Frayed: A Small Town Sports Romance (Willow Springs Series Book 1)

by Laura Pavlov

  I wasn’t normally so gushy. But Jett Stone brought something out in me. He’d awakened parts of me that I didn’t even know existed.

  And I only wanted more.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Jett

  I pulled up in front of the Edingtons’ home and parked my bike. I walked to her door, which again made it feel more like a date, which was not something I’d ever really done before. I wasn’t normally one for picking a girl up, but Adelaide was different. Everything about her was different.

  Including kissing her.

  I’d never kissed a girl and felt liked she’d marked me.

  Adelaide Edington had marked me.

  In the best fucking way.

  I’d had sex with girls and walked away without a second thought. But just kissing this girl had made me want things I had no business wanting. Hell, I’d barely slept as the thought of her sweet mouth made it tough to sleep. My dick was still having a temper tantrum even after I’d given him sufficient attention. So, I wasn’t going to overthink it. I liked hanging out with her, and I was not going to fight it.

  Was I playing with fire even letting things get this far?

  Sure.

  But for the first time in my life, I wanted something that didn’t involve getting the hell out of this shit town, and I was going to let myself enjoy it. There were very few things in Willow Springs that I enjoyed outside of the few people I was close to and football—but Adelaide Edington was a blind spot that I hadn’t seen coming.

  I knocked on the door and let out a long breath, hoping that her mom wouldn’t open the door.

  “Hello, hot stuff,” Clementine said, pursing her lips and batting her eyelashes.

  I couldn’t help but laugh, just as her father stepped up behind her and rolled his eyes at his youngest daughter.

  “Jett, hello. Come in. Ladybug will be right down. Her girlfriends just left.” I assumed this was a nickname he had for Adelaide as I’d heard him call her that last night.

  Shit. I wasn’t planning to go inside.

  Family small talk was not my thing.

  “Hey, sure. Thanks.” I shoved my hands in my pockets and followed him inside. Clementine winked at me, and I winked right back. The girl was a character for sure.

  “Agree with everything my mother says and you’ll be fine,” she said under her breath when she leaned close to me. “And if not, I’ve got your back.”

  I nodded and fought back the urge to laugh because she was funny as hell the way she conspired against her mother.

  “Sweetheart, you remember Jett. He was here last night for the party. He and Addy are going to grab lunch at The Rusty Pelican,” her father said. He appeared to be a nice dude. No airs about him.

  Her mother was a different story.

  “Ah, yes. The football player, right?”

  “Sure,” I said, trying to hide my irritation. I was more than a football player, but I wasn’t about to debate that with Adelaide’s mom.

  “Your mom is a waitress at the diner, I believe?” she asked. She knew my mom worked at The Rusty Pelican. This town was small, and Ma had worked there for as long as I’d been alive.

  “Mother. She is a food server, not a waitress. Jeez. That’s so 1990s of you,” Clementine hissed, and I wanted to high five her for sticking it to the ice queen.

  I cleared my throat. “Yeah. She’s worked there for years. Pretty sure you two know one another. She said you used to babysit her when she was young.” Before you fucking dropped her and judged her for bringing a child into the world on her own.

  “Yes, I knew Mae before—you know, before we both had families of our own.” She crossed her arms over her chest as if she were preparing for battle.

  “I love Mae. She’s the reason I even go to the diner. No offense. The food’s just okay. But your mom is super cool,” Clementine said. “I didn’t know you knew Mae when you were young, Mama. You never said anything.”

  Damn straight. I wanted to hug Adelaide’s little sister for calling her out.

  “There she is,” Ellis Edington said as his oldest daughter entered the room and I finally took a full breath. She had a way of calming me. Just her presence. It did something to me.

  Her gaze ping-ponged between her mother and me, and I didn’t miss the concern. “When did you get here? Why didn’t anyone tell me he was here? You didn’t have to come in.”

  She reached for my hand and led me out of the kitchen.

  “Will you be gone long?” her mother asked, as they all followed us to the door. Jesus. They were so involved. I wasn’t used to that. Sure, Ma and Gram were in my business, but not to this extent. Not even close. I wondered if she did this when that asshole Taulson was around.

  “I don’t know. I’ll call you. Love you.” Adelaide led me out the door and they followed. Her fingers intertwined with mine.

  “Nice to see you,” I said, waving with my free hand and winking once more at her little sister.

  “Wait. Are you driving on that monstrosity?” Her mother hissed as we made our way to my bike.

  “Mom. I’ll wear a helmet. We’re taking side streets and only going two miles away. Relax.”

  “They’ll be fine,” her father said, waving at us as she slipped on my bike. It was awkward as fuck having them stare at us as I fastened the helmet beneath her chin.

  “I’m down for a ride anytime you want to take me around the block, Jett Stone,” Clementine shouted, before her mother pulled her in the door and closed it behind them.

  Thank Christ.

  “Sorry,” Adelaide said, searching my gaze.

  “Don’t be.”

  I climbed on, and her arms wrapped around me. Her hands slipped beneath my leather coat and fisted my hoody, while her head rested against my back. I took off for the diner, pushing away all the negative thoughts I had about her mother. About the way she looked at me when she spoke of my mom. A reminder of why I wanted out of this place. The irony was not lost on me.

  People like Savannah Edington were the reason I hated this town. But her daughter had quickly become one of my favorite things about Willow Springs.

  I pulled in front of The Rusty Pelican and climbed off my bike, before leaning down to help her remove the helmet. Her dark eyes locked with mine and she didn’t move from the seat.

  “Did my mom say something?” she asked, reaching for my hand.

  “No. What little she said your sister put her in her place for.”

  She smiled. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why she’s like that.”

  “Don’t apologize for your mother, Ace.”

  She pushed to her feet and we made our way inside the diner. My mom hugged us before leading us to my favorite booth in the back. “So, this is a nice surprise. I didn’t see you last night. You got in late. How was the party?”

  “It was great,” I said and turned to see Adelaide’s cheeks all flushed.

  “It was fun. Nothing out of the ordinary happened. It was all—ordinary. Very normal,” she said, and my mom and I gaped at her.

  I doubt my mother suspected anything was going on before now, but it was impossible to miss how nervous Adelaide was at the moment.

  My mom chuckled. “Good to know it was all very normal. I love a normal party.”

  “Oh my gosh,” Adelaide whispered and shook her head. “I mean, it was good. Really good.”

  Her gaze locked with mine and I couldn’t help but laugh along with my mother. She’d managed to make things worse. Her cheeks were bright red, and her tongue dipped out to wet her bottom lip.

  “Okay. Let’s do two burgers and two chocolate shakes,” I said, trying to rescue her from herself and end this conversation. She’d already told me that’s what she always ordered when she came here for lunch. And I was a damn good listener when it came to Adelaide Edington’s likes and di
slikes.

  “Two very normal burgers and shakes coming up.” My mom winked at Adelaide before walking away.

  “Oh my god. I don’t know why I said that?” she whispered, shaking her head and laughing.

  “Don’t sweat it. It’s an acceptable reaction after kissing me.”

  Her cheeks flamed even brighter, and I laughed harder.

  “Whatever. I barely remember,” she said, smiling up at my mom as she set down two chocolate shakes with whipped cream and sprinkles.

  “Hey, I have an idea. I mean, you had Jett over last night. Why don’t you come by for dinner with Gram and me tonight? I know she’d love to see you.” Ma stood there with a big smile on her face and I rolled my eyes. Normally I’d be pissed if she pulled a stunt like this, but I didn’t mind if Adelaide came over for dinner tonight or any night honestly.

  “I’d love to. Thank you.”

  Once the devious little matchmaker walked away, I chuckled. “So, you barely remember, huh? Shall I refresh your memory after lunch?”

  A wide grin spread across her face and she shrugged. “Sure. You can give it a shot.”

  “Check, please!” I threw my hand in the air and teased—but I was dead fucking serious. I couldn’t wait to have my mouth on hers again.

  We both laughed and my mom studied me as she set the two burgers down in front of us.

  “Everything okay?” she asked.

  “Yep. I forgot we were meeting some friends down at the lake, so we’re in a bit of a hurry.”

  “All right. Well, eat up and get a move on, then. I’ll see you both tonight for dinner.” She shook her head with a chuckle and walked off.

  “You in a hurry?” Adelaide took a bite of her burger and tried to hide her smile.

  “Hell, yeah I’m in a hurry.” I woofed down my burger and stared at her as she took one bite at a time.

  My phone buzzed on the table just as hers did the same.

  “It’s Shaw. He and Jax are heading down to the lake with Coco, Ivy, Ty, Maura, Kyle, Lydia, and Gigi.” I laughed. Such an unlikely group, but we’d all been hanging out a lot lately.

  “Yep. I got the same text. Do you want to go meet them?” She studied me before biting down on her plump bottom lip. I gripped the table to stop myself from leaning over and taking her sweet mouth right there.

  “No. Do you?”

  “No.” She laughed. “Maybe we can all hang out tonight.”

  “That sounds good. You ready?” I asked, anxious to get the hell out of there.

  “Yep.” She sent a quick text, and we made our way out to my bike. I drove to our favorite spot on the lake, and the wind whipped around, as her hand fisted the hoody against my stomach.

  And I fucking loved being with her.

  When she got off the bike, she started running. “I call dibs on the hammock.”

  I rolled my eyes. “It’s my spot. You can’t call dibs.” I dropped down to sit beside her, and my mouth was on hers before I could even think about it.

  This girl had become my drug of choice. I craved her. Thought about her when we weren’t together. Like some sort of fucking junkie.

  Her fingers were in my hair, and a little moan escaped her mouth, as my tongue dipped in tasting and exploring. She fell back on the hammock, pulling me along with her. Her hips grinding against mine—I nearly came undone right there. I kissed her until my lips ached. Until I was so hard my dick was ready to explode. I pulled back, pushing the hair out of her pretty face. Her dark eyes were wild and needy. Her lips swollen and red. Her chest rising and falling, and I just stared down at her. Needing to take her in.

  What the hell was happening to me? I was not the poetic, romantic type. But Adelaide brought something out in me that I hadn’t even known was there. And all I saw was beauty and goodness when I looked at her. I wanted more, but I knew better. We needed to slow down. One day at a time.

  “Why’d you stop?” Her words came out all breathy and needy, and I adjusted myself as casually as I could, seeing as though I was propped on one arm, trying to keep us from tipping out of the hammock.

  I slid beside her and carefully shifted her so we were lying side by side facing one another. “There’s no rush, Ace.”

  She nodded. Her cheeks pinked. “Okay. Is this normal for you?”

  I laughed. “Is what normal?”

  “I don’t know. The way you kiss me. The way we are together.” Her gaze searched mine. Pops of amber and gold sparkling as the sun shined down on her. She looked like some sort of angel lying there acting like I held the answer to all life’s questions.

  “There’s nothing normal about the way I kiss you. The way you kiss me. The way we are together.”

  She nodded. “Okay, good. Because this is… very different from anything I’ve ever felt.”

  I smiled, couldn’t fucking help myself. “Yeah? I think it’s called desire,” I teased.

  “I think you’re right.”

  My phone buzzed, and I reached for it in my back pocket. I read the text from Clyde and rolled my eyes. “Jesus.”

  “What’s wrong?” Her fingers stroked my hair and I wanted to close my eyes and get lost in all things Adelaide Edington. Her touch could heal the fucking dead.

  “Goddamn, Wren. I have a fight tomorrow night, and he’s holding it up because he doesn’t like the guy I’m fighting. I don’t know what the dude’s problem is.”

  “Wren? Why does he care?”

  “He owns the fight club. He’s always in my business and it pisses me off. He said he wouldn’t stop me from fighting, but here we are.”

  “Why does he care who you fight?” Her gaze locked with mine and I could see that she genuinely wanted to know.

  I scrubbed a hand down my face, trying to decide how much to share. Hell, I never talked about this shit with anyone. Not even Shaw and Jax.

  “If I tell you something, you have to promise me you won’t tell a soul. Not even the Magic Musketeers.”

  She pushed up on one arm, so she was propped above me. “Magic Willows. And I promise. Your secrets are safe with me, Jett Stone.”

  “I think Wren might be my dad. I mean, I don’t know. He’s just always hanging around and I don’t know why he gives a fuck what I do, but he’s always there.”

  Her jaw dropped open before she clamped it shut, and it was adorable how she tried to pull herself together and compose her reaction. “Has he always been there? Or is this new?”

  “No. He’s always been around but I never used to mind it. I mean, the fighting is new, so I’m definitely feeling him hovering around me much more now.”

  “Why do you mind it now?” she asked. So fucking perceptive. A reminder that I wasn’t used to hanging around people who asked questions. People that cared about what I did and how I felt.

  “I have my reasons.” My words came out harsher than I meant them too. That shit was not something I was ready to share. Not now. Maybe not ever.

  She didn’t back down. She nodded and cocked her head to the side. “Why don’t you just ask him? Or better yet, ask your mom.”

  “I can’t ask my mom.” I shook my head. “It’s a sensitive subject for her.”

  “Then ask him.”

  I nodded. I honestly never thought about asking him. Would he tell me the truth? Probably not. How do you own up to that shit?

  “Maybe. Enough about me. What do you want to do? If I keep kissing you, I think we’ll both end up naked in this hammock and you aren’t ready for that,” I teased. “So, tell me Adelaide Edington. What do you do for fun?”

  She giggled and my fucking chest nearly exploded. Jesus. This girl was turning me into some sort of sappy asshole.

  “I just finished reading Hunger Games and was going to start Twilight. Have you read it or seen the movies?”

  Now it was my turn to laugh. “Have
I read Twilight? No.”

  “It’s supposed to be amazing. Let’s read it together. I have the Kindle app on my phone.” She reached in her back pocket and I shifted to keep us balanced. “I’ll read the first chapter aloud and you can take the second.”

  I rolled my eyes. “As long as I get to kiss you between chapters, I’m game.”

  And we spent the next several hours lying in the hammock next to the water, all bundled up and huddled together to keep warm, reading about Edward Cullen and Bella Swan and the whole vampire, human romance. We made out a couple dozen times and took turns reading.

  And I’ll be damned if it wasn’t the best day of my life.

  Better than winning football games.

  Better than winning fights.

  Better than breathing.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Adelaide

  Christmas break was over, and I was not looking forward to getting back on my routine. I’d spent every single day of break with Jett. I’d never craved another person the way I craved him. Like I couldn’t breathe when he wasn’t there. Nothing felt right when he wasn’t there.

  We’d hung out with our friends almost every night and had a big New Year’s bonfire out by the lake. It had been an amazing couple of weeks. He’d given me the sweetest Christmas gift which I hadn’t expected at all. He made us each a rope bracelet that he’d burned to seal the edges. He said it was a reminder that it was okay to fray, and part of finding my way. I decided that the being sealed part was how I felt when we were together. Like everything made sense. He listened to me. Cared about my hopes and dreams. We’d talk until our mouths hurt, and then we’d kiss until our lips ached. He’d never tried to take things further, but truth be told—I’d never wanted to take things further more than I did now. He’d awakened something in me that had been lying dormant before now. I’d never wanted anyone the way I wanted him, and that terrified me.

  I wondered how our first day back at school would be. I hadn’t seen or talked to Alec in weeks. My mom kept me updated on him as she talked to Mama T every single day. Usually more than once. I heard them conspiring a few times and rolled my eyes. My mother told Mama T that I was spending a lot of time with Jett. I’d had dinner at his house a few times now with his mom and Gram, and I loved every minute I spent with them. His house was full of love and acceptance. You could feel it when you stepped inside. He’d yet to come have dinner at my house, and I was ready to rectify that. My mom made him uncomfortable and I understood it. She made me uncomfortable most of the time too.