant stuffed animal. I picked a huge, brown teddy bear that was twice as big as I was.” She laughed. I could easily picture her standing there, the giant bear almost knocking her over, but too proud to let anyone else carry it for her. “Emma turned in her tickets each week. She always ended up with the same carnival garbage. I’d rather be patient and walk away with the grand prize in the end.” She grinned and then looped her arm through mine.
“We have something in common then.” Mikayla was my grand prize. “There are things worth waiting for.” We wandered around, looking for the Skee-ball machines.
“What about you? What’s your favorite game?”
“I don’t have a favorite game.” Her face fell. Not wanting to disappoint her, I quickly said, “I do, however, have a favorite carnival ride.” I took a deep breath. I rarely talked
about myself, and least of all my childhood, but this felt right. “One summer when I was seven, my dad took me to the carnival when it came to town. I’d never been before and I was thrilled to finally go. I couldn’t believe my luck when he handed me a five-dollar bill and told me that I could spend it on whatever I wanted. Then he disappeared into the beer tent, saying he’d find me later. I immediately ran over to the ticket booth and used all the money to buy tickets for the rides before he could come back and change his mind. The scrambler was my favorite ride. I loved the speed and the way it tossed me around inside of the cart. I rode it again and again. By the time I ran out of tickets, it was getting dark and my dad still hadn’t come to get me. I was sure he’d gotten drunk and forgotten. I was hungry and ready to go home, so I started walking, when suddenly my mom pulled up in a borrowed truck.”
“You must have been scared,” Mike declared.
“No, I wasn’t scared,” I answered truthfully, shaking my head. I’d been relieved. My father had forgotten me, so I actually got to enjoy myself. He was a mean drunk. I didn’t tell her that though because I worried it would change how she felt about me if she knew.
“I would’ve been scared,” she stated.
“I doubt that.” I smirked, thinking back to the night I met her. “Aren’t you the girl who wanted to walk home alone in the dark on unfamiliar country roads?”
She laughed and her cheeks turned pink. “Yeah, but some rogue cowboy wouldn’t hear of it.”
“He must be one of the good guys,” I teased.
Suddenly she shouted excitedly, “I see the Skee-ball machines. Right over there.” She pointed to the back right hand corner. “Let’s go play.” Her enthusiasm was contagious. For the first time in my life, I was looking forward to playing Skee-ball.
The two hours flew by. We played everything from Skee-ball to video games. We raced each other on motorcycles and on ski-dos. It was an afternoon I wouldn’t soon forget. We left carrying an oversized horse between the two of us.
I carefully placed it in the back of my pick-up and tied it down with some old rope while Mikayla jumped in the cab. When I got in, I smiled to find her sitting in the middle, right next to me.
“I can’t believe you won that huge horse for me. It took me months of saving tickets to get one. Thanks.” She leaned over and kissed me on the cheek.
“My pleasure.” She was positively beaming. I loved how easy it was to make her smile. I only hoped I could continue to make her happy. Because making her happy felt so good. Not even football made me feel like this.
We continued to get to know each other on the way home, covering all sorts of topics. We talked about school, classes, teachers, and friends. We joked and laughed. We flirted. Her sweet lavender sent filled the small confines of the cab. Her gorgeous body pressed against mine, testing my limits. Several times I almost pulled over to the side of the road to make love to her, but of course I didn’t. I kept my promise to be patient. She was completely unaware of the effect she had on me.
We arrived back at the farm and I quickly jumped out. I needed the fresh air to calm my raging hormones. I ran around to the back of the truck and untied the horse. “When can I see you again?” I asked, setting it down on the front porch.
“Tomorrow?” she said hopefully. “I’ll be here all day, hanging out with Pops.” She tucked a curl behind her ear. “You’re the one with the busy schedule.”
“Shit,” I said, frowning. I forgot all about two-a-days. Hell, who was I kidding? I forgot everything when I was with Mikayla. When I was with her, it was like nothing else existed. “How about after dinner? I can stop over then.”
“That sounds great. I’ll be here.” She smiled brightly. Her smile was intoxicating. I’ve never been drunk, but it must be similar to what I was experiencing right now.
“I’ll come by around seven.” I leaned down and gave her a light peck on the cheek. I didn’t trust myself to give her anything more. My blood was still boiling. I opened the front door for her and all but pushed her and the stuffed horse inside.
It had been hours since lunch and I was starving. I hurried home, hoping to find a pot of soup on the stove or a roast in the oven. When I walked into the kitchen, I knew instantly that something was wrong. My mom wasn’t in the kitchen, like always. It was dinnertime, yet it didn’t smell like it. There could only be one reason why.
I stormed into the living room. My dad was sitting in his battered chair, watching TV. Only I doubted he even knew what show was on. His eyes were too glazed over. He had a drink in his hand and a half empty bottle of whisky on the table next to him.
“What’s going on?” I confronted him. “Where’s Mom?”
“She’s in her room,” he said, slurring his words. I looked toward the stairs. He saw me and explained, “Leave her alone. She doesn’t want to see you.” My dad wasn’t making sense. He got out of his chair to face me, swaying so much that he almost fell over. He was the drunkest I’d seen him in years. His breath was so bad that I felt drunk just from sharing the same air. “We heard that you’ve been benched for the opening game.”
Shit. He wasn’t supposed to find out. I figured Coach would change his mind by game time and my dad would never have been the wiser. I should have known better. People in this town love to gossip, especially about their football team and star players. My dad must have heard about it and taken it out on my mom because I wasn’t here. My eyes hardened as I imagined the scene that took place. My fists clenched at my sides. I felt sick with guilt. “Why’d you have to take it out on Mom? Your beef is clearly with me.” I pointed a finger at my chest.
“Your mom’s fine. Like I said, she doesn’t want to see you.”
I knew he was lying. The sad truth was it didn’t matter. She would defend his actions just like she’d been doing for as long as I could remember. Yet I couldn’t stop myself from saying, “Next time, leave her out of it.”
“Don’t you tell me what to do.” His anger piqued, he shouted, “What were you thinking, you dumb ass?” Seeing the ashtray, he picked it up and threw it at me. I ducked and watched as it hit the wall, spilling ashes and cigarette butts everywhere.
I knew my dad was trying to pick a fight with me, but it wasn’t going to work. I refused to be like him. “What were you thinking?” I snarled through clenched teeth.
Ignoring me, he said, “You better get your act together and fast. There’ll be hell to pay if you don’t play in that game. You hear me, boy?”
“Don’t worry, I got a plan.” Under my breath I muttered, “I want that scholarship more than you know.”
Chapter Thirteen
Mike
It was Friday evening. Pops was already sitting in his chair in the family room, working on another crossword puzzle while watching a baseball game on TV. I thought about joining him until James got here, but I couldn’t stand the heat in the house. I could barely breathe, it was so hot. I didn’t understand how he survived without central air. I raised my hand in a friendly wave before walking out onto the porch. I sighed in relief. Thankfully it was several degrees cooler out here.
I sat down on the porch swing, marveling at how quickly evenings had become my favorite part of the day. The locusts buzzed in the trees. Occasionally loud trucks rumbled by. I gently rocked back and forth. These country sounds were almost as comforting to me as the city sounds had been.
Not two feet away, I watched a robin fly in and out of a nearby shrub. The mama bird kept returning with a delicious treat for her hungry babies, who couldn’t fly yet. Protecting them, providing for them, she put their needs even before her own. I couldn’t help but think of my own mother. I was sure those were the very same reasons why she’d moved us here to Nowhere. I couldn’t deny that I’d been angry at her. Smiling, I realized I no longer felt that way.
James. He was the reason for my change of heart. I continued to smile. It was Fate, meeting him on my very first night here at a party I didn’t even want to go to. As I thought back to th
at night I laughed out loud, causing the bird to fly away again. We’d come far since our initial encounter.
My heart quickened as I thought about how he’d be here soon. I couldn’t wait to see his handsome face, deep dimples, and green eyes. I wanted to run into his strong arms and have him hold me tight. Heat spread across my body as I dreamed about the kiss we’d share.
Slam!
I jumped. What the—? I looked up and saw Emma. “Did you have to slam the door so hard?” I complained. I was just getting to the good part.
She shrugged.
“This is an old house, you know.” Wow, I sounded just like Pops. I guess we did spend a lot of time together.
“What’s your problem?” she hissed.
I narrowed my eyes as I zoned in on the fact that she was wearing my favorite jean skirt, without my permission. “Where do you think you’re going wearing my skirt?” I snapped. I hated it when Emma borrowed my clothes. She rarely returned anything. When she did, it was only because it was ruined.
“I have a date tonight with Casey.” She stuck her chin in the air. “We’re going to the movies with Tyler and Liz.”
“You’re going out with Casey?” I asked in disbelief. “He’s a jerk.”
“You don’t even know him,” she said defensively.
“I know him, all right.” I only talked to him the night of the party, but it had only taken a few seconds to realize he was full of himself. I didn’t hold back. “Casey is a conceited asshole who only cares about one person. Himself. I’m also willing to bet he’s only interested in one thing.”
“You’re wrong. You’re just jealous because Casey asked me out and not you,” she yelled.
I rolled my eyes. I could tell her about Casey hitting on me at the party and asking me if I wanted him to show me around, but I didn’t. She wouldn’t listen anyway. Instead, I gave her a warning. “Just be careful. Casey may not be the guy you think he is.”
“Whatever.” She shrugged. “What makes you think James is so wonderful?” She emphasized his name, mocking me.
“Lots of reasons,” I stated matter-of-factly. I wasn’t going to discuss what was happening between James and I with Emma.
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