“Hey, stranger.”
Raven looked up to find Chrissy plopping down in the seat beside her.
“Hey! I don’t remember the last time you came to a football game.”
Chrissy shrugged and rotated the silver ring on her right thumb. “I usually work Fridays. But one of my co-workers owed me a favor and swapped shifts with me this week. Figured I ought to get out and show a little Clearwater pride.” She pointed to Raven’s hot dog. “And I need to get me one of those.”
Raven handed the hot dog over along with packets of ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise. “It’s on me.” She’d only gotten both because she knew it’d drive her mom nuts. Sure enough, Mom nodded approvingly.
“You sure?” Chrissy took it and immediately squeezed a packet of mustard all over the dog. “Thanks.” She took a bite. “Oh yeah, that’s what I’m talking about.”
Mom touched Raven’s arm. “Honey, I see someone I want to visit with for a while. Do you mind?”
Raven shook her head. “It’s fine.”
Dad was somewhere else, and Rosie had disappeared for a while, too. At the moment, Raven was happy to relax and visit with Chrissy. “I’m glad I came tonight. I almost didn’t.” If it’d been a local game, she would’ve stayed home. The odds Heath would show up at another event were small, but she didn’t want to risk it. Going to the game tonight gave her leeway with her family next week if she decided to bail.
“I’m glad you did, too.” Chrissy motioned to the field where players were warming up. “I played clarinet in the band, but I never got into football.” Chrissy had grown up in Utah and only moved to Clearwater five years ago. “Football was important, but not quite as big in Utah as it is here.”
“No doubt. It’s practically a religion in Texas.” Raven rolled her eyes, and they both laughed. She finished her pretzel and was wadding up the paper sleeve it’d come in when something on the edge of the field caught her eye. She squinted against the bright sun getting lower on the horizon. It couldn’t be.
There stood Heath, visiting with the crowd of people around him as if he belonged at the game. Raven released a heavy sigh and sagged against the back of her chair.
“What? What’s wrong?”
“That’s Heath down there with his flock of adoring fans.”
“Ooooh, let me see.” Chrissy didn’t hesitate to stand, shield her eyes, and get a good look. She only sat when Raven grabbed the hem of her shirt and tugged her back into her seat. “You failed to mention he’s crazy good-looking.”
While they’d talked about Heath a lot, Raven had never shown her friend a picture of him. Truthfully, she never imagined the two of them would meet.
“I didn’t see the point.”
“So you agree he’s hot?” Chrissy waggled her eyebrows, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
Raven nudged her friend with an elbow. Of course he was hot. If anything, he was even more so now than he was back in high school. His lanky form had filled out, the muscles in his upper arms bulging against the sleeves of his shirt every time he flexed them. It was no wonder there was a handful of women chatting with him, all clearly enamored.
“It doesn’t matter,” Raven muttered under her breath. “He’ll leave again in a few weeks and everything here will return to normal.” This right here was why she insisted on bringing her own car. She’d be heading back to Clearwater before the game ended. What she needed was a change in topic. “Are you volunteering to help with the float this year?”
“Yep.” Chrissy polished off the rest of her hot dog and got a tissue out of her bag to wipe her hands. “Clearwater Coffee is donating drinks for all the volunteers tomorrow. I’m bringing those in, and then I’ll stay to help for a while. You, too?”
“I’ll be there.” Under silent protest. Raven had been roped into helping for the second year in a row. “And I’m stoked you’re bringing coffee. You’ll be the most popular volunteer.” Knowing her favorite coffee would be waiting for her when she volunteered tomorrow helped a little.
Chrissy smiled and nodded. Her gaze shifted, and her eyes widened. “Looks like you’ve got company.”
Raven glanced up to find Heath walking up the steps to their row, his gaze on her. Great, what did he want?
~*~
Heath picked his way toward Raven. If the look on her face was any indication, she wished he’d trip and fall back down the stairs to the field below. On the other hand, the friend she sat with watched him curiously. He was pretty sure he hadn’t met her before. It would be hard to forget someone with such colorful hair or the amount of jewelry this woman wore.
He’d seen the two visiting earlier and wondered if Raven was telling her friend all about the issues between them. Until Raven laughed. She’d seemed so at ease, there was no way he was the topic of conversation.
Now Raven looked uncomfortable, which bothered him as much as if she’d been angry to see him. “I’m sorry to interrupt. Rosie found me below and wanted me to let you know she’s sitting on the sidelines today. She told me her back is hurting, and she didn’t want to walk up the stairs.”
Raven’s brows furrowed. “Is she okay? Maybe I should find her and see if there’s anything I can do to help.”
Heath shook his head. “She assured me she was fine and said you should just enjoy the game.” He glanced at the people milling below. “I’d forgotten how nice this field is.” He’d played here many times in high school. In fact, he remembered one time assisting in a touchdown and looking toward the stands to find young Raven standing and cheering for him. She’d seemed so happy back then. A stark contrast to the way she looked now. “Anyway, I wanted to pass along the information.”
Okay, now this was awkward. He ought to leave, but he didn’t know where to go. Find another seat, he supposed.
“Sit down, Heath.” Raven pushed the seat of the chair down next to her.
She sounded aggravated, but when Heath looked at her, there was no way to tell what she was thinking. “You sure?”
Raven shrugged. “Your call.”
Well, he couldn’t very well leave now. He settled into the seat beside her, his elbow brushing hers as they met on the shared armrest. Electricity traveled up his arm and straight to his chest.
Raven jerked hers away. Had she felt it, too? Or was she so repulsed, she couldn’t stand the thought of touching him?
She cleared her throat. “Oh, this is my friend, Chrissy. Chrissy, meet Heath. An old friend from high school.”
Ouch.
Heath reached in front of Raven to shake Chrissy’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“You, too.” Chrissy gave him a genuine smile.
He ignored the uncomfortable look on Raven’s face. “What do you do for a living? Or are you a football groupie?”
Chrissy chuckled at that. “No, not a groupie. I think this game is the first I’ve attended this season.” She nudged Raven’s shoulder with her own. “I work at Clearwater Coffee. I’m the one who enables Raven’s caffeine addiction.”
Raven smiled. “I should look into getting stock in that place,” she admitted. “But I promise I didn’t become your friend because you work at a coffee shop.”
She and Chrissy laughed.
“I’ll have to check the place out.” Heath made a mental note. Raven had always been particular about her coffee, so if she liked Clearwater Coffee, it had to be decent. He’d have to plan what time he went by. If it were in the morning or at lunch, there was a good chance he could run into Raven. The thought held a lot more appeal than it ought to, and that surprised Heath. Spending time with Raven was the last thing he needed to do. He shouldn’t even be sitting with her in semi-awkward silence. Thankfully, Chrissy leaned forward to see around Raven and asked another question.
“I heard about your foot. How’s physical therapy going?”
Heath lifted his boot. “It’s going well. I’ve made more progress than I’d hoped.” Which was true. Between the treatment plan Dr. Bright had drawn
up and the therapy Raven had been providing, it was clear coming back for rehabilitation had been the right decision. There was no doubt Raven excelled at her job. He wouldn’t hesitate to recommend CRC to others who might need it.
Raven straightened and waved to someone at the base of the bleachers. With a smile, she jumped to her feet and said, “I’ll be right back.”
Heath watched as she traversed the steps and gave someone a hug. The girl looked to be in high school and talked animatedly with Raven.
“That’s April,” Chrissy volunteered. “She goes to CRC, too. Raven’s been working with her for months. The doctors originally told April she’d never walk again. Raven promised she’d have her dancing at homecoming, even if it was with some help.”
The two continued to visit and even though Heath couldn’t hear a word that was spoken, his heart swelled with pride. This was what Raven was made to do. She had a way with people, and he could see the admiration and respect in the girl’s eyes.
“I’ll bet Raven will do it, too.”
Chrissy nodded. “She doesn’t make a promise she can’t keep.”
Those words made Heath pause. It’s true, Raven had always valued truth and honesty. Back in the day, if he’d only told her about all the pressure Pop had been putting on him, maybe things would’ve been different. Instead, he’d hidden many of his reasons for leaving. He frowned. Raven had deserved much better than that.
A few moments later, Rosie approached Raven. They talked, and Raven patted her sister on the back. She handed over her car keys before jogging up the stairs and into the row in front of Chrissy and Heath. “Hey, guys. Rosie said she isn’t feeling well. I’m going to take her home.” She focused on her friend. “Sorry to duck out on you so fast. We need to go watch a movie and chill or something.”
“Absolutely. I’ll text you with my next days off.” She made a shooing motion with her hand. “Go take care of Rosie. Tell her I hope she feels better soon.”
“Will do.” Raven finally turned from Chrissy to Heath. “Enjoy the game. See you on Tuesday.”
“Yeah. Be careful driving back.” He watched as Raven grabbed her bag from under her chair, gave them a wave, and walked away. He couldn’t take his eyes off her until she’d disappeared from sight. Only then did he realize he’d been staring and muffled a sigh.
Chrissy smacked the arm of her chair with her palm and stood. “Well, I’m going to go mingle a little. It’s rare I get to escape the coffee shop on a Friday evening. It was nice to meet you, Heath.”
Heath stood. “You, too.” Once she’d left, he regained his seat.
Hopefully Rosie was okay. He’d noticed she seemed exceptionally tired when she’d found him earlier to remind him of his promise to volunteer. It was good Raven took her home.
Unfortunately, it meant he’d be watching the game alone. The unexpected wave of disappointment was nearly as annoying as this tension between him and Raven.
Chapter Nine
Rosie grabbed Raven’s arm. “Oh! And don’t forget to ask Nell to contact the florist on Fourth Street. They were supposed to get back to us on flower donations a week ago.”
Raven nodded as she jotted notes in the small notebook she held. Rosie had been talking a mile a minute the last half hour, and the list of things Raven had to accomplish once she arrived at the school later that afternoon was getting longer and longer.
Volunteering to put the float together on the Saturdays leading up to homecoming was one thing. Taking over Rosie’s job of organizing everyone was something else entirely. Not that she blamed Rosie. Her poor sister had fallen asleep immediately after getting home last night. When she woke up this morning, she’d started cramping. With the baby’s due date still nearly a month away, everyone insisted Rosie put her feet up until her doctor’s appointment Monday morning. Raven couldn’t agree more. If managing things today helped her sister, then Raven could handle it for one day.
When Rosie tried to add another item to the list, Raven reached over and put a hand on her shoulder. “This isn’t resting. This is stressing, which is the last thing you need. I’ve got it covered. And I promise I’ll talk to Nell or call you if I have any questions.”
“Okay.” Rosie’s nose wrinkled. “Are you sure you don’t mind staying for the whole five hours? Everyone’s supposed to take shifts. I feel bad you’ll be there the whole time.”
“It’ll be fine. I’ve got this. You stay here, bake that niece of mine a little longer, and try to get some rest.”
Raven had to answer that same question at least two more times before she headed for the high school and left her sister to take a nap.
The parking lot outside the oversized garage was busy. Every year, the garage behind the school was used to house the parade float as it was built. For the students taking shop, the float itself was one of their largest projects. Everyone else who volunteered helped to place flowers and other details on the intricate design the art students came up with.
It was a huge project that always brought out the best in the school and the surrounding community. She and Heath had volunteered together two years in a row back in high school. Raven sighed. Once again, memories she didn’t want to deal with fought their way to the surface.
Raven shouldn’t have worried, though. The moment she stepped foot in the garage, there was no time to think about anything but the job at hand. Between people asking for directions and the to-do list she was slowly making her way through, the first two hours went by like a flash.
She’d just gotten great news from Nell about the florist when a voice spoke from behind her right shoulder.
“Where can I help?”
That voice caused goosebumps to pepper her skin as her stomach erupted in flutters. She turned slowly to find Heath standing there looking uncomfortable. “What are you doing here?”
He put one hand against the back of his neck. “Rosie and Carl asked if I’d be willing to help out this year. I figured I may as well since it’s better than sitting around my empty house. At least I can do good here. I didn’t realize you were volunteering, though, much less in charge.” He jabbed his thumb in the air toward the door. “I can leave. Just say the word.”
Raven looked around at the crowd of people. The turnout had been great, but experience reminded her they could always use more volunteers. Rosie would be thrilled to know Heath had taken the time to come by. Raven’s feelings about Heath had nothing to do with what was going on here. Besides, hopefully Rosie would get some rest and take over again next weekend.
Heath was watching her closely, and Raven finally shook her head. “You should stay. We can use anyone who has the time to spare. I’m not supposed to be in charge, but Rosie was tired last night, and we were worried about her being on her feet all day. This is temporary.” Normally, she would’ve volunteered the first two hours and then made her escape. That meant she might not have run into Heath at all if things hadn’t changed.
It would’ve been so much easier if she’d missed seeing him entirely. But the continuing flutters in her stomach along with the blood pounding in her ears suggested otherwise. There was a part of Raven that was happy he was here. Why did things always have to be complicated when it came to Heath?
She lifted her notebook and turned to the page outlining the different volunteer stations. “Did Rosie put you in a specific group?”
“I told her I could help with construction or painting, but I’m up for whatever they need.” He cleared his throat. “It’s kind of you to take this over. I hope Rosie knows what a great sister she has.”
His words surprised her. She raised her chin and looked at him, half expecting to see he was teasing. But everything about his expression radiated sincerity.
She gave him a quick bob of her head and willed herself not to blush. She turned her attention back to the notebook. “I think they could use an extra hand over in construction.”
“Sure. I’ll go check in with them.” He gave her a wink and disappeared into
the crowd.
Raven glanced through the list of volunteers Rosie had given her. Sure enough, Heath’s name was there in black and white. How hadn’t she seen it before? It said Heath had committed to be there from two to four o’clock. With all he was going through in physical therapy, it was kind of him to agree to help here, too.
She couldn’t stop the small smile that tugged at the corners of her lips. With a groan, she rolled her eyes at herself. What was it about Heath that made her feel like a silly schoolgirl? She had a job to do today, and so did he. With any luck, they might not even cross paths again.
~*~
Except for his recovering foot, Heath was in great shape. Regular checkups with the team doctor had assured him he was a specimen of good health. He worked out constantly to keep up with the rigors of playing professional football. Even still, lifting lumber and swinging a hammer for hours used muscles he’d forgotten he possessed.
He flexed his right arm and shook it out. Building this float may be a lot of work, but it took him back to his junior year when he’d been one of the students on the building committee. By that time, he and Raven had been seeing each other for over a year. They’d volunteered because it not only helped the school, it gave them yet another excuse to spend time with each other.
Heath’s gaze scanned the thinning crowd in the garage. He finally spotted Raven near a row of tables where women and girls were arranging everything they’d need to decorate the float once it was painted. He glanced at his watch. It was half past four. He’d stayed later than he’d intended, but he had a feeling Raven had been here since the beginning. Her shoulders drooped a little, and she ran a hand over her face before continuing her conversation.
Everything was wrapping up on the construction end. A couple guys were cleaning up and encouraged everyone else to head home.
Marrying Raven (Brides of Clearwater Book 2) Page 7