Even with the win, Coach Maddox was brutal in practice the next day, keeping us over three hours in what had turned into unbearable heat. I’d been through some rough practices, but this one seemed to top them all. And he kept yelling out my name, making sure I knew he was watching. When it was finally time to head home, I walked back to my Jeep, feeling like my feet had turned to cement.
Up ahead, I saw a dark-haired girl who looked somewhat familiar. She turned and smiled at me, waving a bit. Great, she was probably someone I’d made out with at some point, and now I couldn’t remember her name. Several other students milled around behind her, a few I recognized. It must have been one of the groups working off tardies. Something I still needed to do.
I nodded and averted my eyes, hoping she wouldn’t try talking to me. A nice convertible pulled up with the top down and a guy with dark brown hair in the driver’s seat.
“Hey, Jake. That guy could probably pass as you.” Dax slapped my back, his loud words drawing the attention of the driver.
Colt came up next to me, out of breath. “Hey, I saw that guy at the party. He’s the one I was thinking of yesterday.”
Without thinking, I walked over to the car and asked, “Were you at a party this last weekend? Down by Chester Street?”
The guy gave me a look like I’d lost all my marbles but nodded. “Yeah, I was at a party this weekend. That’s where I met this bombshell.” He motioned to the girl, who opened the door and slid into the passenger seat. She leaned forward, and he met her with a kiss to the lips, lingering longer than made even me feel comfortable.
“You didn’t happen to be sitting out on the patio when you met, did you?” It was a long shot, but I might as well give it a try.
The girl looked at me, biting her bottom lip with her eyebrows drawn together as if I was going to reveal I was some cop and she was under arrest. “How would you know that?”
Breathing a sigh of relief, I said, “So, it was you? Yes?” I raised my thumbs like I’d officially lost it.
“What of it, man?”
“I just need to know. My girlfriend thought she saw me making out with a brunette at the party, but I wasn’t there at the same time she was. I just need to prove it wasn’t me.”
The guy grinned like he knew exactly how I was feeling. “Yeah, that was us. A few people dubbed that the make-out deck. Sounds like a fitting spot for our first hangout, don’t you think, Shari?”
She giggled, and I groaned, wondering how many times I’d done something just like that. Even knowing her name didn’t ring a bell.
“What’s your name? I haven’t seen you around here before,” Dax asked the guy, bringing me back to the goal of this encounter.
“Carl Sumner. I’m a senior over at Tristan Prep. A few of my friends wanted to crash the party, and it turned out to be a great night for me.”
“Can I get your number?” I asked.
When the guy gave me a weird look, I shook my head. “It’s not like that, man. I just need some way to prove to Penny that I didn’t cheat on her. When I think of something, I’d call you to help me out. Is that all right?”
“Sure, man. I got you.” He took my phone and typed out his number, giving it back to me after. “Good luck.”
He waved, and they took off, leaving tire marks next to the curb where he’d peeled out.
“What are the odds you’d see that guy right now? The stars must be aligning to make your life just a little bit easier.” Dax slapped my back with his open palm, and I focused on controlling the pain rather than grimacing.
“That’s just half of the battle. The other is convincing Penny I’m not a cheater. Well, anymore.” The momentary bit of hope I’d felt as all the pieces of the puzzle fell into place was replaced by every other emotion to dampen it.
The end of the year was coming, and I needed her to cheer me on and reassure me I could be the person she’d believed I could be. The sooner the better.
Chapter 32
Penny
“You look stunning!” Kate clapped her hands together after applying some colored lip balm to my lips. We’d planned to get ready for prom together at her house, and I was glad we had. It kept me from fuming every time I looked out the window toward Jake’s house.
Looking in the mirror, I smiled, the first genuine smile in, well, at least two weeks, ever since my confrontation with Jake at his house. She’d curled my hair in soft beachy waves and had done my makeup in a simple, more elegant fashion than the last time I’d let my friends dress me up. The dress she’d helped me find at the thrift store could not have fit better if it had been tailored just for me. The silver beaded bodice and tulle made me feel like a princess. And I didn’t want to cry when I’d looked at the price tag.
As I stared at my reflection, I saw the reason I’d wanted this night to happen so badly. My mother’s prom pictures were always over the top, but she’d somehow managed to make it work with the big hair and crazy styles. I didn’t have that type of fashion sense, but I wanted one night where I wasn’t the softball player or the tomboy.
If only it was with the person I wanted to be with and not one of his baseball buddies.
“Have you heard from Jake lately?” Kate asked, as if sensing my mood had changed.
I shook my head. “He stopped calling and texting two days ago. I don’t know whether to be sad or relieved, to be honest.”
“Well, it might help if you let him tell his side of the story. Maybe there was a reason he was—”
“Like a bottom-dwelling fish sucking up all the scum on the bottom of the tank?” My voice was flat, but Kate’s eyes went wide.
She pursed her lips and shook her head. “Someone’s trying to compare her boyfriend to things she’s studying in class. Probably not a good thing.”
“Ex-boyfriend,” I corrected.
“You might want to tell him that. It might help you get over him faster.”
The doorbell rang, and we hurried to gather up our things, slipping on shoes and grabbing clutches. I felt a bit nervous as I barely knew Nate, but I was determined to make the most of the night. To add it to the small list of high school memories I wanted to keep.
Kate had been asked by one of the student body officers, but since he was part of the group we were going with for the dance, that meant I would at least have a friend close throughout the whole thing.
“Wow, you look amazing,” Nate said when I met him at the door. He was dressed in a black suit, his hair done. He was a cute guy, but I kept going back to thoughts of what Jake would look like dressed up in something more formal.
Shaking off the thought, I stepped back to let them inside and smiled. “Thank you. You clean up pretty well yourself.”
After the traditional exchange of corsage and boutonniere, and Kate’s mother taking a million and one pictures of us in different poses, we finally walked outside.
“A limo?” Kate asked, jumping up and down as much as her high, high heels allowed.
A small pit formed in my stomach, and guilt flooded me. I wasn’t interested in Nate like this, and I could only hope he hadn’t gone over the top because he had feelings for me.
“You didn’t have to do this, Nate,” I mumbled so only he could hear me. I slid into the long car and smiled slightly at two couples on the other bench.
Nate put his arm on the back of the seat and leaned in, his lips close to my ear. “I promise this wasn’t my idea. I’m not really into the big showy kind of stuff. Are you uncomfortable?”
I licked my lips, trying to figure out how to word it. “I just don’t want you to get the wrong idea. I’m excited about tonight and all, but I barely know you.”
He chuckled, and something about it put me at ease. “No worries. I’ve always thought you were a cool girl. I just thought you’d be someone fun to take to a dance.”
Feeling like an idiot, I smiled and nodded, trying to focus on everything but his face. I needed to keep that in mind. Just have fun, be myself, and then go back t
o being the nerdy softball player by Monday.
We ate dinner at someone’s indoor basketball court, complete with waiters and candlelight. After we’d eaten the main course, I leaned over to Nate and said, “Who planned this?”
Nate pointed out the guy who’d asked Kate to the dance. “He’s got a big thing for your friend. I think he was hoping that by going all out, she’d notice him or even start dating him.”
“None of your baseball friends decided to go to the dance?” I asked, taking a small bite from the cheesecake that had appeared before me. It was smooth and velvety, nearly melting on my tongue.
“Dax and Ben did. But since I’m a sophomore, I’ve got different friends outside of baseball and I decided to go with them. Hopefully that’s okay with you?”
I nodded, somewhat surprised to find he was a year younger. He meshed so well with the other juniors that I’d just assumed he was one. “I’m good. Enjoying this cheesecake. This will definitely be a night to remember.”
We chatted back and forth until the group stood to leave, and I found we had a lot more in common than I’d originally thought. I didn’t feel anything crazy when he touched me or put his hand on my back to guide me, but at least he wasn’t a creeper.
We all piled back into the limo and drove through the streets of town to the large city building where the dance was being held. Nate helped me out of the car and hooked his arm next to him so I could put my hand through it as he guided me into the building.
“Wow, Kate. You guys did a great job with the decorations,” I said, talking loud enough that she could hear me a few steps in front.
“We weren’t in charge of the decorations on this one, but the committee did do a great job, didn’t they?” She smiled and turned to glance around.
I took in the strings of white lights and tulle, the elegant flower decorations on several tables, and the beautiful marble that made up the floor.
We walked over to the dance floor, and Nate asked, “Would you like to dance?”
I nodded and wrapped my arms around his neck, making sure there was room between us as we swayed along to the slower song.
As the tune came to an end, I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned to find a guy I’d never met standing next to me. His hair was dark, and he had a similar build to Jake, but I shook off that thought as quickly as it came.
“Yes?” I asked, curious as to what he could want.
A girl I recognized as Shari Donovan came and stood next to him, leaning her head on his shoulder and giving me a dreamy smile.
“I’ve been told that you mistook me and my girlfriend for someone else at the party last weekend. We were kissing in one of the chairs on the deck.”
I squinted, calling up a mental picture of that night. It had been dark, with the soft lights behind them backlighting their faces. But I’d been so sure it was Jake.
“You were in the second chair over?” The words seemed to loosen something within me, and I had to choke back a sob.
“Yep. That was us. We were there for quite a while.”
I nodded. “Uh, th-thank you for telling me that.”
The couple walked away, him practically carrying her as she held on to his side.
Nate’s hand touched my arm. “Are you okay?”
I held back the tears as much as I could, hoping to not break down in front of him. Kate would kill me if I ruined her makeup job before we’d even been there fifteen minutes.
“I’m sorry. I just need some air. I’ll be right back.” I walked in the direction of some large glass doors, feeling the breeze even before I made it there. I pulled the air in as though I’d been without oxygen for minutes, drinking it in as I stared up at the stars above.
“You look beautiful,” a voice said from behind me.
I froze, not wanting to believe it could be the person I wanted it to be. I didn’t move for several seconds, and then I saw him move into my peripheral, leaning on the small railing of the balcony. He was wearing a dark blue suit with a striped silver tie, and just one look at him made my knees go weak. I turned my gaze forward, hoping to steel myself against whatever he was going to say.
I glanced at him and back to the stars, unsure of what to say. “I thought you didn’t do dances.” I wiped away a tear as gingerly as possible, dabbing right under the eye with my finger.
“I swore I wouldn’t go to another dance after…well, after the accident. It brought back too many memories and guilt. But I knew that if I was going to break that promise to myself, I wanted it to be with you.” He looked up at me with hooded eyes, probably worried about how I would react. “I know I’ve been a jerk, Penny, but I want you to know I love you. I think I’ve always loved you. And after you went through all the crap with your mom, I didn’t want to hurt you.”
“How would you have hurt me worse at thirteen than you did?” I turned so I was leaning against the railing but looking directly at him. As much as my mind wanted to dwell on the three little words, I had to resolve all the other doubts before he shut down or shut me out.
His jaw twitched, and I could detect sadness from the side of his face I could actually see. But when he turned to look at me, the chocolate-brown of his eyes pulled me in, just like they always did.
“That was the failed logic of a thirteen-year-old, Penny. I thought I was going to turn out just like my father, and I didn’t want you to be part of the destruction. And then he talked to me two weeks ago after you told me you wanted to go to this dance, giving me this story about how it would never work out if we started our relationship in high school. I’m sorry for being so weird and standoffish. I knew how much it had taken you to trust me, and I didn’t want to break that trust again.”
I allowed his words to sink in. I could only imagine what he’d gone through after getting advice from his father. “You actually listened to your father when it came to relationships?”
“It was both my parents. They were high school sweethearts, and look where they ended up. But I talked to your dad, and he said he and your mom had been together in high school as well.”
“Sounds like the track records for high school sweethearts are slim to none.” I tried to keep the emotion from my voice, but I had to turn, looking out on the view of the city.
Jake’s fingers lightly touched my arm, sending little shots of electricity pulsing through my skin. “What your dad said hit me, though. He said he wouldn’t change anything, even if he’d known how things would end up, because he had you and Derrick. The thing that stuck with me from my mom was that communication was key. Penny, there are plenty of people who make it forever after dating in high school. I love you enough to be one of those couples.”
Goosebumps popped up on my skin as I concentrated on his words. “You love me?”
He nodded, giving me a hesitant smile as he closed the distance between us. “I do, Penelope Davis. I’m probably not the guy of your dreams, but I’m head over heels for you. You make me want to be a better person and have a vision for the future.”
I bit my lip, hoping the tears would stay tucked inside rather than spilling out everywhere. “I’m pretty sure I love you too, Jake White.”
He leaned forward, matching his lips to mine, and I felt the electricity I’d been missing over the past two weeks.
When we broke apart, I jumped. “I should probably go. I’m here with Nate.” As much as I didn’t want to leave, I didn’t want my date to feel bad about me ditching him.
Jake shook his head. “No worries. I already talked to him. And I think he might have found someone to talk to.” He pointed to the dance floor where Nate swayed to a slow song with a girl at least eight inches shorter than he was. The girl looked somewhat familiar, but I couldn’t place her.
“Well, that’s probably a good thing. Nate reminds me a lot of a more athletic version of my brother.” I chuckled, and Jake laughed, the sound healing the wounds I’d been feeling.
“That’s just one of the things I love about you, Penny. You
always know how to make me laugh.” He held out his hand and did a little bow. “May I have this dance?” he asked in an awful British accent.
I put my hand in his. “Yes, you may, as long as you never talk like that again.”
He led me out onto the dancefloor where he pulled me close and swayed to the soft music. Leaning in, he whispered in my ear, “Did I surprise you by coming tonight?”
“I’m definitely shocked that you came, but then again, you’re known for the perfect play in baseball. Now you can say you know how to do it to win back your girlfriend.” I grinned at him, and he kissed me again, his lips soft. I knew this night was going to be one to remember.
Epilogue
Penny
The summer passed quickly with tournaments for the two of us all over Texas and a few other states in the South. Jake finished his indentured service at the diner and got a job at the local dealership, washing and cleaning out cars when they came in. It was tough work, but he enjoyed it more than bussing tables. His mother served his father with divorce papers, and while Mr. White hadn’t made it easy at first, things were progressing, and Mrs. White was going to be able to keep the house until all the kids graduated.
We’d entered the fall of our senior year, and mail had started piling up from different colleges around the country. With each envelope opened, I would study the material, making sure I had all the facts before making one of the biggest decisions of my life.
Jake and I were watching a movie in our family room when a call came through on my cell phone.
“Is this Penelope Davis?”
“Yes,” I said, a bit hesitant.
“This is Michelle Andrews, head softball coach at the University of Texas. I’ve seen you play several times throughout the past summer, and I’m impressed. I’d like to offer you a full-ride scholarship to pitch for us.”
My mouth dropped open, and I squeezed Jake’s forearm, my eyes wide with excitement. “That sounds amazing.” I racked my brain, trying to figure out what to say to that. The University of Texas had been high on my list for a while, but a full-ride scholarship? I was tongue-tied.
The Perfect Play: A Boy Next Door Young Adult Romance (Rosemont High Baseball Book 1) Page 14