Читать книгу Falling for Texas - Jill Lynn - Страница 11

Chapter Three

Cash shook the thoughts of Olivia from his mind, scanning the narthex for his sister. Tera Lawton’s eyes gleamed from across the room, reminding him of a jungle cat about to strike its prey. He’d already dealt with her once this morning and he didn’t care to do it again.

Why couldn’t the woman get the fact that he was taken? At least in one sense of the word. And even if he could date, it wouldn’t be her again.

Not after what she’d done.

When Jack reappeared, Cash met his friend by the doors.

“Janie and Tucker must have already gone outside.” Jack pushed out into the bright sunlight and glanced at Cash. “Trying to escape the Tera-dactyl?”

He laughed. “You know it. What is that girl thinking? As if I’d ever entertain that idea.”

Jack shrugged. “She probably just wants you for your money.”

Cash snorted. “You mean she’s attracted to the hundred bucks in my bank account? And here I thought she couldn’t resist my stunning good looks.”

Jack slapped him on the back. Hard. “Must be thinking of someone else there. You never had any of those.” Jack’s slow drawl brought out the Texan in him, flashing Cash’s mind back to their younger days. Both had grown up here, and both had returned after college. Living in Fredericksburg without Jack would be like a football game without a pigskin.

“How’s the football team looking?”

“I’ve got a few boys hoping for scholarships, which usually means I can mold them into the kind of players I need. When they want to get out of here bad enough, they work pretty hard.”

“True. But I’m not sure why anyone would want to leave this place.” Cash glanced at the Texas sky, now a mixture of clouds and a striking blue color that reminded him an awful lot of a certain volleyball coach’s eyes, which had just been flashing at him inside the church.

“I know what you mean.”

It took Cash a minute to remember what they’d been talking about. He scanned the still-damp parking lot until he saw Janie and Tucker near Jack’s car. He must have searched too long, because Jack’s laugh sounded next to him.

“She already left with Gil. Didn’t you see?”

Annoying that Jack could read his mind like that. And yeah, he’d seen. Cash’s hand itched to adjust the brim of a hat. Any hat that would shade a bit of his face.

“I was in church this morning, if you recall.” Jack’s amusement increased. “Probably wasn’t the only one who witnessed the way you tracked her every move.”

Cash winced. He had thought he’d done a better job than that of hiding his attraction to the new volleyball coach and French teacher. French. A sophisticated woman, who not only spoke but taught French, would surely never stay in a little town like this. Probably just passing through. Maybe he could tamp down his interest by thinking of her as a hoity-toity French teacher. Although on Tuesday she hadn’t seemed too high-and-mighty. She’d seemed sweet. And this morning? Feisty. Unfortunately both of those things appealed to him.

Time for a subject change. “While you’re at it, why don’t you get a scholarship going for Renner? Hopefully he’s got plans that don’t involve this town.” Or my sister. The star running back had a reputation for raising a ruckus, and Jack had just as little patience for him as Cash.

“Couldn’t agree more. Are you coming over to watch the Rangers game this afternoon?”

They approached the car and Cash went down in time to receive the direct hit from Tucker, his little body creating a surprisingly strong tackle. “Planning on it,” Cash answered Jack and then spoke to Tucker. “Has your daddy been teaching you to tackle?”

Tucker grinned, head bobbing.

“Do you want to go way up?”

At Tucker’s nod, Cash hoisted the boy onto his shoulders. Tucker clapped, then settled in by squealing and gripping Cash’s hair like a handlebar.

He ignored the blood rushing to his scalp as Janie looked up to greet him. The tiny woman looked like a wind might blow her over, but she handled Jack—and the whole football team—with ease. Jack hadn’t figured out how amazing Janie was until college, but then he’d asked her out and never looked back.

Cash smiled at the best thing that had ever happened to his best friend. “How’s my favorite girl?” He only said the phrase to annoy Jack, who promptly elbowed him in the gut.

He grunted and laughed, and Janie shook her head, the sun dancing off her cute little bob of a haircut as she ignored them both.

“Speaking of favorite girls, is Rachel coming over today, too?”

Cash shook his head, forgetting Tucker’s grip and quickly regretting it. “Don’t think she’s planning on it.” Annoyance rose up. Rachel had been spending as little time as possible in his presence. He didn’t know if it was typical girl stuff or something more. Not that he knew what typical girl stuff was. He wished she’d go over to the Smiths’ with him today. Janie would be good for the girl.

They said goodbyes and Cash deposited Tucker in his car seat, leaving the confusion of buckles for Jack to sort through. He headed for his dark blue extended cab truck a few spots away, got in and pressed the horn to make Tucker laugh.

That boy had stolen his heart from the first time Cash saw him in the hospital. He knew he’d done the same to Jack. Watching his friend be a father was pretty touching, but Jack and Cash didn’t usually get into sappy conversations like that. The two of them didn’t need to say much to know what the other was thinking. For instance, right now, Jack was probably thinking about getting in a quick nap before the Rangers game. Too bad Cash couldn’t do the same.

Cash drove up to the church entrance and texted his sister. Minutes later, Rachel came out and hopped into the truck. She messed around on her phone during the fifteen-minute drive home, leaving Cash to process his day and week.

It was his turn to handle the barn today, but that shouldn’t take too long. A few chores and he could grab a sandwich and head over to Jack’s. But of the list of things that came to mind that he needed to accomplish during the rest of the week, only one thing really mattered. And that was keeping his concentration on his sister instead of the completely distracting volleyball coach who happened to be a Christian.

* * *

Olivia stood in the middle of the H-E-B grocery store parking lot on Saturday morning, her team spread around her. The girls had really jelled during the second week of preseason practice—a good thing, since school started on Monday and their first game was on Wednesday. But first, they had to deal with the all-important business of raising money for fall sports, starting with today’s car wash.

“There’s one rule. No dumping water on the coach. If you think I’ve already made cuts, think again.”

Laughter threaded through the team.

“Come on, Coach! Mom said she’d get doused if we earn enough.” Valerie Nettles’s silver-braces smile widened when the rest of the team cheered in agreement with her.

Olivia turned to her assistant coach. Trish Nettles hadn’t been able to take the two preseason practice weeks off from her job, so she planned to start working with the team once they began after-school practice. Bless the woman for being willing to work the Saturday morning fund-raiser, too.

At first Olivia had been concerned about having a parent as assistant coach, but Trish had assured her she’d be there to help—not control. Including her daughter’s playing time. That had given Olivia peace. Truthfully, she was thankful for the help. Trish had a relationship with the girls from years past and twenty-five years’ playing experience. From the conversations they’d already had about the team—and life—Olivia thought they’d get along well.

“It’s true.” Trish shrugged, her eyes dancing with mischief. “It’s tradition. But they do need to earn a lot of money.”

Olivia’s lips curved up. “How much money?”

“A thousand?” At Trish’s answer, the team screeched and complained, causing Trish and Olivia to share an amused look.

“A thousand it is.”

Dispersing in grumbles, the girls started filling buckets with water and soap. With the sun already baking them, Olivia made sure everyone had sunscreen on, then stationed herself with a hose for rinsing. She welcomed the mist that drifted across her sizzling skin as she sprayed each car down.

Soon a line of cars snaked around the back of the parking lot. The town of Fredericksburg made supporting high school sports an art form.

Janie and Tucker rolled through, then parked after their wash and walked over. Olivia handed her job off to one of the girls and headed over to meet them near the water bottles.

“Hey, little man.” Olivia’s heart hiccuped when Tucker barreled into her legs. A hug or a tackle, she wasn’t sure. Either way, she’d take it. She scooped Tucker up and pushed aside all of the remorse that rushed in with his sweet baby smell.

“Girl, it is hot out here. Are you dying?”

“A little.” Olivia took a long swig of her water and wiped the back of her hand across her forehead. She must look a mess. “Where’s Jack?”

Janie motioned to the line. “Right behind me. He drove his own car so he could get it washed too. Oh, there’s Cash in his truck.”

Olivia shaded her eyes, waving at Cash along with Janie. She imagined her friend’s pulse didn’t race as if she’d just run lines in the gym.

And you’re planning to spend time with that man? Not your best move, Liv.

She hadn’t seen Cash since last Sunday at church, when she’d let her initial attraction grow into a moment of jealousy. Thankfully she’d had a week to collect herself since then. Olivia had come to the realization that she couldn’t avoid the man. She not only coached his sister but she also planned to tutor the girl. And Cash was friends with Jack and Janie. So Olivia had decided that she could hang out with Cash in those various settings, but she wouldn’t let her heart get involved. That barely beating organ had been trampled, so keeping it tucked away until it healed only made sense.

Olivia would think of Cash as Rachel’s older brother or Jack and Janie’s friend and nothing more. How hard could that be?

When Jack parked and joined them, Tucker squealed. Olivia deposited him on the ground, and he toddled over to his dad. Jack snapped him up, making him giggle.

“I’ve noticed almost the whole football team seems to be in line.” Olivia nudged Jack. “School spirit?”

He snorted. “More like girl spirit.”

At the sound of screams, Olivia glanced over. One of the football players had jumped out of the passenger seat of a car and stolen a bucket of water. Girls and suds went everywhere as he doused the nearest members of her team. Two more football players emerged from their cars and Olivia groaned.

“Jack.” Janie took Tucker and pushed her husband toward the chaos. “Stop them.”

Before Jack could take a step, more car doors than Olivia could count opened and shut. One football player climbed out of a sunroof while the rest looked like ants swarming a lemonade spill.

Olivia ran for the hose, securing that. Jack tried yelling for them to stop, but only got himself doused with a bucketful of suds by his players. White bubbles clung to his eyebrows and nose, his look deadly.

“That’s it.” Jack growled and sprinted for the hose located across the car from Olivia. He opened fire and the boys ran for cover, trying to find protection from the water spray.

Janie screeched and Olivia looked behind her to see her friend’s cute capris and tank top dripping with water, her formerly swaying brown bob now plastered to her head. She pointed at her husband. “Jack Edward Smith. You are a dead man.”

From next to Janie’s legs, Tucker clapped his hands and chanted, “Wa-wa, wa-wa.”

Trish swooped in, claiming Tucker and allowing Janie to run for cover.

Using the hood for protection, Olivia ducked down. Nobody messed with her friends. She closed one eye and aimed the nozzle, then waited for the right moment. Jack’s grin evaporated when the cold spray reached his stomach. He caught sight of her and she ducked, but not before a line of water shot across the top of her head.

She wasn’t going down without a fight. Bracing for cold water impact, Olivia stood, aiming for Jack. But when Cash bounded around the hood of the car, she quickly switched her aim to him, hand poised on the trigger.

He stopped a foot in front of her, his grin making her stomach do crazy things. “The way I see it, Coach Grayson, you can give up now.” Cash glanced around at the chaos, shoulders lifting. “Or I can’t do anything to help you.”

“You boys really are oversized teenagers, aren’t you?”

Eyes narrowing under the brim of his white University of Texas baseball hat, Cash lunged for the sprayer at the same time she squeezed. Water bounced off his rust-orange Longhorns T-shirt, spraying everywhere. He switched tactics, wrapping boa constrictor arms around her from behind. Her grip on the sprayer weakened. Though she prided herself on being in shape, she was no match for him.

“Ready to give up yet?” The proximity of Cash’s voice sent tingles down her neck.

Olivia risked a glance over her shoulder. Laugh lines rimmed Cash’s eyes, and unlike Sunday, all of his attention was on her. She was enjoying it way too much. Though the phrase Rachel’s brother sounded like a referee’s whistle in her mind, Olivia just shook her head in answer to Cash’s question, letting her legs go out from under her. The self-defense move allowed her to drop down and out of Cash’s hold.

Janie yelled for Olivia to get out of the way, then threw a bucket of water at Cash. Olivia popped up laughing. Janie only came up to Cash’s chest, so most of the water landed on his previously dry cargo shorts.

“Jack, get your woman,” Cash yelled to his friend as he resumed the tug-of-war over the hose with Olivia.

Feeling the sprayer slip once more, Olivia shouted for Janie to run as Cash gained control of the hose. Instead of escaping, her friend lurched onto Cash’s back, not accomplishing much in the way of help but totally getting points for effort.

Cash let loose, spraying Olivia point-blank. Water ran from her face and neck, soaking her red tank top and athletic shorts. She sputtered, coherent enough to see Jack peel Janie off Cash’s back and throw her over his shoulder.

Not above using a ploy when the need called for it, Olivia sank to the ground and cradled her foot. She didn’t whine—no need to overdo it. The water stopped and Cash dropped to one knee beside her.

“Are you okay?”

Ugh. Did he have to look so irresistible? Water dripped across his cheeks, wet eyelashes accentuating one of his best features. His neck and shoulders tensed, ready for the water that might come at them from any direction.

It sounded as though a war raged around them, but Olivia didn’t see anything but him.

His hand paused inches from her face, as if he intended to wipe the water from her cheeks. Her breath stalled in her chest, then came out in a whoosh of disappointment when his hand lowered.

“Did you hurt your foot?” Cash slid callused hands along her bare skin, her flip-flops doing little to interrupt the current that flowed between them.

His touch was too much. Olivia lunged forward, tackling Cash while screaming for her team at the same time. Though he could easily throw her over his shoulder like Jack had done to Janie, she managed to catch him off balance. Cash fell back onto the asphalt, taking her down with him.

With a war cry, her team descended, Rachel in the lead. Though they aimed for Cash, they managed to get Olivia just as bad. By the time the onslaught ceased, Olivia found herself cradled on Cash’s left side, water running into her ears, hair plastered to her head and neck, clothes soaked through again.

Cash’s hand tightened around her arm, holding her captive as his head dropped to the ground. “Shh.” He whispered against her hair. “If we’re quiet, they won’t know we’re down here. Play dead.”

Shaking with laughter, Olivia left her head in the crook between Cash’s arm and chest.

“Well, Coach Grayson.” His casual drawl made her grin. “I think that one backfired on you.”

She peeked up from his chest, and he returned her smile with one of his own. Olivia hadn’t had that much fun in...she didn’t know how long.

“I wouldn’t say it was a total loss.” Olivia laughed as Cash ran a hand through his hair and water flew out in every direction. Sometime during the scuffle, he had lost his baseball hat.

Janie and Jack approached as she and Cash moved to a sitting position. The Smiths sat beside them, and the four of them caught their breath while the students finally called a truce.

Jack shook the water from his hair like an overgrown puppy. “What are you guys up to tonight? Do you want to come over for dinner?”

Hadn’t she just talked to herself about this very scenario?

Cash stiffened beside her and found his soaked cap on the ground behind them. He snapped it on his head, then stood. “Thanks, but I can’t. I’ve got to run.”

The three of them stood, too, the confusion Olivia felt mirrored on Jack’s and Janie’s faces.

“But you didn’t get your truck washed.” Olivia squeezed a hand down her ponytail, releasing a barrage of water.

He dug out his wallet and pressed a somehow still-dry twenty into her damp hand. “For the team.” Then he jogged to his truck and pulled out of line.

Olivia stared after him, not quite sure what to do with the feelings coursing through her. The hurt from Colorado flashed back, memories of Josh walking away almost suffocating her. She could still see the positive pregnancy test and the two that followed with the same little plus signs. And then...the stress, the shame, the miscarriage.

Olivia had strayed from God’s waiting-for-marriage plan. She’d walked away from God. And her decisions had ended in heartache and regret.

Watching Cash drive away—experiencing that tinge of hurt at his quick disappearance—for the first time in her life, Olivia actually felt momentarily thankful for her jaded past and all those regrets. They kept her from letting her heart get involved with a man who didn’t even know it existed.

Just like the last time.