They were his friends. That much was clear. He fist bumped a few and made a few comments with his cocky smirk that I knew were probably something naughty.
“You stay in the house for the next couple of hours,” Daddy said as he walked up the steps of the porch with a frown.
“Who are they?” I asked, surprised Cage had let a bunch of guys come see him here.
“It’s your Uncle Mack’s baseball team. He sent them here to do a little bonding time with the boy. He don’t want him to get his mind off the goal. I told him it’d be okay for a few hours. They’re supposed to take him into town for something to eat and bring him back.”
“Can I sit on the porch?” I asked, wanting to watch them. It was interesting to watch Cage with his teammates.
“I reckon but when they come walking back this way you go on inside. Ya, hear?
“Yes, sir,” I replied. He still treated me as if I was a sixteen-year-old girl instead of a twenty-year-old woman. Part of it was my fault. I’d been so dependent on Josh that when he died I’d crumbled. Daddy had to take care of me like I was a child again. I didn’t remember to eat. I didn’t answer phone calls. I didn’t go anywhere. I gave him complete control over my life. My age didn’t mean anything to him. He still thought he had to take care of me. Until I moved out I knew he would always feel that way.
A loud whistle broke into my thoughts and I gazed back down toward the barn to see three of the guys sitting on the back of the farm truck staring up at me.
The blond one with long hair pulled back into a ponytail was prettier than the others and he knew it. The flirtatious grin on his face and tilt of his head made it apparent, he really thought I’d just go walking down there because he whistled at me. Maybe all baseball players were full of themselves.
Cage came walking out of the barn and his eyes locked on mine. He shifted his gaze to the guys on the truck and he gave them a single shake of his head. All three of them said something to him and he didn’t look real happy. But they didn’t look back up here at me. I wondered if he warned them off because I was Coach Mack’s niece or because he didn’t want them flirting with me.
Somehow I didn’t think he’d really care if they flirted with me. He was a huge flirt. It was no surprise his friends were too.
The guys all started heading back this way now that Cage had on clean clothes. Daddy was back in his office and I wondered if I could get away with sitting in the rocker while they passed by.
Cage led the group as they drew closer to the front of the house. I scanned the group and then my eyes came back to him. He was watching me. I felt my face grow warm. What if he talked to me in front of all of them and I said something stupid and they all laughed at me? I decided I had better do what daddy said after all. Turning I grabbed the door handle and rushed inside.
I walked over to the fridge for a glass of water. I hated that something as stupid as a bunch of guys made me nervous. There was a knock on the screen door then it opened up a crack and Cage stuck his head in.
“Hey, you okay?” he asked with a concerned look on his face.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” I replied, quickly feeling silly for running inside.
“I’m sorry about the guys. They didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I was getting a shower so I didn’t know they were bothering you.”
He had been worried about them making me uncomfortable? That was … sweet.
“Oh. No. It was fine. I don’t even know what they said.”
A crooked grin flashed on his face, “Probably a good thing. You sure are a pretty picture standing on the porch in them shorts. Can’t say I blame them for staring.”
My face felt flushed and a horn blared outside. “I gotta go. Just wanted to make sure you were okay.”
I nodded and he stepped back and let the screen door close. Then he winked at me before turning and walking away.
Chapter Ten
Eva
I pulled the truck up to the lake and grabbed my towel and iPod. I intended to lay out for a couple hours and even take a swim. I didn’t want to go back into town today. There was nothing left for me to buy. Every movie they were playing at the theater I’d watched within the last forty-eight hours.
I straightened my towel out on the thickest patch of grass. I checked to make sure there were no snakes hiding out nearby. Growing up in the country I’d learned a long time ago that snakes could be anywhere. Once I was sure I was nice and safe, I stuck my earbuds in and put my “after Josh” playlist on. I didn’t actually title it my “after Josh” playlist. It was just how I thought of it. All the playlists I’d had before reminded me of him. So, I’d found songs by artists we’d never listened to together and made myself a compilation of songs that didn’t remind me of him at all. It was the only way I’d been able to start listening to music again.
I knew that Daddy and Jeremy both hoped I’d pick up my guitar again but I knew that would never happen. The day I’d finally brought it back out of the closet and stood it in the corner where I’d used to keep it Jeremy had been all smiles. Until, he realized I wasn’t actually going to play it. Every song I’d ever written had something to do with Josh. Even the ones that weren’t love songs, Josh was in there somewhere. He was always my inspiration. I couldn’t play it now. Not with him gone, it just never felt right.
At least I’d let music back into my life. That was a step I never thought I’d manage. Growing up with music as my second love, behind Josh of course, I’d always thought it would be my future. Somehow, I’d do something with my songs and ability. I knew now that I’d lost that love too. It was only a painful reminder now.
Rough fabric brushed my leg and I sat straight up ready to scream when my eyes locked on a very amused Cage. Reaching up I jerked my ear buds out and scowled at him. “You scared me! “
Cage tried to hold in his laughter but his eyes were twinkling with it. “Yeah, sorry about that. I tried talking to you but when you didn’t respond I figured you were either sleeping or that music was turned up real damn loud.”