45. Sloane

CHAPTER 45

SLOANE

C am moves down to Fort Lauderdale as planned for pre-season, but I still have some things to take care of in Thunder Creek.

The End-of-Summer Reading Bash goes off without a hitch, with tons of kids and their parents all showing up for the party. We have cookies and lemonade and Abigail wins the award for the most number of books read over the summer.

“Thanks, Ms. Sloane.” She smiles sweetly at me, clutching her gold medal and the gift certificate to Swirly-Q, a Thunder Creek tradition.

“You’re welcome—you earned it! Thirty-three books is a reading record for the library!”

She flashes a gappy smile up at me and my chest cracks open a little. I’m going to miss working at the library when I move to Florida. Maybe I can find a job at a library or bookstore down there.

“Thanks—it was hard, but we can do hard things!” she chirps and I nod, hugging her small shoulders .

“That we can. Have a great school year, okay?”

“I will.”

Abigail and her mom wander out of the library and I squash down my sadness, my eyelids gummy.

“We sure are gonna miss you ‘round here, Sloane. Especially since Meg took the job in the front office at the high school. I’m down two helpers.” Ms. Mabel shakes her gray head, the chain on her readers tinkling.

“Don’t worry, Ms. Mabel. I’m sure you’ll find people to take our places.”

“I will. But they won’t be as lovely as you. You’re my girl.” Ms. Mabel encircles me in a hug, squeezing. “But I don’t blame you one little bit. A man like Cam Crawford swoops in after me, I’m saying yes. Go live your life, Sloane. Be happy.” Tears sparkle behind the lenses of Ms. Mabel’s glasses and I nod, too choked up to speak.

After a minute, I take a shaky breath.“Thank you. Say bye to Meg for me. I’m sorry she couldn’t be here today.”

“She had Orientation at the school. But I’ll tell her you said bye.”

With one last hug, I tuck in my chair for the final time and head out of the library.

Gracelyn comes over to help me pack up my stuff for the move.

“Gah, I hate this!” She throws herself on my bed and stares up at the ceiling. “We were gonna move in together and have a perpetual sleepover!”

That was never going to happen, but I don’t tell Gracelyn that.

“Look at it this way—you’ll always have a place to stay on the beach in Florida!”

“True, good point. I do love the beach.”

“Exactly.” I shove the last of my clothing into my suitcase and together Grace and I manage to zip the bag closed.

“I can’t believe you’re leaving.” Grace glances around my room, the closet and dresser empty. “I’m going to miss you, bestie.”

She grips me in a tight hug and tears fill my eyes. “Me too, Gracelyn. Thanks for being here for me this summer. And come see me all the time, okay?”

Gracelyn nods, her chin pressing into my shoulder. “Okay.”

“We ready? I don’t want to be late to the game.”

Tonight’s the exhibition game at the high school, a pre-season game between Thunder Creek High and our biggest rival, Lighting Ridge.

“Sure, let’s go.”

By the time we arrive at the high school, the parking lot’s packed. We find one of the few remaining spots and hustle into the stadium.

“Is your dad nervous?” Gracelyn asks as we move through the crowd.

“Coach Carter? Nervous? Never.” I spot my dad pacing on the sidelines, wearing his coaching uniform: dark blue Thunder Creek polo, khaki shorts, baseball cap, and his bright orange whistle. He’s staring at his clipboard, frowning, and tears prick behind my eyes.

I’m going to miss my dad.

He’s gruff and quiet, keeping to himself most of the time, and watches a shit-ton of ESPN. But still—he’s the best guy I know (Cam’s tied, but don’t tell either of them).

After Cam showed up at the library, I cornered my dad about the whole thing. He muttered something about second chances and taking risks, then patted Cam on the shoulder and went to Mack’s house .

That was it.

The man’s a real mystery, but I love him with my whole heart.

He glances up from his clipboard and waves at me and Gracelyn. I shoot him a smile and a thumbs-up and then Grace and I climb into the bleachers, snagging the seats next to Meg.

“Is Langley excited about his first game? I heard my dad tapped him to be QB One.” I squeeze her knee and the corners of her lips tip up in a smile.

“He is. A little nervous, but not half as nervous as me.”

Good thing, too, because Meg’s toe is tapping a mile a minute, shaking the entire metal bleacher. I hope Langley has a lot more composure than his mom.

A cool breeze kicks up, a nice change from the brutal August heat, and the band marches onto the field. The Thunder Creek theme song rolls through the stadium and all the students and alum sing along. The drumline raps on their drums and the cheerleaders line up in two parallel lines, shaking their blue and white pom-poms.

“Thunder Creek, stand up and cheer for your starting line-up!” The announcer’s voice booms through the speakers and everyone jumps up from the stands, cheering and screaming.

“Playing Quarterback this season is Beau Langley!”

Meg whistles and claps as Langley jogs through the pom-pom line, waving at the crowd. The rest of the team is announced one by one and then the Lightning Ridge cheerleaders cartwheel onto the field to cheer on the opposing team.

Finally, both teams take the field and the game begins. The first play is an easy pass down the center and we gain a solid thirty yards. Next, we run a slant route for another thirty yards.

“Langley’s doing great!” I shout to Meg and she nods, her eyes not leaving the field.

The next play doesn’t move the ball forward, so now we’re on second down. My dad’s pressing his headset and making calls. The team lines up in formation and Langley throws a perfect spiral down the field to his wide receiver. Number 45 leaps into the air, catching the ball and running it into the end zone for a touchdown.

Meg leaps off the bleachers, screaming and cheering for her son. Gracelyn and I jump up and hug each other as the crowd goes wild.

“Thunder Creek’s in the lead, 6-0.”

My dad consults with Coach Baker and calls the next play. We go for two and convert.

“Yes!” Grace, Meg, and I all high-five and the excitement in the stadium’s palpable.

Lightning Ridge’s offense lines up and they march down the field, making good plays and gaining yardage. Coach Mack’s red-faced, fists balled at his side. Meg’s fiddling with her necklace and Grace is so close to the edge of the bleacher she may fall off.

The quarterback lifts his arm, reading the field, and fires off the ball. The defensive back to the right sees the play and jumps into the air.

“Yes!” I scream as the player surges forward, picking the ball and scoring another touchdown.

“Thunder Creek 14, Lightning Ridge 0,” the announcer booms and the crowd cheers so loud the entire stadium rumbles.

Lightning Ridge holds us off on the next set of plays, managing to finally score. Then it’s halftime and the band and cheerleaders rush onto the field, music playing and legs kicking high in the air. The team retreats to the locker room for one of my dad’s signature pep talks and Gracelyn and I take the opportunity to head down to the concession stand and grab snacks.

And run straight into Jamie.

“Oh hey, girls. Fancy meeting you two here—Mommy give you a night off, Gracelyn?” Jamie arches her brow, smirking. “And Sloane. Here all alone. What a shocker.”

I bristle and Grace straightens her shoulders, fists clenched as she steps toward Jamie. Luckily, I’m close enough to grab one of Grace’s belt loops, holding her back.

“Shut up, Jamie,” Grace hisses and Jamie laughs, flipping her scarlet hair over her shoulder.

“Oh, must have a struck a nerve.” She fixes her gaze on Grace and I wonder if I should call security or something before the two of them launch into a catfight.

“Why don’t you scurry along, like the dirty rat you are?” Gracelyn waves a hand in Jamie’s direction, shooing her away. But Jamie just bats her lashes and acts all innocent.

“So harsh, Gracelyn. It’s like you don’t remember anything at all you learned in cotillion.”

“Like you’d know anything about that, Jamie. You were too busy going down on the entire basketball team to make it to cotillion class.” Gracelyn folds her arms over her chest, her skin flushing pink.

“At least they were interested—” Jamie juts out her chest, then turns her eyes on me. “Heard you were following Cam down to Florida. Still the same lovesick school girl you’ve always been—guess things never change.”

“They sure don’t, Jamie. Because here you are, still bullying people.” Gracelyn inches closer to Jamie and I tighten my grip on the belt loop.

I want to confront Jamie myself.

“Not that you deserve to know anything about me or my love life after the nasty stunt you pulled at Mustang’s with the fake timestamped video. But just to set the record straight—I’m hardly ‘following Cam down to Florida like a lovesick school girl.’” I air quote her words, my voice rising, and a group of teenage girls stops to eavesdrop. “I know you don’t know anything about real love, but Cam and I are in a very serious, happy, loving relationship?—”

“Emphasis on loving —” Gracelyn chimes in and Jamie frowns, a tiny furrow marring her brow.

“Despite your attempt to break us up. I should really thank you for showing me that video because it’s only made us stronger.”

Jamie presses her matte red lips together, holding her chin high.

“Whatever. The two of you have always been boring anyway.” Jamie tosses her hair again, faking a yawn. “Have a nice life down in Fort Snoozeville.”

“Thanks, we will.” I shoot her my sweetest smile, wiggling my fingers at her. She glares at me one last time, then pivots on her stiletto heel and sashays away without another word.

A long exhale seeps from my lungs as I watch her denim-clad rear retreat down the sidewalk, heading toward the sideline. A minute later, she’s leaning against the fence, tossing her hair over her shoulder and calling attention to herself as the team and coaches file back onto the field.

“What a bitch. Bye-bye and good riddance,” Gracelyn mutters, glowering at Jamie. “Hopefully she picks up a modeling job on the other side of the planet and decides to stay.”

I laugh, relief rolling through me. “That would be nice. We can all hope.”

Gracelyn and I grab snacks and start heading back to our seats when there’s a tap on my shoulder.

I whirl around and there’s Cam, wearing his Thunder Creek High T-shirt, matching me and Gracelyn.

“Cam!” I leap into his arms and his deep chuckle reverberates on my chest, sparks of happiness shooting through me. I smash my lips to his, kissing him long and hard. “I didn’t know you were coming.”

“I wanted to surprise you, Trouble.” He grins at me as I slide down his sculpted body, my feet hitting the asphalt.

“Does my dad know you’re here?”

“Yeah, I visited the team in the locker room, wished them good luck.”

“Of course you did. They only let the real ones into the locker room, you know.” I smile, linking my fingers with his.

“The perks of being an alum.” He winks at me as we work our way through the maze of people scrambling up the bleachers.

The three of us squeeze next to Meg, who hasn’t moved a muscle since we left. She’s clutching her hands so tight her knuckles are chalky white.

“Hey, Meg. Langley’s doing great out there. He’s a natural,” Cam says.

She smiles up at Cam, her cheeks turning rosy. “Thanks. He’s going to be so glad you made it. Did you see him yet?”

Cam flashes his white teeth at Meg and nods. “Sure did. Gave him a pep talk, told him to relax and enjoy it. Four years flies by.”

The game resumes and Cam gives us all a play-by-play, explaining every single route, every pass in great detail. I know nothing about football compared to him, even after living with the coach. It’s fun watching him light up with excitement, talking about his passion.

Finally, we’re in the last minute of the game and it’s all tied up. Langley has one last shot to win the game outright or we’re going into overtime and our team needs a lot of yardage to make that happen. My dad’s pacing the sideline, his brow furrowed, one hand shoved deep in his pocket. He makes the call over his headset and Langley backs up, reading the field.

I hold my breath and squeeze Cam’s hand tight. His lips move silently—he’s reading the field right alongside Langley, willing him to make the right call. Langley releases the football and it sails through the air. Ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty yards, landing in the wide receiver’s open palms. He tears through the defense and hoists the ball up high in the sky.

“And Thunder Creek wins!” the announcer screams and the marching band breaks into the school fight song, all the students and alums jumping to their feet and belting out the words.

“Fight, Mustangs, Fight!” Applause rattles the bleachers and Gracelyn and Meg jump up and down hugging. Cam grabs me, kissing me right there in the stadium beneath the stars.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” I murmur against his lips, smiling. “I always wanted to do this back in high school, you know. ”

He brushes a strand of hair from my eyes and gazes down at me, his marine eyes shining.

“Me too, Trouble. Me too.”

All these years later, and Cam still has the same effect on me.

Breathless.

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Want more in the Thunder Creek series? Keep reading for a sneak peek at Gracelyn and Coach Mack’s book, CALLING THE SHOTS!