Chapter 17
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Miranda
Keep Them Guessing
Staring at the spreadsheet full of red zeroes Miranda’s chest squeezed. She was on the phone with the staff for the upcoming Augusta breeder auction. She’d registered Beast and Thor weeks ago.
“What do you mean I still owe five thousand for the entry fee?”
She listened to the woman’s southern drawl that told Miranda she was clearly getting frustrated with her. Although she’d paid the registration fee, she still owed the rest of the fee to participate in the show, which covered the space in the arena for her horses.
“Times two, and stable rental fees. Okay is there anything else? Any other fees I should be aware of? And when exactly is the last day to pay?”
With a grunt she thanked the woman and hung up the phone. She would have screamed if Sara and Jeremy weren’t in the living room listening to every word of the conversation.
“Everything alright, Andy?” Sara asked.
She unfolded from where she sat stiff at the dining room table, her makeshift office, and closed her laptop. “Yep, nothing to worry about,” she said, lying to herself and Sara. “Jeremy, the bus should be here any second?”
He popped up off the couch and headed for the front door, as if listening to any grown-up conversation might instantly make him one.
“Your daddy left you a pile of debt, and this ranch to manage. From my view all you’ve got are worries.”
“We’re fine.”
“No we’re not, and the sooner you get honest with me the sooner I can help you think up a solution.”
“Don’t even worry a little bit,” Miranda said as she sat in the chair next to Sara.
“We could sell the rest of my jewelry? It’s not like I need it.”
“I promise I’ll figure this out, but if I hit a big wall I’ll let you know, okay?”
Sara nodded. “I wish I could go out and help you with those horses. I miss riding.”
“I’m going to figure out how to get you one of those fancy lifts and a saddle that will help you sit securely so you can ride again too. We’re in our building years.”
“I have one hundred percent faith in you, my little gumption girl.”
“Ha, you didn’t call it that after you married Daddy, when I was a know-it-all teenager, and I tried to run you out of here with all my pranks.”
“You were just a lonely little girl in need of some TLC.”
Miranda reached out and squeezed Sara’s frail hand. “And you were just what I needed.”
“Alright, now that we’ve established we both need each other, what do you think about Jeremy going out for the varsity team? It’s all he talks about, but I’m worried he’s too small and will get hurt.”
Miranda had been meaning to get out to a few of Jeremy’s practices and speak to the coach. She’d been so busy with the horses she hadn’t had time.
“Should we go watch practice today?”
“You go. I don’t want him to be embarrassed by me,” Sara said. “Besides I don’t think I can walk from that parking lot to the stands.”
“I’ll park the car where you can watch from the truck, but for the record Jeremy would never feel that way.”
Sara smiled and ran her hand over her legs. “Alright, let’s do it. YOLO, right?”
Miranda laughed. “Exactly. We’ll go this afternoon.”
*
After exercising the horses, she had Sara and her walker loaded into her truck and parked at the edge of the field.
This way Sara could see the practice and not have to get out of the cool a/c pumping inside the truck.
Miranda pulled out a few snacks while they watched the beginning of practice.
The coach clearly wanted Jeremy to play a lot because he had him running almost every play so far in practice.
“I think he’s really good,” Sara said. “I read he has the farthest throw in the county.”
“He must’ve gotten that talent from your side of the gene pool.”
“As long as that’s all he got,” Sara said. There was always a worry that Jeremy would get MS one day.
“All the tests indicate he doesn’t have the gene,” Miranda said.
“Oh, I see the sheriff over there. It’s so nice of him to take such an interest in Jeremy’s life. He’s been a great role model.”
“I agree, I’m just going to go say hi and try to speak to the coach.”
Sara nodded. “Thank you, Andy. Although he’s clearly talented, he looks so much smaller than all those older boys.”
“I agree. I don’t think he needs to rush onto varsity and risk getting hurt.”
“Agreed,” Miranda said and exited the truck.
Once she got closer to the field, she realized Wes wasn’t alone and Renn was leaning up against the fence along with Wes watching the kids practice.
The coach spotted her and reached the fence before she could get Wes’s opinion. He went on about how Jeremy was just the talent the team needed, and his academics wouldn’t be impacted.
“Look, Coach, I agree my brother is talented and your team may need him this year, but I don’t want to see him getting tackled by some eighteen-year-old twice his size. And neither does his mama.”
“You’re right to worry, Andy. If it were up to me, I’d have him wait another year or two,” Wes said, with no apology in his eyes for butting in.
And she appreciated his support.
“The fact is the team does need Jeremy, but he’ll also get more opportunity to make the big plays and get scouted by the top colleges.
They want to see the rising stars as early as possible.
The more time he plays as quarterback the better chance he’ll have at a full-ride scholarship.
You don’t want to take that from him, do you, Andy? ”
“Most college players were starters and on varsity the majority of their high school careers that’s true, but not all four years,” Renn offered. “He’ll get hit, and he’s not fully grown yet. One hit could eliminate any chance at playing in college.”
Jeremy jogged over with a big smile. “Sheriff, Renn, hey Andy. Did you see that last set?”
“Jer no one can deny your talent. We were all just discussing the timing for your next step.”
“So, you said yes?”
“We’ll talk to your mom tonight—you know ultimately it’s her decision—but we still both think you should wait.”
Jeremy’s smile faded.
“Your mom and sister just want to make sure it’s not too soon in your football career to move to varsity. Those players are a lot bigger,” Wes said.
“Yes, sir.” Jeremy nodded and he looked over to the truck but then painted back on a smile and waved to his mom.
“It’s a good idea to use this year to bulk up, perfect your skills, and reconsider next year. Your talent won’t fade,” Wes encouraged.
“Yes, sir. Alright I’ll be ready when they say I am, Coach,” Jeremy said and ran back toward his team.
“Come on, Coach, you know he’s too small—just because you want him to take your team to state doesn’t mean it’s what’s right for Jeremy,” Wes said.
“I’ll need a decision tonight—just remember I’ve already got a star quarterback on the JV team,” the coach said then walked away.
“So, we either let Jeremy play on varsity or he won’t get much play at all?” Andy said, reading between the lines.
“He’s just trying to pressure you. Jeremy is still the best quarterback he has on either team,” Wes said.
“I hope you’re right. Thanks for your support.”
Wes just nodded. “I’m going to go say hi to Sara, then I better get back to work.”
Which left Miranda standing with Renn in the late afternoon sun. He had a ball cap pulled down so she couldn’t see his eyes, a crisp white T-shirt, and running shorts on. It was undeniable how fit he was. Every muscle looked carved from some beautiful tan stone.
“You always stare at your friends like that?”
Red-hot embarrassment rushed up her neck. “Sorry, I was just thinking. Never mind.”
“Oh no I think I’d like to hear it,” he said moving closer to her at the fence so that their arms touched.
She could feel him looking at her and tried not to squirm with excitement.
“Do you always attend practice?” she asked, trying to will her heart to stop thumping.
“I was getting a run in and saw Wes,” he said, tipping his ball cap back so she could see his eyes shining with mischief that made her want to lean in closer to him.
“Well, guess I better get going, so much to do in preparation for the big show.”
“If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were running away from me. I might get my feelings hurt.”
She stepped away. “I’m not running. Just casually walking away from my new ranch hand before I say or do something inappropriate.”
Renn’s smile lit up his face and one hand reached out to grip her arm as she stumbled with her backwards steps.
“I’ll take that as a compliment. And I doubt very much I would find anything you want to say or do to me as inappropriate.”
Miranda just took a few more steps backwards and clapped her hands.
Knowing she would not be telling him what she was thinking, because if he knew she was wondering what his honey brown skin tasted like after he was sweating from a run in the afternoon sun, then she had a feeling they would run right over their just friends agreement.
And she literally couldn’t afford the type of distraction Renn would be if she let herself have him every time she wanted him.