Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
Derek
“W hat were you two talking about?” I ask Casey as we climb into the truck.
I was so cold to Amber, and I know that I shouldn’t have been, but I need to steer clear.
What happened up on that ridge was incredible, but I can’t be in a relationship with anyone, no matter how amazing Amber is.
Seeing Casey hugging her and opening up to her like that, though, sent a shock wave of mixed emotions through me.
“Nothing.” Casey shrugs as she looks out the window.
“You know you’re not in trouble, right?”
She shrugs again, not turning to look at me.
“Okay.”
“It’s been a rough couple of days, and I know you’re upset about Ziggy and Marley. If you need another appointment with Taylor this week, I can see if we can get you scheduled sooner.”
“I’m fine, Dad,” she murmurs. “Can we go see the dogs before we go back to the farm?”
“Actually, we’re going to pick them up. Doc Lucy said they’re doing great and ready to run.”
“Really?” she asks.
I nod and she grins widely, fidgeting in her seat excitedly.
It’s like an entirely different child in front of me now. I guess I didn’t realize how much she loved those two.
“Yup. Why don’t we get Miss Betty’s for dinner tonight? We’ll grab some food for your brother, too.”
“Really?” she asks again.
“Really.” I chuckle. “Don’t think you’ll get this kind of treatment if you get after-school detention again, but I understand you’re tired and overwhelmed. It’s been a lot the past few days.”
“Thanks, Dad.” She sighs. “It won’t happen again. I apologized to Deja already, too. I wasn’t even really mad at her. I’ve just been sad and scared.”
“I get it, sweet girl.” I reach over and squeeze her hand. “You can always talk to me. You know that, right?”
Look at my daughter knowing how to handle her emotions better than me.
It hurts that she was so willingly open to talk to Amber about it all, but she’s clamming up around me. I know I can’t change things overnight and that Casey and I haven’t always been close, but I thought she’d been opening up to me more lately.
I let out a long sigh as I feel the irritation creeping up again. I’m not angry with my kids of course. It’s all about the farm and whoever started the fire.
The damage to the farm is extensive, but that’s not even what upsets me the most about the arson. It’s the way my kids and I don’t feel safe in our own home and are struggling in other areas.
“I do know, Dad. Miss Shafer is just…really nice. She has a way of getting me to talk to her, but I don’t realize I’m doing it.”
I chuckle inwardly and smile a bit as I look over at my daughter. I know exactly what she means.
* * *
“Are you sure you don’t want to go to the football game, Case?” I ask as I look at her in the rearview mirror on Friday.
She hums in the back seat, her legs swinging as she clutches her overnight bag. She’s been talking nonstop about spending the night at Teddy’s house with his daughters, her excitement infectious.
“I’m sure.”
“You got everything?” I glance at her in the rearview mirror as I pull into Teddy’s driveway.
“Yep!” she chirps, holding up her bag for emphasis.
“Good. Remember to be polite and say thank you to Mr. Teddy and Miss Sofia for having you over.”
“I will, Dad.”
She leans forward as I put the truck in park, her big eyes shining. She hugs me around the neck.
“Have fun,” I tell her.
“Love you, Dad. Good luck, Eric.”
She hugs him from behind, already eager to get out. Sofia is opening their front door, and she and the girls come out on the porch. She waves.
“Good luck at the game, Eric!” she calls out.
“Thanks, Miss Sofia!” he hollers back as he waves a thank you.
Casey barely looks back as she darts inside, and I shake my head. “Thanks for taking her.”
“Anytime,” Sofia says dismissively. “Have a good night, Derek.”
I wave, and we pull out of the driveway. Eric nervously taps his knee with his fingers. He has headphones on, humming along. I smile, remembering how I used to do the same thing before a big game in grade school.
“You ready for the game?”
He shrugs, his lips pressing into a thin line before he removes one side of his headphones.
“I guess. It’s just... it’s Jefferson Junior High, Dad. They’re undefeated.”
I clap a hand on his shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “And so are you guys. You’ve been practicing hard, Eric. You’ve got this.”
He sighs. “Yeah, but their quarterback is insane. He’s got an arm like a cannon. He’s built like he’s a senior in high school, not an eighth grader.”
“Cannon or not, he’s just one player,” I say. “Football’s a team sport. You’ve got a great team, and you’ve got heart. That’s what wins games.”
He looks over at me, his brows furrowed. “You really think we can beat them?”
“I don’t think it, I know it,” I say. “But you’ve got to believe it too. Confidence is half the battle.”
He nods slowly, and I can see the tension start to ease from his shoulders. “Thanks, Dad.”
“Anytime, kid. Now, let’s see that cannon arm of yours. Show me what you’ve got tonight.”
He grins widely, and I see his nervousness fading away. I drop him off at the front of the football field before I find a parking spot.
The boys are running drills when I take my usual spot along the fence a few minutes later. From here, I can see everything—the way Eric’s footwork has improved, how the defensive line is holding strong. It’s a good team, and I can’t help but feel a swell of pride watching my son out there.
“Derek!”
I turn at the sound of my name, spotting a few parents from the stands coming over to say hi. I exchange pleasantries, nodding and smiling, but my attention keeps drifting back to the field.
“Looks like Eric’s ready for Saturday,” one of them says.
“He’s getting there,” I reply, but my words trail off when I catch sight of someone unexpected.
Amber.
She’s walking toward me, her hands stuffed in the pockets of her jacket, her cheeks flushed from the cool air. My stomach does a weird flip, and I straighten up instinctively.
“Hey, stranger,” she says tentatively.
After how rude I was to her after the fire and when I picked Casey up, I’m surprised that she’s even acknowledging me in public. I’m not complaining, though. It’s nice to see her smiling face. I didn’t realize that I missed it until she walked up.
So much for keeping her at arm’s length. All I want to do is pull her into my arms and kiss her stupid.
“Amber,” I say, trying to keep my voice even. “Didn’t expect to see you here.”
She grins, a playful tilt to her head. “I like to catch a game now and then.”
“Is that so? I didn’t peg you as a sports girl.”
She bumps me lightly with her hip, and it’s such a small, casual gesture, but it sends a jolt through me. The touch is nice. I glance at her, and she’s smiling like she doesn’t have a care in the world.
“I’m a woman of many talents,” she says, nodding toward the field. “Eric looks good out there.”
“You know football?”
“Grew up watching it with Dad and Teddy,” she says. “They are die-hard fans. Taught me everything I know.”
“Well, remind me not to argue with you about play calls,” I say, and she laughs. “I’ve seen Teddy get upset at the television after a bad one. I’m assuming you’re the same way.”
“I’m way more reserved than him,” she says. Her laughter fades, and she glances at me with a softer expression. “How are the dogs?”
“They’re good,” I say. “Thanks for asking.”
“And the farm?” she asks carefully.
I let out a sigh. “They found an abandoned car in the woods about a mile from the property. It was reported stolen six months ago. They pulled prints, but so far, no leads.”
She frowns. “That’s frustrating.”
“It is,” I admit. “But we’ll figure it out. One way or another.”
She nods, her gaze steady. “I’m glad you’re not letting it get to you.”
“Trying not to.” With a small smile, I add, “Thanks for being so understanding that night. I wasn’t exactly at my best.”
“You were dealing with a lot,” she says simply. “I get it.”
Her kindness catches me off guard, and I don’t know what to say for a moment. But then the words fall out before I can stop them.
“I’m sorry about how I acted and how short I was when Casey got in trouble. It’s not you, but…I wasn’t right to be so cold.”
“Thanks,” she says softly. She fidgets nervously, clearly uncomfortable with the apology for whatever reason. “Anyway,” she says, “I should let you get back to watching. Don’t want to distract you.”
“You? Distracting?” I tease. “Never.”
She smirks. “Careful, I might start thinking you like having me around.”
“Maybe I do,” I say, surprising myself with the honesty in my voice.
Her eyes meet mine, and she smiles softly. I feel the walls around my heart starting to shift slightly. But then she steps back, her smile turning playful again.
“I like this side of you much better, Derek,” she says. “I see one of my old high school teachers, and I’m going to go say hi.”
She walks off before I can protest, and it takes everything in me not to turn around and watch her go. I like the side of me that she brings out. I don’t want our conversation to end, but I should be paying attention to Eric out on the field.
It feels nice to be flirty and not push someone away. I keep thinking that I need to be guarded around her, but it seems that it’s impossible for me to do so.
The game wraps up with a Hicks Creek win, and I drive Eric home, the conversation with Amber still replaying in my mind. There’s something about her—her warmth, her wit—that feels like a spark in the darkness I’ve been living in.
I need to stop thinking about her. I need to focus on Eric.
“You looked great out there,” I tell him.
“It felt good. That quarterback was good, but…we really came together as a team.”
“It was fun to watch.”
“I saw you talking to Miss Shafer,” he says offhandedly as he looks out the window. “She’s really nice, Dad. It looks like she makes you smile.”
“She’s a nice woman. That’s all.”
“It’s okay if it’s more than that. Casey and I won’t be mad if she’s your girlfriend.”
I inhale sharply, surprised by his reply. I grunt a response as I think about his words. I’m grateful for his approval, but I’m still struggling with whether it’s too soon or if I even have enough time for a relationship.
But what it really boils down to is that I’m scared of falling in love with someone new, bringing her around the kids, and then some freak accident taking her life, too.
I know it’s an irrational thought, but it’s holding me back, nonetheless.