Secret Catch (5 page)

“Yeah?”

“Why do you have marker on your arm?” She points at Sam’s phone number. “Mom says we can’t draw on ourselves.”

I squish her bright pink stuffed monkey and tuck it in next to her. “You’re right. I better go wash it off, huh?”

She nods and yawns. “You don’t want to get grounded even
more
.”

The concern on her face makes me laugh. “You won’t rat me out, right?”

“No way. You’re my favorite.” Then she taps her finger on her chin. “But, if you’re grounded, you have to play more games with me. I’ll have to think about this.”

Out of all of us kids, she’s definitely the smartest. I kneel at the side of her bed and give her my puppy eyes because I know she caves every time I use them. She pokes a finger at my left eye and says, “It’s all red.”

“That’s because you stabbed me with a crown.”

“I’m sorry.”

I shrug. “I blame Hunter.”

“We’ll get him tomorrow.”

“Damn straight.”

“Ty, don’t cuss. I’m a lady. You don’t cuss around ladies.”

“Sorry, ma’am.”

“I’m tired now.”

“Is this your way of getting me to leave?”

“Yes. You need to wash your arm.”

“Right. And you won’t tell?” I do my puppy face again.

She sighs. “I won’t tell. But you have to promise to play more games with me.”

I put my hand over my heart. “Promise.”

“Goodnight.” She kisses the corner of my left eye while I kiss her forehead and stand. The nightlight passed her test, so I flick the overhead off and leave the door open a tiny crack. Parker doesn’t like to be trapped.

I hop down the stairs to clean the game up, but Hunter’s putting the box lid on as I get in the kitchen. I don’t know if it’s ’cause Mom made him, or if he cleaned on his own, but I say, “Thanks.”

“Yup.”

“You crashing here tonight?”

He shakes his head and leans on the table. “Nah. Gonna stay at Alina’s. Her dickhead boyfriend messed up again, so I’m keeping her company.”

“What kind of company?”

“Same as always. I’m the go-to friend-zoned schmuck she runs to when shit hits the fan.”

“When are you gonna tell her to dump his sorry ass and go after yours?”

He shrugs and I drop it. Hunter and Alina have been friends for who knows how long. I don’t get too involved with it, but it’s sort of obvious how he feels about her.

“What about you?”

“Huh?”

He nods toward my Sharpied up arm. “Looks like a phone number.”

“Yeah.”

“In girly writing.”

“Yeah.”

He pushes off the table and rolls his eyes. “Just don’t let Mom see it.”

“Parker already gave me the lecture.”

“Listen to her. She’s the smartest out of all of us.”

Hunter smirks and punches me hard in the thigh, giving me a dead leg. I curse at him as he bolts to the family room.

I slouch to the floor and pull my cell out of my pocket. I was trying to distract myself all night so I wouldn’t be looking at the clock every two seconds waiting for it to be past nine. It’s 8:47 now, and already I feel like time is crawling as I watch the clock tick.

Rubbing the feeling back into my leg, I scroll through my contacts list and program Sam in. I hope I’m able to walk to my room before 9:00, because no way in hell am I making this call within hearing distance of my family members.

Of the twenty-four hours in a day, I would say Mom’s in her bed at least sixteen of them. When she’s not in her bed, she just mopes around the house, so out of it she barely eats or talks to us. She’s sleeping, and I wait till I’m sure she’s still breathing before letting the door click shut. I would love to have my mom back. Have her make great dinners and give me hugs and kisses. I want to say something as I leave her room with the bag of garbage I gathered from the side of her bed. I want to tell her to pull it together, and that we
all
lost Dad. Or maybe explain about how she’s supposed to be the adult, and she’s letting us down.

But I say nothing. I’ve had my sixty seconds already today.

I quietly click the door shut, but I end up screaming a muffled cry when I run face-first into a hard chest and strong cologne.

Brad laughs as I step back and smack him in the gut.

“Shit, don’t do that!”

“Sorry. Next time I’ll bring a trumpet and announce my grand entrances.”

I roll my eyes and maneuver around him, knowing he’ll follow me downstairs. It’s no surprise when I see his pillow and overnight bag near the couch.

“Hope you don’t mind…” he starts.

“I don’t mind,” I tell him with a wave of my hand. He doesn’t have to talk about it if he doesn’t want to.

“It’ll be just tonight I think. He had whiskey so…”

“I get it. It’s fine.”

“Thanks, Sammy.”

I give him a mock mad face. “Stop calling me that!”

“You let Josh.”

“Well, he’s six.”

Brad’s grin widens, and he reaches out and squishes my cheeks. “Sammy, Sammy, Sammy…”

Batting at him with the garbage bag, I laugh and bump him back with my hip. “You keep away, or I’ll…” My voice stops dead, because I almost threatened to beat him. But that’s not exactly the best threat to joke around with.

“That’s right. You’ll stand there with no comebacks.” He squishes my cheeks one more time before walking past me to our kitchen. His head is in the fridge when I collect all the bills I’ve got to get in the mailbox and drag the garbage to the front door. Brad doesn’t help open it, but that’s okay. I can do it myself. Have been for six months now.

After I get all my chores done, I lock up, toss Brad the remote to the TV, and head upstairs. I hope Brad finds something to watch because I’ve got a phone call coming that I really don’t want him to ask me about.

I try to sneak into Josh’s room without waking him, but as soon as his door hits the creaking spot his little eyes flutter open. I should really see if there’s any WD-40 in the garage.

“Sammy?”

I cross the room and crouch down next to him, not bothered by the name when it comes from his mouth. “Yeah?”

“Do you think Tyler had fun playing with us?”

“How could he not? You’re the coolest six-year-old I know.” The corners of my lips turn up. “Scoot over.”

He lifts up the blanket, and my breath catches in my throat. He’s wearing Tyler’s hoodie. Pretending I don’t notice, I cover the blankets over us and try to ignore the smell of the sweatshirt and the way it makes my stomach feel.

Josh lets out a big yawn. “Do you really think he’ll be there next week?

“He said he would. And besides, you’re holding his hoodie hostage, right?” I run my finger along the hood.

“He’ll be back.” He nods.

“All right kid, back to sleep with you.” I give him a kiss on the forehead. “I love you more than summer.”

“I love you more than football.” His eyes drift shut.

“Wow. That’s a lot.”

His breathing deepens, but I don’t leave. I lie next to him and watch his peaceful face, so innocent.

Not only do I worry about my heart, I worry about his too. We’ve both lost someone so important. I really hope Josh doesn’t start depending on Tyler and expecting him to come around every weekend.

Tyler seems like a nice guy, I’m sure he’d never hurt our feelings intentionally. It’s the unintentional stuff I worry about. It’s what the other people would do if they found out. My stomach lurches as I think about Brad just downstairs. He’s always been so big into the rivalry and dating your own kind.

The glowing red numbers on the ceiling say it’s almost 9:00. I slide from the sheets and kiss Josh one more time on the forehead before I retuck him in.

***

I’m just climbing onto my bed when my phone goes off, making me jump about two feet in the air. The ringtone muffles between my hands, and I triple check my door to make sure it’s nice and closed.

“Hello?”

“Sam?” His voice slips through the line and sends shivers down my back.

“Yep. Um… wassup?” I shake my head.
Nice job, Sam.

A deep chuckle vibrates in my ear. “I just got done playing Barbie Prom Date with my little sister. I went to Prom with Disco Ken.”

“Wow. What color was your dress?”

“Golden yellow, baby. Is there any other color?”

“Um yeah, maroon red, baby.”

Our laughter mixes together, a sound that sends my stomach free falling down the hill again.

“Josh in bed?”

“Yeah, I just checked on him. And guess what?” I sit up against my headboard and tuck my feet under me. “He’s actually wearing your hoodie to bed. Can you believe that? He went from barely touching it to sleeping in it.”

His deep chuckle I’m starting to love slips through the receiver. “I’ll have him converted to a Trojan in no time.”

“Not in a million years.” I shake my head even though he can’t see me.

“We’ll see,” is his only response, but I can hear the smile in his voice. I can picture what his face looks like, gorgeous blue eyes and that sexy grin.

“Still with me?” his voice tickles my ear, and I’m pulled out of my daydream.

“Yeah, sorry.”

“You were thinking about me, weren’t you?” he teases, but I answer with the truth.

“How’d you know?”

“I was kidding… but were you really?” His voice cracks.

“Why would I fantasize about a Trojan wide receiver?” I tease.

“I’m fantasizing about a Skyhawk red head.”

“
Really
? Anyone I know?”

“You might know her.”

“She’d have to be crazy to get involved with a Trojan.”

“Maybe. But she doesn’t strike me as someone who cares too much about that stuff.”

“True.” I move my pillow to get more comfortable and scoot down a little in bed. “So… are you going to keep playing with Josh?” I wasn’t going to ask, but for some reason I just want to solidify seeing him again.

“I said I’d be there, and I always keep my word.”

“Always?”

“Always.” He says it with conviction, like he knows I’m asking so much more with the question. “But I… uh… I don’t think I can…” He pauses making my heart sink to my feet.
Doesn’t think he can… what?

The phone fuzzes as he blows out a breath. “I don’t think I can wait till Sunday to see you again.”

I hold back my squeal since it would send Brad barging in and say, “I don’t want to wait either.”

“Will you come to my game on Friday? I won’t be playing, so if you don’t want to I understand, but I was thinking we could go out after. Maybe get something to eat? I know this great pizza place.”

“I like pizza,” I say a little too eagerly. “Do you think I should wear Skyhawk red?”

“I’d definitely be able to find you in the crowd then. So what classes do you have this semester…”

***

I scan the school parking lot before pulling in. I’m alone this morning since Brad wasn’t at my place when I woke up, so I texted him to make sure he was okay. He hasn’t answered, but that’s not completely out of the ordinary.

My usual parking spot is empty, so I quickly maneuver my car into it. The engine quiets, and I gather my stuff together, but I don’t get out. I text Paige.

U here yet?

I didn’t get a chance to talk to her last night. I was on the phone till almost one in the morning.

Just parked. Right behind u.

After a glance in the rearview, I grab my bag and hop out.

“Hey girly, what’s up?” she says when she reaches me. “I’m assuming since you never called me back last night, number eighty-eight called.”

I texted her as soon as I got home from the park yesterday, since I had given him my number and she was all up in arms about it last Friday.

“Your assumption would be correct.”

“Spill the details,” she sort of sings at me as we make our way to first period.

“What’s to spill?” I give her a little grin, and she glares at me. “Okay. We had a great conversation. Talked till late and he asked me out.”

She bounces on her toes, making her brown hair fall in her face. “When? Where? What?”

“Can you be a little quieter?” I laugh as a couple seniors give us bizarre looks as we pass. “Friday night. He wants to go to dinner after the game.” I let out a giant sigh. “And that’s where
you
come in.”

She stops walking and turns to me. “Huh?”

“I need you to cover for me.”

Confusion clouds her eyes but then it clears up, and she nearly shouts her epiphany. “Oh! Because you want to go to a Trojan—”

“Shh! Not so loud.”

“Sorry.” She laughs and brings her voice down. “Okay, so what do you want me to say?”

“That I’m with you.”

“So I have to stay home this Friday night?” She somewhat pouts, so I give her my best please-do-this-for-me eyes.

She shakes her head. “
Fine
,” she says on a sigh. “I hope you know what you’re doing, girly. If Brad knew—”

“If I knew what?” Brad says, scaring the bajeeses out of me
again
.

“Seriously, stop doing that!” I laugh and sucker punch him. He recoils as if I really hurt him when I barely grazed his t-shirt. “You left early this morning,” I say, turning the subject to him so fast he won’t prod about what Paige and I were on about.

“Yeah. Needed a run.”

He looks over his shoulder at a few teammates, red blush creeping up his neck. I narrow my eyes, because he’s full of shit, but the bell rings before I can ask him about it.

He starts toward his class, but turns around and calls out, “Hey, you’re coming to the game Friday, right?”

“Nope. We’re having a girls’ night.” I gesture to Paige who gives an exaggerated nod. Oh boy… “Besides, you’re not even playing.”

“Still a bummer. I’ll catch you later!” He runs off to his teammates down the hall, leaping on Jake Nicolson’s back trying to hit the big
Support Skyhawk Football
sign hanging from the ceiling.

“See,” Paige points to Brad’s back.

“See what?”

“
He’ll
care. He finds out about Loverboy Trojan, and I’d hate to see what happens.”

“I think you’re overreacting. But thanks for worrying.”

We walk in to our classroom and take our seats. Paige’s right, but I shrug it off. I can take care of myself. Brad won’t do anything to Tyler. He’s all talk, no show.

Then again…he did just break some guy’s leg.