Chapter 1

Chapter One

LETTIE

T he fall semester starts in a few days, so Dane and I are back home in eastern Kentucky to see our families.

Last night, his parents had a "Roast the Pig" party on Dane's farm, but it was really a campaign event for Dane's dad. The whole town was there, also Dane's new head basketball coach and his staff. People in eastern Kentucky live and breathe Stallion basketball, so they were eating this up.

Dane and I searched and hunted for my karaoke machine in Granny and Paps' shed, before the big event. When we finally stumbled across it, we dusted it off, then joked and sang for hours. Dane said, "If we're still… you know, after my NBA career, we can be a country duo." I remember shrugging my shoulders as if I agreed, but what does ‘ you know' mean?

If we're still best friends? If we're… what?

So, when th e song from the best movie ever made, Toy Story starts playing in the early morning hours, I know it's him.

The music continues as I stretch to reach my phone that has fallen on the floor. Finally, my fingers grab hold, and my good morning text is waiting for me.

Dane: Morning. Just ran five miles. Riding or volleyball?

Me: Morning, bestie. Both.

Dane: I'll meet you at the barn in an hour to watch you train.

I tap on his text with the thumbs up emoji and swing my feet over the side of the bed.

"Granny? You home?" I ask, walking out of my small bedroom and into the living room.

"In here, Lil Bit," she answers from the kitchen. "Are you hungry?"

"Not really, I'll just eat a banana." I wrap my arms around her and thank my lucky stars she took me in.

She furls her lips and rolls her eyes. "You can have a banana when you're at college. How about some French toast with the strawberries you all picked yesterday."

"Yum. There's this place right off campus that Dane and I go to, and they have the second-best French toast in the world and every time we eat there, it makes me think of home. Love you." I kiss her cheek, then reach into the cabinet for the powdered sugar and maple syrup.

She motions for me to get the basket of strawberries. "Clean and slice."

"Yes, ma'am."

Granny plates the French toast on her cornflower blue and white Corningware. I fan the strawberries out like I've seen Dane's mom do for brunches. "Fancy," Granny says, grinning. "The Greathouses have been good to you. I can't thank them enough."

"You and Paps are pretty good to Dane too. It's because of ya'll that he knows how to grill and mow a lawn. And he always tells me that the food is better here."

Granny and I sit at the table. "Home grown is always better than out of the can."

I agree as I use my fork to push through my French toast and when it hits my tongue, I hum—it's sweet and warm, and full of memories.

"Looking good, Lettie," Dane calls out.

Diamond Mine and I finished fifteen minutes of jumps in a serpentine or snake-like configuration. We walk to the fence where Dane has one foot resting on the second slat of the fence. God, he is one handsome man.

His arms spread across the fence, and he reaches out, touching Diamond Mine's neck.

"I got a little off balance and needed to ride the inside, but we're just taking it easy today." Blowing out a deep breath, I admit my fears. "I'm not good enough to make the O lympics. How am I going to get there? If I don't make it this year, I'll never be able to check off the box."

"One competition at a time. Damn, Lettie, you're competing on the Grand Prix circuit. Remember when you thought you couldn't handle this level? Well, you have. Just keep working on what you can do to be better and what Diamond Mine can do." He pats my knee and squeezes. "Plus, this new trainer will help you fix all of these little things that are worrying you."

Dane has enough confidence in me for the both of us. Without him, I don't know where I would be or more importantly who I would be. Would I be a professional show jumper on the grand prix circuit? The answer is one hundred percent no. It's a scary thought that you don't know who you are if it wasn't for a certain person. We've been best friends since we lost our front teeth.

The horse and I do work the course a few more times, then Dane follows us to the barn. He takes the gear off Diamond Mine, and we give him a bath before putting him in his stall with a fresh bucket of water.

Dane pulls out two of the work horses and places on the reins before we hop up on them bare back and head out to a trail we made when we were twelve. We absorb the sunshine glittering through the trees and inhale the fresh air.

He's twisting his lip, so I know he's got something on his mind. I wish that something is me, but he just doesn't think of me as anything more than a best friend.

"Anything wrong?" I ask, hoping he admits he can't live another day without me as his girlfriend.

He stops and turns his horse so that we're facing each other. "Last night, I saw my mom and Coach Cappitano talking. My mom touched his arm like I've seen her do hundreds of times to guests, but he seemed shocked. Then Dad stormed over, and the three of them had words. Mom walked off before Dad and Coach had a few more words. The whole interaction was weird."

"Just ask them about it."

"Easier said than done. Dad's not happy about Coach Cappitano being named head coach. He thought the Stallions athletic department would choose Dad's choice, but they chose Cappitano over Dad's guy. But Dad and Coach played together for a couple of years. None of this makes sense. Why do my parents have to be so involved in my life?"

I drop my chin in astonishment. "What did you just say? Are you kidding me? At least you have parents. Do you know what I would give to be loved like your parents love you?"

"Lettie, I didn't mean?—"

I cut him off, tears welling behind my lids. And I know damn well they're ready to flow.

"All I've wanted in my whole life, truly wanted, was my parents. But that's not what I got, Dane. My parents prefer cocaine and meth over their daughter. So be fucking grateful." And my heart cracks just a little more.

He jumps of f his horse, holding the leather rope, and reaches for me. I let him slide me off my horse into his arms. "I'm so sorry, Lettie. God, I'm sorry."

I shake my head, tucking my nose into his Minions t-shirt. And that's all it takes for my best friend to soothe the heartbreak that still haunts me.