Uprooting (Roots #2)

Prologue

Jax

With ten seconds left on the game clock, I take a deep breath and search the crowd for the one person I need to see most right now. If I can just find those stunning hazel eyes and let their calming effect ground me, I know I’ll be okay.

I catch a glimpse of Lauren’s golden hair, drawn back into her signature braid, and in the bright lights overhead, I swear I can see every one of her freckles on display. Her eyes are closed and her hands are clasped as if she’s praying for our victory, and it’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.

Charlie, our quarterback and my best friend, hollers to indicate the start of the play, and I surge down the field.

Even in the chaos, I swear Lauren’s voice rises above the others, and I use it to push me farther and faster, like my life depends on it.

With our team down by five, it kind of feels like it does.

A streak of green darts into my field of vision, and I deftly dodge the opposing player in time to catch the ball.

The second I step into the end zone, the whole stadium erupts into a wall of sound.

Back in Roots, Texas, everyone takes football seriously, but our stadium is nothing compared to this one, home of the Cowboys and, for tonight, our state championship game.

A group of students hop the railing that’s been holding them back the last four quarters, surging onto the field. My teammates surround me, wild grins on their faces. This is the first season in twenty years the Spurs have made it to state, and it’s been nearly forty since we’ve clinched a win.

Through the mass of people bombarding me with congratulations and pats on the back, my attention once again splits. I can’t help it. From the moment I met her, I’ve searched for Lauren in every crowd.

Finally, I catch sight of blonde hair braided down the back of a Roots Spurs jersey with Charlie’s name on the back.

I’d be insanely jealous if that jersey didn’t belong to her brother.

Lauren wraps Charlie up in a hug, and then the two make their way over to me.

As her gaze catches on mine, the noise in the stadium quiets. All I see is her.

I’ve never felt this way about anyone before, and I hate myself a little bit for feeling it now.

After everything I’ve been through, I know I could never have a woman as smart, kind, and beautiful as Lauren.

She deserves someone brave and strong and who can give her the world, but I’m not that person.

I’m good at school and football, but I’m not good at protecting the people I love.

It’s a miracle my mom and I made it out of Oklahoma this summer, and that miracle had nothing to do with me.

I try to remind myself why I’m unworthy as she and Charlie continue my way, but the second Lauren flashes me a grin, the only thought I’m capable of is she might be my favorite person in the world.

“Nice catch out there.” Charlie claps me on the shoulder.

“Nice throw.” I nudge his side.

“Just like we practiced, right?”

I don’t get a chance to answer before a group of guys dogpiles on Charlie. I may have made the game-winning catch, but he had a heck of a game tonight. We wouldn’t have won without him.

Lauren tucks a strand of hair behind her ear before saying, “Good game, Jax.”

Hearing my name on her lips cartwheels my stomach a dozen times. I love the way she says it, like I’m someone special, not just another man in my family destined to hurt those he loves.

“Thanks. I heard you cheering out there.”

“No way!” She tosses her hand dismissively. “Not in an arena this big, not with all these people.”

“I swear I heard you. You were my good luck charm.”

She grabs on to my wrist, lifting my cheesy cereal-box bracelet and giving me a pointed look. The touch sends warmth throughout my entire body. “I thought this was your good luck charm.”

It used to be. I’ve worn it to every game since I found it. My teammates thought it was ridiculous until I went on to make three touchdown catches.

I shake my head, pulling it off. “Not after tonight. I need you at all my games instead.” I slip the bracelet over her wrist as color fills her cheeks.

“Come on. I didn’t do anything more than the rest of the fans.”

Except she did. When I came to town, Charlie was the first to make me feel welcome, but Lauren was the one whose presence silenced my mind enough to forget the pain that forced my mom and me to stay with my aunt.

Two nights ago, when I was too nervous to sleep because of our upcoming game, Lauren was the one who sat up in the dim light of the Rhodes’ kitchen, hyping me up.

When the nerves of the game made me nauseous during warmups, Lauren’s smiling face in the stands is what calmed me down.

There’s a spark between us that I’ve felt from the moment I first laid eyes on her, and as much as I try to ignore it, I can’t.

Charlie rushes back up to the two of us. He’s drenched, and when he lays his hand on me, it’s sticky.

I jerk back. “Dude, what the hell’s that?”

“Gatorade.” He beams. “There’s going to be a huge party tonight. We have to go.”

“I don’t know. I’m not really into—”

“Come on! It’ll be fun. The place will be crawling with girls, and they’ll all want a piece of the guy who made that catch.”

I scoff and glance at Lauren, who practically splits my heart in two when she drops her eyes to the ground. “You should go.”

“Lauren, you’re coming too. I need a D.D.,” Charlie announces.

She opens her mouth to protest, but Charlie is already bouncing off to the next group of people.

A giant bonfire flickers in the center of an empty field just outside of town as at least fifty teenagers sit around the flame, drinking and laughing.

There’s another group of people playing games of pong and rage cage behind us, and I can’t help but feel out of place.

I’ve never understood the appeal of alcohol.

It heightens every emotion. Sometimes, that’s joy, but more often it’s something twisted, like sadness or anger.

I get up from my spot on a tree stump, not feeling like being the life of the party tonight.

At the movement, Lauren glances up at me. “Where are you going?”

“I don’t know. I just need to get away from all this.”

“Can I come? I don’t want to be here alone.” She nods to where Charlie’s enthusiastically recounting his adventures on the field earlier for probably the millionth time.

I bite back a smile, trying not to get too excited she chose to be with me. “Sure.”

We put distance between the fire, and by the time we reach the river, the music and laughter from the party is drowned out by the trickle of the water.

The darkness nearly swallows us whole out here, but I still feel Lauren’s presence on every inch of my skin.

I take a seat on a boulder along the bank, and she sits on the opposite side, heat radiating off her.

We’re quiet for a few seconds until finally Lauren asks, “Now what?”

A giggle slips from her lips, a sound I’ve come to adore so much. It’s one of the things that immediately drew me to her—her boundless joy for life. She can be reserved and cautious, but when she lets herself break free of it all, she’s impossible to look away from.

“I don’t know. My whole plan was just to sit here and listen to the water,” I admit.

Again, her laughter tumbles out, and it sounds like music I never want to turn off.

“I have a feeling we’re going to be here for a while.” She glances over her shoulder. “Charlie is living it up out there.”

“As he should. This is his night of glory.”

“It’s yours too.”

I shrug.

“Come on.” She leans her shoulder into mine, filling my nose with her sweet scent. “We wouldn’t have won without you.”

“It was just luck.”

“I’ve seen you and Charlie practicing over the last few months. That wasn’t luck.”

Silence falls over us again, and I dig the toe of my boot into the dirt below us, beating myself up. Give me any other girl and I could flirt my pants off, but Lauren makes me tongue-tied.

She turns to me. “Are you going to miss being in season?”

“Yeah, I love the game and the camaraderie that comes from the team.”

“What do you do during your off-season? Obviously going to parties isn’t on the list.”

“No, it isn’t.” I chuckle. “Hopefully I’ll spend more time with my mom and aunt. I didn’t get much time with Mom before we moved here, but I think that’ll change.”

“That sounds nice.” She picks up a rock from the bank, skipping it perfectly. “What do you like to do with her?”

“Cook or watch movies.”

“What’s your favorite movie?”

“Top Gun.”

She skips another rock before asking, “Are you Maverick or Goose?”

“I don’t know.” I pick up a rock of my own to skip. “Maybe Goose? Your brother would be Maverick. He’s a little more bold.”

“And more stupid,” she mutters.

I burst into laughter, but I cut short when I catch her watching me closely. “What?”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you laugh like that.”

I return to digging my boot into the dirt, not knowing what to say back.

“It’s nice.” She nudges me with a smile.

I have to bite my lower lip to keep from grinning like a little kid.

Her phone lights up between us, and she lifts it before locking it and putting it back down. I nearly ask her if she’s going to answer, but decide on “What’s your favorite movie?” instead.

“The Proposal.”

I crinkle my nose. “What’s that?”

“You don’t know it?”

I shake my head.

“Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock?”

“Nope.”

She blushes. “It’s a rom-com.”

“Are those your favorite?”

“Yeah, I guess so.” She gives a sheepish grin, shrugging a shoulder. “I love romance. It’s full of hope, and the idea of finding someone who adores you, quirks and all, is pretty cool.”

I’m so close to blurting out that I’m that person, but I know better than to cross the line. This is my best friend’s little sister. He’s fiercely protective of her, and even if he weren’t, I’d still feel an inclination to protect Lauren from myself.

“Do you have a favorite movie-watching snack?” she asks.

“Oreos and peanut butter.”

She sticks her tongue out. “That sounds nasty.”

“Don’t knock it till you try it. There’s no greater combination than chocolate and peanut butter. Add a little cream and a little crisp from the Oreos and—” I bring my fingers to my lips and blow them up in a chef’s kiss.

“I guess I’ll have to take your word for it.” She raises her brows, looking doubtful.

“I’d have to say the same about The Proposal.”

Her jaw drops as her phone lights up again, but she flips it over, focusing back on me. “What do you—”

A twig snaps behind us, and we both whip around to find a lanky kid stumbling our way. It’s Austin Moore. He’s a year behind me, in Lauren’s grade, and he’s the other starting wide receiver on our team. I kind of hate the cocky freshman.

“There you are! I’ve been looking everywhere for you, Lauren. I’ve been texting you.” His glossy eyes are filled with hope.

“Oh, yeah, sorry. I just didn’t want to be out in that chaos.”

He crouches down into her space, holding out his hand and flashing a grin. “We don’t have to go back. I just wanted to spend time with you. Is that okay?”

Lauren’s gaze flicks to me, and I give her a nod. “Go on. I’ll be fine.”

She gets up, leaving with Austin, and I remind myself this is a good thing.

Austin has had his eye on Lauren all school year.

It’s been so obvious. As much as I want to be upset about him being with her, I recognize a guy like Austin comes with a lot less baggage than I do.

He’s better for her than I could ever be.

I should be relieved he came to take her because this needs to end, or it’s going to be impossible not to fall for my best friend’s sister.