Out of Line: A Bad Boy Stepbrother Romance

by Juliana Conners

  “I’m so sorry to rush in and out,” she tells me, “but something’s come up. With the team.”

  Uh huh.

  So she’s giving me the blow-off, I suppose. And coming up with a lame excuse, at that.

  This never fucking happens to me.

  Never, that is, until I let little miss Chelsea Thompson creep into my head and my heart.

  Most girls want to be my girlfriend, yet I never want commitment.

  I’m usually the one telling a buddy to call me and make up some reason I can leave a girl in the dust.

  “It was nice seeing you, though,” she says, with a smile that’s almost half convincing. “And I really will try to come watch you and the other doggies play fetch.”

  “Ha,” I say, trying hard not to laugh at her joke, even though it’s funny.

  As she quickly heads towards the door, I feel like an idiot for even inviting her. Clearly she doesn’t have the time. She’s already moved on. And I’m dumb for thinking we could be anything more than rushed, secret hook-up buddies.

  “Don’t worry about it,” I tell her. “It’s really no big deal.”

  As I head home, I try to tell myself the same thing, about everything— about us.

  But it’s really hard to convince myself.

  Chapter 31 – Chelsea

  I can’t believe the text I’m looking at.

  It’s from Mandy’s mother.

  Mandy’s been hospitalized. She won’t be able to make the conference competition.

  I’ve had to read it several times to make sure it said what I thought it said.

  Poor Mandy.

  And she’s one of the most talented cheerleaders on our team. Our conference competition that can make or break Nationals is right around the corner.

  It took me a minute to catch up with reality, right when I was in the middle of seeing Wesley again. I’d been hanging back and avoiding him lately, not wanting to be pushy and annoying like the cheerleaders at his old school. And not wanting to be as silly as they were, thinking that he and I had something serious going.

  But when I saw him, I couldn’t believe how much electricity still exists between us. I want to believe he’s as happy to have seen me as he looked.

  I was a bit disappointed when he hadn’t seemed to remember my upcoming competition. Then he’d said he’d remembered it but that it was on a different day than the Frisbee game to which he was inviting me.

  He obviously didn’t seem to understand that it took a lot of planning and practice and wasn’t just a one day deal. But I guess a lot of non-cheerleading people wouldn’t. So I’m willing to cut him some slack for that.

  There’s no time to dwell on any of that now though. I’ve got to think about Mandy. And the rest of the squad.

  After I break away from Wesley and as I hurriedly leave the pool, I text back: Where?

  I text Taylor to meet me at the quad, and then I get another text from Mandy’s mom.

  We’ll let you know shortly. We ask for no visitors at this time. Please keep this information confidential among only the captains for now until we figure out more information.

  By the time I reach the quad, I’m a mess.

  “Taylor!” I say, hugging her hard.

  “What’s wrong?” she asks, holding onto me.

  It’s also been a while since I’ve talked to Taylor. I was annoyed with her for butting in so much between Wesley and me. But now I just need her support.

  “Look,” I tell her, showing her my phone with the texts from Mandy’s mom.

  “Oh my god. That’s awful!”

  “I know!”

  We both cry, unable to hold back our sobs.

  “I hope she’s going to be okay,” I say.

  “I’m sure she will be,” Taylor reassures me. “Whatever’s wrong with her, she’s young and in good health.”

  “I hate to mention it but…”

  “Yeah,” Taylor says. “What about our routine?”

  The routine I’d planned for the upcoming conference competition pretty much literally revolves around Mandy.

  “I’m going to have to plan a new one,” I tell her. “There’s no way around it.”

  “Couldn’t someone else just take her part?” she asks.

  “No one else can do those tumbles and acrobatics. Plus, the lines would be all uneven.”

  “This sucks.”

  “Tell me about it,” I say. “I’ve been so torn trying to decide what to do about Wesley. Then my dad tells me he’s in super deep with your mom. Then this happens, which causes me to worry both about the future of Mandy and our conference competition chances. I just don’t know how much more I can take.”

  “Hold on,” says Taylor. “Back up. Your dad said he’s in deep with my mom?”

  “Oh. Yeah. I mean, he didn’t come out and say it but he certainly implied it.”

  I feel dumb. But clearly Taylor knew this information way before I did. It’s not like I was keeping a secret from her.

  “And how exactly does that fact get added into the list of bad things that happened to you?”

  I grimace.

  Oops.

  “It’s not a bad thing. It’s just that…”

  “I knew it,” she says, practically exploding. “I knew there was a reason you’ve been so distant from me. You can’t just be happy for my mom. And your dad. Everything has to be about you.”

  “Woah!”

  Now I’m the one fuming mad.

  “That is not true,” I tell her. “At least, not all of it. I haven’t been keeping my distance from you. Or if I have, a little, it’s just because…”

  “Because what? Because I tried to give you some common sense advice about Wesley?”

  “No!” I almost yell, frustrated beyond belief.

  I hear Wesley’s voice in my ear, telling me how Taylor always acts like my mother figure. Maybe I just need some space from my “mom.”

  Because you’re always trying to tell me what to do, I want to tell her.

  But I really need Taylor right now. Neither of us may feel like best friends at the moment, but we are. We always have been, and we always will be.

  “I’m sorry, Taylor,” I tell her, calming down long enough to give her a hug, which, thankfully, she returns.

  “You’re right. I just… I just need a little freedom to make my own mistakes, I guess.”

  Did I just admit that Wesley was a mistake?

  “Okay,” she says, holding up her hands. “I’ll try to remember that. I just can’t help but give you my opinion and try to help.”

  “I know,” I tell her. “And usually I appreciate that. I really do. Right now, though, I just need a hug.”

  “Now that I can definitely do,” she says, as she keeps holding me tight.

  Chapter 32 – Wesley

  “And, he tosses the flying disc into the air for perfect victory,” Stan shouts, as a Frisbee whizzes just over my head.

  Stan is a soccer player, and he’s in a science class with Christian and me.

  “But his teammate fails to catch it, and they lose,” Stan finishes, as the Frisbee falls flat on the ground by my feet.

  “Sorry, Dude,” I tell him, leaning over to pick up the Frisbee.

  “Your head is not in this game at all,” he says. “Good thing you’re not playing in a football game right now.”

  “Ha. Yeah.”

  It’s only a silly Frisbee game, but I feel bad for letting him— and my team— down. We’ll lose bragging rights for sure.

  But I can’t snap out of it. Even though Chelsea had seemed distant the other day and I hadn’t seen her since then, part of me was really hoping that she would show up.

  I imagined her joining us on the field, running around in cute short shorts and a tight sporty t-shirt, working up a sweat and helping us win an amazingly important game of Frisbee.

  But she’s nowhere to be seen.

  “I’m going to call it a night,” I tell Stan, nodding to the other gu
ys on the field.

  “No Buddy’s afterwards?” he asks.

  “Not for me,” I tell him. “Not tonight.”

  The plan was for us to grab a beer at our favorite local watering hole after the game. But I’m too distracted, and I just want to be left alone.

  I’m still anxiously looking up at any girl who walks by, thinking that maybe Chelsea did make it after all. But none of them are her, of course.

  I’m losing my mind and I’d better get out of here before any of the guys can figure out what’s really up with me and start busting my balls about being hung up on some girl.

  I’m not hung up on her, I tell myself.

  Or at least, I won’t be any more.

  It’s clear I should go back to my old ways. Being a player worked out better for me than getting too caught up with the idea of Chelsea. Even if she did want to date me seriously, her father would never approve of me. And it’s clear that she doesn’t want to date me seriously. Or even, apparently, at all.

  I’ve never been stood up before— sure, I know she only said she’d try to make it, but she didn’t even let me know she couldn’t come— so this is a first. Letting my guard down for a girl was also a first. I’m going to be sure that that part never happens again.

  Chapter 33 – Chelsea

  I arrive late to the Ultimate Frisbee game, but I’m happy to see that the guys are still playing, even though things seem to be winding down. I’d spent the last few hours coming up with a new routine for our competition on Sunday.

  In fact, I’d spent all of my free time from the last time I’d seen Wesley— and had to rush out after getting the text about Mandy— until now planning a new routine, with Taylor’s help. I’d made the team come later than usual for practice today, so that they could start learning it as soon as we’d finished it.

  But it’s a disaster and we’re going to have to spend all day tomorrow ironing out a ton of kinks. I should be re-doing certain parts of the routine instead of coming to watch a Frisbee game that by the looks of it is already over. But I feel bad for running out on Wesley the other day and I want to show him he’s important to me and explain what happened.

  I scan the field but there’s no sign of Wesley. Christian, either.

  Shit.

  “Hey there,” says one of the players, obviously checking me out.

  I decide, desperately, to snag this opportunity.

  “Have you seen Wesley?” I ask him.

  “Wesley?”

  He scratches his head.

  “The name sounds familiar, but I can’t place the face…”

  “He’s a friend of Christian Lewis’,” I add. “They were both supposed to be here at this game.”

  “Oh, Christian, sure,” the guy says. “And I know who you’re talking about now. Wesley. The new guy. Football player.”

  He looks me up and down again.

  “It figures you’d be here looking for him.”

  I don’t know if he means that as an offense against Wesley or as an expression of jealousy and I don’t want to bother finding out.

  “So have you seen either of them?” I press.

  “They were both here earlier,” he admits, giving up his pursuit. “You might want to check Buddy’s. The plan is to go there after we’re done here, and some of the guys have already gotten a head start. Because technically this game’s already over. We’re just shootin’ the shit.”

  “Okay, thanks,” I tell him.

  At least he confirmed two things I wanted to know. Wesley was in fact here, and the place they’re grabbing drinks afterwards is Buddy’s.

  It’s not somewhere I usually go— a college sports bar frequented mostly by frat boys— but it’s only a short distance away and I want to apologize for and explain my absence to Wesley.

  I hope he’ll understand. I don’t want to mess things up further between us.

  Chapter 34 – Chelsea

  But when I walk into Buddy’s, Wesley isn’t here. Christian is, though.

  “Hey Chelsea,” he says, not looking very happy to see me.

  He’s with a couple of guys I don’t recognize. They must be soccer players. They were in the middle of hitting on the bartender when I arrived and I’m sure I’m cramping their style.

  “Sorry, I was just looking for Wesley,” I tell him. “Is he here?”

  “No, he didn’t come,” Christian says. “He decided to head home early.”

  I look at him dubiously.

  “You told him I was going to be late to the game, right?” I demand.

  “Yes, of course,” he says.

  I have a science class with Christian and I’d told him earlier today to let Wesley know I planned to be at the Frisbee game but that I’d be late, and if I wasn’t able to make it, I’d meet them for drinks afterwards.

  When I’d asked Christian where they were going for drinks, he’d said Caddyshacks, another sports bar by the city’s biggest golf course. They must have changed plans. Which makes sense, since Buddy’s is much closer to campus than Caddyshack’s. So I’m glad the guy at the Frisbee game had filled me in.

  “And Wesley just… left the game early and went home?” I clarify.

  “Yep.”

  Christian shrugs, and gives me a look that says, Can you please leave me alone now?

  I’m not sure why he’s so annoyed with me.

  Unless Wesley is, too.

  “It’s okay,” I tell him. “I’ll call him and explain what happened.”

  “I wouldn’t,” Christian says, with a firm shake of his head.

  “Why not?”

  “Well, he’s tired,” Christian says. “He’s been working really hard lately, and he needs his rest.”

  So that explains why Wesley went home early. But I wonder why he didn’t call me to let me know.

  The way that Christian says he “needs his rest” sounds like a cop out to me. A way to say he’s not interested in seeing you.

  With nothing else to say, I just nod at him and head for the door.

  “Thanks Christian, I appreciate the help.”

  “Any time.”

  He quickly rejoins his friends at the bar.

  And I’m left wondering what the hell happened to what I thought I had going on with Wesley Reynolds.

  Chapter 35 – Chelsea

  “So what the hell happened with what I thought I had with Wesley?” I ask Taylor.

  It’s Monday, and we have a rare day off from practice because we just had the conference competition yesterday and everyone needs a break. And I need some Taylor time.

  I’d done my best to put Wesley out of my head and concentrate on our competition all weekend. Somehow the routine came together and my marvelous squad executed it perfectly.

  Because we took first place at the State competition, we get to move on to Nationals. Now that the weekend is over, it’s time for me to figure out what’s going on with Wesley and me.

  “I don’t know,” Taylor answers, as she takes a bite of gelato ice cream. We’d walked to a place off campus, to enjoy the remainder of the sunny day and to feel carefree for once. “But why didn’t you just ask him?”

  I shrug, and blush.

  “I know that seems like the obvious thing to have done,” I tell her. “And I did consider calling him even though Christian had told me not to. But I didn’t want to be that girl, you know?”

  “You mean one who speaks her mind?” Taylor laughs.

  “Very funny. I just didn’t want to annoy him.”

  “I understand,” Taylor concedes. “And the weird thing is, why didn’t he call you? He knew you had said you would be at the Frisbee game or at the bar afterwards, and then he just went home, without even telling you that the plans for where to meet had changed, or that he’d decided not to go for drinks anyway.”

  “Yeah. I mean, clearly he didn’t want to talk to me. And it gets worse…”

  Taylor looks at me with anticipation, but I immediately regret having brought it up. I
feel too stupid to even confess to Taylor how bad things are between Wesley and me.

  He must have never really liked me at all. I should have listened to her from the beginning, and not had sex with him.

  “What?” she asks, a look of concern in her eyes.

  “Nothing.”

  I eat my gelato, wishing we could both forget all about it.

  “Come on, Chelsea. Tell me. You know I’m here for you.”

  “You were right,” I burst out, trying my best not to cry. “He’s just a player. He just wanted to fuck me and forget me.”

  “Woah,” she says, getting up and putting her arm around me. “That’s not true. I know there’s a real connection between you guys. I saw it, at the cabin.”

  “Well, maybe there was, but there isn’t anymore. It’s over.”

  “How do you know?” she asks.

  “Because I texted him earlier today and asked him to meet me at our spot at the pool. And he didn’t. He wasn’t there.”

  “Well maybe he…”

  I can almost hear Taylor’s brain ticking as fast as mine had been, trying to come up with some plausible reason he would stand me up, and not even answer my text.

  “He didn’t have football practice,” I tell her, before she can suggest that. “I know from my dad that the football team had off today too. They have half a week off from games and practices, to rest up and get ready for the second half of the season.”

  “Well, I guess it isn’t looking good,” Taylor says. “But maybe there’s some explanation…”

  But just then, I see something that seals the deal.

  I grab Taylor’s arm and nod in the direction of the bar and grill across the street, where Wesley is pulling out a chair for someone, as they sit down to eat on the patio. And that someone is a girl I’ve never seen before.

  She’s beautiful. Tall, fit, curvy in all the right places. And Wesley is gazing at her as if he adores her.

  “I guess that solves that mystery,” Taylor says, but then her joking tone turns serious. “But I’m sorry, Chelsea. Really, I am.”