shove that he fell backward. Then he met Landon’s eyes.
“Let’s go,” he said again, in a controlled voice. “Now.”
Six
C ooper and Landon walked briskly to the parking lot. There was no question Landon was jittery. “Stop looking over your shoulder,” Cooper said. “I’ll hear them if they’re coming.”
“What if you don’t?”
“I will. Where’s your car?”
“Behind the school, in the student lot.”
“And I suppose they have cars there, too?”
“Yeah.”
“There’s my truck,” he said, pointing. “I’m going to drive you to your car, then I’ll follow you out of here. I’ll follow you home, if you want me to, but I’d rather go somewhere we can get food. I’m not kidding, I’m starving.”
“And if I don’t feel like doing that?” Landon asked.
Cooper didn’t say anything. He waited until they got to the truck and said, “Get in.” Once they were both in the cab, Cooper turned toward Landon. “Here’s the deal. I know what happened tonight. I get it. The kid’s an ass, a bully without a conscience, and he seems to have a posse. I’ve been there, believe me. We’re gonna have a talk about your options—either over food or in your living room.”
“My sister is there!” he said. “I don’t need her all into this. She will seriously make it worse. Even worse than you have!”
He lifted eyebrows. “Did she go to the game?”
“She was there. But she takes her own car in case I have someplace to go. I never do, but in case.”
Cooper started the truck. “Call her. Tell her you’re going out for a burger and you won’t be late.”
“Can’t we do this some other time?” he said. “Like when the whole town isn’t packed into the joints? Just let me out at my truck and I’ll—”
“Call her. Drive to Cliffhanger’s and I’ll follow you. I doubt the whole booster club will be hanging out there. And we both know where most of the team will be. On the beach.”
Landon sighed, giving in. “Turn left into the parking lot. That’s my truck, the green Mazda. I’ll call my sister from the truck....”
“Make it a quick call, will you? I’m sure those boys are pissed off and trying to decide what to do to you next.”
He started to get out of the truck, then looked back at Cooper. “What if you are some kind of pervert?”
“I just saved your life. Now I’m going to feed you and give you a few pointers. Don’t make me regret it.”
“That’s what perverts do,” Landon said.
Cooper leaned toward him. “Perverts don’t let you drive yourself. You’re making me tired. After we talk about assholes like Jag, we’ll talk about perverts. Now go!”
* * *
Mac drove his aunt Lou and the younger kids home after the game. Once he got them all inside, he said, “I’m going to take a run through town, make sure all is quiet....”
“It won’t be quiet after a win like that,” Lou said as she reached into the refrigerator for a diet cola. “Don’t go sitting out on the hill, spying on the beach.”
“I don’t do that,” he said to her back.
“Yes, you do,” she said, leaving the kitchen.
He stood there in indecision for a moment. Then he reached into the refrigerator, grabbed two beers and left the house. The night was clear and cold and there were a million stars. He only drove about ten blocks, to a neighborhood perched on the hill right above the main street. He parked and walked up the steps to the porch and knocked, hanging on to the beers in one hand.
Gina answered in her plaid winter jammies and heavy socks. “What are you doing here?”
He gave a shrug. “I’m in search of adult company and I’ve had enough of Lou. I’m sick of her bossing me around.”
“What did she say?”
“She said, ‘Don’t go sit on the hill and spy on the beach.’” He held a beer toward her. “Come on out.”
She grabbed her jacket off the hook inside the door and slipped into it, turned off the porch light and then accepted
“Let’s go,” he said again, in a controlled voice. “Now.”
Six
C ooper and Landon walked briskly to the parking lot. There was no question Landon was jittery. “Stop looking over your shoulder,” Cooper said. “I’ll hear them if they’re coming.”
“What if you don’t?”
“I will. Where’s your car?”
“Behind the school, in the student lot.”
“And I suppose they have cars there, too?”
“Yeah.”
“There’s my truck,” he said, pointing. “I’m going to drive you to your car, then I’ll follow you out of here. I’ll follow you home, if you want me to, but I’d rather go somewhere we can get food. I’m not kidding, I’m starving.”
“And if I don’t feel like doing that?” Landon asked.
Cooper didn’t say anything. He waited until they got to the truck and said, “Get in.” Once they were both in the cab, Cooper turned toward Landon. “Here’s the deal. I know what happened tonight. I get it. The kid’s an ass, a bully without a conscience, and he seems to have a posse. I’ve been there, believe me. We’re gonna have a talk about your options—either over food or in your living room.”
“My sister is there!” he said. “I don’t need her all into this. She will seriously make it worse. Even worse than you have!”
He lifted eyebrows. “Did she go to the game?”
“She was there. But she takes her own car in case I have someplace to go. I never do, but in case.”
Cooper started the truck. “Call her. Tell her you’re going out for a burger and you won’t be late.”
“Can’t we do this some other time?” he said. “Like when the whole town isn’t packed into the joints? Just let me out at my truck and I’ll—”
“Call her. Drive to Cliffhanger’s and I’ll follow you. I doubt the whole booster club will be hanging out there. And we both know where most of the team will be. On the beach.”
Landon sighed, giving in. “Turn left into the parking lot. That’s my truck, the green Mazda. I’ll call my sister from the truck....”
“Make it a quick call, will you? I’m sure those boys are pissed off and trying to decide what to do to you next.”
He started to get out of the truck, then looked back at Cooper. “What if you are some kind of pervert?”
“I just saved your life. Now I’m going to feed you and give you a few pointers. Don’t make me regret it.”
“That’s what perverts do,” Landon said.
Cooper leaned toward him. “Perverts don’t let you drive yourself. You’re making me tired. After we talk about assholes like Jag, we’ll talk about perverts. Now go!”
* * *
Mac drove his aunt Lou and the younger kids home after the game. Once he got them all inside, he said, “I’m going to take a run through town, make sure all is quiet....”
“It won’t be quiet after a win like that,” Lou said as she reached into the refrigerator for a diet cola. “Don’t go sitting out on the hill, spying on the beach.”
“I don’t do that,” he said to her back.
“Yes, you do,” she said, leaving the kitchen.
He stood there in indecision for a moment. Then he reached into the refrigerator, grabbed two beers and left the house. The night was clear and cold and there were a million stars. He only drove about ten blocks, to a neighborhood perched on the hill right above the main street. He parked and walked up the steps to the porch and knocked, hanging on to the beers in one hand.
Gina answered in her plaid winter jammies and heavy socks. “What are you doing here?”
He gave a shrug. “I’m in search of adult company and I’ve had enough of Lou. I’m sick of her bossing me around.”
“What did she say?”
“She said, ‘Don’t go sit on the hill and spy on the beach.’” He held a beer toward her. “Come on out.”
She grabbed her jacket off the hook inside the door and slipped into it, turned off the porch light and then accepted
Similar Books
