by Piper Rayne
“Thanks.”
“Man, I’d kill for your cleavage,” she says and looks down at her own chest.
“You’d have to gain the ass to go along with it.” I rub sunscreen over my arms and chuckle.
“Fine by me. I’d kill for curves like yours.”
She’s not saying it to try to be kind. I know she means it. Chevelle means most of what she says.
I decide to change the subject. “Midge wants to set me up with her grandson.”
Chevelle laughs. “Be careful, she might kidnap the man to make it happen. Or you.”
“Yeah, she’d go from stealing to kidnapping.” I laugh, which garners the attention of the guys at the beer bucket.
Chevelle glares at Cam for a moment, then relaxes back into the lounger.
I close my eyes and soak up the sun, kicking summer into gear. It’s my favorite season because I’m too busy to think too much about what I don’t have in my life—a man. I’m so busy running a successful inn that by the time I get home, I crash in my bed. Okay, maybe I dig into my sex toy drawer, but who could blame me? During the summer, there’s not even time for casual sex.
Just as I feel myself dozing off, a girl screams, startling me.
Calista jumps out of the water with a scream and shoots the basketball. She misses the net and I rebound, making the shot. This is so awkward. I mean, we tolerate each other at best and now she’s at my house and I have to play host to her.
“I suck,” she says before swimming toward the stairs of the pool and sitting down on one.
I don’t respond because I’m not gonna be the one who boosts her ego. She doesn’t suck, but she’s not that good either.
“Do you want to do something else?” I ask.
She glances at me. “I can’t believe my great-grandma dragged me here. She told me we were going shopping and would swing by Northern Lights to swim during the family swim time.” She crosses her arms.
I try not to notice she has a chest now. At practice, she’s always covered up with a baggy jersey. But this swimsuit of hers shows everything. I’m thankful I’m in the water.
“Call your dad to come and get you,” I say, because honestly, I don’t want her here. Am I supposed to spend my entire summer bash day entertaining her instead of hanging out with my brothers? They’re all leaving and getting married, and I rarely get to see them all at the same time. I was excited to play touch football or Marco Polo or something with them. Now I have to entertain a girl who looks at me as though she wants to kick me in the balls most of the time.
“I’m not gonna do that. Plus, he’s working.”
“Maybe your mom can pick you up?” I suggest.
She huffs and walks up the pool stairs. “Nice, Rylan.”
I roll my eyes and swim away. She grabs her towel and sits down by my sisters on the loungers. I pick up my basketball and keep shooting until Cam cannonballs into the pool and all the girls complain about him splashing them.
I laugh as he steals the ball from me and shoots. Of course, it goes in.
“When Adam was your age, I had to nudge him toward Lucy,” he says, never looking my way as he takes another shot. “He was all awkward like you right now and look where he is now.”
I balk. He’s got to be joking. As if Calista and I would ever end up married one day.
He passes me the ball. “You think I’m joking? Ask them. I made them play chicken and it was love after that.”
I shake my head. “Good for them, but as soon as I graduate, I’m out of this town.”
Cam raises his eyebrows. “Why?”
“Because I want to play soccer and there’s nowhere here to play. I’m gonna get a scholarship, get an education, and hopefully play professionally after I graduate.”
I have my entire life figured out, and a wife and kids don’t come into my plan until after I retire from playing soccer. The last thing I’d want is to have someone to report to all the damn time.
“You need to live a little.” Cam scores again.
Fisher jumps in the pool and takes the ball. “What are we talking about?” He fakes me out and jumps up out of the water to dunk on the net. The flimsy thing wobbles but stays upright.
“Apparently Rylan’s got his whole life figured out and it doesn’t include the cute girl over there.” Cam’s gaze lingers where my sisters and Calista sit, but we all know who he’s looking at.
Fisher throws the basketball and hits Cam in the head. “Eyes over here.”
Cam turns back around and smirks at getting caught stealing looks at Chevelle.
“Don’t be one of those people who plan out their entire life. Just live your life and see where it takes you.” Fisher passes the ball to Cam while I try to play defense.
“I plan on living my life according to what I want,” I say, trying to catch the ball when Fisher throws it to Cam.
Fisher laughs, as does Cam. They think they know everything just because they’re older than me.
“When I was your age, I wanted to be a pro football player,” Fisher says.
“Definitely not the sheriff!” Cam laughs.
“Fuck no.” Fisher abandons the ball and leans back on the concrete ledge, his tattooed arms spread wide. Looking at him now, you’d never think he’s the sheriff.
“I wanted out of this town and far away from my family,” Cam says, taking a shot on the net.
Fisher points. “Oh yeah, you had big plans for that.”
Sometimes I’m jealous of Fisher and Cam and the rest of my brothers. They grew up together, then I came along—most likely a mistake, it was so many years later—so they all think of me as a baby. That I need their advice on everything.
“You’re being foolish if you think your life will go according to plan.” Cam abandons the game too.
“Give him a break. He’s never had anything happen to him that wasn’t good,” Fisher says.
He’s talking about his mom’s death. And he’s right. I have both my parents and they’re happily married. Soccer comes easy to me, and my parents pay to make sure I have a top instructor in the area. I’m sheltered in my big house up on the hill. With so many older siblings, I can pretty much convince one of them at any given time to give me a ride wherever I want to go. Still, it doesn’t mean things don’t suck sometimes.
“That’s true. But he’s already swearing off relationships and he’s never even had a broken heart.”
“And you have?” I ask Cam, because from the reputation he’s earned, it seems he’s done all the breaking.
“We’re not talking about me. We’re talking about you. Now get your ass over there and entertain that girl. I know you want to.” Cam nods toward Calista.
Fisher stands with a shit-eating grin, waiting to see what I’m gonna do. “You gotta score your first kiss at some point.”
I cringe. What is he talking about?
“You don’t want it in some lame game with a bunch of witnesses. Trust me.” Fisher sighs. “Go make a move.”
Some kids at school have gotten their first kiss already. Although Calista annoys me, she’s kind of pretty and I like that she loves soccer as much as me.
I toss Cam the basketball and climb out of the pool.
“There you go,” Cam yells, and I ignore his jeering.
Calista watches and waits for me to say something when I reach her. Chevelle and Mandi pretend they aren’t eavesdropping.
“Did you want something to eat?” I ask. “Or we could go to the basement and play a video game?”
Calista swings her legs over the chair and stands. She’s so close to my height, I cross my fingers I grow taller soon. I’d hate it if she were ever taller than me.
“Do you have Mario Cart?” she asks.
I nod. “Yeah.”
“Let’s go.”
I smile and walk toward the patio doors. She follows until we’re downstairs, then she places her towel on the floor. I do the same next to her. A minute later, we’re playing Mario Kart alone
in my basement and all I can think is that I should’ve brushed my teeth when I came home from soccer practice.
I catch sight of my youngest brother, Rylan, leading Calista to the basement. Lucky for him Marla and Dad are outside. Of course, they’re more lenient with him than they were with me. When I was younger, Clara and I had to stop having sleepovers at a certain age and had to start leaving the door open. As if I’d do anything with Clara. She’s my best friend.
Speaking of which, all the girls, including Clara, are now huddled around lounge chairs in the back, soaking up the sun, drinking margaritas, and gossiping.
“It’s like they have nothing else to do,” I say, joining my brothers in the pool. Cam throws me the ball and I shoot.
“Well, it’s summer bash. We’re not supposed to do anything,” Fisher says. He rarely gets a day off.
I can’t complain. Since I’m in off-season, every day could be like today if I wanted. I spend most of my time working out during the day and my evenings with Clara, either going miniature golfing, where we bet who pays for ice cream, or bingeing the latest Netflix show. We’ve been doing the same thing every off-season since I got drafted. My life is pretty fucking fantastic.
Cade sinks into the water. “When do you report back?”
“August as usual.”
Cade holds up his hands for the ball and Cam throws it to him. “I’m thinking about bringing Presley down to see a game. We need to get away before the wedding.”
“About that,” I say. Dumbass decided to get married during the fall, which means I have to fly in and out. “I’m flying in on Friday night, and I’m out at the crack of dawn on Sunday. We play on the east coast, so the time difference is killing me.”
“Good thing you’re not the groom,” he says.
“You couldn’t do summer?” I ask.
He points at me, then looks at Fisher and Cam and laughs. “Get a load of this guy. Some of us work during tourist season.”
“And while you’re off, I’m getting my ass reamed on the field.”
Speaking of which, I crack my back. It hasn’t been the same since I took a hit my last game this season. I’m getting older. Not nearly close to retirement, but the hits, man, they’re hurting more and more.
“You also make bank, so I don’t wanna hear it,” Fisher mumbles.
All of us were quarterbacks in high school, but only I made it pro. Adam might’ve had the chance, but he found love too young. That was his demise. My brothers support me, don’t get me wrong, but I think a small part of them wonders if it could’ve been them. Not that they don’t love their lives, but all they see is the glamour in my job. Not the ice baths, the pain, the media, the pressure of performing. Even during the summers, I worry my workouts aren’t enough and if I should be training more.
“I do a lot to earn that money.”
“You play, like, sixteen games a year for that money,” Cam chimes in, taking the ball from Cade and shooting it.
“Hey now, I played seventeen this year.” I grin.
They laugh because they know we made it to one playoff game. The fact I’m the quarterback and most of the pressure rests on me to get us to a playoff game sucks. Especially because I won’t even entertain retirement until I have at least one ring on my finger, and I’m not talking about a wedding ring.
Fisher raises his chin at me. “Tell me, what’s up with that chick you’ve been pictured with in the media?”
My gaze diverts to Clara, who either overheard Fisher or is just wondering what we’re talking about because she’s looking over here. I smile and turn back to my brothers. I don’t know why, but I always feel weird discussing other women in front of her.
“She’s no one,” I say in a low voice.
“The hot blonde with the huge tits? Looks like someone to me,” Cam says loudly, and a flip-flop is thrown at his head.
When we all turn around, it’s Chevelle who’s giving him the evil stare. “Have some respect for women. We’re not pieces of meat.”
“Stop dressing like a fucking surf and turf meal then.” Cam looks at us. “I can’t believe you guys don’t say anything to her. There’s nothing to that bikini.”
“Who’s here? The only one who would have any interest in her would be Gavin Price.” Cade sets his eyes on Cam. “Right?”
The only time I ever see Cam at a loss for words is when it has to do with Chevelle. “Yeah,” he croaks.
“And that Gavin guy can’t take his eyes off of Posey,” Cade says.
“Because he ran her into a ditch,” Cam says.
We all stop and stare.
“What?” I ask.
“You didn’t hear? He ran her off the road.”
“The sports car motherfucker is him?” Cade asks.
Cam nods.
Cade walks toward the stairs and Fisher follows, with me right behind.
Cam puts his hand on Cade’s chest. “Relax, Logan dealt with it.”
They all look at Logan, who’s talking with Gavin at the table and drinking a beer. I’m cool with Logan, and if Gavin is his friend, I appreciate him setting the guy straight. But Fisher tends to be a hothead in regard to family members. He doesn’t take them hurting—physically or emotionally—very well, so it’s most likely not enough for him that Logan handled it. Pissing off the sheriff isn’t a good call for Gavin.
Presley comes to the edge of the pool. “Hey, babe, I’m taking Bernie home. I can’t handle this anymore.”
Cade gives Cam a look that suggests he’d like to skin him alive for forcing Cade to adopt one of the puppies Cam’s dog had.
Cam holds up his hands. “I said no returns.”
“Well, tell his mama he’s infatuated with his sister,” Cade spouts off and walks out of the pool. “I’ll go with you.”
The two of them head into the house as Cam laughs. Fisher and I look at him.
“Come on, it’s fucking funny,” Cam says.
While he and Fisher laugh, my gaze travels to the girls on the loungers. Clara is refilling their margarita glasses, and I can’t deny the fact she’s looking good these days. More confident in her body or something.
I shake my head before dirty thoughts worm their way in. Clara’s been my best friend forever and I definitely don’t think of her that way. I can just appreciate a nice body. That’s all.
“What the hell?” Fisher stares at the side of the house, already pushing off the wall and walking up the stairs toward our unexpected guest.
I walk out of the pool and grab one of the towels Marla folded and put in a basket for easy access. I’m not sure what my family would’ve done if she’d never come into our lives. My dad was doing an okay job after my mom died, but we were struggling for a while. Especially Chevelle.
My grandma and her friend Dori greet the petite brunette walking into the yard. I don’t see their friend Midge, which is concerning because she has sticky fingers. Marla might want to check her jewelry box after everyone leaves.
First things first though, I need to figure out what Allie is doing here.
Dori is doing most of the talking, asking Allie if she found the house okay. I don’t understand what the hell is going on.
“Grandma. Dori.”
Their names are curt off my tongue and my grandma shoots me “the look.” The one that suggests she will spank me right here and now in front of anyone even though I’m grown and the sheriff.
“Oh, hey, Fisher,” Allie says, waving as if I didn’t notice her the minute she came around the corner. Her forehead wrinkles. “What are you doing here?”
“Allie.” Her name rolls off my tongue in the same tone as my grandma and Dori’s, and Allie’s smile dims, making regret fill my chest. “Ethel here is my grandma.”
“What?” Allie’s eyes widen. “Really?”
Allie’s a friend and we hang out sometimes, but I suspect these two grandmas arranged for her to come here so they could try to fix up the two of us.
“You two know each other?�
�� Dori asks.
“Yes,” I answer.
“I’ve known Allie a long time. She helped get my grandson and daughter-in-law together.” Dori smiles.
Allie raises her hand. “Guilty as charged. These two are some of the best matchmakers I’ve ever met.”
Allie is pretty much the complete opposite of me. She seems to be happy most of the time, loves gossip and getting in other people’s business, and is a nurse. She seems to really enjoy the caretaker role. The differences between us couldn’t be clearer.
“I’ve heard,” I say.
Rumors run rampant in both Lake Starlight and Sunrise Bay that my grandma and her best friend are on some mission to fix up every one of their grandchildren. If they think they’re gonna fix me up with Allie, they’re sorely mistaken.
“We just like people to find love. That’s all.” Dori smiles sweetly.
“I asked to be on their team,” Allie says.
Sounds like something Allie would do. As I said, she’s nice and sweet and wants everyone to be happy.
“Can I talk to you?” I ask her.
Allie steps toward me, but Dori steps between us. “Oh, we have plans for Allie.”
“Yeah, the summer bash, I assume?” I look around as though Dori is crazy.
“I should say we have someone we want to introduce Allie to.” Dori smiles again, but her smile doesn’t seem so sweet this time.
I crinkle my forehead. “You’re setting her up?”
Dori glances over her shoulder at Allie.
Allie shakes her head as though she has no idea what is going on. “I thought I was helping set up someone else in your family? You guys said I was finally in the fold.”
Allie sounds heartbroken that she was brought here under false pretenses. Meanwhile, I’m wondering who the fuck they’re setting her up with and why the hell it’s not me.
“Don’t worry, sweetie, your time will come.” Grandma pats my arm.
I narrow my eyes. “What? I don’t wanna be fixed up.”
“You have that look on your face, like you did back in high school when—”