27. Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Gather ‘round, Three Corners, because it’s time for a little tea!
Seems like the Renegades are switching things up with their First Responder Appreciation Night this year.
They’re trading in the barbeque for an escape room adventure, and I’m betting that means things are gonna get interesting!
Jasper Pendleton’s got the place buzzing, but it seems like everyone’s got their eyes on a certain star player and the ever-fashionable video coach.
They’ve been spotted together a lot lately—maybe a little too much for just coworkers, wouldn’t you say?
Now, I’m not one to jump to conclusions, but where there’s smoke, there’s fire, right?
Stay tuned, my darling Puckleberries, because this night is shaping up to be hotter than a Renegades winning streak! ~Penni’s Puckleberry Tea
Shep
The Renegades organization coordinated a team night supporting the region’s first responders every year.
Last year, JT Pendleton himself welcomed the local paramedics and EMTs, firefighters and police officers to a barbeque held at Renegade Ice.
But this year, the organization decided to try something a little different.
I stood beside my truck, and stomped my booted heel into a mound of dirty snow leftover from the dusting that passed through mid week, or maybe a slab that fell off a vehicle. Snow didn’t linger long in Richland.
Fournier and Coach passed me on their way into the two-story brick building. Three bright red garage bays fronted the place with an equally bright red doublewide door to one side. Once a fire station, a game company bought the place and renovated the old building into a massive escape room complex.
Jasper Pendleton, heir apparent to the Richland Renegades, stood sentry at the front door.
He shook hands with folks as they arrived, players and citizens alike, a practiced smile plastered on his face.
I could practically hear the gears grinding in his head, calculating, assessing, the way he always did.
But then, he was a Pendleton. Probably came with the DNA of being the eldest son of the richest family in Virginia.
Whatever his future, Jasper was a ton more fun than his dick of a dad.
No sign of Merri. She’d be here. I’d heard her confirm as much with ET when I’d been eavesdropping from the hallway.
Not that I’d been looking for her. Exactly.
Just, if I happened to cross her path… Yeah, fuck that.
I’d wanted to see her. Talk to her again.
See her smile, hear her pretty laugh. To remind myself that despite all her words, all the reasons we couldn’t be together, there was still a spark between us, a connection she couldn’t ignore.
A silver sedan crossed my line of sight, the woman behind the wheel snagging my attention.
I blew out a long breath, fogging the chill air.
About time. Shoving my phone in my back pocket, I slowly made my way across the parking lot, stalling, giving the slowpoke woman time to get out, get sorted, and catch up with me at the entrance.
A hand slapped my back and I turned to find Zacha and Novy eying me with matching know-it-all grins. I shook Zacha’s hand and leaned in to buss a kiss to Novy’s cheek. “How’s it going, Novy darling?”
I’d known Novy for years and years before Zacha hooked up with her during the off-season last summer. And taunting my best friend with that fact remained one of my greatest joys. He barged past me, knocking against my shoulder. I fell into the railing along the stairs with an exaggerated groan.
“Novy, I’m going to trust you to keep these guys in line tonight.” Jasper kicked his thumb over his shoulder at the bright red double doors. “Or should I pair them up with a couple of law enforcement officers? The kind that take no crap from fools?”
Novy shook her head. “There’s no hope, Jasper. None at all. Going to have to make sure Melani screens all the pictures before releasing anything on the team’s socials.” She scraped her hair behind her ear, a heavy, over-done sigh punctuating her words.
Merri reached the foot of the steps then, her eyes wide as she took us in.
I grinned down at her and she blinked, then seemed to nudge free of her preoccupation with my face.
I put a hand over my chest to feign innocence and replied to Novy.
“How can you people say such rude things? Melani loves me. I give her the best IG shots every time.”
Jasper shook his head. “I’m told any clips with either of you in them are going to hit twice as well as a typical post, so we have to use them. But I’m also told that clips of you two together have to be closely monitored.”
“Monitored makes it sound like such a bad thing.”
“Monitored for questionable content.” Novy’s lips twitched with a smile, a glint of mischief sparkling in her eyes.
Zacha caught Novy’s arm, lacing his fingers through hers. “I’ve matured since that last incident. No questionable content here, boss.” He tossed a wink up at his woman, a smirk twisting his lips. She laughed, color flagging high on her cheeks.
A bite of jealousy hit me then. Not for Novy, of course.
I was happy for her, for Zacha, too. Zacha had a way of effortlessly charming his woman, so nonchalant in his interactions with Novy.
I, on the other hand, felt like I was walking on eggshells with Merri the instant I was within arm’s reach.
Trying to navigate the delicate dance of attraction while respecting her wishes.
Novy swung her hands up with a cocked brow. “Spill, Boh. What did you two do?”
Zacha laughed with a shake of his head. “Not me, Novy. I’m the innocent victim here.”
I snorted. Jasper let out a full-bodied guffaw at Zacha’s lie—the kind of laugh I hadn’t heard from him in years. It rumbled out of him, raw and unguarded, like the old days.
As much as I’d grown up with Scout and Novy, I’d grown up with Jasper too.
He had a few years on us, but back then, that hadn’t mattered.
We spent summers tearing through the woods, feet pounding over sunbaked dirt trails, carving shortcuts through the pastures until we reached Bomber Lake.
Bomber Lake and the rope swing where we competed for everything from the biggest splash to the best flip.
We’d launch ourselves as far as possible, limbs flailing, determined to outdo each other.
Jasper had been different then—louder, reckless in the way only a kid who thought he was invincible could be.
Over time, that wildness dulled. Responsibility weighed him down, turned him quieter, gruffer.
I saw it in the way he carried himself now, the way he sat heavy in his chair, like he was holding up more than just his own weight.
For a second, though, with that laugh—he sounded like the kid I used to know.
Merri stepped up closer then, pulling all attention her way. “Is this where I show my pass? Wait, do I need a pass?” She tapped the non-existent pockets along the front of her skirt. The fabric swished and flowed with a rustling sound that zinged straight into my bloodstream.
I was Pavlov’s Dogs, conditioned to respond to the sounds of Merri’s skirts. Any minute now, drool would drip down my chin and I’d be panting around her feet.
Figuratively speaking. Mostly.
“No pass, Merri,” Jasper said, sliding to the side to allow us passage.
“Welcome to your first official team event. Come on in and meet some of the local first responders. We have fire fighters, law enforcement, paramedics. All the heroes, today. Even the local search and rescue teams are here.” He gestured towards the interior of the building.
Scout pushed up from the tarmac onto the landing.
We all shifted to accommodate another body.
Not nearly enough room for six adults. But then Merri adjusted her position, slipping closer to me and I welcomed Scout with a big old smile.
She grinned back before sliding her attention to her cousin.
“Search and rescue teams? Did they bring the dogs?”
Jasper shook his head. “Not this time.”
“You really need to have another pet day, Jasper. It’s been too long.”
“Feeling the need to free a hundred cats in the arena again?”
A flush filled Scout’s face, her expression darkening, but before she could answer, Coach Trasier arrived, crowding our group into even closer proximity.
We were tucked into the narrow space like sardines in a tin.
Trasier answered Jasper, his Quebec accent sharper than usual.
“It was a dozen cats, not a hundred. And set free by the kid of one of your sponsor buddies. Scout just rounded them all up.”
Novy and I exchanged a surprised look. Since when did ET come to Scout’s defense? Had something in their dynamic changed? I scanned the parking lot. No sign of the vet. According to 3C gossip, Scout and the vet were a hot item. Interesting.
Scout nibbled on her lower lip, her expression drifting between confusion and curiosity. She shook it off and sidled between us to reach the door. “See y’all inside.”
Scout hauled the big door wide and we all followed her like good little soldiers. Melani Tremblay stood near a small table just inside the entrance, her attention latching onto us the instant we entered. She motioned one of the camera crew in our direction.
“Shep!” She waved, giving me no option except to stop. “I’m so glad you’re here!” She shuffled through the name badges on the nearby table, snatched one up and fastened it to the front of my shirt.
I tipped it up to see my name, my jersey number and four silver stars across the top. “Does this make me a four star general?”
The rest of the group pawed through the badges to find their names. Zacha straightened with a frown. “I have triangles. Not stars. If Shep’s a general, I should at least be an admiral. What gives?”