by Codi Gary
“What is there to say? People don’t flatten tires or call you a slut unless you’ve done some serious fucking up. People hate me, Mike. Nothing you say or do will change that.”
“You listen to me.” He cupped her cheeks in his hands and brought her gaze up to meet his. “The only thing you did was walk away from a jerk when he pushed you too far. You are amazing and brave, and you don’t let anyone make you feel bad about that.”
Ellie blinked as her eyes stung with tears.
“That’s sweet.” She reached up and covered his hands with hers. “But it’s my problem, Mike. Not yours. I can handle it.”
“I know you can, but you don’t have to do it alone. You deserve respect, Ellie.”
“Respect? I’ve never had respect from anyone except my sisters. Definitely never from a man.”
“I respect you, Ellie. I am here, telling you that I will be by your side, telling you that you are worth more than a thousand of the jack asses you have dated.”
God, his words were exactly what she wanted to hear, which is why she pulled away. “That’s sweet, Mike, but I have always handled the hard stuff alone. Why would it need to change now?”
She pulled his hands down and squeezed them. And before he could open his mouth and say something that would make her break down and lean on him, she walked away.
Chapter Nineteen
Later that day Mike sat at his desk, cursing at Mr. Thompson’s laptop. He still hadn’t figured out the root of its problem, and with his already short temper, he was about to throw it across the room.
He couldn’t stop thinking about Ellie and what she’d said about never having respect from a guy.
No wonder she didn’t stick with any man for long.
Thinking back on his own romantic past, he was constantly changing and adapting who he was to get whatever woman he wanted. The girl in high school who had liked long hair, or Ashley, who had wanted a guitar-playing rocker boyfriend with tattoos. He’d gotten one in a place hardly anyone ever saw. Even for Gemma, his best friend, he had become everything and anything she needed. He had changed everything about himself except his outsides to give them what they wanted and it hadn’t been enough.
Wasn’t he doing the same thing now? Or was he finally exploring who he was? He had always wanted to grow a goatee, but had been told it made him look like a derelict from his mother. He loved the motorcycle and how relaxed and free he felt not having to please everyone all the time and live up to some ideal he had created.
And Ellie had helped him with that. What had started out as him changing for some unknown woman, he found himself coming into his own and women were noticing.
Even Ellie.
But did she just like who he had become or did she like who he was as well? Did she want the computer expert with the hidden comic book collectables, or did she like the daring motorcyclist?
Would the real Mike Stevens please stand up?
His phone rang and he picked it up, pushing his dark thoughts aside.
“Bits and Pieces Computer Repair.”
“Michael, it’s Mr. Greenfield. Our alumni mascot is too sick to play in the game tonight and I was wondering if you still had your costume.”
Mike paused. “Yeah, I do.”
“Will you fill in tonight? We could really use you and you know it’s for the kids.”
“Can’t I just donate the suit for someone else to wear?” Mike asked, grimacing. Just another of his many stunts and regrets, something else he’d done to get a girl.
“To be honest, Michael, I have called everyone and no one wants to do it. You were so good.”
“Yeah, when I was in high school. I don’t really want to be jumping around in a funky mascot costume at my age.” Or have anyone know it was him.
“We’ll keep it between us, I swear.”
Mike wanted to say no so bad, but Mr. Greenfield had probably used him as a last resort because he knew Mike wouldn’t say no. Mike was the go-to guy, the one that bailed everyone out of a jam.
And as much as he wanted to, he couldn’t say no and screw over the school. The mascots competed at halftime and people put money in the bucket of the best one. It was one of the biggest events and could get hilarious.
Mike did like to make people laugh.
“What time do I need to be there?”
Ellie was busy getting changed that evening for a relaxing night at home. Without having to go to the alumni game for Forrest tonight, she could just curl up with an episode of Firefly. Mike had introduced her to the series the other night, and she’d become addicted to it.
Plus, she loved to watch Nathan Fillion in a pair of tight trousers.
She was just pulling on her sweats when the phone rang. Picking up her cell, it was a blocked number.
“Hello?” she said, taking a chance that it might be her dad again.
Heavy breathing echoed in her ear.
“Hello. Who is this?”
More breathing. Ellie’s skin prickled with apprehension and anger.
“If you think some mouth-breather is going to scare me, you’ve got the wrong idea, asshole. Why don’t you—”
“You’re gonna pay, bitch,” the raspy inhuman voice hissed.
The line clicked dead and Ellie threw it on the bed, her hands shaking. It wasn’t her first death threat, and they’d all amounted to nothing. Most of the time it was a guy she’d rejected who felt like she owed him.
Still, it didn’t help that she was home alone and pretty sure the front door was unlocked.
She rushed out and flipped the deadbolt as the phone rang again.
Ellie grabbed the phone, and when she saw it was Jenny, she slid her hand over the screen. “Hey, where are you?”
“I am just leaving my parents and thought I would swing by to get you for the alumni game.”
“I’m not really in the mood. Besides, after what happened today—”
“Oh, screw Forrest and his bruised ego. You are a part of this town and it is about time you started acting like it. Here in Rock Canyon, we love our traditions, our guns, and our fundraisers. Right now, you’re batting zero and it’s no wonder half the town wants to skin you alive.”
Ellie shivered. “Can you please not say things like that to me?”
“I was kidding. No one wants to skin you. Are you okay?”
No, somebody was threatening her, but she wasn’t going to drag Jenny into her drama.
“Yeah, I just don’t really feel like going, that’s all.”
“Please! I don’t want to show up by myself and have to find someone to sit with. I want to go with my bestie and cheer on my boyfriend.”
Ellie smiled at the way Jenny said boyfriend, as though it was something precious.
“We’ll just go to the game. No bars or bonfires or parties. What do you say?”
Ellie stared out the window into the front yard. Did she stay here alone all night, wondering if her stalker was out there watching her or did she get out of the house for a few hours? She could avoid Forrest and Wayne.
“Fine. How long until you pick me up?”
“Give me twenty, and I’ll bring dinner.”
Mike stared at the old Bruin mascot uniform he’d worn in high school and grimaced. How had he ended up back in high school, in the same locker room where he’d been tormented his freshman year? If it hadn’t been for Travis transferring in their sophomore year and having his back, he probably would have continued to be slammed into lockers.
Every year, the school put on a football game with the current high school varsity team and put them against any alumni who wanted to play. Some of the guys in the locker room were pushing fifty, but still they came out to get their asses handed to them by a bunch of kids. The whole point of the varsity versus alumni game was to raise money for the high school sports programs and it was all supposed to be in good fun.
“Come on, old man, let’s get suited up,” said Ryan Kent. Ryan was a bean pole with braces and freckles,
but he was a good kid. Mike had met him a few times doing computer work for RCHS and he was always in the computer lab—just like Mike used to be.
“Hey, now, squirt, let’s save the trash talk for the field.”
“Squirt? I’m taller than you!”
Before Mike could respond, a roar rose up from the other side of the lockers where the football players were getting dressed.
“Who are we?”
“Bruins!”
Mike rolled his eyes. How many concussions have you had that you still think this is a good way to get fired up?
Snarls and growls echoed through the room. “Let’s kick some ass!”
Green jerseys jumped and whooped past them as the players filed out. When Forrest passed Mike, he glared at him. “You’re lucky you aren’t on the field tonight, Stevens. I’d fuck you up.”
“I don’t need pads and a helmet to take you on,” Mike said.
Forrest lunged, but Travis, who was right behind him, grabbed his jersey and slammed him into the lockers.
“Get your ass on the field, and shut the fuck up,” Travis growled.
Mike didn’t need Travis to fight his battles for him, but Travis was the one person Forrest as genuinely afraid of. Maybe it was his size or the fact that Travis had the power of a multi-platinum super star behind him. Either way, Forrest avoided him and his bad side.
After the players filed out, Mike finished getting dressed. Before he put his head on, he gave Ryan a mock fierce look.
“You’re going down, cub.”
Ryan’s laugh came out like a donkey bray. “I’ll see you on the field, you old fart.”
Mike adjusted his head, cutting off his laugh and they walked out of the locker room towards the field. Crowds of people with foam fingers and stadium seats filed past, and Mike couldn’t help scanning the crowd for Ellie.
As he walked out onto the track and headed towards the visitor’s end, he slapped Ryan on the back and started jogging. His breath fogged up his bear head, enhancing the stale, musty smell inside. When he got to the end of the cheerleading line, which included Kirsten Winters, Katie Connors, and Hope Weathers, he started waving to the crowd.
He stopped when he saw Ellie, wearing a green RCHS baseball cap and gray T-shirt to go with it. She was smiling at something Jenny said, and just the sight of her joy made him hot, the sweat trickling down his back and forehead. He walked over to where they were sitting, and stood in front of them.
Jenny noticed him first. “What’s up, Clark?”
Mike grinned behind his mask. He was taking over for Clark, and apparently the coach had kept his word about not saying anything.
Ellie turned his way, her hazel eyes twinkling.
Mike covered his mascot mouth and blew her a kiss.
She caught it, like he knew she would, and held it over her heart, laughing. That was his fun-loving Ellie, with the great since of humor and playful nature. The Ellie he’d seen today, with her teary pain-filled eyes had made him want to tear apart everyone who had ever hurt her. He wanted to keep her safe.
The officials did the coin flip and the game began. Mike danced when the alums scored a touchdown, doing the moonwalk in a circle and drawing cheers from the crowd.
By the time halftime came around, the high schoolers were up by a touchdown, and Mike took the field across from Ryan. The theme from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly came on over the speakers and Mike pretended he was a gunfighter, bringing up his imaginary gun and Jake fell to the ground, writing around until the music to “Cotton Eye Joe” came on.
As the two mascots got into a dance off, the crowd went wild, especially when the cheerleaders joined them. Mike was a little surprised at how limber some of the older women were and when they finished with “Love Shack,” they ran off the field.
Just before the team took the field again, the announcer came over the speakers and said, “And the winner of the mascot war was…the alumni!”
The crowd cheered and booed from either side. Mike went back over to where Ellie was seated, noticing her worried expression as she talked to Jenny. Was she talking about him?
Chapter Twenty
The second half of the game went swiftly, ending with the high school varsity team beating the alumni 35 to 21. It had been neck-and-neck during the third quarter but due to an interception and a long yard pass, the kids had kicked the adults’ ass.
Ellie noticed the mascot seemed to be looking her way again, and she stuck her tongue out at him. He responded by turning his back on her, sticking his butt out, and wiggling his nubby tail at her.
Ellie laughed, the tension from earlier eased by the mascot’s antics and by Jenny’s excitement that her boyfriend was the alumni’s wide receiver. She would definitely have to thank Clark later for entertaining her.
“Well, I promised I’d take you home right after,” Jenny drawled. “No going out for a drink or grabbing some burgers.”
“You’re kind of pushy. Did anyone ever tell you that?” Ellie stood up and started climbing down the bleachers.
“All the time.”
They reached the track and headed towards the exit together. Jenny was rambling on about the importance of socialization, but Ellie was watching Forrest on the field. His helmet was off and he was screaming as he waved his arms violently around. As they drew closer, she could hear every word.
“You fucking idiot, who taught you how to block? Huh?”
“Dude, chill, it was just a game,” one of the other players said.
Forrest pushed him and one of the coaches ran over to break it up. “Why don’t you go home and chill out?”
He threw his helmet and headed for the gate just in front of them, exiting as they passed. When Forrest’s rage filled gaze met hers, he advanced on her. “You. If you hadn’t fucked Stevens and gotten into my head, we wouldn’t have lost.”
The people around them, including Jenny, stared at Ellie.
“I didn’t sleep with Mike or anyone else. I just didn’t want to see you anymore.”
“Yeah fucking right. You couldn’t even wait one day to wrap those fat thighs around him.”
Ellie glared at him. “I don’t remember you complaining my thighs were fat when you were trying to get between them.”
“Because I heard you were a sure thing! But I guess you only whore for losers.”
Out of nowhere, a blur of brown and green hit Forrest, sending him flying back through the gate. Ellie watched in horror as Clark the mascot threw back a brown furry fist and hit Forrest in the middle of his face. Blood exploded from Forrest’s nose and he stumbled back again when the Bruin took off his head and swung it at Forrest’s chest, sending him flailing back over the bench to the ground.
Without him even turning, Ellie knew the mascot wasn’t Clark. It was Mike.
And he’d just beat the hell out of Forrest with his bear head.
Giggles bubbled up from Ellie’s mouth as Mike grabbed the alumni’s giant drink container and dumped it all over Forrest, who lay sputtering and cursing. People gave the men a wide berth, but Mike’s voice rang clear and he picked up his head.
“You go near her again, even look at her wrong, and you’re going to disappear. Period.”
Mike turned and headed back toward the gate, ignoring the shouts as Forrest climbed to his feet and people held him back.
Ellie saw the purpose in Mike’s eyes and it tightened everything low in her stomach. What was it about watching a man defend her honor that made her want to rip off that bear costume and screw his brains out.
“Hang on to my head.”
Mike thrust his bear head at her and before she knew it, he had picked her up in his arms and was striding away, leaving Jenny and the rest of the town to gape after him.
“That was quite a scene,” Ellie said, her voice shaking with laughter.
“He was lucky I couldn’t kick in this costume or I would have taken out his family jewels.”
People pointed and stared at them as they
passed, some laughing, others just wide-eyed. When they finally reached the parking lot, and his SUV, Mike set her on her feet.
He unlocked the door and started pulling off the bear costume, revealing jeans and a T-shirt underneath.
“Thank you for what you did.”
Before she could blink, he had taken the bear head from her and tossed it inside the car. Then, he pressed her against the car, cradling her face. “You deserve to be cared for and cherished. How do you not know that?”
She couldn’t answer though because his mouth was on hers, devouring her and she could feel every hard muscle in his body tight against her. Her hat went eschew as he deepened the kiss and the explosion of want touched every nerve in her body as she gripped his back with her curled hands and kissed him back.
When Mike pulled away, he was breathing as hard as she was.
“We should probably get out of here. Do you want to come over to my place?”
Biting her lip, she wanted to say yes.
“I want to, so much, but I have to make sure Dalton is coming over to be with Jenny.”
“Because you think that whoever slashed your tires might come back?”
“Yes. I’m worried if I leave them alone too long, someone might hurt them.”
“You think they would try to break in? Why?”
“I got a freaky phone call tonight. I don’t really want to talk about it, but I just don’t feel comfortable leaving her alone.”
Mike nodded grimly. “Now I regret carrying you off. Call her.”
Ellie pulled out her phone and pressed Jenny’s name.
“Hey, where did you two go?”
“We’re in the parking lot. Is Dalton with you?”
“Yeah, he’s staying over. What about you? Are we having another guest tonight?”
“No, I’m going to his place.”
Jenny squealed. “You are telling me everything tomorrow.”
“You’re as nosy as your mother!” Ellie teased.
“I can’t believe you said that!”
“I’m kidding. I love you. Make sure the front door is locked before you go to bed.”
