by Ally Mathews
“Izzy? Why are you so tense?” Audrey asked.
“This team is also undefeated, so there’s a chance we won’t win tonight.”
“So?”
“Garret has a better chance of getting a scholarship if they have a perfect season.”
“Oh? I see. Is there something you want to tell me?
Izzy glanced at her. “Like what?”
She leaned closer so no one else could hear. “Like you’re no longer fake dating Garret, because it sure seems like this is real.”
“We’re mostly just friends. Definitely not officially dating.”
“Mostly?”
Izzy nodded. She wouldn’t lie to her best friend, but she wasn’t ready to talk about how her relationship with Garret had changed. A part of her worried that telling Audrey about them would jinx whatever was developing between them.
“Has he kissed you?”
She nodded.
“Ha. I was right. You’re dating.”
“Well, duh,” Jeremy said, nearly causing Izzy to jump up. She didn’t know he’d moved behind them. “You’d have to live under a rock not to have noticed that.”
“What do you know about it?” she asked.
He shrugged. “I had a conversation with Garret to make sure he wasn’t just messing with you.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
“Come on, Izzy, we’ve always looked out for each other.”
Yeah, but he was going overboard with it. She knew what she was doing. What was at risk. “I suppose so.”
After being up by two touchdowns, the Renegades went into the locker room at halftime with a three point lead. Hopefully someone would give them a good pep talk so they could get more points on the board.
Her phone chimed and she slipped it out of her pocket.
Garret: These guys are good. Not sure we’re going to pull this off.
Oh, man. She’d never played a sport. What was she supposed to say?
Izzy: You’ve got this. Play every play as if it’s the last play, your last chance to win.
Garret: Didn’t know you were a fan of Vince Lombardi.
Izzy: Who?
Garret: Vince Lombardi. Legendary coach of the Green Bay Packers. He said something like that.
Izzy: And here I thought my dad made it up.
The Renegades kicked off to start the second half. On the third play, Garret jumped for a high pass and tipped the ball up into the air. Her stomach dropped. The entire crowd held their breath. A player from the other team caught it and ran it back for a touchdown. The stadium was dead quiet except for the small group of opposing fans on the other side of the field. The Renegades were down by four points, which meant they had to score at least one touchdown to win. She could practically see the frustration rolling off Garret as they lined up for the other team to kick off. Now was when she wished she could text him, but he wouldn’t have his phone with him.
Neither team scored again in the third quarter, and they were down to five minutes to go in the fourth. Garret stood stiff on the sideline, and Izzy had no doubt he was blaming himself. Somebody needed to make a big play or they were going to lose. Izzy’s stomach was just as queasy as it got before she went on stage. Everyone was on their feet, yelling and encouraging the Renegades. The other team had been moving the ball down the field, but they’d stopped them three yards shy of their goal on third down. The other coach called a time out.
Izzy kept her eyes focused on Garret. Though he didn’t usually play defense, he was the captain of the team, so he was right there in the huddle with the rest of the players. He said something to one of the guys before they went back out on the field.
This was it. There were just over two minutes in the game, so they needed to stop them here. Fighting the urge to bite her fingernails, she instead grabbed Audrey’s hand so she had something to hold on to.
Yes! They stopped the other team just short of the first down. The noise in the stadium was deafening. All of a sudden, it went dead quiet. They were bringing out the measuring tape. Izzy and everyone else held their breath as they measured. They’d missed by inches and the Renegades got the ball back with just over a minute to go.
Izzy would’ve rather performed a hundred solos in a row than try to stay calm with the clock ticking down the seconds. Her heart raced. She could only imagine what Garret was feeling. They snapped the ball, and Elliot moved back to throw. Just before a guy from the other team tackled him, he threw the ball way down the field toward Garret. A player from the other team made a jump for it, but Garret leaped impossibly high and caught the ball and ran it into the end zone for a touchdown. The crowd went wild and the team gang-tackled him.
There was just enough time for one last kickoff, but the Renegades tackled the player who caught the ball within seconds and the clock ticked down to zero. Izzy lost track of Garret in the crowd. She didn’t see him in the pack of players on the field.
All of a sudden he was right in front of her and had her locked in a bear hug before she knew what was happening.
“That right there? That was all you. I would never have made that catch, and we would’ve lost if it wasn’t for you.” Then he kissed her until she was dizzy, and everything around them disappeared and it was just the two of them.
Chapter Sixteen
Garret squeezed Izzy’s shaking hand. “Calm down. You survived meeting my dad, so meeting my mom will be a piece of cake. She already likes you.” After he’d kissed her in front of most of the town at the game last Friday, Mom demanded to meet her. She’d been fielding calls all week about how Garret was dating the senator’s daughter.
“How is that possible?”
“Remember the first night we met at the dance studio?”
“How could I forget? It was the night I started my blackmailing career.”
He led her toward the front door of the house. Maybe it was a good thing she was nervous. That way she might not notice how small and shabby their house was. It wasn’t that he was ashamed exactly, but she was used to a much different situation. “I told her everything when I got home.”
“What! Then how can she possibly like me? I can’t do this. Tell her I’m sorry.” She turned to go back to her car.
He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her back against him. The strawberry scent of her hair washed over him and he closed his eyes. “Izzy, she does like you. She thought it was about time someone challenged me.”
She twisted around so they were facing each other. “So it was all her idea?”
“Not exactly. She’s the one who suggested I make you a counter offer and came up with the idea of free lessons for Hannah. But I’m the one who invented the dating clause.”
“Remind me to thank you for that later.” She pressed a kiss against his neck, and his blood raced through him. If he didn’t stop things now, they’d never make it inside. He grabbed her hand and led her toward the front door.
Her hand shook. “Izzy. What’s wrong now?”
“I’m not good with moms. It’s just that I’ve never had one, and I’ve never dated before, and most moms are put off by the Goth thing.” She waved her hands at her face.
Being afraid of his mom was insane. “Take a deep breath and then calm the heck down. My dad owns a junkyard. We’re the last people who are going to judge you.” They took a few more steps toward the house then he stopped again. “What is it with the Goth thing, anyway? I mean, why do you bother with it if you’re afraid of how people will react?”
“At first, I did it just to piss off my father, but I liked how people would dismiss me with a glance just because of how I looked, without knowing anything else about me. It’s a way to hide without actually having to hide if that makes sense.”
He considered asking what she was hiding from, but that was probably too complicated to answer in the time they had before dinner.
“It also lets me know who my real friends are. Anyone who accepts me like this, no questions asked, is worth my time.”
> He grabbed her arm and spun her to face him. “So do I fall somewhere in that category?”
“Most definitely. You’re the only one who really knows both parts of me, since my dance and school friends don’t mix.”
“What about Jeremy and the others who are working on props?”
“Jeremy and my other friends help with the scenery and they support me, but they don’t really get why dance is so important to me. You do because of your dedication to football, and because you have an idea of what dancing is really like.”
Wow. It was a bit overwhelming to think he might be the person who understood her the best when they’d only really known each other for a few months.
His sister came barreling out of the house and latched on to Izzy. “I love your purple hair, Miss Isabelle! How come you don’t have it at the dance studio?”
“Because we have to be proper ballerinas at the studio, so I hide it.” She showed Hannah how it could disappear into a bun.
“That’s so cool! Can I get purple hair?”
“Um…” She glanced at Garret and shrugged.
“I think you’ll have to talk to Mom about that.”
The two girls linked arms and skipped toward the house. Garret was fine with walking slowly behind them.
His mom opened the door. “Isabelle, it’s wonderful to finally meet you. I’d like to be able to say that Garret has told me so much about you, but I’m afraid Hannah has told me more.”
“Way to make me look good, Mom.”
The three girls all laughed.
For a second, he worried again about what Izzy would think of their house, but Jeremy lived in the trailer park with an alcoholic mother, and she’d been friends with him for years.
“Isabelle, I hope you don’t mind pot roast.”
“Not at all, Mrs. Mitchell. To be honest, I’ve never had it, so I’m looking forward to it.”
“How is that possible?”
“It’s just me and my dad, so we eat out a lot.”
“Well, then I guess we’ll find out if you like it.” Mom narrowed her eyes at him, but he didn’t have a clue what she was trying to say.
“Miss Isabelle, come see my bedroom.” Hannah grabbed her hand and towed her down the hallway.
He hadn’t expected her to go into any of the bedrooms. Not that he’d been in the bedrooms at her house, but the rooms he and Hannah had were tiny. It just highlighted how different their house was from hers.
“Oh my goodness. I’m jealous.” Izzy stood in the doorway. “Purple is my favorite color.” She pointed at her head.
“Garret painted it for me because Dad was too busy.”
She moved farther into the room and studied the murals on the walls. “Your brother painted these for you?”
Hannah nodded and grabbed a book off of her shelf. “He copied the pictures from this book, The Nutcracker Ballet.”
“Garret, these are amazing.” He’d painted images of the Nutcracker Prince, the Sugarplum Fairy, the Spanish, Chinese, Arabian, and Russian dancers, and Clara, who he’d painted as his sister. They were as good as the illustrations in the book.
She turned back to Hannah. “I think you’ll be ready to dance in the production this year. You’d make an excellent mouse, and we already have all of the costumes.”
“Garret, do you think I can do it?”
“Since Miss Isabelle said so, then I’d have to say yes.”
She rushed toward him, and he went down on one knee so she could hug him. He wasn’t sure how they’d pay for it, but maybe he and his mom could figure out a way.
Izzy turned and met his eyes. “Jeremy said something about you being a good artist, but I had no idea. Are you even in an art class at school?”
“No. Having athletics means I don’t have any space in my schedule for another elective. Besides, I’m not really an artist. I’m just good at copying other people’s work.”
“That’s a load of bull, but you’re so helping with the scenery now.”
“Dinner!” Mom yelled from the kitchen.
Izzy held his gaze, then turned back to Hannah. “Do you ever tell your brother he’s stupid?”
“All. The. Time.”
Maybe they could get Mom to join in and rag on him, too. But he supposed he could take it if it meant Izzy was comfortable with his family, although he didn’t really expect her to come here often. Why would she want to hang out in the slums when they could just spend time at her house instead?
He followed them back to the dining room. There were only four places set, which meant his dad hadn’t bothered to come home for dinner. He was probably out with the guys at the bar again. Hopefully Izzy would be gone before someone called for Garret to come drive him home.
The food smelled fantastic. Izzy took a large slice of the roast, carrots, potatoes, and a huge dollop of gravy. He looked at her plate. Okay, then. Seriously. She’d taken more food than he did.
“So, what do you think of pot roast, Isabelle?”
“Mrs. Mitchell, I’ve never tasted anything this good. Who knew gravy was so divine.”
“Wait. How can you never have had gravy?” Garret asked.
She shrugged. “I just haven’t. Neither Daddy or I know how to cook, so we just order out or buy ready-made stuff at the grocery store most of the time. I can make a PB and J sandwich.”
“Wow, Izzy, maybe you should open up a restaurant.”
She smacked his arm.
Using her finger, Izzy wiped some gravy from her plate and sucked it into her mouth. Whoa. His stomach tightened and he shifted in his seat. She probably had no idea what she was doing to him.
Headlights swept over the front window as they were finishing the meal. He exchanged a look with his mom. Dad was home. This was the last thing he wanted her to see.
Dad cut the engine and moments later the door opened. The stink of beer hit them.
“You ate dinner without me?” Dad glared at Mom.
Mom bit her lip, then said, “Can’t you see we have a guest? It would’ve been rude to make her wait.”
He turned toward Izzy and steadied himself on the back of Hannah’s chair. “Ah, the senator’s daughter. What’s she doing over on this side of town?”
Mom stood and touched his wrist. “Hannah and I were just about to do the dishes. Why don’t you come into the kitchen and I’ll fix you a plate.”
Garret took that as his cue. “Izzy, I’ll walk you out.” He helped pull out her chair, and Hannah rushed to hug her.
“I’ll see you at the studio next week, sweetheart,” she said, then kissed the top of her head.
He ushered her out the door and followed her to her car.
She stopped and leaned against the door, facing toward him.
He ran his fingers through his hair. “I’m sorry you had to see that. Some days are better than others, but—”
She touched his arm. “My mom died of a drug overdose. You don’t need to explain anything. Least of all to me.”
“This isn’t how I imagined tonight going.”
“Garret, I loved meeting your mom and being with your family. It was just like I always imagined it would be if I had a normal family, a brother and sister and a mom. We would all sit around the table and talk for hours instead of eating in front of the TV.”
He clenched his jaw. “The house—”
She grabbed his hand. “Garret, your house is cozy and comfortable, and you don’t have to worry about spilling something on some stupid expensive thing that holds no meaning. I’d give anything to have a real family like you.”
And now he felt like three kinds of crap. He would be lonely, too, without his mom and his sister, and his dad hadn’t been so bad when Garret was younger. Still, the difference between their houses and lifestyle might be too big to ignore.
“Please ask your mom to let me know when I can come back and learn how to make gravy.”
“Seriously? You’re that into gravy?”
She grinned. “Yes!
I want to put it on everything.”
“Before I forget, there’s something I want to ask you.”
“Okay.”
“If you agree, it’ll be kind of a big favor.”
She nodded.
“What would you think of teaching ballet to the entire team?”
Her eyes widened. “What? Why?”
“Because several of the guys have noticed the difference in my play this year, and they want to know my secret. It doesn’t seem fair not to tell them.” He also thought it might ease the tension they’d had on the team since they’d figured out he had a thing for Izzy. Once they got to know her and she helped their game, they’d probably all fall for her, too.
“So, what, you want me to come to practices or something?”
“No, nothing like that. I was thinking maybe you could come in during first period athletics. We could stay in the gym, and no one but the players and coaches would know about it.”
“Sorry, Mr. Football, but I have English first period. Some of us actually have to study and don’t get special privileges.”
He stuck his tongue out at her. “What about just before or just after school?”
“I’ll think about it, but I thought you were worried about everyone finding out about our lessons. Wouldn’t me teaching the entire team ruin your whole ‘keeping this a secret’ thing?”
“Probably, but I don’t think I care anymore. Now that everyone thinks we’re dating, they’ll just figure you’ve been helping me. Nobody is going to make fun of the entire football team. If I can talk coach into it, will you think about it?”
She raised a brow. “What’s in it for me?”
He pulled her closer. “My eternal gratitude?”
“That’s definitely not enough to tempt me to spend an hour wrangling a bunch of football players.”
“Then name your price.”
“For now, I’ll settle for a kiss. But I reserve the right to ask for as many as I want if this actually happens.”
“Fair enough.” He slid his hands into her silky hair and pulled her close. He kissed her forehead, both eyelids, and her nose before moving to her mouth. Moments later, he pulled back and met her eyes, then prepared himself to ask the most important question he’d ever asked. “So what do you think about making this thing between us official?”