“I’m afraid your dad will beat the crap outta me if I hurt you.” I shook her off.
“You won’t hurt me,” she challenged.
“I must be the dumbest guy on the planet because I actually believe you.” I tossed the padding to the side, and then motioned to where I’d left my bag. “Let me go change first.”
“Make it quick. We gotta start before he’s finished.” She giggled and it was like we were eleven and twelve again trying to get away with something we shouldn’t be doing.
“Chill, Princess.” I winked and I could see the rage come back. She hated when I called her that, and I was counting on her anger throwing her off. Wes always told us that keeping your cool was your best weapon. Hot heads lead to stupid mistakes. I needed Riley to make a mistake so I wouldn’t lose to a girl in front of a gym full of people.
“Don’t call me that!” she growled as she shoved her mouth guard in and clapped her gloved hands together. I’d been so busy thinking about her tight little shorts that I hadn’t even seen her grab her gear.
“Sure, Princess.” I grinned as I rushed toward the office. I wanted to get rid of this shirt and grab my own gloves. I needed to get this woman out of my head. She and I would never happen. Her dad would make sure of it, and from what I could tell, she couldn’t stand being near me.
Chapter 5
Riley
“What the hell is going on?” Dad’s voice boomed right as Caleb’s leg swung under me, sending me to the mats on my ass.
“Damn you,” I growled as I spit my guard out. I pounded my fists against the mat before pushing myself to a standing position. I glared at Caleb before turning my attention to my father. “What’s up, Daddy?” I smiled before wiping the hair off my face that was slick with sweat.
“Don’t ‘Daddy’ me. What are you two doing?” His eyes stayed pinned to Caleb as he directed his words at me.
“We were just sparring, sir. My idea.” Caleb shrugged. I froze. Why was he taking the blame for this? “I thought Riley could help me with some of my combos. Won’t happen again.” He shot a look at me, and then climbed down from the ring.
“You’re damn straight it won’t happen again.” Dad sighed before climbing in the ring.
After Caleb had disappeared into the locker room, I slowly turned to face my father. I knew he was angry, but thanks to Caleb that anger wasn’t aimed at me. “I’m sorry,” I murmured. “I shouldn’t have done that.”
“You could seriously hurt yourself, Rils. I don’t think you understand that.” He crossed his arms.
“I know, but you and I do this all the time.” I flung my arms out. “I don’t see what the difference is.”
“I’m a trained fighter. A professional. I know what the limits are, you don’t. What if Caleb hit you just right, and broke something. You prepared to sit out the rest of the summer with a cast on your arm or leg?” He shook his head in disapproval.
“You never did stuff like this?” I tipped my head to the side and gave him the look that said I knew he was lying.
“I did, and I got punished for it. My trainer made sure I knew exactly what was permitted and what wasn’t.” A smile spread across his face. “Caleb’s gonna learn that lesson too.” It was that moment when Caleb emerged, rubbing a towel over his wet head. He’d put his work shirt back on, and apparently taken the world’s fastest shower. “Nice to see you’re back. There’s a mop and some sponges in the utility closet. You’re cleaning the locker rooms today.” He pointed to the direction Caleb had just come from.
“What? Why?” Caleb stumbled to a halt.
“My gym, my rules.” Dad pointed to his chest.
I mouthed the word ‘sorry’ as Caleb’s eyes darted between my father and myself. “Don’t we have people to do that?” Caleb groaned.
“Yep. That ‘people’ is you today, son.” Dad laughed. “Don’t spar with my daughter anymore. Learn a lesson today.” He turned and headed to his office. “Next class is in an hour, Rils.” With a wave he closed the door, leaving me standing there in the ring.
ooooooooo
“I’m sorry.” I climbed out of the ring and rushed after Caleb.
“Don’t worry about it,” he grumbled as he pulled a mop bucket from the closet.
I stood there as confusion set in. He seemed mad at me, but he’s the one that took the blame. “Why’d you do it?” I attempted to block his path, forcing him to talk to me.
“I don’t know. Just didn’t want to see you get in trouble I guess.” He stepped around me. “I gotta clean the men’s showers, so you’re going to have to bother someone else for a while.” And just like that, he walked away. I thought his answer was lame, and a lie. There was no way he did this out of the goodness of his heart. He wanted something. That’s how it’s always been. When we were kids, he’d cover for me, and then ask a favor. It was like he was trying to trap me into helping him. Whelp, not today, Satan. I grabbed my things, and then headed for the front desk. If Caleb was going to be all mysterious, then so could I.
ooooooooo
Caleb
I don’t know why I took the blame for this. I have to be the stupidest guy on the planet right now. I tried to be nice and where did it get me… cleaning toilets. I’m sure I’ve confused the hell out of Riley. I know I’ve confused myself, but it felt like the right thing to do. I know if it was anyone else, I wouldn’t be thinking about it this hard, but Riley and I have history. Our moms would love for us to be together; Wes, not so much. I think he’ll keep the men away as long as he possibly can.
‘Stop thinking about her.’ I shook my head to try and clear it, but as I made my way to the front desk, there she was. Her brown hair was down now, and she was wearing a pink tank. She must have cleaned up at some point, because the classes were all finished for the day.
My cell dinged a notification, saving me from analyzing anything else about the untouchable girl, and reminding me that I was supposed to meet my dad in thirty minutes. Great.
“I really am sorry.” Her voice broke me out of my musings, and looked up to see her jogging closer. “If there’s anything I can do…”
I closed my eyes and reminded myself to be the jerk she thinks I am. “It was nothing, Princess. Gotta meet someone for dinner. Can’t keep them waiting.” I winked, and stepped around her, leaving her there with confusion marring her face.
“Make sure you use protection. Wouldn’t want you to catch anything!” she shouted, causing several gym patrons to stop what they were doing.
ooooooooo
Riley
I don’t know why I expected anything less. Caleb’s always been a jerk to me. Since we were toddlers, he’s always made sure that I knew he couldn’t stand me. When he took the blame this morning, I almost thought I was in some kind of dream. He quickly put that theory to rest when he sauntered out here and called me ’Princess’. He knows I hate that nickname, but yet he won’t stop using it. I used to beg my mom to give me dirt on him so I could get even, but she’s never told me anything.
“Hey, Dad?” I called as I walked toward his office. I was ready to leave, but he was my ride home. “Are you almost finished?”
“Yep.” He smiled as he locked his office door. “We’re grabbing takeout on the way home for your mom and Easton. How does pizza sound?”
“Can we do burgers from the Shake Shack instead?” I smiled and batted my eyes. I knew how to work my father over, and this was the look that usually got me what I wanted.
“Your mom really wanted pizza, but I think burgers would be acceptable too.” He laughed. “You can put the look away now.” He tossed his head back. “I pity the man you marry. You’ll have him wrapped around your finger before he knows what hit him.”
“I’m never getting married,” I grumbled. “Guys are jerks, and all they want is to get in your pants.”
Dad stumbled as we walked outside. “Not all guys are bad, pumpkin.” He swung his arm around my shoulder.
“Well, when you find a goo
d one, can you put in a good word for me?” I peered up at him, and he seemed like the hero I’d idolized for most of my childhood.
“No.” He chuckled. “I don’t like the idea of any guy getting friendly with you. I’m the only man who needs to be in your life.”
“Dad.” I groaned. “You’ll always be my hero. You know that, right?” I leaned into his side and hugged him around the middle. “No matter how old I get, I’ll always come to you.”
“I hope so, pumpkin.” He opened my door when we reached the truck, and all thoughts of Caleb and his weird behavior disappeared as we headed to the Shake Shack.
Chapter 6
Riley
It’s been a few days since I saw Caleb last. I’ve been helping Dad out at the gym, and avoiding pretty much everything else. Dean has managed to convince most of our friends that I was the reason we broke up. He never mentions the fact that he was pressuring me and I stood up to him. Aside from Claire, I’ve pretty much cut ties with most of my high school friends. I figure in a few months I’ll be at BC, and will make new friends. College guys are more mature, right?
“You again.” Speak of the devil. “Figured you’d been hanging out on the beach or something.” I sighed before raising my eyes to meet Caleb’s.
“Did you need something?” I smiled sweetly. I was hanging out at the front desk, hoping to meet a cute guy or something.
“Yeah, I need you to find somewhere else to hang out while you post TikTok videos or whatever you girls do.” Caleb seemed bored. “I actually have to work.” He pointed to the ‘McKay’s Gym’ emblem on his shirt.
“I’m not on TikTok,” I sneered. I was being childish, but Caleb always seemed to bring out the worst in me. He knew exactly what to do to get under my skin.
“Do you not have friends or something? Who spends their last summer of freedom hanging out at their dad’s gym?” He leaned against the counter as his lips pulled into a grin.
“I have friends. I just don’t feel like being around fake people right now.” I shrugged. “Don’t you have friends? You’re here all the time,” I fired back.
“It’s called saving for college. It’s expensive, and my dad feels like I should work for it.” His eyes held fire when he mentioned his dad. I knew it was touchy subject, and unlike him, I didn’t pester him about it.
“That sucks.” I tried to sound sympathetic, but deep down I kinda just wanted him to ask me to spar again. My body was beginning to betray me around Caleb. I couldn’t like him, at least like my hormones wanted me to, but the idea of him touching me made me all kinds of giddy.
“It does.” He stepped around the counter, and right up beside me. “Why are you here, really?” His voice lowered. “I’ve known you most of your life, Riley.” He called me Riley and not ‘Princess’. “You only hang out here when you’re avoiding something, so spill.” His eyes softened and searched my face. Were we having a moment? Was he trying to be nice?
“I’m not avoiding anyone. I just feel safer here,” I murmured.
“Safer from what?” He turned me to face him. “Are in you in trouble or something? Did you tell your dad?
“Safer from life.” I rolled my eyes. “You mean, you haven’t heard that I’m a prude?” I flung my arms in the air. “I thought that asshole had told the whole town. I mean the entire beach knows now.”
Caleb’s head snapped back. “What?”
“My asshole ex-boyfriend broke up with me on prom night because I wouldn’t have sex with him. Don’t pretend that you don’t know this. My mom told your mom. I know she told you.” Embarrassment was flooding me faster than I could stop it.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Caleb held his hands up in defense. “The first I knew about anything was the day you came in here.” He turned and waved another employee over. After whispering something in his ear, he nodded and thanked the guy. “Come with me.” He grabbed my hand, and any other time I would be disgusted by it, but not today. Today, it made my heart race.
“Where are we going?” I squeaked as he dragged us out the door.
“Not far.” He smiled and then opened the door to his F150. “Just get in.”
“My dad doesn’t know I left,” I protested.
“Yes, he does. Get in.” He motioned to the seat once again. After rounding the truck, he climbed in, cranked it, and pulled out into traffic.
ooooooooo
“What are we doing here?” I glanced around. We were about fifteen minutes outside the city, near an abandoned warehouse.
“I come here sometimes to blow off steam,” Caleb called over his shoulder. “This way.” He was walking briskly as he led us around the corner, and smiled when I skidded to a stop.
“What is this?” I glanced around. There were several baseballs on the ground, a few beer bottles, and some bricks.
“Put these on.” He handed me a pair of leather gloves that I didn’t even see him grab. “Here.” He handed me a bottle. “Fling it at that brick wall over there.” He pointed, and then stepped back.
I turned sideways like a baseball pitcher does, wound up, and flung that bottle as hard as I could. I watched soar through the air, and then smash into several pieces when it hit the wall. It was slightly satisfying.
“Feel a little better?” He grinned.
“Eh, maybe.” I shrugged. I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of knowing that he was helping.
“Here. Do it again.” He handed me another bottle. Smash! When I ran out of bottles, I threw bricks. Each time something broke, I imagined it was Dean’s head. “You don’t have to hide your anger. It’s ok to be mad about what he did to you.” Caleb’s expression said he meant what he was saying.
“I know. I’m just tired of all the bullshit. I don’t understand guys, and it makes me even angrier.”
Caleb chuckled, but it died as soon as I looked at him. “I’m not laughing at you. I’m laughing at the fact that you say you don’t understand guys. Most of us guys don’t understand women. You’re like a puzzle that has constantly changing pieces. Every time we think we’ve got it, it changes into something completely different.” His head tipped to the side as he stared at me, waiting for me to agree with him or something.
“It’s only because we’re trying to be what you want.” I kicked at the ground. “We want a guy to like us, but we can’t talk too much, and we can’t wear certain clothes because it might send a message. We can’t be too good at something because we might bruise his ego. We have to like his friends, and the same hobbies he does. It’s endless.” I picked up a baseball and tossed it in the air, catching it on the way back down.
“We’re not all like that.” Caleb sighed as he leaned against the wall behind us. “Some of us are nice, but it doesn’t get us anywhere. Women always want the bad boy.” He was right with that. I’d had a few of the good guys at school ask me out over the years, but Dean’s dark side was what attracted me to him and why I’d dated him for so long.
“If I ask you something, will you be honest with me?” I threw the baseball as hard as I could.
“Sure.” He crossed his arms.
“So, tell me this. You say there are nice guys out there. Do nice guys still want to get in a girl’s pants? Because it seems to me that all guys want to have sex. They want the girl to say yes, and fall into bed with them, but they want to marry a girl who hasn’t been with a bunch of guys. Where do all of you guys think these women are gonna be if you sleep with girls all the time?” I flung my arms out and spun around.
Caleb swallowed. “Good point, but I can’t speak about all guys, just me.” He pointed to his chest. “If I’m dating a girl, and she doesn’t want to sleep with me, I’m ok with that. I would never pressure someone I cared about into doing something they didn’t want to do. If you’re with a guy who’s doing that, then he doesn’t really care about you.”
“But you want to, sleep with them right…” It was more of a statement then a question.
“Yes.�
� He half coughed, half choked the word out. “Any guy who tells you he doesn’t want to have sex is lying. I’m not saying I don’t want to; I’m saying that I wouldn’t pressure anyone. If you really like someone, they’re worth waiting for.”
“I knew I was right,” I mumbled to myself.
“About what?” Caleb moved closer. I could feel the hairs on his arm brush against mine. I shuddered lightly before swallowing the lump in my throat. He wasn’t supposed to hear that.
“College guys are more mature,” I whispered.
“Ha!” He laughed and threw his head back. “I don’t know about that.”
“Great.” I narrowed my eyes at him. “You’re not helping me now.”
“But this did. Right?” He pointed to the broken bottles a few feet in front of us.
“Yes. This helped. You said you come here sometimes. Why?” I was genuinely interested.
“Sometimes I get into it with my dad. We get along, but he has these ideas about what I should be doing, and he tries to force them on me.”
“Your real dad?” I grimaced. I never referred to Carsen that way, but I needed to make sure we were talking about the same person.
“Yeah. He’s always been a good dad, but he lets Joey be the parent most of the time. It’s complicated. It always has been. I just wish he’d let go of me pursuing football.” Caleb ran his fingers through his hair and tugged.
“But you used to love it.” I remembered Caleb playing Pee Wee ball when we were little.
“You sound like him now. I liked it when I was little. I don’t want to play anymore. I haven’t played since I was fourteen. No way in hell am I walking onto a college team and getting any playing time.” Caleb was almost shouting now.
“Sorry.” I held my hands up. “I just thought…”
“Everybody thinks they know what’s best for me, but nobody wants to let me decide.” He sighed loudly before picking up one of the baseballs and hurling it at the wall in front of us.
Broken Promises: The Broken Series Second Generation Page 3