Chapter 14 #2
“Yeah, sexy things. I may be old, but I’m not dead.” She tsked.
“Mom, gross.” Wes scoffed and stood. “I’m taking a little walk while you two work this out.” He paced to the edge of the fence.
It was better this way. “I won’t read that stuff, I promise. Wes is right. It’s gross.” Shaking my head, I chuckled. “Gabe will want to recount what happened leading up to that day.”
“Oh, then it should be fine.” She snuck her lower lip between her teeth and released it. “Carl never told me what we were really doing. I didn’t know it wasn’t his parents’ house. I swear it.”
“Tell that to Gabe. But remember, Carl might have lied to the courts.” I watched her. If she listened to Gabe, it would seal her distaste for Carl. Had she even heard me the first time I’d said it?
Her lips pressed into a thin line, and her gaze grew hard. “That asshole.” She scowled. “Do you really think he did that?”
“I don’t know, but we’ll find out when Gabe accesses the court records and sees his deposition.” Or whatever the hell they called it. I was no lawyer. “So, when he visits you this week, sign with him and let’s move this along.”
Leaning toward me and in a softer voice, she said, “Do you think he can help me get released early? I have a hearing coming in a month. I haven’t gotten into any trouble.” She glanced behind her.
“Who are you looking at?” I followed her gaze. A woman with short dark hair sat at a table, smoking a cigarette and peering our way. Even in a minimum-security prison, there was bullshit between inmates, right?
“No one.” She rubbed her index finger on the table. “I just need to get out of here. I don’t even care if my record gets scrubbed or whatever you call it.” Her gaze found mine. “I want to be with you boys again. I want to be a mother to Wes.” Her eyes grew glassy.
“I know, Mom.” I grabbed her wrist. Fuck, this was the hard part of the visit. “You’ll be home soon enough.”
“I want to attend his graduation.” She sniffled.
Holding her arm, I twisted in my seat. “Hey, Wes, come over here.” The discussion about Carl and all that shit was over.
Wes jogged over to us and fell onto the bench seat. “Mom, are you okay?” His forehead wrinkled.
“I’m fine, honey. I just miss you both, and I want to come home.” She swiped at her eyes.
I grabbed Wes’s arm, pulling him down as he got up. I understood his intent. “You can’t hug her right now.”
“This is such bullshit.” His nostrils flared. “Knowing that Carl, the fucker, deliberately put you in here? Fuck that.”
A guard caught my eye as she walked toward us.
“Wes, keep it down. You don’t want to draw attention.” He’d be upset for days after this. Maybe Casey could work it out of him at the gym.
“Whatever.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Mom, you don’t deserve any of this.”
“I know, honey.” Her brows crinkled. “I’ll be home soon, you’ll see.”
With a heavy sigh, I said, “Wes’s training with Casey is going well.” I studied him. If we could talk football, he’d settle down. “I’m taking him to Tontozona for ASU’s annual scrimmage.”
“What? You are?” He uncrossed his arms, and his face lightened. “The one in August?”
Of course, he knew all about it. “Yes. We’ll be guests of Casey’s.” I studied him. I had to settle it with Dylan, but now I’d made a commitment.
“What about the shop?” He shifted to sit sideways on the bench seat, facing me.
“I’ll schedule around it and have Dylan handle it. He can do oil changes and tire rotations by himself.” It was time I trusted him to manage the shop alone. “The shop is only open for five hours on Saturdays.”
“We’ll have to get up early. It starts at nine.” He glanced at Mom. “ASU starts off its training camp in Payson every year, and it ends with a scrimmage that’s open to the public.”
“I see.” She gave him a knowing grin. “This Casey has been good for you.” She pointed at his biceps. “You’re getting bigger.”
“I’ve put on about ten pounds. I hope to gain ten pounds more before practice starts at school.” He puffed his chest.
I rubbed my chin. I’d been right. We’d keep the topic on football and leave Mom in a better mood.
Early evening, my phone buzzed on the coffee table. I strode to it and picked it up. Casey flashed across my screen. He’d wanted to visit, but Wes was still in a foul mood, and we were exhausted, emotionally and physically. I answered the call. “Hey.”
“Hey, babe. How was the visit?” he asked.
“Hot and um…” I glanced toward Wes’s room, the occasional shouts and swearing slinging through the air while he gamed. “Wes was pretty upset by the whole thing. He’s playing video games now.”
“Yeah? How about you?”
“I’m okay. It was hot as fuck out there though.” It was amazing how much an hour in one-hundred-plus degree heat could wear you out. “I’m exhausted. I’ll probably go to bed early.” I didn’t want to dismiss Casey, but I needed time to myself tonight.
“Yeah, I get you.” He freed a soft breath. “Did you talk to Gabe?”
“I did. He’s a good guy. He’ll visit Mom this week and get things started.” I dropped onto the couch. “How did today go?” Enough talk about moms in prison.
“Great. I hit the gym for an hour and sacked out on the couch. I can’t remember the last time I did that.” His voice lowered. “Would have been better with you, but I understand you had family shit to take care of.”
“Yeah…” I thought through what he’d said. “Hey, if you want to visit with us next time, you’ll need to get a background check. Are you—”
“Tell me where to go to sign up and I’ll get started tomorrow.”
My chest grew heavy with warmth. This man would do anything for me. “I’ll send you a link tomorrow.” Again, I was too tired to deal with it tonight. But damn, I was falling hard for him. Love? Maybe. “Casey? Thank you.”
“It’s time you stopped thanking me for everything. I’m only doing what any boyfriend would do for their man.” He chuckled.
“Yes, but you’ve done more than expected.
I want you to know how much it’s appreciated.
” I glanced out the window at the long shadows falling across the landscaping rocks.
It was getting late. Would Casey still want to come over?
“Hey, would it be okay to scrap our plans for tonight and see each other tomorrow?” I could order delivery pizza instead.
“Whatever you want, babe. You sound drained. Rest up, and I’ll see you tomorrow.” He sighed. “I only wanted to be sure you didn’t need me tonight. It sounds like what you need is to relax.”
“Th—” My breath caught. There I was, thanking him again. But he always knew what I needed and let me have it. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“Okay. Sleep tight and tell Wes we’re hitting the gym at ten.”
“Will do. Goodnight.” I freed a long exhale. Yeah, maybe I loved him. How could I not?
“Goodnight, babe.” He ended the call.
The summer had flown by, with weeks passing since my visit to the prison.
Gabe had signed on as Mom’s lawyer and had prepared subpoenas for documents and readied for her parole hearing.
I never accessed Mom’s phone but handed it over to Gabe and Jeremy along with the passcode to let them deal with it.
I didn’t need to see into Mom’s private life.
After parking in a pine tree-lined lot at Camp Tontozona, I jumped from my truck. It was time to see Casey and his friends play their scrimmage. I’d spent evenings at their house, enjoying Eli’s cooking and taking leftovers home to Wes.
I’d also grown closer to Casey. He’d burrowed thoroughly into my heart, and at some point, I’d spill my truth. I met Wes on the other side of the truck and peered into the blue sky, puffy clouds threatening to block the sunshine. “Think it might rain?”
“Better not. We have a ball game to see.” Wes strolled next to me toward the field with bleachers rising on either side.
“Which side do you want to sit on?” My gaze roamed the field and the players lining up by the benches.
Wes pointed. “That side. Casey’s at that bench.” A wide smile swept his lips.
My gaze landed on Casey’s lean and muscled body, covered in pads, his dirty-blond hair flowing from his head. How the hell had Wes picked him out before me? With a shrug, I trailed Wes toward the bleachers, seating ourselves a few rows above the field.
Casey strutted toward us, grabbing the pads around his neck. “Hey, babe. You’re sure looking fine.” He gave me a flirtatious smirk.
I looked around me. Should he be saying shit like that in front of everyone? “Uh, thanks.”
Wes shoved my shoulder. “God, you two.” His attention shifted to Casey. “I can’t wait to see some of those moves you showed me in action.”
With an up-nod, Casey said, “You’ve got it, kid. I’ve been on fire this week.” With a warm grin at me, Casey hopped toward the coaching staff, holding iPads and papers.
“Wouldn’t it be cool if someday we had family seats at one of his NFL games?” Wes squinted into the sunshine filtering through the tall pines.
“Family, huh?” Where would Casey be in a year, and would we still be together? So much could happen. I flagged down a man selling drinks. “It would be cool.”
“You could marry Casey, and he’d be my brother-in-law.” Wes ordered a Gatorade while I ordered water.
I huffed a laugh and paid for the drinks. “Yeah, we’ll see.” Marry Casey? Now Wes was pushing it.
It was a few minutes before the end of the first half, and Casey had the ball with Malik as running back and Tex as a lineman on his offense. They lined up for the snap, and Casey reached between the center’s legs, shouting commands.
As the center snapped the ball, Casey stepped back, bringing the ball next to his swiveling head. “Fuck.”
Eli ran roughshod over a guard and the center and threw his arms at Casey. “Got you!”
“No, you don’t.” Casey evaded him, sprinting to the side, and then tucked the ball and ran down the outside of the field.
“Dude, here.” Malik raced beside Casey.
Handing the ball to him, Casey slowed his pace. “Go, Thompson!” He jogged down the field, chasing Eli. “You’ll never catch either of us, big man.”
“Yeah? Watch me.” Eli lunged at Malik and grabbed his legs, taking him down with a grunt. “Gotcha.” With a cackle, he stood and held his hand out to Malik.
“You fucker.” With a snicker, Malik grabbed his hand and rose from the field. “Been working on your running game?”
“A bit.” They all jogged into a huddle for the next play.
“I love that we’re so close we can hear everything.” Wes, now eating popcorn from a bag, smiled so wide all his teeth showed.
“Yeah, this is fun.” And interesting. Casey was like a different person on the field, all focus and grit.
I hadn’t seen him in a week, and watching him play had my desire for him on overdrive.
I dove my hand into the popcorn and threw some into my mouth.
He’d be home tomorrow, and I’d invite him for dinner.
Wes would have practice. A smirk quirked my lips.
The fourth quarter had under sixty seconds remaining, and Casey’s team trailed by three points. Casey had the ball, and they were on the twelve-yard line. If they could score a touchdown, Casey’s team would seal it.
I sat on the edge of my seat, my pulse hammering in my ears. This fucking game with the back and forth had almost given me a heart attack. What would the actual games be like? I’d lose my mind. Cupping my mouth, I shouted, “Go Carter!”
Wes’s smile hadn’t left his face the entire game. He loved this.
Both sides lined up for the snap.
After Casey made his calls, he took a few steps back while Malik sped behind him to pick off the ball—Nope, Casey tucked the ball, put his head down and sprinted toward the goal line.
I hopped up along with Wes and I screamed, “Go, babe. Get a touchdown. You’ve got this!”
As Casey twirled around lineman and Eli grabbed for him, he threw himself at the goal line, arms outstretched, and landed on his stomach.
Eli stood over him, planting his hands on his hips and shaking his head.
Over the speakers, the announcer said, “Touchdown.”
Facing Wes, I grabbed his hands, and we jumped up and down, whooping and hollering. What an amazing end to the game.
As the excitement slowed, Wes gave me a sly grin. “You called Casey, babe.”
“I did?” I glanced at the field and the guys throwing Casey onto their shoulders, everyone laughing.
“You did, and I heard it. I’ve never heard you call him that before. I’ve only heard him say it.” Wes punched me in the shoulder. “You’re in love.”
“Yeah, guess I am.” My heart bloomed with emotion. Casey needed to hear it. It was time. Who cared what the future held? We’d find our own way.
As the players brought Casey to the bench, they set him on his feet, and a coach twisted the top off the water jug and poured it over Casey’s head.
“Holy fuck! Cold!” Laughing hysterically, Casey danced around the sideline and then his gaze caught mine.
“That last touchdown was for you.” He strutted toward the stands, made his way through the people, who stood and parted, and then he stopped in front of me, dripping.
“Come here, you sexy motherfucker.” Grabbing my cheeks, he planted a harsh kiss on my lips. “I’ll be home tomorrow.”
“I know. Wes will be at practice.” I gazed deeply into his green eyes, droplets of water hanging from his lashes. “I’ll make you lasagna.” It was his favorite, after all.
“Perfect.” He crushed my lips in another kiss.
“Carter, get your ass back on the field. This is a family event.” A coach called from the sideline.
“Yes, sir.” Casey saluted me and made his way to the sideline.