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)
“Hoping for a win Friday.”
“You and the rest of the town.” I laughed before sobering. “I’m, uh…sorry the firefighter thing didn’t work out. I know you and Sean put in a good word for me.”
“Because you’re our friend.” Eric shifted from foot to foot, clearly no more comfortable with the topic than I was. “You’re our friend for life. All we want is for you to be happy.”
“Thanks.” My voice came out a little too gruff.
“And speaking of not seeing you, bring Caleb around more often. Scotty practically lives at our place, but we don’t see the two of you nearly often enough.”
“Sorry.” I watched the last of the other players depart, trying to figure out what to add. “I didn’t want to make you…uncomfortable.”
“Uncomfortable that you’re in love with a great guy?” Eric scoffed. And there were those words again: in love. But there wasn’t any other way to describe the situation. And if everyone around us could see, I really did need to work up the courage to tell Caleb. Eric glanced toward his SUV, which was currently shaking with hip-hop at top volume. “I’m happy for you, Tony. Truly. I can be happy for my friends and still grieving my own loss.”
“I know, and maybe someday…”
Eric cut me off with another scoff and raised his hand. “Nah. I’m too old. Don’t even go there, okay? No guilt. You get to be happy.”
“And so do you,” I said pointedly.
“I am. I’ve got the best kids in the world.” Eric smiled, but lately, there’d been a weariness around his eyes and mouth.
“That’s not—”
“Hey, Dad! You ready?” John bellowed from the car.
“Coming.” Eric left, and I was finally alone with my phone.
Caleb
Running a bit behind, but meet me at my place and we’ll figure out something for food.
Me
Get showered and find a decent shirt. I’m taking you to dinner.
My phone rang a few minutes later after I’d locked up and was walking to my car.
“Are you asking me on a date?” That he sounded unsure was laughable, and I had to suppress a chuckle.
“We are dating. Right? That’s what boyfriends do. We date. So yes, I’m taking you for dinner and not to the diner or out for pizza. Somewhere we can hold hands and have a real conversation.”
“Oh. Um. Wow.”
“Do you not want that? Too soon to be seen in public?” I asked gently as I slid into my car.
“Not too soon.” Caleb sounded like he was fiddling with something. “I just wasn’t sure you’d want that.”
“Being seen with you?” This time, I did chuckle. “People better get used to that. You’re my guy.”
“You’re mine too,” Caleb said softly.
And I wasn’t going to say those other words for the first time over the phone, but his uncertainty reminded me how vulnerable he was, how easy to hurt, and how this was all new to him too. I’d tell him. Soon.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Caleb
A chilly September wind whipped against my face and neck, making me pull my new Mount Hope Football hoodie closer as I scanned the crowd for Tony. I was one of dozens wearing the same hoodie Angel and the parent club had sold to brisk business before the start of the first home game of the season.
“We won!” A random dude with a red plastic cup attempted to give me a high-five. The collective disbelief and relief in the town of Mount Hope following the first win of the season was almost palpable. Energy sizzled through the stands and into the parking lot, and spirits remained sky-high at the after-party and bonfire hosted by Elliot Stern’s family.
“This has to be the safest bonfire ever with all these first responders here.” Next to me, Scotty bounced around like he hadn’t recently finished playing a full game, throwing three touchdowns and rushing for two on the way to a decisive win over a nearby town’s team. And more importantly, he hadn’t suffered a single sack in the process. Mom had come for the game, and her happiness was more for Scotty’s health than the win. But Scotty was all about the adrenaline high of victory.
“There are a bunch of us, aren’t there?” I swept my gaze over the crowd again. Eric was there, of course, celebrating John, who’d run for two of the touchdowns. Sean and Denver had come along with the rest of the house, including the other kids. Maren was in town for the weekend, and Jonas had a rare night off from the hospital and was there with his dog Oz on a glow-in-the-dark leash.
“We should make a firepit like this.” Scotty nodded at the carefully constructed brick structure surrounded by a concrete patio and benches.
“With what yard?” I shook my head. “Aren’t you the one complaining about how tiny the rental house is?”
“Someday. When you and Tony buy a house. I’ll help build you a fire pit,” Scotty said archly as my jaw dropped. “And I don’t hate the house. It and the town might be growing on me.”