Chapter Thirteen
THE JOHNSON FAMILY farm had transformed into a high school football field.
Word spread fast for a Saturday afternoon.
While Noah and his team of former high school all-stars strategized, Benji rummaged among the menfolk, trying to assemble a team that wasn’t weary of losing to Noah’s elite squad.
In the end, Tobias, Eli, and the minister had decided to join Benji in the defeat to come.
It was a David versus Goliath matchup that would fuel the town gossips, of which there were many, for days to come.
Rachel had easily transformed from a corporate power player to a country girl with natural grace. Watching her laugh with Boone and Mr. Wanakee reaffirmed what Noah knew: The town held a piece of her heart. He couldn’t wait to show her more of what Service had to offer… mainly him.
“Touchdown!” Benji yelled, for the third time in forty-five minutes.
Cheers erupted from the stands, aka hay bales placed side by side and stacked for personal comfort.
It was another winning play wherein Benji’s teammate, the town’s religious leader, who qualified for the senior discount menu, carried the ball across the goal line.
Pastor Harris, God bless him, wore black dress pants and a threadbare, skintight praying hands T-shirt, with a pair of dusty tennis shoes that had left their best days on the march to Jericho.
“Yay,” Rachel shouted, using her cupped hands like a megaphone.
Acting as cheerleader, she looked like she hadn’t had this much fun in years.
Under better circumstances, the echoing memories of past victories of her screaming from the bleachers above the ponytailed girls on the sidelines with the pom-poms would have Noah preening like Prince Charming.
Not today. Clearly, heaven had picked a team… and Noah was quarterbacking for the other guys.
“Go, Benjamin and the God squad!” Penelope cheered, her caramel-colored Aussiedoodle, Stassia, at her side, with Hiccup, Eli’s golden retriever, and, what do you know, Rachel’s color-patch tabby making a rare appearance and sitting center stage, as if she had a cash bet riding on the outcome.
“Throw the ball, Noah,” Mr. Zuniga yelled. “You’re holding it too long.”
ClamClam’s “MRRRRROWWWWWWW!” rang out in agreement.
“Go, Benji, you got ’em running scared,” Rachel cheered even louder.
Noah shot her a side-eye from the field. “A deal is a deal, Six. We’re the ones losing. You should cheer for the underdog. Ain’t that right, fellas?”
“Yeah,” Jimmy said. “For an interior decorator, he tackles like a demon slayer. I swear, he hit me, and my whole body blazed with fire like holy water on a sinner.”
“I’m an electrical engineer with fashion sense,” Benji yelled. “That’s just a taste of my spark.”
Noah didn’t like being on the other end of taunts.
He had counted the initial touchdown as a lucky one-off.
But the second had him grinding his back molars.
Someone should’ve clued Benji in on the game plan.
Currently, his band of merry misfits had exploited every mistake to rub out any advantage Noah’s talent with a pigskin had afforded him in the past. He’d agreed to this game, expecting some good-natured fun between guys, with his team taking home an easy win.
The men had stopped laughing at the long-haired Californian dressed in orange leggings with red ombre flames by the third play.
He had to fix this. Get the win. Impress the girl.
“Don’t let up, Benji,” his mama bellowed. “Rachel is worth every drip drop of my son’s sweat. Make ’em earn it.”
“Mama,” Noah admonished with a roll of his eyes. “Stop it. This isn’t about Rachel.”
“The heck it isn’t,” Matt retorted. “You wouldn’t be carrying on if it were Bubba instead of Benji who challenged you.”
Rachel threw up her hands in disbelief. “Hey, I can hear you… and newsflash, whatever is happening on that field is not about a Rachel and Noah romance.”
Noah watched as Rachel’s dad gave her a pointed look. “Plus one or not, that man knows what he’s doing on the field. It’s more than playing a game, too. If Noah gets you back, he’ll be sore and limping, ’cause your plus one will make darn skippy he’s worthy of the assignment.”
“Dad,” Rachel chided, her cheeks glowing red with embarrassment, “just watch the game.”
“I said what I said,” Matt laughed.
Noah wanted to deny it, but what could he say?
Benji intended to punish Noah for past sins and ensure there wouldn’t be any in the future where Rachel was concerned.
The man acted the part of a protective big brother who could never stand by if his little sister was being manipulated.
Noah respected his position. But he hated how good his game was.
“Time out,” Noah called in a full-bodied bellow.
While Benji’s team of many colors huddled in unwavering confidence, Noah stomped over to his teammates, the same guys he’d trained and triumphed with in high school. His jaw was tight, and storm clouds were roiling in his hazel gaze.
“This here is Service, boys. Everything we need to win is right here.” From the corner of his eye, a broad silhouette in a broad-rimmed black cowboy hat appeared. Pete had arrived.
Noah noticed Rachel’s smile slip.
“Hey, Pete,” Noah called.
“What’s up, buddy?” He smiled before turning his attention to Rachel. “You’re looking lovely again and right at home, city girl.”
With one hand, Rachel looked up, shielding her eyes.
She looked Pete over from head to toe. Pete had Noah’s height, with a slighter build.
She crinkled her nose at his custom boots and tailored clothes, a subtle symbol of the Judelson money.
She’d never been impressed by the exterior, and Noah imagined not much had changed, even with her living closer to Hollywood glamour than he ever would.
Noah heard her say, “This is still home, Petey.”
“Sure… is.”
Pete’s hesitation, that split second too long, triggered a feline sixth sense. Noah heard the war cry.
“MRAAAAAAAAAAAAOWWWWWW!”
ClamClam stood on her hind legs, front paws on either side of her face, with an expression that said, “Come at me, bro.”
“Crazy cat,” Pete hissed, jumping back.
Noah watched the entire situation as Rachel’s smile returned and her features relaxed.
He wondered in that moment if the little cat really did mirror her personality.
It seemed Pete and Rachel still required a referee.
A fact not missed, even by ClamClam. It had been the same when they were younger.
Noah thought the best of everyone, especially his friends.
Pete could be petty, jealous at times, but after Noah saved him, the family’s treatment of Noah went beyond friendship.
As for Rachel, she once told him Pete had never been a friend to a single person in his life… not even Noah.
“Mayor,” Matt cleared his throat. “You gonna stare at my daughter all day or watch the game? It’s a beaut.”
Pete raised both hands in the air, a surrender by the growing red on his cheeks and the tight-pressed lips. “I meant no disrespect. Just dropping by to offer support to the home team. Noah knows he can count on me.”
“Thanks, bro,” Noah called back
Rachel mouth quirked up at the corner, a smirk if he ever saw one. “Did I mention Benji’s a former quarterback?”
“For real?” Noah called.
“Yes,” Rachel chided, “like all-American for San Diego Mechanical University.”
Noah pointed at Benji’s team at the other end of the field, laughing and clapping each other on the backs. “You have got to be kidding me?”
“Have you ever known me to joke?” Rachel called back. “You should’ve guessed Benji had skills when he stepped up to your football challenge. Enjoy your humble pie, Noah.”
At overhearing their conversation, her dad jumped to his feet. “No wonder this is such a great matchup. We’re gonna need more beer. Mayor, you want one? Looks like you could use a cool off?”
“Got business to handle; otherwise, I’d join my best friend in teaching his older brothers… and others… a lesson in loyalty,” he said, jacking up his pants and flashing a gigantic rodeo-style belt buckle. “I got a town to run. Busy getting the right kind of businesses to plant roots in Service.”
When he said “best friend,” the pride was in his tone.
Noah wondered if people would ever understand their friendship.
Pete hadn’t been the type of kid to share, but he had with Noah.
They had a brotherhood forged by trust and unwavering support.
It had been different for him and Rachel.
Was that why desire and resentment ran deep between them?
Matt chuckled at Pete’s antics. “Best you get to it, then.”
The slam about loyalty Pete had injected reminded him of the twisted competition between his best friend and the girl next door. Noah wanted them both in his life.
“See you later, Rachel.”
“Yep,” Noah heard Rachel say as Pete sauntered off. “You will.”
Tobias came running up sporting a cocky grin.
He popped the battered white lid on the vintage Igloo cooler, fished in the ice, and pulled out a frosted bottle of water.
Standing there, drenched in sweat, he guzzled three-fourths of the contents.
It was after three o’clock, and the sun hit the field at just the right angle to give players on and off the field a fine sheen of perspiration.
“Ah, that tastes good going down,” Tobias said, lifting his face to the sun.
“The water?” Noah quizzed at the blissful expression on his face.
“No. Winning. You’re good at everything you set your mind to. I’ve never been a part of a team that could wipe that grin off my little brother’s face.”
“I hadn’t thought of that.” Noah was used to winning. Did he ever consider the feelings of those who repeatedly lost to the Great Noah Calvary? Did he care?
Tobias gave him a big hug. “Have to admit it does feel good to win… even if it’s a game.”
“Hey,” Noah yelled. “Game ain’t over, bro.”
“Whatever, Noah.” Tobias laughed. “Don’t be a sore loser.”
“You think I’m out of plays, bookworm?”