Dare You to Chase the Soccer Player (Rock Valley High Book 5)

by Lacy Andersen

  Despite the heat, she wore a shiny wind suit with the sleeves cut off and a matching pair of silver gladiator sandals. Her hair sat in a bun on the top of her head. The weather didn’t seem to affect her at all. She didn’t sweat. Not even a droplet. But the sideways glance she shot at me contained plenty of heat of its own.

  “They’re shooting a scrimmage scene today,” she said, her lips pressing into an unimpressed frown. “While I work on our lead actress, I need you to apply spray on the boys.”

  Absolute joy gushed out of a geyser deep within my chest. It appeared on my face in the form of a goofy grin. Alanis was giving me a job to do! I had no idea what the spray was for, but I’d take anything over sitting on that chair for another four hours.

  “Ma’am, yes, ma’am.” I saluted her, unable to contain my energy for another minute. “What’s the spray for?”

  “It’s for the glisten.”

  “Glisten?”

  Had Alanis overheard my conversation with Beth and Charlotte last night? We’d been talking about glittering vampires, not teenage boys wearing shin guards and nylon shorts.

  “One part glycerin and two parts water.” Alanis stopped to look at me, her critical eyes taking in the wetness that had seeped through my blue t-shirt around my shirt collar. Nothing could stop it. Not after a day of classes in eighty-degree classrooms. “It’s for the sweat. We want our boys to glisten as they appear on screen.”

  I glanced over at the field. With the sun beating down on them, the guys already appeared to be sweating heavily. They didn’t need any help in the sweat department.

  “What if they’re already sweaty?” I asked, turning back to Alanis.

  She rolled her eyes. Apparently, I’d already reached the end of her patience for the day. “Spray them anyway. All over the upper torso and arms. I want them to glisten like Viking warriors swarming ancient battlefields. Do you understand me? Glisten!”

  The power of her voice had me stepping backwards as if a gust of wind had pushed me in that direction. I nodded my understanding, then turned toward the field. Normally, approaching a field full of yummy-looking boys would’ve had me squirming with excitement. I’d smile and wave at them, maybe laugh as they showed off for me. But this was different. Today, the only person I wanted to laugh with was totally and completely off-limits.

  Just coworkers...

  Zane turned toward me when I was only a few yards away. Our gazes met, sending a forbidden thrill down my spine. I couldn’t look away. My face began to burn. I patted my cheek with my hand and wondered if I was getting a sunburn already. Nope. It was all Zane. And just as the tips of his ears flushed in a similar way, he tore his gaze away, and stared down at the ground with an intensity that should’ve started a fire in the grass.

  “Okay, boys,” I said with a shaky voice. “Who’s ready to glisten?”

  I set the tote on the ground and held up a white spray bottle filled with Alanis’ mixture. A line quickly formed. A line full of muscular, tall, athletically-toned teen boys who all looked at me like they would’ve liked to take a bite out of me, despite the fact that I worked for the wicked witch of the makeup world.

  And once again, I didn’t find myself nearly as excited about that as I normally would’ve been.

  It didn’t matter, anyway. I was all business. All business and glistening spray. It didn’t take long to get the hang of the spray bottle. The watery mixture really did add a certain gleam on their skin. The camera was definitely going to pick up every crevice in their muscles, every gorgeous angle of their sinewy limbs as they flew down the field in their cleats.

  I loved this job.

  “Hey, gorgeous.” Freddy wasn’t far back in the line. He shot me a scandalous wink when it was his turn. “We keep meeting like this. I think it’s fate.”

  “Fate, huh?” I grinned up at him. “Is that what you say to all the girls? Sounds like a line to me.”

  Freddy groaned and squinted at me in the sunlight. “Okay, maybe it’s a line. Is it working?”

  I pressed my lips into a suppressed smile and focused on spraying the glistening solution on his shapely pecs. Maybe Freddy held no romantic interest for me, but joking with him was a nice distraction from the boy standing at the end of the line, who I could feel sneaking glances at me. I wished Beth or Charlotte were here. They could’ve pinched me and told me to keep it together.

  Zane’s job depended on it.

  And my future, too.

  “You know, you really should let me take you out,” Freddy said as I sprayed the final bit of his shoulders. “When’s the last time you could say a real-life Hollywood star took you out?”

  I put my hand on my hip and fixed him with an amused smile. “Never. Why? Do you know one who can show me a good time?”

  The boys standing in line behind him laughed as Freddy rubbed the back of his neck and chuckled.

  “You know, you’re feisty, and I like it.” He wet his lips and shot me a flirtatious smile. “The offer still stands. And I’ll bet you’ll change your mind before we wrap up the shoot. No lady can resist this.”

  I waved him off and he ran to join the others standing around the director. Laughing to myself, I had to shake my head. They definitely didn’t grow boys in LA with small egos. Yet somehow, Zane was different. The way he flirted was sweet and sincere. It didn’t hold that tinge of suggestion, like with so many of the boys on this shoot. He really was an old soul. I liked that about him.

  By the time I realized I’d been allowing my mind to once again be consumed with thoughts of Zane, it was too late. I’d reached the end of the glistening line and the real-life version of my daydreams stood in front of me, his blue eyes watching me with a kind of fascination that was dangerous to a girl.

  “Hi,” I said softly, looking around us.

  The rest of the boys had gone to surround the director. We were basically alone, standing on the sidelines of the soccer field.

  “Hi, Lexi.” His voice was low and quiet.

  I began to spray him on the legs, trying to keep my mind on things that didn’t revolve around the smooth planes of his torso, or the weight of his eyes on me. Squeezing my eyes shut for a brief moment, I tried to conjure up the character I’d created in my mind last night.

  I was Mighty Lexi—completely professional, on a mission to conquer the makeup world. Men didn’t matter to me. In fact, according to my character, men were useless. They were nothing but a distraction. If I didn’t keep my eyes on the goal, total world annihilation was imminent.

  Okay, so that last part was probably a little more dramatic than what Beth had intended, but it helped to feel like a version of a superhero. Superheroes saved the world. They didn’t let little human problems get in their way. Not even if the human was hotter than this day and all the rest of summer combined.

  “Is she being nice to you?” Zane asked.

  I looked up at him, my concentration shattered. “What? Who?”

  “Alanis.” His eyes darted toward my boss, where she stood in the shade of a white tent, applying a powder to Janelle’s nose. “She takes a while to warm up.”

  I pushed the sweaty hair out of my face and stood up straight. “Well, she actually answered a question today. I guess that counts as progress, even if I did already get an eye-roll and a scowl out of her.”

  The muscles in his jaw twitched, as if he were holding back a smile. “I’m glad it’s getting better for you, coworker.”

  He was sweet. I bit my lower lip, a smile threatening to emerge. “Me, too.”

  His gaze intently searched my face and suddenly it was as if we’d been teleported to the middle of a grassy clearing, with no one else for miles around. I wished I could reach up and run my fingers over the stubble growing along his jaw. Or at the least, smile at him without feeling like I was about to end our careers. But that wasn’t allowed. And even wrapped up in Zane’s attention, I couldn’t forget that.

  “I should...” I held up the water bottle and swallowed ha
rd.

  “Yeah.” He nodded, still not taking his eyes off of mine. “You should.”

  My heart drummed a heavy beat as I tried my best to return to my work, but every time I looked up, I found him still watching me. There was nothing I could do to keep the blood from spilling back into my cheeks and down the exposed flesh of my neck. I sprayed on his shoulders, feeling both sad and relieved to be almost done with him. I wasn’t sure how long I’d be able to stay in his presence without melting into a pool of jelly.

  “Lexi!” My hand froze in midair with the spray bottle as I glanced over my shoulder to see Alanis storming toward me. She wore her angry face again. It hadn’t taken me long to recognize it. “They’re ready to start. Why aren’t you done yet? What have I told you about wasting my time?”

  Not again. I couldn’t do anything right in Alanis’ eyes. Anxiety washed over me. My finger jerked the trigger on the sprayer, almost involuntarily. The string of curses that came from my side had me turning back to Zane faster than a speeding bullet. He was bent over, scrubbing at his eyes with his fingers as he swore at the ground.

  “Holy crap!” I dropped the spray bottle like it had burst into flames and jumped to Zane’s side. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to spray you.”

  His words were muffled as he tried to wave me off. “I’m fine. It’s fine. Don’t worry about it.”

  Nothing about his posture had me thinking he was fine. He rubbed his eyes until he had red circles around them. And when he finally pulled his hands away from them, he blinked, his eyes unfocused.

  My stomach sank.

  I was done for. I’d just blinded the star of the movie. My life was over. Ruined.

  And Zane would never forgive me.

  “You foolish girl.” Alanis showed up beside me with a half-filled water bottle. Like a boss, she took ahold of the back of Zane’s neck with an eagle grip and forced his head upward as she poured the water over his eyes.

  He blinked a few times, shook his head, and then wiped the droplets from his eyes. They were still a little red and puffy, but this time he could actually focus on me.

  “I’m really sorry,” I whimpered. At least he wasn’t permanently maimed, but he wasn’t exactly looking like Hollywood star material at that moment.

  “I told you, I’m fine.” Zane shot me a thumbs up and a pathetic half-smile. “It was just an accident. Could’ve happened to anyone.”

  I groaned and wrapped my arms around myself, no longer feeling the heat I’d been complaining about all day. No, now I was stuck in an icy land where clumsy makeup assistants got banned for blinding beautiful actors. A shiver went through me, even as Alanis shot me another scathing look.

  “Back to the chair, for you,” she said, picking up the spray bottle from where I’d dropped it.

  I backed away, biting my lip to keep from breaking down and refusing to look at Zane again. So much for the Mighty Lexi. I was the villain of my imagination—ruining my own chances of ever getting a foot inside the door to Hollywood.

  There was no chance I was sticking around for the rest of the shoot. I hiked it back to the makeup trailer and took residence on my chair once again. Groaning with embarrassment, I shot off a desperate text to my girls.

  Me: I blinded Hollywood’s hottest rising star. Someone kill me now.

  Beth: ...

  Like literally blinded him?

  Me: Yep.

  Glistening spray straight to the eyes.

  Blinded and in agony.

  Alanis grounded me.

  Charlotte: Well if it’s true...

  ...maybe he won’t be into you anymore and your problems are solved.

  I groaned again. That idea was almost worse, despite the fact that I’d sworn him off forever. I couldn’t fall for Zane, but that didn’t mean I wanted him to think I was the world’s biggest klutz.

  With that weighing on my mind, I waited in my chair until Alanis came stomping back an hour later. She didn’t look at me, not even to share a blistering commentary on my performance on the field. She ignored me completely, allowing me to sit in a boiling pot of tension for the rest of the shift. And when all of her work was done, she left without another word.

  I guess I should’ve been grateful that she hadn’t outright fired me after that mishap. No one would’ve blamed her if she had. But I had the feeling things weren’t going to get any better from here on out.

  My normally sunny disposition was taking a major hit. For the first time in a long time, dread hit me at the thought of working another day like this. Of being under Alanis’ scorching glare and having to hide my feelings for a boy who was so obviously an immortal among men. Totally impossible.

  For the first time, I truly understood what it felt like to be a lost cause.

  Chapter Nine

  Getting lost under a pile of blankets sounded like the easiest way to go. I snuggled into the pillow, my freshly-washed hair splaying out across the pillowcase and giving off the scent of my grapefruit shampoo. Shame was a new emotion for me. Usually, I could shrug mistakes off. I was pretty good at laughing at myself when I did something stupid and getting over it, but not with Zane. This time, it hurt. I didn’t like it.

  I was officially going to hide away in my room forever.

  “Hey, kiddo, how’s the new job going?”

  Dad walked into my room without knocking. It was a habit of his I’d been trying to break, but I didn’t make a fuss about it tonight. A girl needed her daddy during times like these. He sat on the edge of my bed in his white shirt and suit pants, a black tie hanging loosely from his neck. A hint of a tattoo peeked out from under his collar, a reminder of the days when he played lead guitar in a band. I pushed myself up enough to sit and kept the blanket wrapped around me.

  “It’s going about as good as a root canal without any numbing juice.” I rubbed my jaw as if I could actually feel the drill whirling. “That’s how it’s going.”

  Dad winced and loosened his tie until he could pull it over his head. He patted my knee through the comforter with a sympathetic smile. “I’m sorry, kiddo. Hollywood’s a different world. I have the feeling it’s going to be near impossible to get your foot in the door there. You’re in for a fight. Either way, whether you succeed or not, I’m proud of you for trying.”

  I pouted, clenching the blankets in my fists. Dad wasn’t going to be so proud of me if I told him I was thinking about quitting. Why should I put up with Alanis for another few weeks of my life if all she was going to do was give me the evil eye from across the room? I had better things to do...like discovering what I was going to do for the rest of my life if I didn’t get into the L Makeup Institute in Los Angeles.

  There really was no winning here.

  “So, you’re saying I should quit while I’m ahead?” I asked, looking hopefully up at him.

  He chuckled and patted my knee again. “Not a chance. See the job through to the end. And if you still don’t get a recommendation, at least you know that you gave it your best. That’s what counts.”

  I grumbled into my blanket as Dad said goodnight and headed for the door. So much for the easy out. My gut ached at the thought of going back to Alanis’ trailer tomorrow. I might have been able to shrug off teachers who hated me, like evil Mr. Garret, but this was different. Every muscle in my body ached at the idea of failing around Alanis.

  Don’t even get me started on the fact that I’d made a fool of myself in front of Zane. That was even worse.

  I needed some chocolate therapy.

  Groaning, I sank back down into my blankets. Yes, hiding forever beneath blankets was the way to go. No more school. No more job. And no more humiliation.

  My phone began to buzz on my nightstand. I reached over to grab it, wondering who was calling this late. The number was unlisted—probably a robocall. I hesitated over the end call button, but answered it at the last second.

  “If you’re calling for money, I’m a broke sixteen-year-old who funds her makeup addiction with the few ba
bysitting jobs I can get, so don’t waste your time. I’m hopeless.”

  “I’m not calling for money, but I wouldn’t call you hopeless. Cute? Yes. Funny? Yes. But never hopeless.”

  I sat straight up at the sound of the male voice coming through my phone. Every nerve along my skin buzzed with excitement.

  “Zane?” His name left my lips like a sigh.

  “Hi, Lexi.” I could practically see him holding back a smile on the other end of the line. “How’s it going?”

  Sliding off the bed, I paced the carpet, feeling the thick fibers beneath my bare toes. My mind whirled at a confusing rate. He’d called me, so that probably meant he didn’t hate me. That made me feel better, at least. “It’s good. How’d you get my number? And more importantly, are you permanently blind now? I’m so so sorry for that, by the way. If I have to surgically remove my eyes and transplant them to you, I’m willing. Just give me the date. Anything to make up for what I did.”

  He laughed and my skin prickled with exhilaration. He really did have a great laugh. “I’m fine. It only stung for a few seconds. Seriously, don’t worry about it. And I got your number from your friend Hunter. I bumped into him at the town diner tonight. He was there with his mom.”

  “Hunter...?”

  I’d forgotten Zane had met Hunter at the work party my dad had taken us to. I swore under my breath and then glanced at my phone screen. If Hunter had been a girl, I would’ve strangled him. A girlfriend would’ve known to give a friend a heads-up if the guy she was desperately trying not to fall for was going to be calling. Sure enough, my inbox was clear. No text message from the oblivious guy friend.

  Major fail.

  “Is this okay?” Doubt sounded in Zane’s voice. “I’m sorry, I should’ve asked first—”

  “No, it’s perfect.” I stopped pacing to stare out my window at the streetlights that had just flickered on in the fading dusk. “I’m glad we can talk without anyone suspecting anything. Today was exhausting. I didn’t realize how hard this was going to be.”