Hard Game (Wild Boys Sports Romance Book 1)

by Harper Lauren

  I took several deep breaths before opening my mouth again. “You’re right,” I whispered.

  “Cassy, I’m sure Ivan’s worried about you now,” Charlene said in a gentle voice. “Let him make you feel better, but in the right way.”

  “Okay,” I said. “Thanks.”

  I bounded over to the front porch, noticing that Aunt Ellen was alone in the dining area now. I heaved a sigh of relief, hoping that my father had left already.

  As I went out, though, I saw him and Ivan talking a few feet away from the house. It seemed to be serious.

  Ivan then looked back at me and smiled. Then he turned back to my dad, who then waved at me before climbing into his luxurious sedan. He had a chauffeur driving for him. Of course.

  I rolled my eyes as he sped away.

  Meanwhile, Ivan had approached me with a look of concern on his face.

  I narrowed my eyes at him suspiciously. “What were you two so serious about?”

  “Oh, just football stuff,” he replied. “Don’t worry about it.”

  “Are you sure you guys didn’t talk about me?” I demanded.

  Ivan chuckled. “Not everything’s about you, no matter how gorgeous you are.”

  I scoffed. “Flattery won’t get you anywhere, dumbass.”

  He laughed, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me closer for a quick kiss. I let the sweetness of the moment wash away my negative emotions.

  “We can talk about your dad, Cassy,” he offered when we parted from the kiss.

  I hesitated, but eventually nodded. “The Pub?” I said hopefully.

  “All right,” Ivan said, to my delight. “Just one drink for you.”

  “Yes, sir!” I said with a salute that made him laugh.

  Chapter 20

  Ivan

  It had been a close call.

  I remembered approaching Mr. Young before he got into his car. “Sir, excuse me…” I had started.

  He’d looked at me and smiled. “Ivan Willard,” he had said. “Still not back on the game, huh?”

  “Yes, sir, but probably soon now,” I’d answered.

  “I see,” he’d said. “So then you’ll have to keep working on Cassy. Make use of your remaining time wisely.”

  “She’s gone a long way, as you probably heard from your sister,” I had said. “Cassy has also made lots of friends here and is even inspiring the younger generation.”

  “That’s good,” Mr. Young had said thoughtfully.

  “But Mr. Young, about our deal…”

  “You’re dating my daughter, I can tell,” he’s answered briskly, surprising me. “I guess that’s fine as long as you’re a good influence on her. I’m sure you two will go your separate ways once you’re back on the football team and she’s busy training in my office and dealing with her fashion business on the side.”

  I hadn’t had a chance to speak further because Cassy had arrived then. Although I was deeply bothered by the fact that Mr. Young seemed to disregard my relationship with his daughter as just a simple fling, I figured it was better than having him forbid us from seeing each other.

  However, it was still troubling to know that I hadn’t cut off our deal yet.

  “Hey,” Cassy nudged me playfully. “I’ve finished my bottle, but you hardly touched yours. Are you even listening to what I’m saying?”

  “Of course,” I said, putting an arm around her as we sat side by side in one of the cozier corners of The Pub. “I’m just bothered for you. And I really hope you won’t let him destroy you or your accomplishments. You’ve done so well, Cassy. I’d hate to see you throw it all away.”

  “I won’t,” Cassy promised, linking her arm with mine. “As long as I have you beside me and I have Aunt Ellen and my friends backing me up, I’m going all the way. No matter what challenges I face in the next few months, I can handle it.”

  “I know you can,” I told her, giving her a kiss on the forehead.

  Having heard her stories and rants from way back, my heart seemed to melt for her. I yearned to protect her and support her until all her dreams could come true. It was really alarming to feel that way because it was a first time for me.

  Cassy snuggled up to me as I downed my beer. “I think I’ve never bared my soul like this to anyone before. Well, except for Charlene,” she whispered.

  I placed my beer down on the table and held her closer, feeling somehow happy and contented despite the situation with her father and despite my own worries.

  “What about you?” Cassy asked. “You haven’t been as forward about your past or your personal problems. Aren’t you comfortable with me yet?”

  “No, it’s not that,” I said. “I’m just not like that. And besides, apart from the fact that I’m anxious to get back on the team, I have no other worries.”

  “You sure?”

  “Yeah, why do you ask?”

  She shrugged. “Just wondering…”

  We were quiet for a while. I wondered if she could sense I was keeping a secret from her. “You know…” I began. “You should be grateful you have a dad at least. He may be far from perfect, but I can tell that he cares about you.”

  Cassy frowned, but nodded in agreement. She looked up to watch my face, seemingly searching for clues. “Do you miss your dad?” she finally asked.

  “A lot,” I said honestly. “We used to be close when I was young, but we drifted apart. Now I’m regretting that. I wish I’d listened to him more or spent more time with him. ”

  “Yeah, I guess,” Cassy said. Then to my surprise, she embraced me tightly. “Thank you for sharing that. It means a lot.”

  “I didn’t say much,” I said, chuckling.

  “It’s enough,” she said. “Maybe I have to adjust my perspective and try to see it from his point of view.”

  I smiled. “It might help you find peace, Cassy.”

  She grinned. “Thank you. I can’t believe I’m gonna say this, but I feel lucky to have you in my life right now.”

  I laughed, really touched by her words. “You have no idea how happy you make me, Cassy. And of course, without you, I would’ve died of boredom and frustration already because of my injury.”

  She laughed, the twinkle back in her eyes. “It’s so funny, you know? Look at us! Listen to us! This is gross mushy stuff.” She wrinkled her nose, which made me laugh.

  “I’m beginning to like gross mushy stuff,” I told her as we laughed together.

  “Okay,” she said, smiling wider. “So does this mean I get to have a second beer?”

  I laughed. “Don’t push your luck, kid.”

  She groaned. “Fine, let’s just go home.”

  As we walked back to the car, she tiptoed and whispered in my ear, making the hairs on my skin stand on edge. “Perhaps you have something better than beer for me…” she said suggestively.

  I felt myself getting aroused. “Definitely,” I replied. “You’re going to love it.”

  Chapter 21

  Cassy

  It was the day before the town festival. I sat in the living room sipping coffee as Charlene and I waited for the girls to change into my creations.

  “Do you really think coffee is going to calm your nerves?” Charlene said. “It might actually make it worse.”

  I grinned, rubbing my palms together. “Well, whatever,” I said. “At least you’re here to support me. I couldn’t thank you enough.”

  Charlene tossed her hair behind her shoulder. “You know I wouldn’t miss it for the world. And besides, I’m also excited to put my hair and makeup skills into action.”

  “So you’ve been pursuing that apart from your family business?” I asked in surprise.

  “Yes,” she said. “Mom and Dad don’t mind as long as I do my work well in the office. You should consider it in the future. I mean, training in your office too. I know it’ll be a cinch for you the way you breezed through college and did so well in your IT major.”

  I laughed. “Thinking about it, really. Might
get Dad to finally shut up and let me have my life back.”

  “Compromise is a good thing.”

  “Yeah,” I agreed.

  The high school cheerleaders bounded down the stairs of Aunt Ellen’s house one by one, modeling my clothes. They were all just as excited as I was, which was obvious from their faces and chatter.

  “This is so beautiful I think I’m going to buy it!” one of them gushed, turning around to show off the floral dress.

  Her friend smiled. “You should, really,” she said. Then she went on to admire what she had on--- a lacy top that flowed into a long layered skirt with subtle frills.

  “You’re all so, so beautiful!” Charlene told them, making them beam. “And tomorrow, you will be even more glam and radiant because I’m going to do your hair and makeup.”

  Some of them squealed while the others just kept on admiring themselves and each other. They even asked to see the prices, which disappointed a few of them. These were teenage girls, after all, who didn’t get a hefty allowance like I did when I was in high school. I had actually priced the clothes very competitively, given that I was launching in a small town.

  “You girls get a 50% discount, of course,” I told them, just coming up with the idea at that moment.

  “Oh, my gosh! You’re way too cool!” the head cheerleader said, jumping up and down.

  “No way!” the other one said. “Consider this sold!”

  Charlene and I laughed.

  “Well, it’s the least I can do for you who volunteered to model the collection,” I said. “My assistant dressmaker helped me create just two of each kind. I don’t want to mass-produce. Anyway, I’m offering 20% off too for those who buy on the spot tomorrow.”

  “My sisters are so buying for sure,” a red-haired girl said with excitement. “Can’t wait to tell them the good news!”

  “Yes, please spread the word,” I told them.

  “Oh, you can definitely count on that!”

  Everything was all set, so I decided it was time to relax and have some fun. I spent the afternoon with Charlene, Mel, and Jenny getting pampered at a local spa that had recently opened--- the very first of its kind in town. It was of course not much compared to the spas I was used to in the city. But nevertheless, their massage was very good for such an affordable rate. And having great company made it an unforgettable experience for me.

  I knew Ivan was busy setting up his football clinic booth and planning all sorts of things. He was facilitating free games and drills for the kids to help promote his new venture. Hence, we didn’t have time anymore to see each other.

  He did call me as I was having dinner with Charlene at a burger joint. “How’s my favorite fashion designer doing?” he asked in a teasing tone.

  I told him about my day which made him a little envious.

  “Damn, I’d love a massage too!” he said.

  I laughed. “Don’t worry, I’ll give you one. Free of charge.”

  “Now there’s something to look forward to after the festival,” he said meaningfully. I could actually picture the grin on his face and his eyebrows doing that wiggling thing he sometimes did when he was in this sort of mood.

  We chatted a bit more and then said our goodbyes, promising to meet up early the next morning.

  That evening, I had never felt as relaxed, especially since Charlene and I got to have a “slumber party” in my bedroom just like we used to do when we were younger. We almost stayed up talking the whole night, but we forced ourselves to go to sleep because we had a full day to look forward to.

  The sun was shining brightly in the morning. The perfect weather for a perfect day, I thought with a smile as I trooped onto Rosie’s vast horse farm where Burchnell’s Foundation Festival was going to be held.

  With beautiful horses trotting against a background of greenery and a glistening river, the place was certainly lovely. The white fences had been dolled up with blue and red ribbons and flags. There was even a huge balloon arch and a welcome banner in the same colors to serve as the entrance.

  An excited smile spread across my face as I looked around. There were blue and red lanterns hanging from the trees too, while the branches had been wrapped with small Christmas lights. It would surely look amazing at night.

  When I caught sight of the stage and catwalk that had been set up with lights and speakers and decorated with flowers and balloons, my heart began to pound. This is it. The first big step toward my dream.

  I paused for a while, not even giving any regard to the plain catwalk. It was just as well, so the focus would really be on the models and my creations. My mind was filled with imagined thoughts of what was to come that afternoon.

  When I headed to the line of activity and promotional booths which were opposite the food booths, I could feel the excitement in the air. The area was already bustling with busy, happy people who were all looking forward to the event. Most of them were there to put the final touches to their booths or bring in equipment. The festival was scheduled to open officially in less than two hours.

  There was no way for me to miss Ivan’s booth. It had a giant paper mache football on top. The wooden stand had been decorated with green and brown flags. There was even a stand beside it that contained all of Ivan’s football trophies and awards.

  As I approached, I could see Ivan leaning over his signup sheets and other documents, the muscles on his shoulders and arms flexing through his plain white shirt. His brown eyes looked intense, which complemented his rugged features. A strand of his hair fell over his eyes, and he pushed it back immediately. His lips were pursed, showing that he was concentrating on whatever it was he was doing.

  My heart skipped a beat when he suddenly looked up. A lazy smile spread across his face as he stood to welcome me in a sweet embrace.

  “Hey, you,” he greeted.

  “Hey, you,” I said, our eyes locking on each other in a loving gaze. Anyone who could see us at that moment would surely not doubt how much we cared about one another.

  “You look pretty calm,” he noted. “And happy.”

  I giggled. “I’m feeling calm and happy. And you look very ready.” I gestured to the whole setup. “This is amazing!”

  “Don’t look at me in awe,” he said with a grin. “My mom did all the artistic stuff.”

  “Wow, really? That’s wonderful!” I was genuinely surprised, but felt happy for Ivan. He and his mom had become so bonded the past few months that he’d been in Burchnell. I knew he was happy and relieved as well to see his mom getting back into the circulation, actually becoming active on town events and stuff.

  “Come on, I have a surprise for you,” he suddenly said, grabbing my hand and dragging me down the line of booths.

  I gave him an odd look as I followed his lead.

  We stopped in front of my booth, which I hardly recognized now. Yesterday morning, Charlene and I had left it bare after just attaching a sign on top with my brand name and logo. I hadn’t even brought the mannequin and dress from the car that I was planning to display.

  With my mouth open in utter surprise, I went closer to admire the flowing light pink fabric that had been draped across the wooden stand. The flimsy material danced softly with the wind. My eyes then dropped to the table portion that had been designed with a nice arrangement of fresh flowers.

  “How--?” I began to ask.

  “My mom and your aunt,” he said with a smile.

  “You put them up to it,” I said accusingly, but my eyes were filled with tears of joy. I was moved by their act of kindness. It was so simple, yet it meant so much more than all of the expensive things I’d been given in the past years.

  “Well, I did have the idea,” he admitted, lacing his fingers with mine. “And I did do the part that didn’t require so much artsy-fartsy.”

  He pulled me toward the side and showed me a narrow panel of wood where framed photos had been hung.

  I gasped as I saw the photos. They showed the town clients who had ordered clo
thes from me before. Each one was a picture of the person wearing my creation. Even Jenny had a photo wearing the dress I’d given her. There was also a photo of the cheerleaders in the stunning uniform I’d designed for them. Beside each photo was a printed text that showed their testimonials.

  “You did all this?” I whispered in disbelief, my eyes welling up with tears.

  He nodded. “Do you like it?”

  “Are you crazy?” I almost screamed. “This shit is the best!”

  That made him laugh out loud.

  I threw my arms around his neck and kissed him on the lips. “I love it, Ivan! Thank you so, so much.”

  “Now that just made it worth all the trouble,” he said, grinning. We stood there holding each other, smiling like silly lovebirds. “Love makes us do crazy things, I guess.”

  My heart raced at his words. Did he just imply that he loves me?

  “Oh, wait,” he suddenly said. “There’s more.”

  “There’s more?”

  He took out his tablet and typed in the URL www.creationsbycassy.com to my shock. The homepage was lovely, designed in dainty white and light pink with stylish calligraphy and a beautiful write-up about me and my passion for fashion.