by Mj Fields
Becca looks down, and by the look on Sadi’s face, even after yesterday, she looks shocked I’m not doing the same.
“She’s not very smart, is she?” I whisper.
Lucas chokes on his water, and I have to bite the insides of my cheeks to stop from smiling.
Sadi stops beside Tommy, who is oblivious to the exchanged looks or anything other than Jade.
He smiles and says, “Hey, girls. This is Jade.”
“Seriously?” Sadi sneers as she glares at me and sputters, “Sitting at the kiddie table now?”
I roll my eyes, and I swear steam rolls from her ears as she stomps away.
“Nice meeting you, um … ladies?” Phoebe yells after her and her friends, and we all laugh.
“So, Tessa, what do I have to do to win your brother over?” Tommy asks, squeezing Jade’s shoulder.
“Good luck.” Jade giggles as she looks up at him.
“No one will be worthy of Jade. She’s the princess,” I inform Tommy.
“And, how about you, Tessa? How does one win you over?” Lucas asks.
Becca and Phoebe quickly turn and look at me, and I know damn well this is going to be a conversation I won’t be able to avoid later.
Glaring at him, I stand as the bell rings, and as I walk away, Lucas laughs.
I swear I can feel his eyes on me as I exit the cafeteria.
Walking out of the school for practice, Lucas and Tommy whistle as we hurry past them to head to the Glen to run our asses off, I’m sure.
I catch Lucas watching Tommy, amused as he smiles at Jade. She, of course, smiles back.
“It’s a hot one, boys; make sure you stay hydrated,” their coach yells as he walks onto the field.
“Head in the game and not on the ass, Tommy.” Lucas pats him on the back then directs him to the field.
Feeling a bit of relief yet something nagging, as well, that he hasn’t given me any of those looks that makes me feel uneasy, I glance back, and he does the same.
Shit, shit, shit. I turn quickly and hurry ahead of the others.
I hear Tommy laugh and say, “Head in the game and not on the ass, Links.”
I knew Alex would be leaving as soon as he could get off the football field, and I intentionally lulled behind, taking my time showering and also holding a long conversation with Coach V so that we’d miss catching a ride with Becca … and Lucas Links.
Jade is a bit annoyed, but all I have to do is bring up Tommy and she starts telling me about the notes again. She does so for three miles.
I want to be happy for her, I truly do, but I’m also scared as hell she’ll get hurt, and I can’t imagine anyone hurting her. She’s been through enough.
Cresting the hill, I see the driveway littered with vehicles.
“We’ve got work to do today.” I sigh.
“Hot as hell, too. We should grab them some water. Unless you have sun tea brewing.”
Mom always has sun tea brewing, but not me.
As soon as I open the door, Dad, who looks exhausted, asks, “You know where the water cooler jugs are?”
I nod.
“Alex brought some hay help. We may have to feed them. There’s a lot of work to be done.”
“We’ve got this, Uncle John.” Jade hugs him.
“Thanks, Jade.” He pats her back then squeezes my shoulder as he walks out the door.
Washing my hands next to Jade, I hear her gasp then laugh.
“What?”
“Look at all those cars.”
“I think you need an eye exam.” I look out the window. “I see a bunch of trucks, but no …” I swear my jaw hits the stainless sink, and Jade laughs. “That cannot be—”
“It so is.” She grins.
My stomach turns, and worry creeps in.
There is too much to do, too much going on to get distracted, and he is likely to do that to me. Hell, he already has. And I wouldn’t consider him a good temptation. I liken him to the apple in the Garden of Eden. And now … Eden’s apple is on the Ross farm.
“You’re home!” Kendall says as she and Jake come running out from somewhere in the house.
I grab a towel and dry my hands quickly before hugging her, and then Jake actually allows me to hug him, too.
I sneak a kiss to the top of his head then step back, asking them both, “How was school?”
They tell me about their day—thankfully, they seem to have both had good days—as I grab the water jugs from the pantry. Jake goes on and on about gym class and getting first place in the football throw. I give him a high-five then grab the first of two jugs filled and pull it out of the sink, set it on the counter, and twist the top off the other.
“Fill that, and I’ll grab hamburgers and hot dogs out of the freezer.
“Kendall and Jake, will you guys go out back and grab a couple dozen ears of corn?” I ask as I walk back to the mud room and grab a bushel basket.
Kendall smiles. “We have company?”
“Never a dull moment,” I say. “Make sure it’s sweet corn and not cow.”
“I know the difference,” Jake huffs.
“I know you do, Jake.” I wink.
“Come on, Jake!” Kendall yells as she grabs the basket.
“Hey, wait for me!” He runs out behind her, and I watch out the window as they hurry toward the field, carrying it between them.
“What’s going on out there?” Molly asks as she walks out of the family room.
This morning, she said she was going back to her apartment in the morning and had stayed in town while Cory was home.
“We have to feed and water the dogs.” I nod to the window. “Hot dogs.”
Molly laughs as she looks out.
When the first load is done, Jade and I are almost to the back of the farm.
We set the basket full of cups and the three jugs of water on the open tailgate then begin filling the cups with ice-cold water.
As soon as the elevator stops, Alex, Mark, Frankie, Ryan, Tommy, and then Lucas slide down the hay elevator, all dripping with sweat.
Jade walks right up to Tommy and hands him a cup of water. And what does he do? He pours it over his head then shakes his hair as he pulls his drenched shirt over his head.
“Much better.” He laughs.
She nods. “Totally.” Jade then grabs another cup and hurries past everyone else to hand it to him. Her expression? Undeniably giddy.
Not that I could disagree. He is quite perfect. Great definition in his chest, and his abs are well-formed. His smile seems genuine, too.
I watch as her eyes trail down his abs and she bites her lower lip when she looks back up at him.
I hand out the rest of the cups and, embarrassingly enough, notice that Lucas hasn’t come to grab one.
Glancing around, I see him sitting on a haybale, wiping his face with his shirt that is now off. Tommy is hot. Lucas is … gorgeous.
I grab a cup, fill it, and then walk it over to him.
“Thanks, Tessa.”
“Thank you for your help. It’s nice of you.” I smile quickly.
“And she can smile,” he jokes. “All I have to do is sweat my ass off throwing hay. Good to know.”
From behind me, I hear Jake and Kendall yelling my name as they run toward me. “Tessa, Tessa, we have the corn. Can we help you make dinner for all the guys?”
“Sure.” I muss up Jake’s hair. “Can you start husking the corn? I’ll be over in a minute to help.”
“You making me dinner?” Lucas asks, and I turn to make a smart-ass comment when he winks. “Our first date.”
Shocked silent, I stand there like an idiot as he drinks down his water. Then he stands up, nearly nose to nose with me. I feel like I can’t breathe as his green eyes capture mine. I swear my heart skips a beat. Then something in his eyes changes.
When I can’t hold in a breath a second more, I exhale.
Lucas smiles but softer this time as he steps back, looking me up and down with an expression t
hat seems conflicted. Then he turns and scales the elevator.
Standing in the loft’s opening, I can feel his eyes on me as I hurry to the house to pack up the food.
I stop and let Dad know, “I’m going to cook the burgers and dogs at the pond. I’ll take Jake and Kendall with me.”
“Thanks, Tessa.” He nods.
After the third load is done, we take out more water jugs then load up the truck. As I climbed in the cab, I look up again and see him watching me, eyes … intense.
Walking up from the camp in the woods, carrying the last large pan of burgers and dogs we cooked in the family cabin tucked in the woods on the property, I hear splashing and laughter just beyond the tree line. Once in the clearing I see them all, and when I say all, I mean every one of them, in the pond.
After setting everything out on the huge table that Dad and Alex made last year, I walk over and ring the chow bell, the one Mom and I bought at the country farm store as kind of a joke, because Jake and Kendall were nearly impossible to get out of the pond when we were ready to eat.
Jade stands next to me, a grin I fear will remain on her face until he breaks her heart, which I’m hoping will be before he breaks her cherry, thus ruining our childhood promise to each other and ourselves, as they all swim in.
Watching Lucas step out of the pond and wiping the water off his insanely handsome face, I completely understand how one could get swept up. I force myself to look away and grab a towel for Kendall and Jake.
Within minutes, plates and the tables are full. Dad and the kids sit next to me, all of us watching the old and new hay help eat, laugh, and chat amongst themselves. The conversation is mostly about football.
I steal a glance toward Lucas as he is doing the same. This time, I summon enough courage to hold his eyes, not wanting to look away, to look like a thief, expecting him to look away first, yet he doesn’t.
I know of his reputation, none of the things about Lucas have been whispered about, leading me to believe he’s ashamed of who he is. The hot, popular, rich football player, who’s had sex with several girls, and a line is forming as we speak of girls at Blue Valley High, all wanting a piece of him. He also just broke up with a girl who, even without a frothing mouth, was obviously rabid.
Even if I had a million falls left in my lifetime, I would never stand in a line for a boy. Nor do I want to be with someone for the sake of convenience, which seems like this is to me. I suppose it’s normal to want to couple up. Convenient that two sets of best friends would want to do so. I don’t think relationships should ever be based on convenience, either.
“Can we make s’mores?” Jake asks.
Lucas smirks, his dimple deepening, eyes sparkling, knowing somehow that he’s going to win this … stare off.
“Yeah, of course.”
I roll my eyes and look away as I head to grab the graham crackers, chocolates, and marshmallows.
“Remember I like mine burnt?” Jake says as I pull the flaming marshmallow out of the fire.
“Jake, it’s literally flaming.” I laugh before blowing it out.
Through the smoke, I see Mom’s car pulling down the driveway. I look at Alex, who shrugs.
Dad appears at my side. “She’s your mom, kiddo. Go say hi.”
I scowl at him. “Why is she here?”
“Taking the kids tonight. Alex has a game Saturday, so she wanted them an extra night. I know she wants you to come, too.”
“When pigs fly,” I huff.
“Go say hello, Tessa Anne.”
I glare at him.
“Now,” he insists.
Forgetting we have a table full, I stomp forward, stopping just far enough away that I don’t have to actually interact with her.
“Tessa, she’s still Mom,” Alex whispers.
I cross my arms over my chest, just finally realizing I am about to be the only one who hasn’t seen her new place. It hurts. It hurts a lot. And hurt turns to anger when the realization hits that I’m the one who busted my ass helping her pack under the false pretense that we were “cleaning.” Anger turns to rage, and I grind my feet into the ground, as if that alone will keep me from having to go any closer.
When she walks toward us, I feel trapped, though I’m in the middle of one hundred acres of wide-open space.
When she hugs me, I don’t return it, and then she moves on to Alex. After that, she asks, “When will you two be stopping by?”
“When will you be coming home?” I snap, and my feet that I planted and had felt like lead, no longer do.
Five, I think as I turn away, but there is no door that will slam shut. There are people; some staring at me.
Shit! I scream in my head when Lucas Links stands up and steps over the bench.
“Tessa,” Mom calls from behind me as I run toward the pond.
“Give her time,” I hear Alex try to calm her.
Four, I think as I pass the table.
Three. I kick off one sandal as I run toward the pond.
Two. I kick off the other.
One. I throw off my tank top and dive into the water.
As soon as I surface, I hear a loud and familiar voice yell, “Cannonball!” and then a squeal as the water splashes over my head.
One arm over the other, I swim toward the floating dock as fast as I can, hoping to expel some of the emotions built up inside of me and pull myself up. Jade is not two seconds behind.
“You all right?”
“Yep, just pissed.”
“Focus on something else, Tessa, like the trees.” Jade points toward the boys. “Those tall, thick, strong trees.”
Laughing, because if I don’t, I know my anger, that’s at the point of boiling right now, will turn to tears. I smack her hand. “It’s not polite to point, you know.”
“You’re going to be okay, Tessa. We’ll keep you busy,” she promises, and then Frankie and Ryan dive in.
After a few rounds of King of the Raft—more accurately, Queen of the Raft, because I managed to be the last standing every time—we all swim in.
Of course I notice Lucas and Tommy helping to carry firewood up from down by camp, which means Alex is building a fire.
I’m glad we’ll be staying here for a bit. I can’t even imagine going back to the house, with more than half the occupants now gone. It just isn’t normal.
Alex threw Jade and me towels when we finally came out of the pond, and yes, the cold spring-fed water did help to settle the anger.
Drying off, I watch Dad walk over to Lucas and pat him on the back. “Thank you, boys, for the help. I’m going to head home. Anyone need a lift up the hill?” When no one accepted, Dad chuckled. “All right then, you have two hours, tops. You need to get some rest for the big game tomorrow night.”
“Dad, could you call Uncle Jack and let him know where we are?” Alex asked.
Dad nods and waves to Alex as he walks toward me.
“You get it all worked out?”
I shrug.
“See you at home.”
Home, I think … Home.
Dad nods and waves as he walks to the truck.
Throughout the night, I find myself thieving glances at Lucas, and each time I do, he’s doing the same. By the time the sun is setting, it doesn’t feel as wrong, and we both even smile at each other.
For Jade, and the distraction, I may be able to play this game … maybe.
After Alex puts out the fire and the others are leaving, Jade motions to Tommy and Lucas. “Ride with us.”
Alex looks at me with annoyance and concern showing, even in the dark.
I roll my eyes. “See you at home.”
He nods then walks to his truck.
Once in the driver’s seat, Tommy and Lucas jump in the back, and we follow Alex up the dirt road and stop by Lucas’s car.
Alex reaches his arm out and waves as he pulls onto Harvest Road.
I watch as Lucas walks to his car, leans in through the open top, grabs something, and then walks tow
ard us.
Jade slides out, and I force myself to do the same.
Walking over toward me, sweatshirt slung over his shoulder, Lucas holds out a familiar-looking envelope. “Can you give this back to your dad and let him know that we had a great time.” He then takes his sweatshirt and tosses it over my shoulders.
“I’d love to help peel you out of those wet clothes, but something tells me you’re more than a first date girl. And Tessa, it was a great first date.”
“Bold move, LL.” I hold up the sweatshirt. “And even bolder presumption.”
“Nothing presumed. We swam, we ate, we stared at each other over a romantic fire.” He smirks in amusement over that last part. “That’s a date.”
“You are so full of yourself.”
“Sure of myself,” he corrects. Then, as he steps toward me, he whispers, “My boy Tommy is going to ask Jade out for dinner and a movie. I’m guessing that won’t go over well unless you and I go, too.” He grabs his sweatshirt off my shoulders and, in a swift move, pulls it over my head. “Shouldn’t be a big deal to us, since we’ve had our first date already, but it’s gonna be to them, so play along, will you?”
I’m ready to call him out on his arrogance once again, as I push my arms through the sleeves, when I hear Tommy, reminding me that Lucas and I are not the only ones here. Thankfully, it’s dark because, if not, he’d surely see me blush.
“Pizza and a movie tomorrow night after the game?” Tommy asks Jade.
“Well, we’ll see. I think it’ll take a lot more of that free help to win Alex over,” Jade flirts … blatantly as hell.
“Thank God we’re past that awkward stage,” Lucas whispers jokingly before finally stepping back, allowing me to breathe.
“Thanks for your help”—I hold up the envelope—“but this was earned.”
He rolls his glorious green eyes. “You have seen me shirtless, Tessa Ross. I lift more than that in my sleep.”
I roll mine back. “You need to get that ego in check.”
“I already put it into perspective; I wouldn’t want to have to wrestle with it again.”
