“He’s my best friend,” she said simply.
I tapped the bar. “Well, good that he'll be here close to you then.” My eyes wandered the room. “Small crowd tonight, but I sing anyway so I have to go set up.” I gave her a little hug. “I’m so glad we met.”
“Me, too. We should get together, if you want. Talk guys and shopping and how to fix the world. All that stuff.”
We whipped out our phones and exchanged numbers. Shortly after I started my set, she wiggled her fingers goodbye and stood to leave.
The door. Someone was holding it for her and I knew who it was. I warmed up, inside and out. Just like that, my night was complete.
I had to check out this girl, Crystal Olson. Henna would be interacting with her brother and he might not be Mr. Clean. I needed to know about the sister and get the first run on Conor.
So I invaded, what else. Internet search for everything. Found out where she lived, snooped in her car, checked her class schedule and associates. There was no easy access to her room, since she lived in a kind of group house with three other people. But who needs to break into a house? I took the obvious short cut, followed her the next day and broke into her mind.
Harmless girl. Worried about her brother. Couldn't quite tell me why. Time enough to sort that through when he gets here. In the meantime, Henna had made a new acquaintance and I was happy for her.
But what was with Crystal's confused words about her brother?
Chapter 32
Lying side by side on the grass, students playing Frisbee nearby, and Brecken attentive. My idea of a perfect daytime date. I started to hum. Suddenly something skimmed across our legs and we jumped up, both of us running for the wayward Frisbee.
“Hey, sorry.” Two guys ran over. “You two up for a game of touch football?”
Brecken looked at me and suddenly I wanted him to see me in action. “Sounds good.” I bounced a little, ready to go.
“If the lady is in so am I,” Brecken said so politely. “I’m Brecken and she's Henna.”
“Hi. I’m Joe and this is Perry. Justin and Leah are the other team.” Joe eyed me. “Henna, you want to be on our side?”
I checked Brecken and noticed he seemed a little too eager to be on the other team. Uh huh. I smiled knowingly. He wants to knock Joe on his butt.
“Works for me,” Brecken agreed.
Joe turned to me, speaking low. “Henna, here’s the play....” I hoped we smashed the other side.
My team set up with Joe as our quarterback. The plan was for Perry and me to run up straight lines and cut over after 15 yards. Whoever was most open would catch the ball. I looked up to see that I was against Brecken. He mouthed “The game is on.” Then he stuck out his tongue.
I wasn’t sure what he meant, but I soon understood. He was quick. Before Perry and I had run three feet, Brecken tagged Joe. How did he get to him so fast? Of course, he runs every day. He’s an athlete.
Next time it was our ball, same thing, but this time Joe fumbled and Brecken got it. We were on the defense and Justin was the quarterback. He threw the ball to Brecken who spun around all of us and scored a touch down.
He stuck his tongue out again as he walked past me to his team and I decided I wasn’t going to play fair. He obviously wasn't.
I turned to Joe and told him I was going to run behind him, he should pass it off to me, and I'd take it the whole way. I convinced him and Perry to block Brecken, saying his speed was our greatest threat. In truth, I knew my tricks wouldn’t work on him.
It was my turn to mouth words to Brecken. “Bring it.” And then I wiggled my tongue. Joe counted off and I began to visualize Justin and Leah in confusion about who had the ball. I send images when I'm performing, but this was a kind of performance too, so I simply saw them confused, then cut back and grabbed the pass off from Joe and made my way down the field. Brecken, recognizing too late that Leah and Justin were of no use, sped up to catch me. But Joe and Perry made a great wall.
“Touch down,” I yelled. “Whoo hoo.”
When I walked past Brecken I licked my finger and stuck it up for one point to me. The game continued with more confusion and all the others not quite sure how their fun game of football became Brecken’s and my game of show off. Finally it was a tie and Joe called the game. He was breathing heavily, probably because he took too many crashes against Brecken’s concrete body.
“One last round?” Brecken said. Under his breath he hissed “No tricks this time.”
Joe and the others set up the final play. We had the ball and Joe threw it my way. I jumped and grabbed it. At that same time, Justin and Leah both must have thought that I'd be gone before they could stop me, so they tackled me. I was hit hard and my body flew back. I remember seeing the shock in Brecken’s face, but nothing else clicked in my head.
Suddenly, Brecken and I were rolling. He was wrapped around me, softening the blow of hitting the ground. I heard Leah and Justin yelling and realized their hit had knocked me towards a tree and Brecken shoved me out of the way. My body hurt and his weight was on me and when I moaned, he quickly rolled off to the grass. I tried for a deep breath and coughed.
Then Brecken was touching me. “Nothing broken,” he said. I lay there and tried to catch my breath. Leah leaned over me and Justin's mouth hung open. Joe and Perry were making ooh and ah worried noises. But Brecken was pulsing with red and black vibes. Uh oh, not good.
“I’m okay, everyone.” I lurched to my feet. My body was tougher than it looked. In school, I did the knocking around and I never got hurt or threw up. I focused on Brecken. “I’m fine. Really.” They were still fussing over me, so I tried for a joke. “Does this mean we aren’t doing a tiebreaker round?” I laughed and ended up coughing again.
Leah was aghast. “No, Henna. I don’t know what got into us. It was like I didn’t really think we'd get you. Then we both tackled you. I’m so sorry.”
“Hey, it happens.” I took a deep breath. Ow. “Maybe we’ll see you all out here again.”
Joe gave a big whew. “We’ll look for you.”
Brecken was silent, so I did the courtesies. “Thanks for letting us join in.” Leah still looked concerned. “Don’t worry, I promise I’m okay. Catch you later.”
I went to Brecken and hooked my arm through his. His muscles tightened. “Are you positive you’re not hurt, Henna?”
Perfect time for a kiss on his cheek. “Thanks to your save, all I have is a few grass stains. How about you?”
“We rolled. No damage, just a few grass stains.” He wrinkled his nose at me and I made a face at him. “So you finished with football for life, girl?”
“Nope. Besides, I got to see some of your moves.”
“Mm. You like?”
“Me like.”
He preened for a second, then back to me. “By any chance, do you play tennis?”
“Unfair.” I punched his arm. “You pick one I’ve never tried. Can you teach me?” Big hint for more time together.
“Aren’t you sore?”
“I jolted my neck a little, but it's okay now.” I beamed hopefully at him, visualizing me mastering a tennis serve.
“Okay, but we need different clothes. And I have to get the equipment. How about an hour from now?” He pointed. “Meet you over there at the courts?”
Ah ha. That's why he thought of tennis. I called back over my shoulder. “Half an hour.”
So I got my first tennis lesson. It was mega fun and he promised we’d keep at it until I could play a real match with him. Of course I wouldn't win unless he let me. So I’d never really win, but who cares.
It was easy to be with Brecken. Too easy, in fact. Too easy to want every spare moment with him. My life should be balanced and it was totally out of whack. Was this what it meant to be falling for someone? Ooo, scary thoughts. And dreamy thoughts, because - if it kept on being so good, I wanted this.
Then I worried, because stalking fears and room break ins had gone out the window. But I kne
w they happened and here I was, a giddy girl falling for the guy who did them.
Chapter 33
Sunday morning and boy did I sleep great. Brecken didn't show at the Tavern last night. He's still at his game of advance and retreat, sneaky guy. Of course, he didn't know I could sense that he was in the parking lot and it's weird the way he does that. I'm not going to say a word, though. Better to actually catch him at his silly game. March outside real fast and surprise him peering through the window or some stupid thing. Give him a “gotcha” glare and laugh at the look on his face.
I liked to look different each time I see him and today it was a pair of black jeans, a long sleeved sweater and the olive green beanie that Mom crocheted for my birthday last year. I wanted to learn real stuff about him, so it was the questions game for us this morning.
I beat him to the coffee shop - a first. “French coffee with three shots and a hot caramel macchiato, please. Plus, cut a sesame seed bagel in two and give me four packets of cream cheese. And could I have an extra plate?” I paid and scooted out to our table so I could spread the cream cheese and be ready.
Brecken charged up the steps, plopped down and shoved his sleeves up to his elbows. “You beat me here.” His eyebrows rose at the coffee and I slid half the bagel across the table. His reaction was almost laughable. He made a face, set the cup down and folded his arms, staring at the bagel and cream cheese like it was a piece of cardboard covered with thick mayo.
“Come on, you can’t tell me you don’t like bagels. Besides, it’s only half.” He rolled his eyes. “I’m just trying to get you to eat some breakfast,” I scolded. “Help me out, here, mister. Try some.” I took a solid bite to encourage him. It didn’t work.
“Henna, I eat enough. Do I look skinny to you? Unhealthy?”
Was I acting like a hovering nanny? Suddenly I felt like one. “Am I nagging?”
“A little nagging.” He hunched his shoulders to fake whipped and cowering.
“Forget it.” I snatched his half bagel. “Your loss, buddy.”
Brecken grinned then lifted his arms and stretched, leaning his head back to the sky. I gaped. Too early for this, I thought. He’s drop dead gorgeous. I deliberately stared at the ripples on his belly where his blue shirt rode up. Dang, he looked sexy. I grabbed up the bagel before I grabbed him.
He twisted a little, tugging on each upraised arm, stretching his back on one side, then the other. Exhibitionist, showing off his “healthy” body, so I would take it in. And I did. So, I suddenly noticed, did Allie, who had just arrived and was standing nearby with her eyes half popping out. “Look, but don’t touch,” I hissed under my breath. “He’s mine.”
Of course he heard me.
Allie went inside and Brecken's eyes twinkled, but he didn’t rub it in. “Okay, nagging Henna.“ He dragged the words out. “What’s this game you mentioned yesterday?”
“Don’t call me that,” I snapped, but I grinned too. “The game is just what everyone does. And it’s fun. Here’s the rules….”
“Ach. You love your rules, girl.”
“My game, my say-so. We take turns asking questions and giving answers. If one of us doesn’t want to, we can refuse, but then the other gets an extra question. Deal?”
“Uhh, I thought it was supposed to be fun.”
I flicked his arm twice. “Get with it, mister. Games are what you make of them.”
“Questions, eh. Haven't we gotten past interrogation?” He leaned back, squinting at me over the rim of his cup.
“Come on, everyone does it. Okay?”
Small shrug. “Whatever you say.”
“And no lies.”
He went all innocent little boy. “Why would I lie? Would you?”
“Ha, is that your first question?”
“No. I already have that answer. You can’t lie to me, because I’d know.” He seemed so serious, then abruptly he was laughing. “You should see your face. So offended.”
Well, that was accurate enough. I did get offended if someone accused me of lying. Never mind that I sometimes do; I didn’t like getting called out about it. Still, he didn’t actually say that. “Hey, I thought you were accusing me. Look, I don’t have to answer any more than you do. But the fun is in answering, Brecken, so be nice and stop making such a big deal about a little game. I get to go first.”
And the questions began, just like I planned. I made them light, sometimes frivolous and always stupidly fun.
-What are your five favorite movies of all time?
-Have you ever gotten a traffic ticket?
-How many pushups can you do?
His answer on the pushups didn’t seem right. “I’m calling a lie on that one, Brecken, but you get a pass, cause I don’t know how many I can do either.”
He smirked, still playing at playing the game.
-Where did you learn to swim?
-Did you ever cheat in school?
On and on, learning unimportant trivia about each other, but he wasn’t exactly helping out because every question I asked, he shot right back at me. I decided to get more real, maybe find something he wouldn’t answer, which would be interesting of itself.
-What do you do all day?
-What's your roommate like?
He didn't exactly answer those, which didn't surprise me. And he asked me three questions right back that I wouldn’t answer either. Stuff about my childhood that I wanted to keep private. This game wasn’t quite as fun as I wanted it to be.
“It’s your turn, unless we’re done,” he said.
“Nope.” I went back to things he might answer.
-How long does it take you guys to run your morning route?
-Did you ever break a bone?
-Have you ever dyed your hair?
Again, he repeated my questions back at me, so I upped the stakes. I knew his privacy spot and I went for the jugular. “When do I get to meet Louie?” That one stopped him.
He gazed hard at me for a moment. “Why do you want to meet him?” I heard the caution.
“Easy. He’s your friend. Why wouldn’t I?”
“Right.” More hesitation. “Okay, you can meet him this summer.” He waggled his tongue at me and beat a little tattoo on the table with his fingers. He knew I was surprised by a genuine answer and especially that answer.
“That's a long time away.” I gave him a little pout and looked vaguely at the top of the trees across the street.
He cupped his fingers around my chin and turned my gaze back to his. “But, Henna, he’s not in town right now.”
“Okay, okay. This summer, then.”
He gave me a huge smile and I swear the green of his eyes deepened. “So, you won’t be leaving when your gig is up?”
“I'm sticking around.” I felt a little smug. “That was really another question, so it’s my turn again. What’s your favorite animal?”
He chuckled at some hidden thought and dropped his head back. “That depends. Perhaps stags are best.”
I had the feeling I’d missed something and it was such a strange way to say he likes deer. But it was his turn.
“Have you ever had a steady boyfriend? Someone you dated?”
“Not before you, if this is dating. Everyone else was purely casual.” I turned the tables on him. “Same question.” I chewed my bagel and waited.
He quoted, word for word. “Not before you, if this is dating. Everyone else was purely casual.” I glared as he calmly finished his coffee, so maddeningly satisfied with himself.
I thought about it, though. “Mm, that was the truth, I think. I’m surprised.”
“Yeah? My turn, Henna.” He gave me a sly look and went for his version of the jugular. “Do you want me to kiss you more often than I do?”
“Hey, no fair.”
“All’s fair in love and war. Or so they say.” He was vastly amused.
My cheeks felt warm, but I told him the truth. “Yes, I do. And do you want to kiss me more than you actually do?”
It was his turn. Now what would he ask? It could be anything, but I loved this game, so I took another bite of bagel, stiffened my spine and gave him my brave, bring it on face.
“Is there any part of you still afraid, like when we first met?”
Wow, another question with a punch. Not going to mention the parking lot or outside my house at night. “Mostly, no. Some little part, maybe.”
“Why?”
“Nope.” I shook my head. “My turn. Serious, this time. Should I be afraid of something? Such as, um, you?” Now he wouldn’t answer, and that felt completely weird. “Does your silence mean yes?” I gaped at him, wondering what was going on in his head.
“Things happen,” he finally said. “Things we can’t always predict. You should be a little cautious, I guess. It’s self-protective. But I mean you no harm, Henna. Not ever.”
“What kind of an answer was that? Things happen? Not words of comfort, Brecken.”
“Sorry. Maybe I should have gone for the fib.”
“The fib?” I mocked. Another of his odd words. They were growing on me, though. “My turn. Are you ever the least tiny bit afraid of me?” I didn’t think so, but who knew.
“Not your turn, but I’ll answer. In some ways, yes.” His eyes were fixed on my mouth, I couldn’t read his expression, but I thought I knew where his mind was, because I was half way there myself.
“It’s your turn,” I whispered.
He didn't hesitate. “Sometimes you get upset with me and I want to know why. What do I do that makes you more angry than anything else?”
“Since you asked, I hate it when you abruptly walk off. Several times, you’ve just turned and left, with no excuse. Or you start to give me a hug and when I hug back, you turn away and won’t look at me. And you never apologize. I feel like I haven’t taken a bath or something. It’s rude.” I was sort of embarrassed and finished off the bagel to cover up.
His eyes were soft on me. “Suppose I try not to do that anymore. Would that help?”
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