Chapter 8
eight
CHRISTY
For at least the fifth time that night, I looked across the high school gym and snickered.
Anna, still glowing from the five kills—five—she’d scored during the JV game, was now sitting in the student section.
Right next to Blue Bishop, our uber-talented JV quarterback.
And Silas, on the top row, fifty feet away, couldn’t stop glaring at the guy.
Lemon kept biting back a smile. I couldn’t tell if she was happy for Anna, laughing at Silas, or a combination of the two.
And I was proud of myself.
I didn’t hate Lemon for stealing my “trailer.” My heart was still a little sad about the loss of what could’ve been.
Silas had been my future, at least for a little while.
But I could sit across from them in this gym and it wasn’t all-consuming.
Even when they were constantly touching—hand-holding, arm around the shoulder, a squeeze of the knee.
Most of the time, I forgot they were here.
In truth, it was hard to think about Silas and Lemon while Holden and his cocky, swole self sat right next to me, diverting my attention every few seconds. That and the fact that my varsity girls were killing it.
Holden chuckled too close to my ear, throwing my heart into a canter. “Sophie was right to pick Silas to be Anna’s ‘dad.’ I’m not ready to deal with a teenage daughter, dating.”
“Poor Blue. I don’t think he even knows that Silas is on the verge of ripping his head off.”
“Pretty sure all he sees is Anna.” It was true. If I’d ever seen a couple with stars in their eyes, it was those two.
I leaned over and whispered, “What’s Silas gonna do when Blue touches her? Like actually holds her hand and stuff?”
“We’ll have to hide the guns,” he hissed back and I could almost swear he was a little breathless being that close to me. But I must’ve imagined it. The girls on his social media posts were the breath-hitching kind. Not me.
The ref blew the whistle, declaring the game back in play.
Holden’s knee bounced next to me, his hands resting stiffly on his thighs. I didn’t know what was up with him tonight, but he was on edge. His back hadn’t touched the seat the entire evening. And his eyes were everywhere. On the game, the people in the stands, and me, all at the same time.
Ming tossed up the serve. My hand shot over, gripping the top of Holden’s.
I’d done this same thing every time one of our girls had served tonight.
I kept telling myself to stop but I couldn’t.
Every time I touched him, he flinched, like he was repulsed.
Too bad. I needed something to squeeze in those tense moments.
Ming’s ball came down and she smacked it hard.
It sailed over the net but it was too far right.
And if Highland’s player had restrained herself it would’ve been declared out, tying the set back up.
But she went for it, starting a thirty-second volley that tried to give me a heart attack.
When Jade, our middle, slammed a kill down onto the other side as if she’d had enough, I exhaled. Me too, Jade.
That was the match.
The stands cheered and our girls jumped around, hugging one another. Holden and I smiled at each other, relieved that was over. Coaching is not for the faint of heart.
“Hey, what do you need me to do? I need to hurry. I’ve got some stuff to get done at the ranch tonight.” Holden’s hands were stuffed in his hoodie pocket and he was hunched, almost like he was trying to make himself invisible. But to who?
“Balls need to be put in the closet and we’ve got to get the net down, but the girls can do that.”
“Ok. Cool.” His shoulders dropped a little, relaxed. “I’ll grab the ball cart on my way out. See you tomorrow at practice.”
“No, I need you to hang out for a few minutes.” I leaned closer and hissed, “Boyfriend duties start now. My sisters are demanding we FaceTime.”
He squeezed his eyes shut and groaned. “Fine. I’ll meet you out by my car.” This man wanted out of this gym for some reason.
“My truck. Your car’s back seat isn’t big enough.”
He cocked both eyebrows. “Backseat stuff, huh?”
I smacked him in the middle of his chest. “Dream on, Lady Killer.”
He blew out his breath. “Aren’t they going to freak when they find out my last name?”
I snorted. “Trust me. They won’t care.”
But he didn’t respond. He hunched his shoulders and turned for the doors with the speed and shiftiness of someone walking from a courtroom to get into a white van where they’d be immediately hidden in the witness protection program. What was with him tonight?
Once every girl was claimed and the crowd was finally gone, I walked to the door, flicked off the lights, and stepped outside into the cool night air.
“Principal Thornbury?”
My head snapped around to the left. “Oh, hey, Alyssa.” It was our very talented varsity setter. And her mother, maybe. But the woman to her right looked about my age. Way too young to have a seventeen-year-old daughter.
“Hey, my aunt, Amber, wanted to meet you.” She pointed to the pretty brunette.
I reached my hand out. “It’s so nice to meet you. Christy Thornbury.”
She shook it double-handed and laughed. “It’s my pleasure.
Amber Taylor.” Her laugh was high-pitched and tinkling, like soothing wind chimes.
“Hey, so, we were talking and we just think it’s a travesty that the football teams have a five-course meal catered by parents before every game and our Lady Stallions have to eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches that have been smashed in their backpacks all day. ”
I nodded, chagrined. “Yeah. We’re working on getting a bus driver so we can at least take them to McDonald’s before games. It’s just been kind of crazy with Byrd out for the season. I didn’t realize when I was hired as principal that I’d end up coaching volleyball.”
She waved away the idea with a kind smile. “Oh, don’t you worry about a thing. Jilly and I will handle it.”
“Shanaya’s mom,” Alyssa offered. “They’re besties.”
I nodded. “Handle it?” My phone buzzed in the pocket of my Stallions jacket. Probably Holden telling me to hurry it up.
Amber beamed, her cheekbones balling into perfect apples.
I wondered how she got them to pop like that.
Illuminator? Contour? Whatever it was, she knew how to place it just right.
“We’re going to make a meal schedule and the parents can take turns signing up.
We can probably get some local businesses to sponsor the team as well.
Maybe Lucy’s would cater a dinner or two. ”
I shook my head, happily surprised. “That would be amazing. So, I can hand those reins over to you?”
“Absolutely. Jilly and I gotchu.” Her smile was bright.
Not gonna lie, it had been lonely moving to a place where the only person I knew was my ex. But people like Amber, and some of the teachers and staff, made me think I might gain some friends while I was here.
Relief bloomed in the center of my chest. I stepped up and pulled her into a hug. “That’s the best news I’ve had all day. Thank you so much.”
She patted me lightly with a tiny, “Aww, aren’t you lovely?”
I stepped back. Alyssa was beaming, so proud of her aunt.
My phone buzzed again. “Well, I need to get going. The next home game is—”
“Tuesday.” Amber nodded. “Like I said. Don’t you worry about a thing. It’s handled.”
I squeezed Alyssa’s elbow before she could walk away. “You played an amazing game tonight.”
“Thanks, Coach.”
I turned and walked to my truck, parked in the front row. But I didn’t see Holden in the back seat. As a matter of fact, I didn’t even see his car in the lot. Had he ditched? I pulled out my phone and read the two texts.
Holden: I’m parked on the other side of the school, by the vocational building. Meet me there.
Holden: You coming?
Me: On my way.
His white electric vehicle was parked in a dark corner. The second I pulled in next to him, he hopped out and got into my truck. I climbed out of the front and slid into the back next to him.
“Alrighty, lover boy.” I slid my phone out. “You ready to be grilled?”
He exhaled like he was mentally preparing to climb K2. “Exactly how cozy are we at this point in our ‘relationship?’ Arms around each other or just heads together?” But it was clear from the shake in his voice and the tremor in his hands, which he was trying to hide, that he needed a minute.
“Well, after that smokin’ hot kiss, I’d say they’re going to expect us to be all over each other.” I scooted back a couple of inches and turned to face him, resting my knee on his thigh. “Are you okay?”
He blinked but said nothing. Geez. He needed to loosen up. I’d get him laughing. Maybe that would help.
“Am I making you nervous?” I sang and forced my right eye to twitch like a weirdo. “Don’t want to be in a back seat with Craaaazy Christy?”
He chuckled, but it was quiet. “No. Seddledowne is just…” He blew his breath out in an O. “Something else.”
What did that mean? Holden wasn’t an introvert. From his normally bubbly personality and his plethora of social media friends—he had more than three thousand on Facebook alone—it was clear he recharged by being around people. But tonight he looked drained.
“Would you like to share with the class? Back seat a.k.a judgment-free zone. Promise.” I criss-crossed my heart.
He blinked again and then shook his head.
I pulled out my phone and shot a text to Gabby.
Me: Give us fifteen minutes.
He read over my shoulder. “No, I can do it now.”
I chewed my bottom lip. “No way are you ready for the 60 Minutes interview that’s about to go down. Your hands are shaking worse than my mom’s rat terrier, Joanie, when she has to go out and pee in a snowstorm.”
He grunted at my lame attempt to make him laugh.
“All right. I’m pulling out the big guns.
” I scrolled through my apps and searched until I found his favorite episode of The Office.
“You can’t be this stiff when we call. It needs to be believable.
We’ll relax a little and take some time to get into character.
” I lifted his ripped arm and wrapped it around my shoulder, tucking myself against his side.
And, oh my word, he smelled so good. Hopefully, he wouldn’t feel how hard my heart was pounding.
He sat there, his arm stiff as a board, staring at the tiny screen on my phone.
“I still say Dinner Party is the best episode,” I whispered, trying anything to take his mind off of whatever was paralyzing him.
“No way.” He pointed to the screen. “This one’s got so many good parts. Save Bandit, Kevin loots the vending machine, Stanley’s heart attack, and stupid Michael not knowing how to do CPR so he shoves a wallet in Stanley’s mouth.” He threw his free hand out like C’mon.
I opened my mouth to respond but he had the gall to shush me.
“Here it comes.” His eyes were twinkling with anticipation as Dwight heated the door handle with a welding torch.
Four minutes later, by the time Angela tossed Bandit into the ceiling and the cat fell through the other side, Holden was belly laughing and his hands had stopped shaking.
His free hand slid over, picked up mine, and twined our fingers together.
I leaned my head against his chest and let the beating of his heart thrum through me like a sound bath.
If I’d been in the back seat with any other guy, I would’ve been finagling a plan to claw my way out of there.
With Holden? I’d never felt safer. Once Dwight had cut the face off the CPR dummy and slapped it on his own like Hannibal Lector, Holden was slouched down in the seat, legs stretched, relaxed.
When Rowan and I had started dating, it was the first time I’d realized how good it felt to be touched.
A handhold, a tight hug, a soft kiss. With Silas, it was the same.
But with Holden, it wasn’t just good. Good was a completely inadequate description.
Heady, throbbing, deliriously addicting.
His skin on mine sparked every nerve ending in my body.
His breath, which was grazing the side of my neck, was warm and sweet like a tropical breeze.
I closed my eyes, taking it all in. But I needed more.
So I scooted in deeper, leaning into the middle of his chest, hoping he’d take the bait.
Holden didn’t hesitate for a millisecond.
Almost like he’d been waiting for permission, his arm tightened around my waist, and he pulled me into his lap, one hundred percent manhandling me.
Our twined hands crossed my stomach and curled around the edge of my waist. Then he lowered his chin to my shoulder.
And I swear he let out a small sigh. Yeah, I didn’t regret any of this.
Not one little bit. He could manhandle me all he wanted here in this dark parking lot where no one was watching.
There was no harm in that.
None at all.