by Jordan Ford
“Spell caster. Spell caster,” I sing and strum, drawing out the word as I build to kick back into the chorus…which we’re still working on.
The song will be good. It’ll be amazing.
If we could only finish it.
I glance at the clock on my wall and wonder how it’s going. Man, I’m nervous. Max said she was going to try for a family meeting tonight. She looked ready to puke when she mentioned it at lunchtime. We were all sitting in the cafeteria together. Velocity and Holden Carter at the same table was weird, but the Barlow sisters seem to be gluing us together and we’re helpless to resist.
The band is stoked to have Max back, although in an effort to respect her dad’s rules, we’re having to fit in both lessons and band practice before school, which means I’m not getting to teach her as much as I’d like. She’s still got so much to learn, but maybe after she shows her parents the plans, they’ll ease up and let us throw lunchtime band practices into the mix.
Running my pick down the strings, I start playing without really thinking, my thoughts consumed by Max as I hum and strum.
I’m so lost that I actually jump when Dad taps on my half open door.
He chuckles. “Hanging out in la-la land, are you?”
I shake my head with an embarrassed grin. “More accurately Max Land.”
“It’s not an awful place to be.” Dad winks as he holds out my phone. “You left this on the table, which I don’t mind. It meant I could say a wee hello to your girlfriend.”
My eyes pop wide as I lurch for the phone, Dad instantly invisible as I press it to my ear. “How’d it go?”
“Good. Better than expected.” I sense Max’s smile and the tension in my shoulders pops free. Running a hand through my hair, I release a breath. Man, it feels like I’ve been holding it for hours and I didn’t even realize.
“You still grounded?”
“Oh yeah. This is Maddie’s phone. The punishment’s not going to change anytime soon.”
“What about lunchtime band practices?”
“I still need to work on those. I’ll give them a couple of days to process this first.”
“Right. So…a lot of processing required, then?” I wince, hoping it wasn’t too bad. I wish I could have been there to support her, but I would have just been a distraction.
“They’re taking the plans pretty damn well. Mom in particular has jumped on board, so that’s positive. Hopefully she can help me bring Dad around a little faster. He’s still hurting, though. He’s really gutted about the baseball thing.” Her voice goes soft and sad for a moment. It makes my chest ache for her. I want to wrap her in my arms and hold her, remind her that everything will work out.
“I’m glad your Mom’s in.”
“Yeah, she’s already checking out community colleges for me.”
“Make sure she focuses on the ones near Berkeley.”
Max snickers. “Believe me, I am pushing those big-time. But we have to be prepared for the fact that it may not work. Dad’s really not keen on me selling those baseball cards, and I don’t know how I can afford to live away from home. I may just have to settle for Cullington Community College, which sucks, as I really don’t want to do the long-distance thing after summer.”
“Roman’s going to Cullington.”
“Roman’s not you.” Her voice is now small and heavy, if that’s even possible. This is supposed to be a phone call to celebrate that her parents listened to her. I don’t want it to be one big downer.
Forcing a bright tone, I try to smile when I promise her, “We’ll just have to make the most of the summer.”
“If Dad ever lets me out of the house.”
“He will. He just needs time to process.”
“Yeah, I know.” She sighs. “I just miss you already. I know that sounds lame.”
“Don’t think about it yet. We still have a prom and a summer to look forward to. And once I’m gone, we can video chat and hang out that way. We can still jam together.”
“It won’t be the same. I won’t be able to kiss you.”
My lips twitch with a grin. “I’m sure we can figure out a way to make up for that when we’re actually together.”
Her laughter is soft and breathy before she goes quiet. I lick my lips, trying to think of something excellent to say. Something that will make her drown in the moment, or float in the sky.
But she gets there first, whispering four little words that levitate my heart so high I swear I’m hovering above the bed.
“I love you, Cairo.”
My heart expands. Those giddy bubbles Mom told me about pop and burst as I whisper, “I love you too, Max-a-million.”
She giggles then—a girly sweet sound that’s very un-Max.
“Man, I can’t wait to see you tomorrow morning. Be prepared, because I’m kissing you breathless the second you walk into the music room.”
“Sounds good to me.” She’s smiling again. I can hear it in her voice.
I want to stretch the conversation out, lie down on my bed and chat the night away, but Maddie interrupts us, saying she needs her phone back.
We reluctantly say goodbye to each other and as soon as she’s gone, I flop back on my bed and gaze up at the ceiling.
And she thinks I’m the spell caster.
I shake my head with a grin, happy to be owned by my one-in-a-million girlfriend.
49
Game Over
MAX
I can’t believe it’s only been a week since the club incident. It feels so much longer than that. So much has happened, both good and bad.
It’s been an emotional roller coaster ride that I’m quite happy to get off. Except for maybe the high points, like Cairo and playing guitar, and Cairo, and getting to play at prom…and Cairo.
Oh, and watching Holden’s promposal yesterday was pretty damn awesome. I’ll definitely label that as a high.
He asked me and Cairo to help him out. When he told us his idea, we got Velocity on board too. At the end of baseball practice, as we walked for the locker rooms, Velocity was set up on the grass where Cairo and I first kissed. The whole team kind of jolted to a confused stop while I laughed and ran forward to grab the guitar Cairo had set up for me. As soon as I had it over my shoulders, I winked at Roman and he clicked us into our rocked-up version of “Sweet Creature.” Holden got down on one knee with a bunch of daisies he’d hidden behind the tree, and I swear Maddie nearly cried.
Chloe’s eyes were glistening too, although she looked more pained than happy. It made me sad for her. I really wish she could find a guy to prompose to her. She’d make the sweetest date in the world.
Cairo caught my eye and I couldn’t help being distracted by him. The look in his eyes, the way he winked at me, made my body sizzle.
And I’m all about the body sizzle. Cairo did kiss me breathless in the music room the day after I told him I loved him. He makes it easy to say, and I’ll keep whispering it to him for as long as I can.
Because it’s true.
I love Cairo Hale, and I can’t see that changing anytime soon.
I can’t help a small grin as I shuffle down the hallway. The smiles are hard to control when I’ve got my boyfriend on the brain.
Man, I wish I wasn’t still grounded. It’s only been a week and I’m already hating it. I’ll be going insane by the time graduation rolls around. Hopefully Dad will find it in himself to loosen the reins, or maybe Mom can talk him around. She seems a little more flexible on the punishment thing. She’s definitely more open about my future.
She took it so much better than I thought she would. I guess I should have been honest with her from the start. I could have used her as an ally and maybe not gotten myself into such a big mess.
Honesty felt like such a big risk, and in some ways it was, but it’ll pay off in the long run. I seriously can’t keep lying my way through life just because I’m scared of how people will react.
I cringe as I walk into the dining room, my bod
y tensing like it always does.
But Dad’s not there and my chest expands with relief. Maddie’s at the table, a dreamy smile on her lips as she spoons granola into her mouth.
“Just got a text from Holden?” I point at her finger resting on the edge of her phone.
“Uh-huh.” She grins. “He’s taking me out after the game.”
“Did you ask permission?” I roll my eyes.
She copies me and mutters, “Why of course I did. Mom says it’s cool.”
I sit down beside her, fighting a sharp twinge of jealousy.
“What are you guys going to do?”
“Oh, um…we’ll go hang out at his work for a while.”
“At the old people’s home?”
“Yep, and then he’s taking me out for the evening.” She grins. “I don’t know where, but he told Mom and she gave me this excited smile.”
I wiggle my eyebrows at her and she giggles, quickly catching the dribble of milk running down her chin.
“You’ve got it worse than I do,” I mutter.
She grins, her cheeks blooming red.
Mom walks in, smoothing down my hair as she brushes past me. “Morning, sweetie. Nice to see you’re still alive.”
I roll my eyes. “Mom, it’s not even nine-thirty. Do you even know what sleep in means?”
“Yes.” She finishes putting on her watch. “I slept in until seven this morning.”
“So no, you don’t know what it means.”
Mom gives me a droll look and heads into the kitchen.
“She’s already cleaned the bathroom and kitchen, plus gone for a run this morning.” Maddie cringes.
“Aw, man, she’s the worst when she’s stressed.”
“I know, right? Like a robot that just won’t shut down.”
“You think she’d be more relaxed now that Uncle Conrad’s gone.” I slump back in my chair. The reality of that whole situation still stings. I hate that it came down to that.
Uncle Conrad’s not allowed any technology at this rehab place. I’m planning on writing him a letter soon to let him know about prom and stuff. Not sure if it will make him feel better, though.
“Mom’s stressed about the money Dad had to pay that Santiago guy. I’m pretty sure they borrowed from some friends in Ohio, but I don’t know who.”
“It has to be the Mathersons. They’re loaded.”
“It must have been so humiliating for them.”
I cringe.
“Plus I think she’s still nervous that Santiago might go back on his word and hurt us somehow. Like even though the debt’s been paid, it’s still not over.”
“But it is.” I frown. “He’s not going to take on the Armitage police force for no good reason. Dad will bury him. If he touches any one of us, Dad will call in the FBI or something. He’ll go after the guy with everything he’s got.”
“I know.” Maddie shrugs. “But I still can’t believe he paid the money.”
“It was justice, Mads. Uncle Conrad owed the guy. I can understand why Dad did.”
“I bet it killed him, though. He’s probably working overtime trying to find some excuse to nail the guy.”
We both seal our lips as Mom walks back into the room. Her herbal tea is steaming as she sits down beside me and gives us both a tight smile.
“Dad’s hoping to be finished up in time to get to the game. Chloe better be home soon. She needs to get ready.”
“She and Rahn probably stayed up till the early hours of the morning talking about climate change and the humanitarian crisis in Somalia. She’s probably still blissfully asleep in bed.”
Mom’s about to give me a dry glare when the doorbell rings.
I jump up with a teasing smile and head for the door, wondering who it is.
Swinging it open, my smile falters when I see the panicked look on Rahn’s face.
“Are you okay?” I whisper, not even sure why I’m talking so softly. It’s like instinct is telling me to keep this on the down low.
“Chloe’s not home, is she?”
“No.” I frown. “I thought she was staying with you.”
“Well, she was supposed to.” Rahn winces.
I cross my arms and narrow my eyes at her. “What’s going on?”
“I was her cover. So she could go on a date.”
My lips pop open. “What date? Does Chloe have a boyfriend I don’t know about?”
Rahn’s skin pales by another degree and I’m starting to feel her panic in my own chest.
“Rahn.” My voice is low. “What’s going on?”
“She didn’t come home last night. I waited up for a really long time but then just couldn’t keep my eyes open. I was expecting her to sneak in, but when I woke up this morning she was gone.”
I blink, trying to compute what she just said. “Are you telling me she spent the entire night with some guy?”
“No,” a deep voice croaks.
My eyebrows dip together as I poke my head out the door and nearly keel over when I see Vincent Mancini leaning against our house.
His eyes are dark with torment as he turns to face me. There’s a deep bruise along his jawline and his bottom lip is split.
“I was supposed to meet her last night.” His face bunches with anguish. “But I couldn’t make it, and now she’s disappeared. She had some stuff she wanted to tell me. We needed to talk and I was supposed be there, but…” He looks like he’s about to throw up. “I’ve got to find her. Please tell me she’s in her room, because if she’s not, I think something bad has happened to her.”
My head is dizzy with this unexpected revelation.
My sister is dating Vincent Mancini.
And now she’s gone…and quite possibly in danger.
She’s… I hold my breath, jerking away from the door and bolting down to Chloe’s room. Shoving the door open, I quickly scan her neatly made bed. The room feels like it hasn’t been slept in last night and my gut starts to plummet.
Chloe’s gone.
She’s missing.
She’s…
“Max?” Maddie pops her head into the corridor as I hustle back to the front door. “Is everything okay?”
I shake my head and somehow manage to choke out. “Shit, Mads, we’ve got a really big problem.”
TO BE CONTINUED…
Thank you so much for reading Strike Out. I really hope you enjoyed it. If you’d like to support my work, please leave a review on Goodreads or Amazon. This validates the book and helps me reach new readers. Thanks for your support.
Keep reading to find out what Chloe has been up to in the final Barlow Sisters novel — Foul Play…
Foul Play
(Barlow Sisters #3)
Releasing November 17th, 2017
She’s following her heart. He’s looking for redemption. Can they beat a bad rap and slide home safe?
Chloe Barlow has always wanted to give back. But when she volunteers at the local church one night, her good deed is repaid with a violent attack. The biggest surprise comes when Armitage’s resident bad boy saves Chloe and leaves a sweet note in her locker the following day. Could Chloe's classmates have been wrong about him the whole time?
Vincent Mancini hasn’t cared about his reputation in years. At least, not until Chloe looked in his direction. With his older brother in jail and a rocky home life, it was always easier to accept his troublemaker label. But it turns out Vincent’s brother might be innocent and with Chloe agreeing to a date, things are looking up for the troublemaker…
Chloe is determined to prove her classmates wrong about Vincent by clearing his brother’s name. But as their investigation takes a dangerous turn, Chloe could end up with something much more serious than a broken heart…
Foul Play is the final standalone book in The Barlow Sisters Trilogy, a series of simmering YA contemporary romance novels. If you like forbidden love stories, complex characters, and high-adrenaline mysteries, then you’ll love Jordan Ford’s sports romance series.
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Note from the Author
Following your dreams can be a scary thing. Sometimes you don’t even know what your dreams really are until you’re presented with something that makes your heart stir in ways it never has before. I didn’t realize that my dream was to become writer…not until I was in my twenties. All those hours of daydreaming and imagining stories were a sign I never understood until my best friend asked me to give writing a shot. She wanted to read one of my many story ideas. So I wrote one for her…and I fell in love.
Writing Max and Cairo’s story was such a huge privilege, because I’m a big believer in chasing dreams. Sometimes it’s hard and even terrifying, but life is meant to be lived to the fullest. The heart knows what it wants, and when you’re pursuing a dream—whatever that dream might be—you’re giving life the best chance you possibly can.
I hope and pray that if you’re not chasing one of your dreams yet, you’ll find the courage to do so. If you want to write and tell me what your dreams and passions are, please feel free. I love hearing from my readers and I will always respond: [email protected]
Before I go, I need to thank some key people…
Cassie, Rae, Lenore, Beth, Kristin and my eagle-eye proofreaders. Thank you for everything you do for me and my books. I wouldn’t be able to publish them if you didn’t help me get them up to standard. I don’t know what I’d do without you.
My assistant Rachael—you are a gem. Thank you for being so kind, lovely and organized!