Here & Now

by Melyssa Winchester

  “Asshole.”

  “Pot calling the kettle black now, Dill? I didn’t think you had it in you.”

  “Don’t make me call out for Belle.”

  Mentioning his fiancée, Kayden is gonna react in one of two ways. He’s either gonna let the jealousy shit he’s been dealing with since last year turn him angry or he’s gonna back down because he knows I’m childish enough to use it. When he backs away from the door, I can’t help but grin.

  Kayden is whipped.

  “Make it quick, jerk.”

  “That’s what—”

  “She said—yeah I know.” He says, finally backing up into the house and letting me through. Motioning to the sofa, he heads down the hall and following his orders, I hear the click of the bedroom door and then Belle’s voice quietly slipping through as I’m sure he explains what the hell is going on.

  With the way I’ve seen the two of them be with each other, maybe sleeping in my car for a few nights was a better option. I’m about to invade a love nest.

  After a few minutes of their conversation going back and forth, Kayden slips out and makes his way back into the living room, throwing himself down on the sofa beside me.

  “What the fuck happened?”

  “Got into it with Rebecca. Threats were made. I left. I had to leave, shit wasn’t gonna change.”

  “So you’re here now because…”

  “I need to crash somewhere for a few days. I’m gonna go see Bruce’s attorney in the morning, but it’s gonna take some time to unleash all that money he kept stashed away.”

  “She still on you about Caddy?”

  Scowling as I remember all of the things she said over the last few days about my girlfriend, I just nod and he follows it up with one of his own. If there’s anyone that understands Mom drama, it’s Kayden.

  “Use my old room. You can stay as long as you want, just next time, deal with this shit a little earlier. Or fuck, I don’t know. Call me.”

  Sometimes I have a hard time believing that this is the same guy I used to compete so hard with in high school. If I didn’t know that it was most definitely Kayden Walker, I’d assume he’d been body snatched. There’s no way he could ever be this calm and rational, especially when he’s dealing with me.

  I guess it’s true what they say about what a difference time can make because it definitely has with him. Even when he was all fucked up a few months ago, he didn’t completely lose the change. He just adapted and ran with it.

  The same thing I’ve been attempting to do since last year.

  “Trust me, once I deal with this shit tomorrow, nothing like this will ever happen again.”

  Nodding again but not saying a word, he just slides himself off the sofa with a grunt and heads back toward his room and Belle.

  Before he can make it all the way in, I get to my feet and follow, clearing my throat before turning toward the room that’s going to be mine for the foreseeable future.

  “Do me a favor?”

  “Thought I was already doing you a pretty big one, Dill.”

  “You are, but it’s not that kind of favor.”

  “Spit it out before I decide I don’t wanna be nice and boot you on your ass.”

  “You mind keeping the noise down? Some of us need to be on the field at the ass crack of dawn and don’t wanna be kept up all night because their roommate can’t keep it in his pants.”

  “Fuck off.” Kayden laughs before shoving his body into mine, forcing me back so far I’ve got to grab on to the bedroom door to keep myself balanced. “Maybe you need to worry more about your own sex life and less about mine.”

  Pushing his way into his room, I catch sight of Belle and the joke I was trying to make falls flat. Even now with everything cool between us, cracking even the most innocent joke about her seems wrong. Kayden, obviously catching a look on my face or maybe even the realization I’m having just shakes his head.

  “Goodnight Belle.” I wave before turning my back, more than ready to escape the now uncomfortable hallway and fall into the safety of the warm bed waiting for me. Before I can completely close the door, she speaks and the worry I had over making an ass of myself with what I just said evaporates completely.

  “Night, D. Sorry in advance for the noise.”

  ~*~*~

  .

  Three days later and I have to admit, it’s been an easy transition. It also helps that it’s not the first time I’ve landed on their doorstep because the last thing I wanted to do was go home.

  Maybe if I’d kept up with that when I first got back, the shit with my mom over the last couple of months never would have happened.

  Shifting at the sound of the locker room door opening, I’m met by the tense face of my new coach, before he levels me with a smile and moves out of the way so I can catch sight of exactly what he’s smiling about.

  He’s got a new recruit and here’s where he introduces him to the guy he’s going to be forced into working with.

  After practice last week, he called for a team meeting. It was me, Davis the fullback and a couple of assistant coaches and trainers all sitting around wondering what the fuck he was going to throw at us. That’s when he dropped the bombshell about the new recruit from Toronto. Quite the coo to hear him tell it. He was QB for one of the college teams there and was looking for a more laidback atmosphere, which had him moving straight into Wexfield.

  Ryder Kane.

  Getting a load of him now, I don’t see anything that jumps out to me that would make him quarterback material. He’s bigger than some of the guys I played with in high school, but we’re about even size wise. Ignoring the boy band haircut and eyes, which makes me think he’d be better in some glee club then on a football field, I focus on the one thing about him that does stand out.

  His face is made of stone.

  If I’m reading him right, Ryder is an angry son of a bitch and the way he’s standing beside our coach now, a look of indifference on his face, he looks a hell of a lot like someone else I know.

  Me.

  “Got another victim for ya, Murphy.” Coach says, his voice booming loudly as he slaps Ryder on the back, causing the guy to tense up, which only serves to peak my interest more.

  If the guy wanted a more laid back atmosphere the way Coach said, then why the hell he is so tense? By now he’s gotta realize that the way things are run here is a hell of a lot different than Toronto, so he should have nothing to be tense about.

  “Kane, right?” I question, focusing my attention on the guy standing in front of me and completely away from my coach.

  “That’s what they tell me.”

  “I’ll let you show him around and get him situated before practice. You need anything, you know where to find me.” Coach interrupts before I can answer Ryder back and almost as if we’re synchronized, we both nod at the same time, which only makes the old guy laugh before turning and heading back to his office.

  “So, word is you’re some big shot from Toronto and running back really isn’t the position you were gunning for.”

  I’m not intentionally trying to be a douchebag, but with everything Coach told me about what he used to be like at his old school, he’s definitely got me backed into a corner. There’s only one thing besides my girlfriend I give two shits about and this guy being some hot shot from the city threatens that.

  Asshole mode activated.

  “Afraid your position isn’t as secure as you think?”

  “In your dreams. I don’t much care how great your stats are, or how many of the coaches here kiss your ass. I’ll believe the hype when I see it.”

  “That can be arranged.”

  He’s definitely cocky enough to fit in around here. Considering how up each other’s asses the other guys on the team seem to be, I figure he’s gonna be a perfect fit with that attitude. Too bad the one he really needs to fit with is me and so far, other than reminding me of my own douchebag personality, there’s still nothing special about him.

>   “If you’re that eager to prove yourself, I’ve got all the time in the world after practice.”

  “That’s providing you make it through practice.”

  Well, that’s new. Usually I’m the one making the threats, both on the field and off. Maybe we need to settle this before practice after all. There’s no way in hell I’m letting Ryder Kane get the better of me.

  “Pretty strong words from the guy that ran from a first string quarterback position so he could get his ass beat by a bunch of defensive linemen here.”

  Ever since Coach walked away, his eyes have never left mine. They’ve also maintained the same level of cocky annoyance. It’s obvious now with the way he averts his eyes away, taking on a darker sheen before he can hide it that I’ve gotten to him. Score one for me. I hit a fucking nerve with the cocky bastard.

  Silence envelopes us, Ryder’s body tensing slightly and releasing before facing me down again.

  “I’m not here to earn your approval. I’m here to play. Period.”

  “Then why don’t you put your money where your mouth is? Suit up and meet me on the field.”

  “Anyone ever tell you that you’re kind of a prick?”

  “Usually they go for asshole, but prick works too.”

  I’m telling the guy the truth, but in a rare flash of emotion, something I get the feeling he doesn’t do a whole lot of, he breaks and I catch the smirk on his face. Another score for me. He’s not a robot after all. If I can get past the bullshit, I might be able to work with this guy.

  Ryder Kane is going to be a challenge, but it’s the kind of challenge I’m up for.

  Cadence

  It’s all set. Two weeks from today providing I don’t back out at the last second, I’m scheduled for surgery.

  This is really happening and despite my earlier reservations, the worry I have that something could go wrong and I could be left with facial tics or even paralysis, I’m determined to see it through. I can’t keep running from something that in the end could have been helping me all these years because I’m scared.

  Dillon was right last week. I’m strong and I don’t waste time on things that don’t mean something, and there’s nothing that means more than this. Being able to hear when I’ve spent my life shrouded in silence would be a dream come true. I don’t need to hear in order to survive, but there’s no doubt it would make things a little bit sweeter.

  It also helps that you can’t stop mooning over the idea of hearing your boyfriend say he loves you.

  Glancing down at my watch as I make my way from the office, my mom picking up the message on her break and calling the school to tell me, I head for the bus stop. With my final class being a spare, making the afternoon wide open, I know exactly where I want to be right now.

  I want to head to Wexfield University so I can tell Dillon what I found out. When the surgery is scheduled for and figure out of he’ll be able to be there for me the way I want him to be or if he’s going to be trapped because of his classes.

  And you also want to see the way he looks when he’s in his football gear. Don’t forget that.

  Shaking off the wayward road my thoughts are taking, I get to the stop and slide my bag onto the bench before making my body follow suit. As I sit and watch the rest of the world going by around me, cars moving from one point to another, stopping and going as pedestrians walk across the street headed to their own mystery destinations, the reality of what I’m facing hits.

  It’s not only going to be the people I love that I’ll be able to hear if the surgery is a success and the implants work. I’ll be able to hear the rest of the world too. The cars zooming by, and the people, especially the people walking by my school having conversations that I can’t keep up with because their lips move way too quickly, I’ll hear them all too.

  This is a whole lot bigger than just the core group of people that I surround myself with. If this works the way I want it to and the way Dillon hopes and believes it will, it’s going to be a whole new world for me.

  I’ve never been so scared of something in my life.

  Dillon

  For the first time since I got here, I think this team actually has a shot at taking a championship and despite my earlier thoughts on the guy, a lot of that has to do with Kane. I’d have to be blind not to see the level of talent he has.

  It also helps that the minute he got on the field and our coach was barking out plays, his cockiness was gone and all that was left was pure adrenaline, speed and an overwhelming desire to get the job done.

  With Ryder here, we’re definitely taking some titles. Now all I have to do is figure out how to identify with the guy off the field and I’m set.

  “Yo, Murphy!”

  Turning just enough to see who called out and how close he is now that he’s jogging to catch up, I ready myself for the cockiness from earlier to make another appearance.

  After the way he played during practice, there’s no way in hell he’s gonna miss a chance to shove it down my throat. Although, truth be told, he’s got every fucking right.

  Ryder Kane just might be God to the Wexfield Panthers.

  “Get it all in now. I’m not gonna be so willing to hear it later.”

  His brow furrows and for a second I feel like kicking myself. It’s obvious from the look on his face that whatever the reason was he called out to me, it had nothing to do with bragging.

  I really need to learn how to turn this shit off.

  “I thought about getting in a few digs, but I wasn’t the only one busting ass out there. Figure you gave as good as you got.”

  This is what he needs to learn, but that Kayden and a lot of the other guys on this team already know. When I came in and got the spot handed to me, it was because I’m good and I’m not just saying that because I’m a cocky asshole. I’m saying it because I tried out not only for the coach, but for the entire team and earned my spot. I gave them something they haven’t seen in a while here.

  My desire to lead, my need to win and my ability to do whatever it takes to get there.

  No one lives football more than me. It’s so engrained in me that before I met Cadence last year, I was debating whether or not to follow my dad on one of his business trips so I could go to school in the states and have more opportunity to showcase my skills.

  “You might be right about that. So what did ya need?”

  “Nothing, just had a question. Well two actually.”

  “All ears man, ask away.”

  “Best quarterback of all time?”

  “You’re kidding right?”

  “Does it look like I’m kidding?” Ryder asks as his lips straighten into a thin line and his eyes go dim. After a few minutes of watching him, he breaks and his face lightens up, the smirk from earlier back in effect again.

  “Montana, hands down.”

  He frowns and there’s a part of me that even as we’re walking across the field wants to reach over and smack the back of his head. It’s obvious he doesn’t agree with me, which is irritating because with the way he was a few minutes ago, I figured he’d be the one to agree with me.

  “You know someone better?”

  “It’s all about Elway, man! How can you not see that?”

  “Elway is amazing, I’ll give you that, but look at the way Montana ran the 49ers. Unbelievable. Best QB of all time.”

  “Agree to disagree?”

  “Fine. What’s the other question?”

  He stops and when he shoots his hand out across the field and I follow, I see what he’s pointing to and my heart swells. Ryder’s noticed Cadence and from the looks of it, he’s already pieced together that the angel in the outfield is all mine.

  “How did you land a girl that looks like that?”

  “What makes you think she’s here for me?” I ask, laughing. “Maybe she came because she heard the almighty Ryder Kane was in town and wanted first crack.”

  His face does the same thing it did in the locker room and deflates right befo
re my eyes, but almost as if he senses he’s giving something away he catches himself and he’s smirking again.

  “Her eyes haven’t left you the entire time she’s been here, which has been seventy percent of our practice. Trust me, there’s no way in hell she’s here for me. But I can’t say I’d be hurting if she was.”

  “She’s mine.”

  “You think?” He laughs. “So how’d ya land that?”

  “By not calling her that, for starters. Otherwise, you’d have to ask her. I’m still trying to figure it the fuck out.”

  Able now to see her eyes on me, my hands lift and not caring what Ryder thinks, I sign to her, hoping that with the distance she’s able to pick up on what I’m saying. What I’m signing, it’s not something for us only, which the minute he sees it, Ryder’s head dips to the side again, questions written all over his face.

  “Dude, what the hell?”

  “I don’t follow.”

  Of course I follow, I get this response a lot whenever I’m out with Cadence in public, but with the way I’m feeling right now, how not in the mood for another thoughtless jackass I am, I’m not gonna make this shit easy on him. If he’s about to give me shit for being with a deaf girl, he can save it.

  “I get that you’re signing to her, which is kind of badass, but what the hell did you say?”

  “You want the truth?”

  “No, I was hoping you’d stand here and bullshit me a little while longer.”

  “I told her you smell.” I joke, somehow managing to keep my face straight and make him believe me even though I’m lying out my ass. “Which man, you kind of do. I hear the showers calling you from here.”

  Scowling before slapping the back of my head, he smiles in Cadence’s direction with a small wave before veering off in the way of the locker room, giving me the one thing that since I saw her standing there I’ve been craving more than anything.

  Alone time with my girl, who even from ten feet away, heard me loud and clear as her response comes back.

  I love you more.

  Chapter Four