Jared to speak. After several long seconds, he nods his head. “I’ve thought about it, and I see your point, Coach. I’m not a hundred percent convinced that girls can play football as good as boys, but I know my mom can do any dam—um, darn thing she sets her mind to.” He turns to me, and his eyes are not the puppy dog cute of Cam’s, but there is a hint of respect that wasn’t there before. “I’m sorry I said what I said, Miss Tiger. Thank you for saving the rec center.”
I make my face as open and pleasant as possible, because he is just a kid and doesn’t really know how backward what he’s been taught is. “I accept your apology, Jared.”
Our hostess claps her hands. “Who wants a popsicle?”
The kids all raise their hands and yell, “Me.”
“After we help with the dishes, we’ll have one,” Elva says.
“I’ll do the dishes,” I volunteer. “You guys go ahead.”
Elva rises. “Alright then, Jared and Cam, help me get the treats. The rest of you, wait on the porch.”
“So the boys are serving the girls?” Kayla asks.
“Remember, don’t be a sore winner, Kayla?” It’s hardly a reprimand since the older woman winks at the kid.
The girls laugh and all file out of the kitchen.
“You do know you nearly melted Jared in his seat, right?” Cash laughs.
I stand and begin gathering the dishes. “What are you talking about?”
He circles his finger in the vicinity of my face. “I thought he was going to expire when you turned up the voltage on that thing you do with your lips. Grown men can barely handle it, let alone a kid. The thing should be registered as a lethal weapon.” He grins, and Lord help me, I want to lick him like one of those popsicles Elva is serving the kids.
I place the dishes into the sink and turn on the water. “I assume you’re man enough to not let it affect you?”
“Not even almost.” His lips are at my ear. “You’ve always gotten to me, Kitty Cat.”
I turn to see if he’s serious, but he’s already headed out the door.
Back at cha, stud. Right back at cha.
Thirty-Seven
Cash
“You’re pretty sweet on that girl.”
“Which girl?” I know exactly who Elva’s talking about, and she’s not wrong. Not that I’ll let her know that.
Her bony elbow pokes into my side. “You know good and well who I’m talking about, Cash King. Any fool could see how much you’re stuck on her.”
We’re sitting on her back porch while the kids play in the waning daylight. “She’s alright.”
The older woman’s laughter cackles through the air. “Just alright? That’s why my bank account just got a healthy infusion of your cash, because she’s just alright.”
I can’t deny it. My feelings for Tiger get bigger and deeper the longer I spend with her, which is a big problem, considering my life is not in this small town and hers is.
The screen door creaks open, and the woman in questions saunters out onto the porch and leans against the railing. “We should probably be getting these kids home pretty soon.”
Jared spins the football off his fingers in a toss to himself, then catches it easily. “Aww, I was hoping we could play a little two-below.”
“Yeah!” Cam and Kayla yell at once.
Misty scrunches up her face and looks at her twin. “We don’t want to play football, but we’ll be the cheerleaders.”
Marci jumps into the air and punches her fist above her head. “Yes!”
Misty performs a perfect cartwheel and shouts, “Go Lions,” when she stands upright.
“But that’s only three of us,” Kayla says.
“Hey, Coach, how ’bout it?” Jared asks.
“Sorry, kid. I have a clause in my contract that says I won’t play any recreational sports during season.” Geez, did that really sound as douchey to them as it did to me? Judging by their expressions, it did.
My gaze slides to Tiger. Maybe I can make her understand. “I’m sorry, I just can’t. You understand.”
Her only response is to bound down the steps and steal the ball from Jared. “I’ll play.” She hip-checks Kayla. “Girls against boys.”
Jared takes the ball away from Tiger. “Alright, but we get first possession. Don’t think we’ll go easy on you.”
Tiger widens her stance and makes a come here motion with her hands. “Bring it on, big talker.”
He laughs like he thinks she’s full of shit, but the flush across his cheeks gives him away. The kid has a crush on my crush.