Second String (In Too Deep #3)

by McMillin, Casey

  "Chill out Tyler," said a guy (who I assumed was his dad). "We're just now putting up the dessert, it's not like you've been waiting out there all day."

  I thought it was a safe guess that Tyler and his dad were related to Gretchen. I smiled at everyone and patted my stomach. "I've already eaten lunch, so if it's all the same to you guys, I'm gonna go out back and catch some of this basketball game."

  "Totally," Rachel said. She took off in the direction of the back door, indicating I should follow her. Collin told me she was a bit of a matchmaker, so I wasn't surprised about her wanting to lead the way to Emily. "I don't think she knew you'd be here so quickly," she said from over her shoulder. "You sure you've eaten? Because I can make you a plate and bring it out here," Rachel said. She was trying to call me out on a lie. She wanted to see if I just told them I'd already eaten because I couldn't wait to see Emily.

  I smiled at her tenacity. "I may raid the fridge in a little bit, but I'm good for now," I said. Rachel was right. I hadn't eaten lunch, and I was starving… I just wanted to see if Emily was really there. What a trip.

  Rachel held open the back door and ushered me onto the screened in back porch. From there, I could see Emily dribbling the basketball. They were playing on an old hoop that had seen better days. The screened in porch was full of potted plants, so Emily had no idea I'd come out there. I looked back at Rachel and said, "Thanks."

  "Oh, okay. Well, I guess you can show yourself out the rest of the way," Rachel said. She pointed to the other side of the patio in the direction of Emily and the basketball game. I could tell she wanted to see the reunion, but was too nice to push.

  I smiled. "I'm just gonna sit here and watch for a second," I said.

  "Oh, of course. I need to go inside and help clean up anyway. Besides, I'm sure we'll all be out here in a few minutes." Rachel went back inside, leaving me on the porch where I could watch without being noticed. It really was a good match. Gretchen's dad was good for an old man, and Emily was good as well. They were both playing hard, but pausing to laugh a lot.

  For a good ten minutes, I just sat there and watched them play. Emily had on fitted workout clothes in bright colors with polka dots and stripes and mismatched knee socks. Her hair was pulled up into a ponytail and she had a few narrow headbands in to keep the front of it back. She had an athletic body, and she actually knew the rules of basketball—which was surprisingly rare in girls. I could have sat there and watched her play all day.

  Just then, one of Gretchen's little nephews came around the side of the house and interrupted their game. Gretchen's dad held the ball on his hip and asked the boy what he was thinking busting in on a game.

  "There's a new guy here," the kid said.

  I had the pleasure of hearing Emily gasp audibly at the news. "Who is it?" she asked, readjusting her ponytail and straightening her shirt. Her face was flushed with physical exertion, and I wished in the back of my mind that I'd been the one to give her that workout. She was the type of person who looked good under the strain of exercise. She glanced around nervously.

  "It's me!" I yelled. Her gaze darted in my direction, but it looked like she couldn’t make me out under the shade of the back patio.

  She smiled in spite of not fully seeing me and said, "Ethan?"

  "In the flesh," I said.

  Gretchen's dad took that as his cue, and headed around the house to join the action out front. Emily ran up the stairs leading to the back patio. She was smiling the whole way up. I just stood there and watched her. She was quite possibly the cutest thing I'd ever seen… like Tinkerbell mixed with some hot, blonde athlete. She was tall for a girl, which served her well in the game of basketball… the one that was apparently over because of my arrival.

  "Hey," she said, opening the screen door.

  "Hey yourself," I replied.

  She was red-cheeked, and her smile was breathless and beautiful as she approached.

  "So… just driving up from San Diego, huh?" she asked.

  "Yeah," I said, shrugging casually. "My invitation came a little late." I reached down to pet the massive, brindle dog that had followed her inside.

  "That's not what I heard," she said.

  "Oh yeah? What'd you hear?"

  "I heard you invited yourself. And only after you heard I was here."

  I cocked my head at her like that was absurd. "As if I would drive one hundred and eighty-one miles on Christmas day just to see some girl."

  "All right then," she said with an expression that said your loss. She fake-yawned. "I was getting tired anyway. I guess I'll just go in and take a nap. Have fun with everyone else."

  "You don't have to take a nap," I said. "I mean, I barely care if I see you or not, but that doesn't mean you have to run off. I'll bet other people will want to hang out with you."

  Still smiling, Emily crossed the five feet of space that separated us in a few measured strides. She stopped so close to me that I could almost feel the rise and fall of her chest. "You're even more conceited than I remember," she whispered.

  Chapter 3

  Emily

  I opened the screen door of the back porch to find the huge, gorgeous boy I met in Vegas a few months ago. He was wearing jeans and a fitted thermal shirt that showed the outlines of his toned body underneath. If only he was a quarterback, I thought sardonically. He reached down to pet Sal, who'd pushed past me when I came into the patio.

  He and I had a few exchanges… mostly flirting in the form of talking smack. I finally told him I thought he was conceited, at which point he leaned forward and put a brief kiss on my lips.

  "I drove all this way to do that, so I figured I'd just go ahead and get it out of the way."

  "I thought you said you didn't come for me," I said, narrowing my eyes.

  "I lied," he said.

  We were standing only inches from one another, but not touching. Our lips had been the only point of contact, and it was so brief, it left me wanting to reach out and touch him, just grab his arm or something. The back door opened, and several people made their way onto the porch. I was glad I hadn't followed the urge to touch him. Otherwise I'd have been looking pretty goofy right then. I instinctively took a step back, afraid they could all read my thoughts. "The girls made you a plate. It's in the fridge," Collin said as he sat down in one of the wicker chairs. Everyone else followed his lead, finding comfortable places to settle in. They all groaned with the effort of going from standing to sitting, proving how full they were.

  Ethan went for a spot on a double rocker. He looked at me on his way over to make sure I knew to follow. "Save me that spot," I said, motioning past him to the place where he was headed. "I'm going in to grab a drink." He gave me a little smile and nod, and I left the patio in a mad dash for the bathroom.

  Since I was bottom on the totem pole here, I was sleeping on a couch. I stopped in the living room to get my overnight bag on my way to the upstairs bathroom. I took the stairs two at a time since I supposedly only came in here to get a drink. I put my bag down on Gretchen's bed and began to plunder inside. Perfume might be a bit much, but a fresh application of deodorant and maybe even some emergency scented lotion were definitely in order. I went into the tiny bathroom that was adjoined to her bedroom, carrying everything I needed to freshen up in thirty seconds.

  Thirty seconds was all it took. I rinsed my face, dried my face, put on a little powder, mascara, and lip gloss (in that order), swiped the deodorant, looked in my teeth and up my nose, tightened my ponytail, and rinsed with a travel size mouthwash I had in my bag. Then I took a deep breath and flew down the stairs again. I went back out onto the porch, completely forgetting to stop and get something to drink. I had to walk past everyone to get to Ethan, who was situated sideways on the rocker. Sal was curled up at his feet as if he already knew where I'd be sitting. One of Ethan's legs was cocked up towards the center. He was definitely taking up more than half of the thing.

  "Did you save me a spot or what?" I asked as I drew near to
him. He drew his leg in slightly (all of two inches), which still wouldn't leave me with enough room to sit. Thankfully, conversation in the room went on around us, and nobody seemed to be paying attention to what we were saying.

  "My ghetto booty ain't squeezin into that space, I can tell you that right now." I stood near him, gesturing to the sliver of empty rocking chair with a doubtful expression. He took me by the wrist and pulled me toward him. The unexpected tug had me stumbling right onto his lap—which he'd obviously planned. He turned me by the shoulder as I fell into his lap, positioning me where I was facing outward. I honestly couldn't quite tell exactly how it happened, or what sort of karate moves he must possess to have done it, but one second I was standing near Ethan, and the next second I was on his lap. From this vantage point, I could see that everyone was still ignoring us, so I relaxed just slightly.

  "I only get a few hours, Baby Girl. We can't afford to be shy."

  I turned and looked at him when he said that, and he shot me the same easy smile I remembered from Vegas. I was situated partially on the seat of the rocker and partially on his lap with one of my legs sort of draped over his. The guy was solid muscle, but I didn't have time to concentrate on that. Had he just called me Baby Girl? I felt like I could just stomp and squeal from sheer delight. I experienced a hot rush of nerves and adrenaline at the realization that I was in his arms. As if he could read my mind, his arms came around me, giving me a squeeze that was tight enough to let me have an excuse to let out the squeal I'd been holding in.

  "I can't believe you ran into these guys," he said, smiling at me. "Why didn't you text me and let me know?"

  "I don’t know," I said. "I guess I didn't think you'd care so much." What a dumb thing to say. I backpedaled. "You know, we sort of lost touch."

  "Why'd we do that?" Ethan asked. He seemed sincere enough, and I didn't quite know how to respond.

  I threw my hands in the air like I had no clue. "Right about now I'm having a hard time remembering why myself." I was staring into his eyes. They were light brown, verging on gold… the color of whiskey with tiny flecks that shimmered like jewels. I had to tear my gaze away from them when Rachel directed a question at me. I'd only heard my name, not the question, so I had to ask her to repeat it.

  "Who won?" she asked. I gave her a puzzled look. "The basketball game… you and Glenn… who won?"

  "Oh, I totally got destroyed," I said.

  "I wouldn't go that far," Ethan said, taking up for me. "I have to say, I was impressed."

  "Oh, stop. You didn't really see me play basketball, did you? Please tell me you didn't stand out here and watch that."

  "Just for about thirty minutes."

  "Please. Now I know you're lying because we were only out there for fifteen, max."

  "Okay, but I watched long enough to know you have some moves."

  "I do have a few moves," I said, laughing. "I'm actually glad you got to see that now that you mention it."

  Then I tuned out of the conversation for a few exchanges because something he'd said earlier suddenly registered. "Did you say you'd only be here for a few hours?" I asked. The question must have come out of nowhere for him, but he replied quickly.

  "Yeah," he said regretfully. "No rest for the weary. I have to be at the pool at 9AM tomorrow, and I have to be rested when I show up. I came in on very little sleep one other time, and it was total hell. I told myself I'd never do it again."

  "I have to work tomorrow too," I said. "Not till the afternoon, though. The boys play today, and I would've had to work on Christmas if we'd have been playing at home, but it was an out of town game, and we don't travel with the team."

  "I can't believe you're a Laker Girl," he said. How'd you get hooked up with that?"

  "I knew a girl from dance who made the squad last year. Anyway, she broke her leg in a bicycle accident, and couldn't finish the season. She asked if I'd be interested in trying out to replace her." I thought for a second. "The same thing that happened with Gretchen and Bailey, I guess."

  Ethan gave me a puzzled cock of the head. "Oh, wow. You probably need to be filled in on the whole Gretchen and Joel thing, don't you?" I said.

  "Seems that way," he said. "And the Bailey thing too, I guess, even though I'm not exactly sure who that is."

  I told him the whole story about Gretchen and Joel and the baby, and how Gretchen was quitting Paradise Island, but her friend Bailey would be replacing her. I was reasonably sure my facts were straight.

  Ethan congratulated Gretchen and Joel then we all talked for a while about their plans for the community arts center and restaurant. Joel told Ethan how I'd be involved with the dance program, which made him give me a proud squeeze.

  "What time do you have to head home?" I asked, already dreading it.

  "I should probably get on the road no later than eight," he said.

  "Eight at night?" I asked. "That's way more than I thought. You said you only had a few hours."

  Ethan took a glance at his watch. "Seven hours will fly by, believe me. We can't afford to waste time playin like you don't want to be on my lap." He put his hand on my hip to reinforce his statement.

  Collin was right… Ethan was a total clown. The way he interacted with me and everyone else on the porch made me feel so happy. I loved how confident and playful he was. I found myself wearing a smile that just wouldn't quit.

  We stayed out there for nearly three hours, talking about everything from goggles, to music, to fishing. Ethan got up once, to get a snack from the kitchen. While he was in the other room, Gretchen asked if I was glad to see him again. I answered honestly and said that I was. It wasn't until I had the chance to interact with him again that I remembered how fun he was. As if that wasn't enough, he also happened to be drop dead gorgeous. Collin must have picked up on the faraway look in my eyes, because he said, "You all good, Emily?" He was making sure I was still up to the challenge of resisting the urge to fall for Ethan. I gave Collin a look that said, I'm a big girl, and he left it at that.

  ****

  Half of the family made plans to drive into Ventura and see a movie, but Ethan and I were in the group who opted to stay at the house. Gretchen and Joel went to the movies since there was a carload of people who wanted an excuse to ride in the old Camaro. Collin and Rachel ended up staying at the house with Ethan and me. The four of us played Frisbee for a while. Sal just relaxed in the shade like the lazy dog he was.

  Gretchen's family eats big for Christmas lunch, and we were told to fend for ourselves for dinner since half of the family was at the movie theater anyway. There were so many leftovers in the fridge that our plates were piled high with yummy holiday foods. We sat around the dining room table listening to Collin and Ethan exchange stories from college and the years of swim teams they'd been on together. Rachel asked Ethan about his hopes for doing well in the Olympic Trials this year.

  "I'm no Collin," he said. He didn't say it like he was upset about it… more like he was just being realistic. "I'm basically working like crazy for a shot at making the team by the skin of my teeth. I wasn't serious enough with it in college, and I'm regretting that now since I have my sights set on a medal." He paused and added, "Not that I could've turned out like Collin no matter how hard I worked. He's a freak of nature."

  "Collin is a freak of nature!" one of Gretchen's little nephews sang. Collin responded by growling and chasing him into the living room with hands poised for tickling. Rachel laughed and watched them run off before turning her attention back to the conversation with Ethan.

  "What kind of schedule are you keeping?" Rachel asked, looking at Ethan.

  "I'm in the pool for at least five hours a day," he said. "Plus conditioning."

  "That's about like Collin," she said.

  "Yeah, I know. I miss having him around. He gave me someone to chase."

  "Why don't you move to L.A. and train with him?" she asked.

  Ethan cracked up laughing at the thought. "I'm the only one on the team who ha
s a real shot at making it through the Trials, and even though my chances are sketchy at best, Coach would crud a brick if I left him right now."

  "Aren't you going to keep swimming after the games this year?" Rachel asked.

  Unless Ethan had changed his mind, I knew the answer to the question from a conversation I'd had with him in Vegas. I didn't offer anything, though. I just sat back and listened to his response.

  "Definitely not," Ethan said with no hesitation whatsoever. He laughed. "This is the hardest thing I've ever done. There's no way I'm working like this for the next four years." He realized his statement could be misconstrued, so he clarified, "I'm not saying I'm afraid of getting my hands dirty. I like to work. It's just that I'm different than the other guys in that swimming is just more of a means to get me a medal. I have my sights set on one and thought swimming was my best shot. So I'll take that one shot and move on to the next thing."

  "What's the next thing?" Rachel asked.

  "Crab fishing in Alaska," I interjected.

  "Who told you that?" Ethan asked, looking at me surprised.

  I'd forgotten Collin told me that along with several other tidbits about Ethan. Most of it was stuff that Ethan hadn't told me himself, so I had to remind myself to be careful. "Collin," I said because I can't bloody lie. "He just mentioned it in passing." That was a half-truth, which I didn't feel quite so bad about.

  Ethan just smiled. "Yep. That's definitely on the list. There are a few hair brained ideas I'd like to get out of my system before I get too old and start reconsidering."

  We finished the mountain of leftovers we'd piled on our plates. Collin was still preoccupied with the rug rat he'd been chasing… only now they were working on one of those giant floor puzzles. Rachel glanced at Ethan, then at me. "I'm a long-time fan of puzzles, so I think I'll go help Collin," she said, pushing her chair back from the table. "You two could have some dessert if you want. There's a ton of stuff in the kitchen… Or whatever… I'm sure you can find plenty of things to do. I don't think anyone would bother you on the back porch."