burnt and belligerent though.
Tate thought of her sparkling eyes and demanding mouth. Especially when it was laced with his. Maybe burning up wouldn’t be so bad.
~
Mia walked along the high school track that circled the football field, making her way to the bleachers. The band was playing, the smell of popcorn and hot dogs wafted in the cool breeze and everyone was on their feet. Several kids were scattered in their obvious clicks standing and talking while most of the adults and parents were in the stands.
The cheerleaders lined the field and the Sweet Hill football team tore through the paper banner and took the field. Mia clapped when she saw her brother, number eighty-eight.
She thought he looked big normally? In full gear and helmet he was one of the biggest kids on the field.
“Go Kyle!” she yelled when the team took their spot on the sideline. He glanced her way and she stood on her tippy toes and waved.
Her red gloved hands matched her knitted hat and she tugged her coat a little tighter. It was chilly but a clear night for football. The grass was crisp and green and the freshly laid chalk illuminated under the bright lights. Not a single thing had changed since she had gone to school here. And for a heartbeat, she felt like she was content.
“Brings back memories doesn’t it?” Mia turned to the sweet voice of Abby McAdams.
“Some better than others,” Mia replied.
Abby smiled, but Mia knew better than to trust it. Because that woman’s bite was sharper than it looked.
“You’re not still mad about the pesky little rumor are you?”
“You had the entire school thinking I was a prostitute.”
“That’s not true,” Abby said ever so nicely. “I said you gave special favors in exchange for doing your homework. How was I supposed to know people would take that and run with it?”
Mia just shook her head.
“Besides, you ran off to wherever it was you went before I could apologize.” Abby reached out her hand and Mia eyed it, wondering where the snake would pop out to bite her at. “We’re working Santa’s Sleigh Drive together and I think we should bury the hatchet.”
With a long breath, Mia shook the woman’s hand. This was a start. Maybe Sweet Hill and some of the town’s folk had changed.
“Now that that is settled, why don’t you pop by the fire station Monday. Noelle is coming and we can discuss a few things about vendors. Since we’ve done coats before, I have a guy that will donate quite a few.”
“Sounds great,” Mia said, a little shocked Abby was being so helpful. “I can come by after work.”
“Wonderful!” She gave a little wave and adjusted her light pink knitted hat and matching mittens.
Mia felt like a major piece of the puzzle she wasn’t looking forward to dealing with was slipping into place. If she could make it in Sweet Hill, she could finally be home. Kyle would have a place to call home and they could move on from the past and the not so flattering reputation their last name came with.
“Beautiful night,” Tate said.
She looked to her right to see him standing next to her. Wearing a black wool coat, dark jeans, and just a hint of Friday night stubble, the man looked amazing. His eyes glowed dark but there was an ease about him. And Mia felt anything but calm, especially since she still hadn’t gotten her body to stop pulsing since the night he kissed her.
“It is.” She glanced at him. “Kyle said you guys made good headway on the booths yesterday.”
He nodded. “We did.”
“Good.”
He smiled, apparently not catching her clip tone that she wasn’t interested in chatting, especially about the other night. Or he did catch it, just didn’t care.
“I wanted to talk to you about the other night.”
Yep. Didn’t care. Unfortunately for Mia, she didn’t want to chat about it because just his eyes on her and the reference to other parts being on her, like his mouth, made
Tate thought of her sparkling eyes and demanding mouth. Especially when it was laced with his. Maybe burning up wouldn’t be so bad.
~
Mia walked along the high school track that circled the football field, making her way to the bleachers. The band was playing, the smell of popcorn and hot dogs wafted in the cool breeze and everyone was on their feet. Several kids were scattered in their obvious clicks standing and talking while most of the adults and parents were in the stands.
The cheerleaders lined the field and the Sweet Hill football team tore through the paper banner and took the field. Mia clapped when she saw her brother, number eighty-eight.
She thought he looked big normally? In full gear and helmet he was one of the biggest kids on the field.
“Go Kyle!” she yelled when the team took their spot on the sideline. He glanced her way and she stood on her tippy toes and waved.
Her red gloved hands matched her knitted hat and she tugged her coat a little tighter. It was chilly but a clear night for football. The grass was crisp and green and the freshly laid chalk illuminated under the bright lights. Not a single thing had changed since she had gone to school here. And for a heartbeat, she felt like she was content.
“Brings back memories doesn’t it?” Mia turned to the sweet voice of Abby McAdams.
“Some better than others,” Mia replied.
Abby smiled, but Mia knew better than to trust it. Because that woman’s bite was sharper than it looked.
“You’re not still mad about the pesky little rumor are you?”
“You had the entire school thinking I was a prostitute.”
“That’s not true,” Abby said ever so nicely. “I said you gave special favors in exchange for doing your homework. How was I supposed to know people would take that and run with it?”
Mia just shook her head.
“Besides, you ran off to wherever it was you went before I could apologize.” Abby reached out her hand and Mia eyed it, wondering where the snake would pop out to bite her at. “We’re working Santa’s Sleigh Drive together and I think we should bury the hatchet.”
With a long breath, Mia shook the woman’s hand. This was a start. Maybe Sweet Hill and some of the town’s folk had changed.
“Now that that is settled, why don’t you pop by the fire station Monday. Noelle is coming and we can discuss a few things about vendors. Since we’ve done coats before, I have a guy that will donate quite a few.”
“Sounds great,” Mia said, a little shocked Abby was being so helpful. “I can come by after work.”
“Wonderful!” She gave a little wave and adjusted her light pink knitted hat and matching mittens.
Mia felt like a major piece of the puzzle she wasn’t looking forward to dealing with was slipping into place. If she could make it in Sweet Hill, she could finally be home. Kyle would have a place to call home and they could move on from the past and the not so flattering reputation their last name came with.
“Beautiful night,” Tate said.
She looked to her right to see him standing next to her. Wearing a black wool coat, dark jeans, and just a hint of Friday night stubble, the man looked amazing. His eyes glowed dark but there was an ease about him. And Mia felt anything but calm, especially since she still hadn’t gotten her body to stop pulsing since the night he kissed her.
“It is.” She glanced at him. “Kyle said you guys made good headway on the booths yesterday.”
He nodded. “We did.”
“Good.”
He smiled, apparently not catching her clip tone that she wasn’t interested in chatting, especially about the other night. Or he did catch it, just didn’t care.
“I wanted to talk to you about the other night.”
Yep. Didn’t care. Unfortunately for Mia, she didn’t want to chat about it because just his eyes on her and the reference to other parts being on her, like his mouth, made
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