Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 73794 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 369(@200wpm)___ 295(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73794 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 369(@200wpm)___ 295(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
Fuck me. I truly did have it bad when I was romanticizing getting to snooze with someone. And even knowing how precarious our situation was, I was still counting down to the weekend and our chance for a private sleepover.
Chapter Nineteen
Caleb
The day of the football fundraiser was about as perfect an August Saturday as one could wish for in Mount Hope, sunny with a warm breeze without being sweltering, ideal weather for the charity game, followed by the fundraising dinner and silent auction. I’d worked with other committee members assembling tents, hanging decor, laying out mementos of past teams, and arranging food deliveries the past few days. Accordingly, watching everything come together for a sellout crowd was almost as big a rush as pulling off a rescue on shift.
My adrenaline was nothing compared to Scotty and the rest of the high school team, who predictably had prevailed in a game of touch football with the alumni. The game had been raucous and loosely refereed with the focus on entertaining the crowd. My own entertainment came from watching Tony coach the kids. He radiated positive vibes the whole time, celebrating their successes more than any miscues. And after winning, the team was in a celebratory mood as they heaped their plates full of food from the buffet.
“That’s what I call a win.” Scotty was hyped, and it was fun to see him so enthusiastic.
“Victory, but they made you work for it?” I teased as I refilled a tray of romaine lettuce.
“Exactly.” Cosmo was extra-earnest as he filled his plate with nearly half the salad I’d set out. Scotty and John ambled down the buffet line to the barbeque brisket and pork options. “We let the old-timers have their moments, but we also showed what we’re made of.”
“It certainly left people excited for the season.” I gestured at the crowd, many of whom were wearing the school colors of red and black. Angel had the idea of offering a select number of season tickets with guaranteed good bleacher seats, which were nearly sold out.
“That’s ‘cause Scotty and John are an unstoppable combo.” Cosmo finally finished filling his plate right as his mother wandered over from the ticket sales table.
“Don’t forget to mingle and encourage bidders on the silent auction items after you eat.” Angel stole a breadstick off Cosmo’s heaped plate.
“Make sure you bid on the private Pinball Pizza party.” Cosmo made pleading eyes at his mother, who merely sighed.
“Already done.” She jerked her head toward Tony, who was also filling a plate. “Make your uncle bid on something too. There are a ton of dinner-for-two options.”
“Quit meddling in my love life, Angel,” Tony grumbled as my back muscles tightened. In a perfect world, he’d bid on said dinners for us, not some random person Angel was dying to set him up with.
“Thou would have to have a love life for me to meddle in it.” Angel gave an arch smile before she and Tony both meandered toward one of the many tables set up for attendees to eat at.
I finished restocking the buffet before making my way to where Scotty was sitting, finishing his dinner. Our mother had come over from Portland for the fundraiser, and she was making one last pass through the silent auction items. Figuring she’d eventually make her way back to Scotty’s table, I took a seat next to Scotty but not before glancing over at the table with Tony, Angel, Cosmo, and the rest of the huge Capo family, which included two other sisters and a bunch of nieces and nephews.
I carefully turned my attention back to Scotty. “Was there something you wanted me to bid on for you?”
“Dude, you’re hopeless.” Scotty cocked his head in the direction of Tony’s table, but I chose to ignore his implication.
“So that’s a no. You don’t want anything from the auction?”
“You know what I meant.” Scotty gave me a pointed look. “And Mom has guilt-bid on plenty of stuff.”
“Hey, at least she seems to be having a good time. And all the moms have been outbidding each other.” I worked to not let my eyes wander back in Tony’s direction. Instead, my gaze landed on the table with Eric, who’d brought all his teens along with Jonas. Even Maren was there, likely in town to check on her friend again. She’d seemed to be around a lot more since the hiking accident. “Mom does feel bad she’s not seeing you every day anymore. Be gentle with her.”
“I’m trying.” Scotty twisted his lips. Channeling Tony’s good advice, I let the subject drop. Scotty was allowed to have feelings about our parents, and I couldn’t solve every issue for him, no matter how much I wanted.
“You should make sure you say goodbye before she leaves for Portland. She’s got an open house tomorrow, so she doesn’t want to wait too late to drive back.”